tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30700649513235912302024-02-19T20:55:25.064-06:00C'est La VieMelissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.comBlogger1004125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-37408836593589548862017-11-20T22:17:00.001-06:002017-11-20T22:17:09.741-06:00Tree Decorating at Brookfield ZooAs part of their Cub Scout Pack, Nick and Henry get to decorate one of the trees at Brookfield Zoo each year. This is our second year participating, and Sunday was a gorgeous, sunny, but very cold day for tree decorating.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGMAf_Sac6QzT4t8OadZA3OVHrZBBxsq7hK-TSot07P5_EDA1vaDscdrWluqoPLT9jM9Pjf0AL25k29s5n-VxTZm2G5Kt6z4nXxTVL9gankdsDyQF5-1Rfkmepl1Hvj1XVt9YPTezNpyn/s1600/IMG_3916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGMAf_Sac6QzT4t8OadZA3OVHrZBBxsq7hK-TSot07P5_EDA1vaDscdrWluqoPLT9jM9Pjf0AL25k29s5n-VxTZm2G5Kt6z4nXxTVL9gankdsDyQF5-1Rfkmepl1Hvj1XVt9YPTezNpyn/s400/IMG_3916.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The boys made all of the ornaments themselves, and this is obvious when you see our tree. I like it this way-ornaments made by Cub Scouts shouldn't look like a Pinterest fantasy.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKlL2lZgrp162DhZ4b61Q8z_ey7imB2SsIDE2YzaggqTx9qJrbwDUWn0SdHc6k3rYY3A-DAqqlOpjRfCTkzXKO6IA0bbFOV4r4i-CJP10OFhSn2NkSovx3lhROzytV3Q2RGAzk65Kt2kj/s1600/IMG_3852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKlL2lZgrp162DhZ4b61Q8z_ey7imB2SsIDE2YzaggqTx9qJrbwDUWn0SdHc6k3rYY3A-DAqqlOpjRfCTkzXKO6IA0bbFOV4r4i-CJP10OFhSn2NkSovx3lhROzytV3Q2RGAzk65Kt2kj/s400/IMG_3852.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nick and Henry making ornaments Friday night.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
No worries about their ornaments looking too perfect. They look just as they should, though my evil nemesis was everywhere Friday night: glitter. I can't stand the stuff because it gets into everything and takes forever to clean up. If you look closely at some of the ornaments, you'll see that some of the kids (Henry included) actually filled up the clear plastic ornaments with a mixture of sequins and glitter. They were heavy!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGu4wM5M963HXP7nbRCZ-GkmiPeOJpa9MdxuW4hyphenhyphenePXoBgwZ4Gf9u97UJpvDyuueSdGvEBjppBv8DVCF04ezZBf2XKXGLff7WBEK70QUFZpV6Ca-hZW7ZkLnup6Wb3XJZiglaXK-viaMsF/s1600/IMG_3862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGu4wM5M963HXP7nbRCZ-GkmiPeOJpa9MdxuW4hyphenhyphenePXoBgwZ4Gf9u97UJpvDyuueSdGvEBjppBv8DVCF04ezZBf2XKXGLff7WBEK70QUFZpV6Ca-hZW7ZkLnup6Wb3XJZiglaXK-viaMsF/s400/IMG_3862.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a few of the awesome ornaments the kids made.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Anyhow, we all love visiting the zoo, so hanging ornaments was a great excuse to go out and make a day of it. They alternated hanging ornaments. . . .<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vupdYdTuzMM2-Jsos9n7K67hQzcWHm694dpfB0n4BUNUopM2QjDS2JH1ysh7igUsR-NLabbk6FGA9rxR3EvkQRR704QNhRvENFCgt4gX9tWibaSpXXTF-rf79DAXyE4cdXrT_sDNiM2j/s1600/IMG_3899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vupdYdTuzMM2-Jsos9n7K67hQzcWHm694dpfB0n4BUNUopM2QjDS2JH1ysh7igUsR-NLabbk6FGA9rxR3EvkQRR704QNhRvENFCgt4gX9tWibaSpXXTF-rf79DAXyE4cdXrT_sDNiM2j/s400/IMG_3899.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
. . . with chasing one another around with sticks. Typical boys.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeiz12pDM1kqTBjGkZdj9vx3VI3D7oUJ249lm3LPZYxvYv5JojHMOWY7RH1khHjUopeUA_JAWvfMmesC47SxvfLiiidmz2iaxWKYk0QGAa9CC-K40UT9FH-otXG_2-cGjgvD4s0d8xlUiC/s1600/IMG_3920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeiz12pDM1kqTBjGkZdj9vx3VI3D7oUJ249lm3LPZYxvYv5JojHMOWY7RH1khHjUopeUA_JAWvfMmesC47SxvfLiiidmz2iaxWKYk0QGAa9CC-K40UT9FH-otXG_2-cGjgvD4s0d8xlUiC/s400/IMG_3920.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Here are all the boys from their Pack in front of their finished tree.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg67rYAyN4iGcO2Lmx2bEwxmqvEDdXvGQ4ImD9pwWZ5iSQzthflDMI48cmXh-PDsxautdr3vPgOByKdin5iSmFth69z2DU6eCViJeLMnwrEE4_nSvgRZEuwvy3g4G4LR9kuuDcgnFrULltW/s1600/IMG_3945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg67rYAyN4iGcO2Lmx2bEwxmqvEDdXvGQ4ImD9pwWZ5iSQzthflDMI48cmXh-PDsxautdr3vPgOByKdin5iSmFth69z2DU6eCViJeLMnwrEE4_nSvgRZEuwvy3g4G4LR9kuuDcgnFrULltW/s400/IMG_3945.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Henry, Nick, and their Cub Scout friends.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
In case you were wondering how my littlest child kept warm in the middle of all the pandemonium, it took a fleece sleeper on top of her outfit, a pair of socks on her hands (her mittens are still too big), a very warm hat, and one of those fuzzy blankets that fits on top of her car seat. Ellie was just fine--she never complained of the cold. In fact, she slept most of the day.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfasG-02Kfhe0zOwWVzCOQrmY6eVXCzjZq90p6jblHktpvbYNImMDQZRciQIdP4tYomuPMfJKxpHecJG6gbfSdC11O95VSVXMAZK_UX5OdV6S-JK7qT-9FgvxVQG0Ay8oWltYaP_NYBuy/s1600/IMG_3992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfasG-02Kfhe0zOwWVzCOQrmY6eVXCzjZq90p6jblHktpvbYNImMDQZRciQIdP4tYomuPMfJKxpHecJG6gbfSdC11O95VSVXMAZK_UX5OdV6S-JK7qT-9FgvxVQG0Ay8oWltYaP_NYBuy/s400/IMG_3992.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
We've always loved Brookfield Zoo, but the admission prices have gone up so much that we don't visit much anymore. Lately, we rotate and get a membership to a different museum-type place every year. So this was our first time to the zoo since tree-decorating last year. It was Ellie's first visit ever, and guess what the first zoo resident she was awake to see was?<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjbVgLsApSg_wbzouBnpRVCwLubOp8-0zlKGDelsPqHj4fMXRr1tkXn4cG1inEzqmzOVdgt1x-rO-cC-lXhkiFdoQGM7Vm1Nrz_HpylhNC4ZaAXm_ASr28nHn8jUBE-uLNNDNX-VYD6xGw/s1600/IMG_3982.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjbVgLsApSg_wbzouBnpRVCwLubOp8-0zlKGDelsPqHj4fMXRr1tkXn4cG1inEzqmzOVdgt1x-rO-cC-lXhkiFdoQGM7Vm1Nrz_HpylhNC4ZaAXm_ASr28nHn8jUBE-uLNNDNX-VYD6xGw/s400/IMG_3982.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Does Ellie look pleased about the fish? Not really.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Yup. She saw the piranhas. They probably thought she was a tasty-sized little morsel. I think she liked the polar bear better. . .<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWurT8TVWMkaJbBoujK8flTrOWnHWIfXoazGzYpJ1GpH9Dl2X67IB20EJ4NgI-FnNz6YRvDby28N8vWghdXlHbX7pxgr49Fr_d2IgX3EdqkSO9QlIZ4kgFK3QDZOX3Z5EpBcaWUD1O6E3/s1600/IMG_4065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWurT8TVWMkaJbBoujK8flTrOWnHWIfXoazGzYpJ1GpH9Dl2X67IB20EJ4NgI-FnNz6YRvDby28N8vWghdXlHbX7pxgr49Fr_d2IgX3EdqkSO9QlIZ4kgFK3QDZOX3Z5EpBcaWUD1O6E3/s400/IMG_4065.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
. . . but not as much as the boys did!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibu2N-5xfB2R34vv33Vp57Gr7cguTBCfMIZmXVxYXmHGkBLpiDvD8L3bK2sJN4jNirtyWRXiG_hfARplYTrS46vCEBNIuQvRReLkt52yxB71jkq966v-incUv-PlpFDnZkRTD1NzHW0p86/s1600/IMG_4058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibu2N-5xfB2R34vv33Vp57Gr7cguTBCfMIZmXVxYXmHGkBLpiDvD8L3bK2sJN4jNirtyWRXiG_hfARplYTrS46vCEBNIuQvRReLkt52yxB71jkq966v-incUv-PlpFDnZkRTD1NzHW0p86/s400/IMG_4058.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This next shot was the boys' favorite. Can you tell why? If not, look to the upper left. I snapped a picture of three Cub Scouts and . . . a polar bear's butt. Those are the most genuine smiles I got out of them all day. The best part? Nick and his buddy are "Bear Scouts" this year--that's the rank they're working towards.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSt03Dr2aVaCr7Kxy_1UVbE6oFWLsnJB-q5XD5W5sk7-kE9Ew4f69zzc1UlJ464AbAJVawafoZdtOW8l-JIF_qA5pz4Be3ORevLAP601y1Z3FtCaK2hiZNGaFx3oPDDvl_B6oX9uvJEP4/s1600/IMG_4071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSt03Dr2aVaCr7Kxy_1UVbE6oFWLsnJB-q5XD5W5sk7-kE9Ew4f69zzc1UlJ464AbAJVawafoZdtOW8l-JIF_qA5pz4Be3ORevLAP601y1Z3FtCaK2hiZNGaFx3oPDDvl_B6oX9uvJEP4/s400/IMG_4071.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Nick wanted to see how he measured up to an actual bear, and I thought we should see how Ellie measured up. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAjYt_ZX2fUxdnbVWNl9JHn2PnaPREEv_iXLMcPW8z2AfWBOsCzwiCD35xPAYzXsfDDtLsTZ9LGGEjGaCp4fP_PZSjY6yH4hB7y2UywrDBqeXzOk45dm2_DIsBK0kDNTLmNCKobZIOqqJ/s1600/IMG_E4076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAjYt_ZX2fUxdnbVWNl9JHn2PnaPREEv_iXLMcPW8z2AfWBOsCzwiCD35xPAYzXsfDDtLsTZ9LGGEjGaCp4fP_PZSjY6yH4hB7y2UywrDBqeXzOk45dm2_DIsBK0kDNTLmNCKobZIOqqJ/s400/IMG_E4076.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
j<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
Verdict? She's got a lot of growing to do! Henry wanted to see how his "wingspan" measured up to the bald eagle.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGZgvh4XbSUp2IvOfd6_kE-d0EXuCkczp87e6WbaFvCnmX-G6Ilbx48vwdcE47JuClGm97j1xLWOFxzvbZpbR6lV-6VQJIg_HCClgckS441JyDVQvy58ThAzRCym_1V7qKEy2ilTj5D6u/s1600/IMG_4046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGZgvh4XbSUp2IvOfd6_kE-d0EXuCkczp87e6WbaFvCnmX-G6Ilbx48vwdcE47JuClGm97j1xLWOFxzvbZpbR6lV-6VQJIg_HCClgckS441JyDVQvy58ThAzRCym_1V7qKEy2ilTj5D6u/s400/IMG_4046.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Oh yes, I definitely posed my kids on top of the polar bear statues. Not that they were complaining. I don't think Ellie even woke up.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRlEIbOaH89XlRHMI9XebOam_nv1dlQX3czcY9zXkcQ4HmbOwZFnIDwsNEQHzrLCA70NUjz-rBrqzMSliS6ZDdYuwME_yNJrYvRofWpbL7KyhAGvCod4t41lD6U8GqMI_wIR-94PakQDr/s1600/IMG_4043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRlEIbOaH89XlRHMI9XebOam_nv1dlQX3czcY9zXkcQ4HmbOwZFnIDwsNEQHzrLCA70NUjz-rBrqzMSliS6ZDdYuwME_yNJrYvRofWpbL7KyhAGvCod4t41lD6U8GqMI_wIR-94PakQDr/s400/IMG_4043.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
We don't get out too often as a family, especially since Greg works Saturdays and I have been tutoring on Sundays. But it was great to have all of us at the zoo, even though there was plenty of fighting over hats and coats and whining about the cold.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUgKqWixl6uOD1cPszeirNZCPsvNawxxS5-Jtx1bVthxeYHOppofiaiqBaJIGuATue6kX2eRONWrligMSzMZjJIztzelbLIzI0A-VzKUrXDo0oXwQPLbo4nUNDkNqsakB6JDz425s6jTo/s1600/IMG_E4089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUgKqWixl6uOD1cPszeirNZCPsvNawxxS5-Jtx1bVthxeYHOppofiaiqBaJIGuATue6kX2eRONWrligMSzMZjJIztzelbLIzI0A-VzKUrXDo0oXwQPLbo4nUNDkNqsakB6JDz425s6jTo/s400/IMG_E4089.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
We could feel our toes again once we got back to the van.Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-14554901076726954162017-10-23T13:49:00.000-05:002017-10-23T13:53:48.946-05:00Family Resemblance<br />
Everyone seems to have an opinion about who Ellie resembles more (Nick or Henry). I put her brothers' newborn pictures on either side of her, and I still can't tell. It's obvious, though, that these three are related.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4sQ7RooyFa1H81jd1qTw6pgNadNHZiEoBI6RbbzIiFCCUalc1to7dsJIyZdx6YJlZzQVHBz8XWrKNsZpYkjmWTNn8jg1tccBm1O9rmZLA8tY59Q2Z5vm-bH042k41ymbV0NghPNMSAb-/s1600/baby+pictures+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="1268" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4sQ7RooyFa1H81jd1qTw6pgNadNHZiEoBI6RbbzIiFCCUalc1to7dsJIyZdx6YJlZzQVHBz8XWrKNsZpYkjmWTNn8jg1tccBm1O9rmZLA8tY59Q2Z5vm-bH042k41ymbV0NghPNMSAb-/s640/baby+pictures+%25282%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Nick was smaller, but I think his hair and eyes look like Ellie's, though Ellie had more hair. I think Nick and Ellie have the same nose, too. I had forgotten what a serious, old-man face Henry had when he was a baby. He's a lot less serious now, at least most of the time. Henry's baby chin looks like Ellie's, I think. His hair was much lighter and sparser. All three of my children had blue eyes at birth, and Nick and Henry still have my blue eyes. Greg thinks Ellie's eyes will turn green like his, but that remains to be seen.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffArYfeyAHr-kYhDnoeIhix2ieO4Ol4zfBkA0Im4yoKsdutWItyzZhXSM2sVruZyGcZMBXkHxNWkn5bCIDw-aljgD4bRfH962mZGuZqHbLCFRqBWT4r8yCdvtgZsu_WimhLgLB4Cb4mEF/s1600/IMG_E2325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffArYfeyAHr-kYhDnoeIhix2ieO4Ol4zfBkA0Im4yoKsdutWItyzZhXSM2sVruZyGcZMBXkHxNWkn5bCIDw-aljgD4bRfH962mZGuZqHbLCFRqBWT4r8yCdvtgZsu_WimhLgLB4Cb4mEF/s640/IMG_E2325.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I also tracked down baby pictures of me and Greg. They aren't nearly as cute, since fancy hospital photos didn't really exist back in the 1970s. I think they were more like mugshots.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_njy28yXOnm9MaH4WMHcAkfPf1nsgE4Dh06yCFVIwKLUvH8g2jY4yBAdEsYXHm6sQ17gFsxYMdqimYQWop7AdBI8qIwXSiBO-LZjjEuFKskomz2v4hFjGCD9438hPsdOh3RE3Bn17c93/s1600/Comparison+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="1280" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_njy28yXOnm9MaH4WMHcAkfPf1nsgE4Dh06yCFVIwKLUvH8g2jY4yBAdEsYXHm6sQ17gFsxYMdqimYQWop7AdBI8qIwXSiBO-LZjjEuFKskomz2v4hFjGCD9438hPsdOh3RE3Bn17c93/s640/Comparison+%25282%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
So she's obviously our kid, but the jury is still out on who little Ellie resembles most. We all agree that she is seriously cute, though.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBp5iBOT_ysXudf7m9fnegFrAnL4Zism9lQFQ6r6Y1rh0T9hq6cbA5CU_wND4VitqNPlwkR3W0QWBoRoUpOGYMGYckP1BZl_wgrp4e1JQnkywTAp7oBEa3L62eO1kfBwj14s5MpUzx7qUu/s1600/IMG_E2368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBp5iBOT_ysXudf7m9fnegFrAnL4Zism9lQFQ6r6Y1rh0T9hq6cbA5CU_wND4VitqNPlwkR3W0QWBoRoUpOGYMGYckP1BZl_wgrp4e1JQnkywTAp7oBEa3L62eO1kfBwj14s5MpUzx7qUu/s640/IMG_E2368.JPG" width="478" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-87202546930665661042017-10-10T21:50:00.001-05:002017-11-20T20:59:38.950-06:00Eleanor 's First Days Here she is, Miss Eleanor Rose, Ellie for short.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-FYI7Qi5Ro5akPb4CMhvIrMRo0clES2XoCQ6SXqd6kJFH_xXigzB_OdJjHe-2SmINQ9oQExkTjENnDRmKa1JOpmi270-Jer5hgEkImVt4BlIE7z0RqJU2k86h9-EopVNTpaSpJm6W6W1/s1600/11-img-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-FYI7Qi5Ro5akPb4CMhvIrMRo0clES2XoCQ6SXqd6kJFH_xXigzB_OdJjHe-2SmINQ9oQExkTjENnDRmKa1JOpmi270-Jer5hgEkImVt4BlIE7z0RqJU2k86h9-EopVNTpaSpJm6W6W1/s400/11-img-11.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from Bella Baby Photography</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
She was born September 28 at 9:08 a.m. at 20 inches long and weighed 7 pounds, 15 ounces. Ellie was the longest and the largest of my three children, though she feels tiny to me. She was born a full three inches longer than Nick (17") and one inch longer than Henry (19"). Right now she's happily curled up against my chest in a baby sling. Ellie is happiest when she's being cuddled. Who is doing the cuddling is less important, but she's already getting attached to her big brothers. Here's the first picture of all three of them together. Nick's shirt says, "Big Brother Again!," Henry's says, "Big Brother Finally!," and Ellie's shirt says," Little Sister."<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCkVJ94XKfsk6RpazAwMtNv1c34Gj-o0gj-ngN60RxYXkyxb7EjeQWgf9SwGKdFPlHNOxkSpNcyd6CrD5vij0WdcGoZ97Dc0CxF6Mje38pQTzqOFKY0wY_3EN7O1BodYkbLwuGmwAqF6Z5/s1600/06-img-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCkVJ94XKfsk6RpazAwMtNv1c34Gj-o0gj-ngN60RxYXkyxb7EjeQWgf9SwGKdFPlHNOxkSpNcyd6CrD5vij0WdcGoZ97Dc0CxF6Mje38pQTzqOFKY0wY_3EN7O1BodYkbLwuGmwAqF6Z5/s400/06-img-6.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from Bella Baby Photography</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Having a baby can take a lot out of you! I've been meaning to sit down and write a blog post since we left the hospital over a week ago, but life got away from me somewhat. I started this post a week ago, and am just finishing it today. Adjusting to being a mom of three while recovering from abdominal surgery has been challenging, to say the least.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJCV38kwuWZ4xIZ2Y0MPjrn8J3jiMbag6ELwimmw5Y9QnJgQaZugoY5NJ041SjVfNJS_LWYyT4vuo8CkUP9Hp7lI7ZjjDq15hZAYzKCYZBT204EbbCxcvGXWX7xlHokexTZKSZBvPaCPt/s1600/02-img-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJCV38kwuWZ4xIZ2Y0MPjrn8J3jiMbag6ELwimmw5Y9QnJgQaZugoY5NJ041SjVfNJS_LWYyT4vuo8CkUP9Hp7lI7ZjjDq15hZAYzKCYZBT204EbbCxcvGXWX7xlHokexTZKSZBvPaCPt/s400/02-img-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Bella Baby Photography</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Right now I'm finishing up teaching a grad school class at the same time I'm taking a grad school class, but dealing with the homework of my two sons this week was more work than both of those combined! Anyhow, I keep this blog mainly so that I have a place to record my thoughts before they're forgotten. Fleeting things, thoughts are, and I want to be able to look back and remember what life was like during these early days of having three children.<br />
<br />
So here's my story, and Ellie's, too. If hospital/birthing/nursing stories aren't your cup of tea, you can stop reading here. I promise I won't mind. I always like to read the stories of other moms' birthing experiences, so perhaps someone will want to read mine. TMI warning ahead, I'm afraid.<br />
<br />
Greg and I arrived at the hospital very early in the morning on Ellie's Birthday. I was scheduled for a c-section with general anesthetic, so I had to go through some extra hoops to explain why spinal anesthesia wouldn't work for me. Basically, I have severe calcification on my spine, and when I was having Nick, the anesthesiologist tried seven different needles down my spine. I failed the pinch test every time, meaning that I could feel exactly where they were pinching me. I didn't lose feeling at all, and they eventually just knocked me out. I didn't want to let them try again with Henry or Eleanor, because the "trying" they did with Nick resulted in severe spinal headaches, nausea, and dizziness for weeks after his birth. Anyhow, I often describe the experience like this: You go in pregnant and not in labor, they put you to sleep, and you wake up with a morphine pump and a baby. Not too shabby.<br />
<br />
There's more to it than that, though. Because they don't want the general to impact the baby, they wait to knock you out until <i>right </i>before they're ready to cut. That means you get strapped down and totally prepped while fully conscious, and the doctor is literally standing there, scalpel in hand, when they have you count backwards from ten. I think I hit seven.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-fSVT-SuBD5UdSukQSm06cX1qJYnMyVeH_hJuFJOl-aSigfa-l9IJD2DFI_KT_vuGQeN9AJxjoB3bWc8cXRyPg9DNH3BYCjz9Egbm_aAdlfF_cEImWzg2zK9Ie6rMyFzeaGrDTX7EO-5/s1600/IMG_1463.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-fSVT-SuBD5UdSukQSm06cX1qJYnMyVeH_hJuFJOl-aSigfa-l9IJD2DFI_KT_vuGQeN9AJxjoB3bWc8cXRyPg9DNH3BYCjz9Egbm_aAdlfF_cEImWzg2zK9Ie6rMyFzeaGrDTX7EO-5/s320/IMG_1463.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what your arm looks like when you fall off an operating table and your IV rips out.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This time, though, waking up was not a gentle process. You see, from what I've heard from all the doctors who were there, as I was coming out of anesthesia, I somehow arched my back and fell off the operating table. The anesthesiologist managed to catch me before I face planted, but I still landed on the floor, on my knees. This knocked out my IV line, catheter, etc. So I woke up to pain like I've never felt before (no IV=no pain meds) as they held me down and the anesthesiologist used an ultrasound machine to try to insert an IV line. I believe I was actually screaming. Not fun, but no permanent injuries.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh22gukfyWXwbbS4zXLBqlrUsjLfCJf0uTWBOeHOIBW7dvJxTBJeYDhcGKeBUpAIrmz1wbUAt7oL367fBThBKBlHusRHHyCqYiB6WgtUvyM-lddWkHMGkl7P6uRedK2HbZz9geNXklvpbde/s1600/IMG_2799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh22gukfyWXwbbS4zXLBqlrUsjLfCJf0uTWBOeHOIBW7dvJxTBJeYDhcGKeBUpAIrmz1wbUAt7oL367fBThBKBlHusRHHyCqYiB6WgtUvyM-lddWkHMGkl7P6uRedK2HbZz9geNXklvpbde/s320/IMG_2799.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Ellie, on the other hand, was born with no complications, an 8 or 9 on the Apgar scale. She was also very relaxed, and she had a a decent amount of hair, which really surprised me. Greg got to hold her and feed her as soon as she'd been checked out.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEoEMmQuncu9ChDCT7RwvIBArdOOGG7eh7nN52j5Uimd7fSBoz9x47G3sCR7Fu9AYts-TUqHxZSW0w2rtaMHWvRlL5mYNwIZpIIuZ9GowisVFpINnnqE48EMShc83i6kMfnxqgky5tiqa/s1600/IMG_1186.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEoEMmQuncu9ChDCT7RwvIBArdOOGG7eh7nN52j5Uimd7fSBoz9x47G3sCR7Fu9AYts-TUqHxZSW0w2rtaMHWvRlL5mYNwIZpIIuZ9GowisVFpINnnqE48EMShc83i6kMfnxqgky5tiqa/s400/IMG_1186.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Did you know they don't bathe newborns for the first 8 hours or so nowadays? I guess it is better for them to wait, so they just wipe them down really good and do a bath later. Ellie didn't seem to mind waiting, though she wasn't terribly pleased about her bath when it did happen. I think she just doesn't like being cold.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsUjq7MwkegtS8z5-gLyiZ53H5yzp4f7Dop4eQEt8tvH14lsz6k3rDtogiXO_koyBZxX-wkg9lPYWn0_4Gi2h9tQPeaK5mvExFodTGh8Uy5e74DSvEHsMXtiF_w3m2a6pK9tMUNWCvOb_/s1600/IMG_2822.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsUjq7MwkegtS8z5-gLyiZ53H5yzp4f7Dop4eQEt8tvH14lsz6k3rDtogiXO_koyBZxX-wkg9lPYWn0_4Gi2h9tQPeaK5mvExFodTGh8Uy5e74DSvEHsMXtiF_w3m2a6pK9tMUNWCvOb_/s400/IMG_2822.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Let me tell you about my daughter. Wow, does it feel good to say that--there was a time when I thought I'd never have a daughter. Eleanor's eyes are blue, though sometimes it looks like they might turn green. Greg says it'd only be fair if she ends up with his green eyes, since both of our sons have my blue eyes. Her hair is similar to my natural color, a sort of dark blonde or light brown. When she's awake, Ellie is very alert, and she can already do baby push-ups when she's lying on my chest and wants to make eye contact.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1iD-ygBeSuOI_UeqPJKL7TUkFKppxaWcU3EMnUjKR5A67yAjdlWMVT6Lnlt5BFWsZuvEQKI_IqjfwIw6FcQbRkYJy-HD9531o9dnEdDkwIG0LbNlbvRobFUqrcoN5zYNJXOm8vbiZaWgp/s1600/e2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="740" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1iD-ygBeSuOI_UeqPJKL7TUkFKppxaWcU3EMnUjKR5A67yAjdlWMVT6Lnlt5BFWsZuvEQKI_IqjfwIw6FcQbRkYJy-HD9531o9dnEdDkwIG0LbNlbvRobFUqrcoN5zYNJXOm8vbiZaWgp/s400/e2.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Since coming home from the hospital, Ellie has shown herself to be a very laid-back baby. At night, she'll sleep 4-5 hours at a stretch. The second night after coming home, we woke up to find she'd slept six straight hours. Except for two nights where she had some gas and cried a lot, she's been waking up only one to two times at night. (knock on wood)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGzsCXRPXM99qxhp5LBaHM9PPWqVnoUlL2T6agKgwVoas2tmzdwAmwnw4NZbz2Go1khyphenhyphen9k75ct9t0JtXBwvhpai-kyQa2lhgYLkw5aDQhbG8hEF3Amax0zoTW02U8UIz409hpKl2DjfchX/s1600/IMG_1520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGzsCXRPXM99qxhp5LBaHM9PPWqVnoUlL2T6agKgwVoas2tmzdwAmwnw4NZbz2Go1khyphenhyphen9k75ct9t0JtXBwvhpai-kyQa2lhgYLkw5aDQhbG8hEF3Amax0zoTW02U8UIz409hpKl2DjfchX/s400/IMG_1520.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Ellie is also VERY SERIOUS about her food. When she wants to eat, she is not patient and there's no consoling her. She's 90% formula-fed, and Miss Ellie doesn't care if her bottles are room temperature or straight from the refrigerator. She just wants her meal quickly. I had a breast reduction when I was 17, and they told me at the time I probably wouldn't be able to breastfeed. Well, they were wrong about that, and all three of my children have been able to nurse to some degree, especially at the beginning. I can only make a maximum of 2 ounces every day TOTAL, even if I pump every 2 hours, so I end up mostly pumping. Ellie figured out really quickly that the milk comes out more quickly from the bottle, so I can only get her to latch after she's mostly assuaged her hunger from a bottle. Ah, well. I know she's at least getting some protection from my immune system in the tiny bit of milk I can make.<br />
<br />
I'm going to try to write more here while I am on maternity leave, so that I have a record of how Ellie was when she was little. Later this week, I'd like to write a post about Ellie's brothers and how they're adjusting to having a little sister.Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-72854205294519640312017-09-27T19:43:00.002-05:002017-09-27T19:52:25.176-05:00The Very Last Pregnancy Update: 39 WeeksHow do I know this will be my very last pregnancy update ever? Well, I'm having a c-section tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. Since this will be my last baby, this too will be my last pregnancy photo. My husband took it on Sunday at my sister's wedding.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJvXeBu2jDVb8CHLEFZFyd8KDk4-lPPy_hcVfbD0GpgJCZ00cVzP1Q4Hhcn6kgDQCXIuLLjVnbM7ZBUcjVWolQnsfhS5xdndACCWatF1ighRHzjlm2RBH8VoIztvQXvMvKFGC1mS5zujsI/s1600/IMG_1037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJvXeBu2jDVb8CHLEFZFyd8KDk4-lPPy_hcVfbD0GpgJCZ00cVzP1Q4Hhcn6kgDQCXIuLLjVnbM7ZBUcjVWolQnsfhS5xdndACCWatF1ighRHzjlm2RBH8VoIztvQXvMvKFGC1mS5zujsI/s400/IMG_1037.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Yes, I was a bridesmaid while in my 9th month of pregnancy. I only have one sibling, and I wasn't going to miss standing up in her wedding even I had to waddle down the aisle. I also have our last picture as a family of four. Nick and Henry were "ring security," so that's why they are in the fancy tuxedos.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3S-xsdOMr2P4LToS_6LDaAxGjHH-fgI4gRkMYYQ4bfUeFbjLXtQ8dEuTBGJXz7fzohyphenhyphenUtSsHGtEmwVSmS-xLK4OrJHSqVwPD0_Lrngna674C3lAchLw7nsmkjk-l63_eZIm8qTHQiyznE/s1600/IMG_1028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3S-xsdOMr2P4LToS_6LDaAxGjHH-fgI4gRkMYYQ4bfUeFbjLXtQ8dEuTBGJXz7fzohyphenhyphenUtSsHGtEmwVSmS-xLK4OrJHSqVwPD0_Lrngna674C3lAchLw7nsmkjk-l63_eZIm8qTHQiyznE/s400/IMG_1028.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://cestlaviemdw3437.blogspot.com/2011/06/pregnancy-update-39-weeks.html">Here's what I looked like</a> just before Henry was born. I believe I weigh a little more this time, and this baby is much higher up than either of my boys was, but I guess my body has the same tendencies in pregnancy. My mom said she was the same way. Here's one of her from 1978. Yes, it's an old picture--hey, at least it's not in black and white!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChFDRi0mZslBF2Dqb7tVxJTHhGjtGHuMmgPvYPscE-qG_VhIHDQu6G4aKAncz_H90CBAs7ZoJV4beT7ZveI1W_3PURnSkpxHLD1qGdU0RDUOfcraneOTa_JJs9jjKeG4nOrQWqbg78Ef4/s1600/mom.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1126" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChFDRi0mZslBF2Dqb7tVxJTHhGjtGHuMmgPvYPscE-qG_VhIHDQu6G4aKAncz_H90CBAs7ZoJV4beT7ZveI1W_3PURnSkpxHLD1qGdU0RDUOfcraneOTa_JJs9jjKeG4nOrQWqbg78Ef4/s400/mom.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I'm always jealous of women who stay skinny everywhere but their bellies--I'm definitely in the "childbearing hips" category of pregnant ladies. So here it is, my last pregnancy update <i>ever</i>.<br />
<br />
<u>Weeks</u>: 39 weeks exactly today. I will deliver at 39 weeks, 1 day. Since this was an IVF pregnancy, we know the age down to the hour.<br />
<br />
<u>Weight</u>: +46 pounds. Oh, well. At least this baby is a little bigger, so I know <i>some </i>of the weight is baby. I can remember being devastated after having Nick and going home to find out I had lost a grand total of 8 pounds (he weighed almost 6). I'm under no illusions that I'll walk out of the hospital in my pre-pregnancy clothing. (Ha!)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4kpIb71r6Z4b0sLdYbHgk66GrTG16e-58xUWh8dDbBfh3AU-KdqtdpWHt7P_rBD02-JWjh2rPyu6VoUry-o0TFRorpGFvD-KCUrhXz0-SIoqqBDfZLAFs4-oh2KjJEnH37MwvXDxzgrYT/s1600/FullSizeRender+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4kpIb71r6Z4b0sLdYbHgk66GrTG16e-58xUWh8dDbBfh3AU-KdqtdpWHt7P_rBD02-JWjh2rPyu6VoUry-o0TFRorpGFvD-KCUrhXz0-SIoqqBDfZLAFs4-oh2KjJEnH37MwvXDxzgrYT/s400/FullSizeRender+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Does she look a little squished? This is not the face of a svelte baby.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguGLvcN8D8LK3S2Nv0mKOXPc_4P7-iguVN217-CVzRQql3eGo3SW6upYLWhtC0Xp8KF0NV2s5D_w1G9HfZ7jCcHqYQhqr-wxaQ-jUY8fsEvR77vObL25BqZABIl3K7PluXfEhcrzgRkIDy/s1600/IMG_0835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1126" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguGLvcN8D8LK3S2Nv0mKOXPc_4P7-iguVN217-CVzRQql3eGo3SW6upYLWhtC0Xp8KF0NV2s5D_w1G9HfZ7jCcHqYQhqr-wxaQ-jUY8fsEvR77vObL25BqZABIl3K7PluXfEhcrzgRkIDy/s400/IMG_0835.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, from 1978. 9 pounds, 14 ounces. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<br />
<br />
Do you notice any resemblance? The ultrasound is from almost 38 weeks. The picture below is me when I was first born. I was NOT a dainty baby--I practically broke my mother. I'm hoping this baby is not quite so big, though since I'm having a c-section I'll survive even if she is huge. Their estimate as of a few weeks ago would be that she'd be 9 pounds, 5 ounces if I went to 40 weeks. Tomorrow we'll know for sure!<br />
<br />
<u>Movement</u>: At night, plenty! She's rocking and rolling in there. I think a part of me will miss feeling her wiggling and bumping inside me, though I'm very eager to meet her. I'm a tiny bit sad to think I'll never feel a baby moving inside me again.<br />
<br />
<u>Exercise</u>: Well, I've hit 10,000 steps about half the time in the last couple of weeks, and my FitBit says I'm averaging over 8,000. I guess that's not too bad when you consider each step is more of a waddle.<br />
<br />
<u>Cravings</u>: Burgers, Mexican food, shrimp, chocolate, iced tea, and cheese of all sorts. I'm very anemic, so I bet all the protein cravings are from that. There's no excuse for the chocolate cravings.<br />
<br />
<u>Sleep</u>: I miss sleeping. I get between 4 and 6 hours, though I go to bed at ten and wake up around 6. My blood sugar has been dropping in the middle of the night, and between that and trips to the bathroom, my sleep is very interrupted. Waking up constantly is getting a little old, and I know this isn't going to get better once she's born.<br />
<br />
<u>Medical</u>: I spoke too soon in my last post about not needing iron. The day after I posted that, the blood test results showed me as needing an iron infusion immediately. I had my third weekly infusion today--the doctor wanted me to get as much iron as possible before my c-section, since you can lose a lot of blood during surgery.<br />
<br />
I've been having some significant swelling, especially since this late-September heat wave started. My blood pressure has been elevated, too, but that problem should resolve once the tiny human inside of me comes out.<br />
<br />
Did you know that instead of tying your tubes nowadays, they actually <a href="https://www.livescience.com/36326-fallopian-tube-removal-risk-deadly-ovarian-cancer.html">completely remove them</a>? I guess it really reduces your chances of ovarian cancer. That's fine with me, since I won't be needing my Fallopian tubes anyway. When I woke up this morning, it hit me that this will be my very last day of being pregnant, ever. I documented the occasion at the hemotology office, which has a mirror that is much cleaner than the ones at our house.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigU4-I2l1dagXdsubfzZ877jwQ57nniCGcsJ7h4FaNVrtM8aHb_8-MZQOqiV9jn2wJpDFsw-lXPtSk1qpk-AyOOs7wOpyIhtqiuQdzcLSr-7zmiT57rnFL09p7tuIhHaTwxHSJsY1CQ5Yu/s1600/IMG_1169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigU4-I2l1dagXdsubfzZ877jwQ57nniCGcsJ7h4FaNVrtM8aHb_8-MZQOqiV9jn2wJpDFsw-lXPtSk1qpk-AyOOs7wOpyIhtqiuQdzcLSr-7zmiT57rnFL09p7tuIhHaTwxHSJsY1CQ5Yu/s400/IMG_1169.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigW4JdEiTijcVhYDixK3qTTlfoZrniszmTqbbNIqCzIU1adIRc1k481ZQOBRkWpL6Yqi3bsqBbXg5WXyF0Oh0WLPVzwmgYBL14OEM-4K9fzBXkO6hDAbrObm7YfY9j9rDvxjPKnNatDlGJ/s1600/IMG_1173+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="349" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigW4JdEiTijcVhYDixK3qTTlfoZrniszmTqbbNIqCzIU1adIRc1k481ZQOBRkWpL6Yqi3bsqBbXg5WXyF0Oh0WLPVzwmgYBL14OEM-4K9fzBXkO6hDAbrObm7YfY9j9rDvxjPKnNatDlGJ/s400/IMG_1173+%25282%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had Open RNY Surgery back in '03, thus the giant belly scars.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u><u>Mood</u>: Lots of extreme emotions this week. My sister got married, so I was emotional (for happy reasons) because of that, and my third grader has been not turning in homework, which sparked a very different kind of emotion in me (rage, perhaps, would describe it). While I'm very, very done with being pregnant, I'm also very conscious of the fact that this will be my last baby, so that brings about feelings of sadness. I adore infants--in fact, during my years of working in day care centers, the infant room was always my absolute favorite. This will be the last baby I get to snuggle who is mine. I know from experience how quickly they grow. It seems like just yesterday that Nick was snuggled up in my arms wearing preemie clothes, and now he's going to be nine years old and his snuggling days are over. Henry, who is six, will still snuggle with me, thank goodness, but I know those days are numbered. He's been getting out of the habit lately because I no longer have a lap, per se.<br />
<br />
Every time I look at her pink nursery or touch a tiny, lacy sock, I'm filled with the kind of elation that only comes about when a mother of only boys finally gets a daughter. I would imagine the emotion would be similar had I first had two daughters and then a son.<br />
<br />
The rest of my evening will be spent packing. I have female OB surgeons doing the operation this time, and I'm generally pleased with the lack of arrogance that seems to surround most of the male obstetricians I've seen. I have to say they were way more thorough in their description of risks and the time they took to explain things, though. I'm a little bit scared after hearing all of the information.<br />
<br />
I've been told to expect to come home sometime on Sunday. See you on the other side!<br />
<br />Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-84952047809698434442017-09-07T21:23:00.000-05:002017-09-07T21:23:20.376-05:00Pregnancy Update: 36 Weeks<br />
Almost there! I had my 36 week doctor's appointment and growth ultrasound this week. There are 21 days, or exactly 3 weeks, until my scheduled c-section.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnmn6G5M1Iy7MAjKauyrq6YF7Nh_CXZlhxIFY2nuHStXyAsDDFxikm_WgWH7WJWo78L8dxI937ykkGrkbPb8oZDO7wd08P8eDykmzPaZNXkBQce7D3wM0igB2QNyyrKQLnMnTqMV1dojj/s1600/IMG_0472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnmn6G5M1Iy7MAjKauyrq6YF7Nh_CXZlhxIFY2nuHStXyAsDDFxikm_WgWH7WJWo78L8dxI937ykkGrkbPb8oZDO7wd08P8eDykmzPaZNXkBQce7D3wM0igB2QNyyrKQLnMnTqMV1dojj/s400/IMG_0472.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">36 weeks pregnant with a girl, September 2017.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I did a 36-week update when I was pregnant with Henry, and I think I looked about the same size. The only difference is that she seems to be sitting much higher than either of my boys did. Here's a flashback to 2011, when my six-year-old was on the way.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWW91x4VdtyqPQTP8GwGnp0a15-fO0-TvMhVzk5YA4uVuTUhDa55Ui804OI2ZAH2d5hfd_sw25rTHSXnPhcDuFII9qddATmUcwH5GEPJHn2eFy4md_nyodewtAfbKYp41xYsc4eeH-95Kd/s1600/DSC05173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="458" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWW91x4VdtyqPQTP8GwGnp0a15-fO0-TvMhVzk5YA4uVuTUhDa55Ui804OI2ZAH2d5hfd_sw25rTHSXnPhcDuFII9qddATmUcwH5GEPJHn2eFy4md_nyodewtAfbKYp41xYsc4eeH-95Kd/s400/DSC05173.JPG" width="286" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">36 weeks pregnant with Henry, May 2011. See Nick in the window?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The doctor said everything looks good, and she weighs 6 pounds, 5 ounces already. That's the 63rd percentile. The ultrasound technician took some pictures of her, and she does look rather squished. No wonder she's been kicking so much!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrOqZFSBlQgh4-cN8ZWHG6XT5zcN1D1N6WEvHJRBHxnBHs0qkiloYJJ6QDmNQCkV3bFiF8Z7JR3UaGq1OFcVW_cOhPFkMVv5P7W5aPeNqDajBUK4OzBNBGDAhzgwFvNybbSkHldKfzO879/s1600/IMG_0547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrOqZFSBlQgh4-cN8ZWHG6XT5zcN1D1N6WEvHJRBHxnBHs0qkiloYJJ6QDmNQCkV3bFiF8Z7JR3UaGq1OFcVW_cOhPFkMVv5P7W5aPeNqDajBUK4OzBNBGDAhzgwFvNybbSkHldKfzO879/s400/IMG_0547.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I've had at least four people tell me she looks like Henry. I guess I'll have to wait 21 more days to find out if this is true. I showed Henry the ultrasound pictures of him and he was slightly confused. He said maybe he was sad because he couldn't breathe in the water. Recently, Henry's expressed some interest in having a sister. Yesterday he asked if he could feed her a bottle. That's a good sign, I think.<br />
<br />
<u>Weight</u>: (from starting weight) +36 pounds. I've averaged about 40 pounds per pregnancy, so I guess I can't complain too much. I'm at the stage in my job where I do a lot of paperwork and desk work, and that's been very hard since sitting is quite painful. The extra pounds make me clumsy, but I suppose that's normal.<br />
<br />
<u>Movement</u>: She's an active girl, and especially in the evenings she does what feels like gymnastics inside of me. It makes it very difficult to sleep. I have to keep moving whatever body part is wedged under my ribs down, and then as soon as I move my hands it creeps back up there, making it difficult to breathe.<br />
<br />
<u>Exercise</u>: I'm not doing too bad, actually, My FitBit tells me I'm averaging 8,900 steps per day. Not quite at my goal, but considering the back pain I've been having, I think it's pretty good.<br />
<br />
<u>Cravings</u>: Chocolate. Burgers and fries. Corn tortillas cooked in a little olive oil and then slathered with black beans, cheese, shrimp, and sour cream. It's weirdly specific, but I end up having a tortilla like that almost every day.<br />
<br />
<u>Sleep</u>: It depends on the day, but I'm only averaging 4-6 hours per night. A friend of mine loaned me a pillow called a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000635WI/ref=asc_df_B0000635WI5158893/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B0000635WI&linkCode=df0&hvadid=192061120963&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15845306819578402070&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9021705&hvtargid=pla-303034046843">snoogle</a>, and without it I don't know that I'd even be sleeping that much. It's the only way I can get even a little comfortable. I like how my FitBit shows my sleeping and waking patterns, but sometimes I'd rather not know I was up four times during the night.<br />
<br />
<u>Medical</u>: I haven't needed IV iron yet with this pregnancy, knock on wood. I am still waiting on the latest blood test results, though. I've been borderline anemic, but not enough to need the heavy duty stuff. My blood pressure is good, my non-stress tests have gone well, and the doctor says I am not showing any signs of labor, dilation, or effacement. My blood sugar is going down more frequently, so I'm countering that by eating meals in several parts to keep it steady. Oh, and I've been having major back pain and even spasms on and off for the last few weeks.<br />
<br />
I got a warning from the doctor's office that if I start having contractions or if my water breaks, I should <i>not </i>eat anything. Since they'll be doing a general anesthetic, I guess they would have to wait hours if I decided to snack on the way to the hospital.<br />
<br />
This week, for some reason, my right ankle and foot is swollen and my left ankle looks almost normal. The nurse told me it has to do with where the baby is--all up on my right side. In a few weeks I'll be standing up in my sister's wedding, so I guess it's a good thing my dress is very long. I can cover up both my normal ankle and my swollen one.<br />
<br />
<u>Mood</u>: I'm trying to stay upbeat, even though I'm not comfortable. I alternate between irritability and joy. I want to remember what it was like to be pregnant, since this will for sure be my last pregnancy. Frankly, whatever I have to deal with this month is okay if I end up with a healthy baby girl at the end of it. I've spent the last few years of my life desperately wanting to be pregnant, and now I get to fold pink baby onesies and little pink bows. Greg put together the stroller and installed the car seat yesterday, so we really are ready to become a family of five.Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-84691096168494846352017-09-04T21:36:00.001-05:002017-09-04T21:37:30.933-05:00Nick and Henry's Peanut Butter ChallengeThis year I've been packing lunches for both Nick and Henry, and it's been a challenge. Neither boy really likes sandwiches with meat in them, and I cannot stand getting their lunch bags back at the end of the day with only one bite eaten. Throwing out food infuriates me, for some reason. So I've been experimenting. Nick is easier to please--he loves cold spaghetti o's, and he'll eat fruit, cheese and crackers, and the fake PBJs made with soy butter. Henry has been more of a challenge. He rejects nearly everything I try, and though he loves PBJs, he won't touch Wow Butter. Tomorrow I'm actually trying cold macaroni and cheese with bacon. (I know, it sounds gross, but he said that's what he wants.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRfKzZ28co2wvXLT7Rl12fhqMFurVMAXKjFV363iMQ9XhIsSWneyKvusPdIgpEh4as3f_PZGB-CZQOyQ6NlTT8EIcdT7bXX6cR4jHGSpe0k93GvTX8vLD_Zv4YN1fl32e9JgHdthGnY26/s1600/IMG_0507%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRfKzZ28co2wvXLT7Rl12fhqMFurVMAXKjFV363iMQ9XhIsSWneyKvusPdIgpEh4as3f_PZGB-CZQOyQ6NlTT8EIcdT7bXX6cR4jHGSpe0k93GvTX8vLD_Zv4YN1fl32e9JgHdthGnY26/s400/IMG_0507%255B1%255D.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Henry and Nick <i>love</i> to watch YouTube, and they keep asking me to do a "challenge" like their favorite kids. So we did one with all three kinds of sandwich butters. Neither of my kids has any kind of allergies (that we know about, anyway), but my kids are messy with peanut butter and I don't want to be responsible for another child's allergic reaction. I have friends who have kids with peanut allergies, and it's really scary. Anyhow, my goal was to see if Henry, especially, would like one of the non-peanut butters. Here is the video.<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KeycsJLm2LA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<br />
<br />
Yay! Henry said his favorite was the Sun Butter. He still doesn't like the WowButter, but that's okay. I can't have soy, either. I was surprised that Nick correctly guessed all three butters. He's the least picky kid I know and will eat all of them, but I suppose he has a refined palate and can easily tell the difference.<br />
<br />
<br />Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-10687310462319881162017-08-09T08:25:00.000-05:002017-08-09T08:25:28.792-05:00Pregnancy Update: 32 WeeksToday I'm officially 32 weeks pregnant. Coincidentally, I did a pregnancy update when I was 32 weeks <a href="http://cestlaviemdw3437.blogspot.com/2011/04/pregnancy-update-32-weeks.html">pregnant with Henry</a>, back in 2011. I suppose I was about the same size, even though this baby girl is bigger than Henry was at the same age.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0o62dOmQS8GIH-j-Bi57tIL95wvN5gGx8YZ3cbAexIvD8eBmGQlhCfUjMkjjwWRY9h-pN2uJBwIwcjkcWkRueR_fJrNC4BBZXLqSCIqYOrj_06oK3krefCFpAXuhPgawL34f4ouHTvyA/s1600/IMG_9274+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1143" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0o62dOmQS8GIH-j-Bi57tIL95wvN5gGx8YZ3cbAexIvD8eBmGQlhCfUjMkjjwWRY9h-pN2uJBwIwcjkcWkRueR_fJrNC4BBZXLqSCIqYOrj_06oK3krefCFpAXuhPgawL34f4ouHTvyA/s400/IMG_9274+%25282%2529.JPG" width="285" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<u>Weeks Pregnant</u>: 32 weeks as of today. Depending on the website you visit, she's about the size of a pineapple, a Napa cabbage, or a jicama. Actually, I had a growth ultrasound yesterday, and she's at the 78th percentile, so she may be larger than your average pineapple. They estimate that she weighs 5 pounds, 1 ounce now. That's much bigger than either of my boys, so she's looking pretty healthy. The doctor said that if she continues to grow at this rate, by 40 weeks she'll be 9 pounds, 3 ounces. Good thing I'm having a planned c-section!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1o0hgyIzcFsimVAMzK-QOD04UzxoBGFHWgzDFbjAkNYXWefeUw5-R_T1a4cstdE4cCdb5fc_73UK-NuhcG-nWns6mQH29k0f5dwK662KlomFCucD9P_NLasRInm_C9xSCiIczCIB9nG3b/s1600/IMG_9491+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="1600" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1o0hgyIzcFsimVAMzK-QOD04UzxoBGFHWgzDFbjAkNYXWefeUw5-R_T1a4cstdE4cCdb5fc_73UK-NuhcG-nWns6mQH29k0f5dwK662KlomFCucD9P_NLasRInm_C9xSCiIczCIB9nG3b/s400/IMG_9491+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This is a 3D ultrasound of her face. They checked all of her organs today and everything looks normal. That's her little hand up by her face, just like the<a href="http://cestlaviemdw3437.blogspot.com/2017/07/pregnancy-update-27-weeks.html"> last ultrasound</a>.<br />
<br />
<u>Weight</u>: (From starting weight) +31 pounds. No comment.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyoVRfmWrBkqe4MGhETQ8bpQB-ljQELKOGYPQcFusMtveykwYmJ5-9bJr5HDrJ0JhpLNG_MbXUOBH14P1tAQBR470wHxIVnvBEBM7-GtFz-5OJVuOdfVCeQhtnnwBQFNnhNPOaR051mOMt/s1600/IMG_9298+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1143" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyoVRfmWrBkqe4MGhETQ8bpQB-ljQELKOGYPQcFusMtveykwYmJ5-9bJr5HDrJ0JhpLNG_MbXUOBH14P1tAQBR470wHxIVnvBEBM7-GtFz-5OJVuOdfVCeQhtnnwBQFNnhNPOaR051mOMt/s400/IMG_9298+%25282%2529.JPG" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nick took this picture around sunset, so the color is a little off. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u><br /></u>
<u>Movement</u>: Actually, even though I have an anterior placenta, I can feel her move much more now. It's still not always easy to do kick counts, but at least she is making her presence known. It seems she's on my right side and not directly behind the placenta. According to the ultrasound technician, her feet are kicking my lungs and ribs and her head is using my bladder as a pillow. No wonder I have to get up multiple times every night to go to the bathroom.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx5kuvcbba3GNCpkGVllzNy3AEnlMhifntGGMIlaGo384bkhppYqSxaSn29HZpxEU2d27pmaEg9HKoCTDJLdiKFd89Bv_Ytau6-uWOZedSrBHYcn5FQlBEEOoEG2w6RypD_GFeLg0d5HT6/s1600/IMG_9491+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1171" data-original-width="1600" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx5kuvcbba3GNCpkGVllzNy3AEnlMhifntGGMIlaGo384bkhppYqSxaSn29HZpxEU2d27pmaEg9HKoCTDJLdiKFd89Bv_Ytau6-uWOZedSrBHYcn5FQlBEEOoEG2w6RypD_GFeLg0d5HT6/s400/IMG_9491+%25283%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Nick likes to feel the baby move, and he periodically gets very, very exuberant when thinking about having a baby sister. He's very thrilled, and he loves babies. Nick wants to push the stroller. Based on his scooter skills, I'll have to train him very carefully before letting him do that!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nNhd5y2wfiVPcKoYyIQK-6NS76D3ABgkGwL354pCzPCgyLqs2RULmExmtpM71ALH0gzNTQPinLzV7clIW8vreJmW0CK8HO2Bi7Enx8QK1uihJKhvRyJdV5f-luUtylL4iven8p_MdqDN/s1600/IMG_9284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1203" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nNhd5y2wfiVPcKoYyIQK-6NS76D3ABgkGwL354pCzPCgyLqs2RULmExmtpM71ALH0gzNTQPinLzV7clIW8vreJmW0CK8HO2Bi7Enx8QK1uihJKhvRyJdV5f-luUtylL4iven8p_MdqDN/s400/IMG_9284.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Henry is much less interested. He was also not at all thrilled when he came with me to the ultrasound yesterday. What was he thrilled about? I let him play Minecraft during the doctor's visit. I think Henry is going to have to adjust to being the middle child. He didn't think the ultrasound pics looked anything like a baby.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaNDnn3zShPamlXpfj4OxFL79sXXIildFezcQ4jilx05NlSdpRg6OGBVwtm4s3-wG653ff7gC4eCdMt5FBc2jZw5qQ5cPSRr2b5jL5-Py5n80ge1M_SqnQKMieKTJccUlP5PJvBwgJv8LW/s1600/IMG_9495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaNDnn3zShPamlXpfj4OxFL79sXXIildFezcQ4jilx05NlSdpRg6OGBVwtm4s3-wG653ff7gC4eCdMt5FBc2jZw5qQ5cPSRr2b5jL5-Py5n80ge1M_SqnQKMieKTJccUlP5PJvBwgJv8LW/s400/IMG_9495.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<u>Exercise</u>: Not so much. I was religiously making 10,000 steps daily until about a week or two ago. Between the foot pain, back pain, and the shortness of breath, hitting 10,000 steps has become less important than simply making it through the day. I've been averaging between 6,000 and 8,000 steps per day, and I'm going to have to be satisfied with that. The doctor said my fundal height is measuring at 37 weeks, which basically means my uterus is compressing my lungs. That brings me to. . .<br />
<br />
<u>Nesting</u>: Oh, boy, the nesting has been quite intense this time around. Besides getting <a href="http://cestlaviemdw3437.blogspot.com/2017/07/a-basement-room-for-nick-and-henry.html">the boys' new room</a> ready, I've been planning the upstairs. Greg is doing the actual work (painting and putting in engineered hardwood), but I've been researching things like area rugs, new curtains and lighting fixtures. Renovating our entire home during the 2nd half of pregnancy? Sure, we can handle that.<br />
<br />
<u>Cravings</u>: I've been drinking a lot of milk, all Fairlife 2%. That's not really what I crave, though. Lately, I like Mexican food. Fajitas, tostadas, burritos, nachos. Yum. Just like when I was pregnant with Henry, I've had smell cravings, too. I actually enjoy doing laundry lately because of the smell of the Gain laundry beads (weird, I know). It's almost a workout now doing laundry, though, since my belly is so big I can barely reach the bottom of the washing machine.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<u>Sleep</u>: I was averaging two hours or so at a stretch (and maybe 5 hours total) until about a week ago, when my friend loaned me <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000635WI/ref=asc_df_B0000635WI5113220/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B0000635WI&linkCode=df0&hvadid=192061120963&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8913929370193019962&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9021705&hvtargid=pla-303034046843">this amazing pregnancy body pillow</a>. It's called a snoogle, and it is gaining me at least an hour of sleep per night. I still wouldn't say I'm sleeping great, but it's a little bit better. Of course, when I go back to work in twelve days (yikes!), I think I'll get much less sleep. <div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<u>Medical</u>: I'm anemic, but right now only enough for it to impact me. The doctors keep checking my blood to see if the levels go below a certain point. If so, it'll be IV iron for me. It's obvious, by the size of the baby, that my anemia isn't impacting her. It sure makes me bruise easily, though! My blood sugar readings have been more normal, so long as I stay in air-conditioning. I have had some asthma issues as well, though it's hard to tell if I'm out of breath because someone's feet are in my lungs or if it's because of the asthma. That will only get worse, I think, once I go back to work in my non-air-conditioned classroom. Oh, and my plantar fasciitis has been acting up, in addition to the typical leg and foot swelling of pregnancy. Okay, enough whining. This baby is healthy, and I can make it another seven weeks!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<u>Mood</u>: I've still been pretty anxious, but once I was able to get more than five hours sleep per night, the anxiety eased up a bit. I can be a little, ahem, irritable, but I think that's likely normal at this stage in pregnancy. <br style="background-color: #1c1c1c;" /><br />I made it until 30 weeks without buying a single thing for this baby. After years of fertility treatments, I was afraid to tempt fate by purchasing lots of little girl things. It was an anxiety thing. However, I finally gave in and starting getting things for this little girl last week. I started with a few outfits from a garage sale, and then I started to realize all the things we would need. I've been pricing car seats, bassinets, and strollers, waiting for the prices to be just right. We now have a pack and play with a bassinet coming in the mail. Hopefully it'll be set up in our newly renovated bedroom well before this baby makes her appearance. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Some of my amazing friends from work threw me a "Sprinkle" to celebrate finally having a baby girl. It was sweet and wonderful and it made me start to get really excited about the birth. Opening some of the adorable outfits, I started to get really excited, and this time, I let myself dwell in the excitement. The purple and pink balloons, the cake with "Welcome Princess" written on it. . . . this is really happening!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijp-2foVanoZe-lqoG1V2rnVRNQClvYgcpI7sesK2jwQ9TOIskVZ-ofYmttYgDeMdhBVyAUipa3stjb4z18le8oRmYj_OL6i2NP8pH4K-DaiaNHgn0VeC3JioqYAVnFx1IrAPOkEWDyMnW/s1600/IMG_9282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijp-2foVanoZe-lqoG1V2rnVRNQClvYgcpI7sesK2jwQ9TOIskVZ-ofYmttYgDeMdhBVyAUipa3stjb4z18le8oRmYj_OL6i2NP8pH4K-DaiaNHgn0VeC3JioqYAVnFx1IrAPOkEWDyMnW/s400/IMG_9282.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<br /></div>
Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-86011599115030813502017-07-31T22:30:00.000-05:002017-07-31T22:33:55.571-05:00A Basement Room for Nick and HenryThis summer has been quite an adventure! Our whole house is undergoing major renovations, all towards the cause of making our two bedroom home comfortably fit two adults, three children, and two cats. Step one is now fully complete!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFoCVLyGYNicGsWIole9w5O4l83FE_k28eKRs_J8FYyRv7qrvhtKyeDGFmL3EXInO6oDeukshk2qukoA29Esv5q0JdsMTxxJZaRyMkNd2Tylfa0MiZk0ATKpJrDM1gIl5a89ZwJQ-mXe2m/s1600/IMG_9377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFoCVLyGYNicGsWIole9w5O4l83FE_k28eKRs_J8FYyRv7qrvhtKyeDGFmL3EXInO6oDeukshk2qukoA29Esv5q0JdsMTxxJZaRyMkNd2Tylfa0MiZk0ATKpJrDM1gIl5a89ZwJQ-mXe2m/s400/IMG_9377.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Though they've been sleeping down there for awhile now, just this morning I finished putting together their room. Don't feel sorry for them--we tried our best to give them the nicest, hugest basement bedroom you'll ever see. I'll give you the grand tour in a minute, but first. . . Imagine every toy and piece of clothing these two kids have ever owned, all dumped together randomly in boxes, stacked all the way up to the ceiling of an unfinished basement. . . . That is what this room looked like just a few months ago. In fact, you don't have to imagine. This is what the basement looked like after we cleaned out all of the boxes and before the renovations started. There are lighting issues because the bulb in the ceiling only worked if you tied something heavy to the string (like a saucepan). <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobifooBaxeaORbx4BPwO607jmaSC5wASQ20g4SgAs4IKQO7DFxzL2OEALg3o6wVbPddUhTh3ueRlrjIyF_0OaRM2Xu3yCfmVkk1ZyuKBngsdBVTzArycs-LuRHJNf1hwwsCB-x6p1SjpI/s1600/IMG_2425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobifooBaxeaORbx4BPwO607jmaSC5wASQ20g4SgAs4IKQO7DFxzL2OEALg3o6wVbPddUhTh3ueRlrjIyF_0OaRM2Xu3yCfmVkk1ZyuKBngsdBVTzArycs-LuRHJNf1hwwsCB-x6p1SjpI/s400/IMG_2425.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Now for the post-renovation pictures. As you walk down the stairs into the boys' "apartment," notice the carpeted stairs and the stained concrete. We wanted everything to be as indestructible as possible, since Henry and Nick are rough-and-tumble guys. The door at the bottom of the stairs is to our storage room, which we left unfinished and with a lock on it.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGvrVk75mvQQ9EadFFWIMsXDZsW-u9505I86sD5QImZMJS-95YHUwhcqnwKKtozqKvGcUq-ZPJWUR1wYtgvZQJxf4gpngr477s4TRkeWTGV76JUj68jegUBIy9FLFXkqlryotvnKVE2p9/s1600/IMG_9405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGvrVk75mvQQ9EadFFWIMsXDZsW-u9505I86sD5QImZMJS-95YHUwhcqnwKKtozqKvGcUq-ZPJWUR1wYtgvZQJxf4gpngr477s4TRkeWTGV76JUj68jegUBIy9FLFXkqlryotvnKVE2p9/s400/IMG_9405.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can't destroy stained and sealed concrete, right? </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
As I was planning out their new room, each boy picked out his own "theme." I originally wanted to divide the room with a bookshelf, but for now, there is a dedicated bedroom area and a big playroom area. They can move the furniture around when they get older and want their own spaces.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIUi_ufJpFJ2Gy5NMJmxvIlH4ZA6vF2Wwx77Z6LBX0dI2BhzsD0Qw9TboQ1DBC3d5XOZ27HRsp65DIWiff6wL9128ENoGShebAWwdjXEhqi92hmdGcthgWSqiGt0qcKGw7xjZQMvIlZ4B/s1600/IMG_9416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIUi_ufJpFJ2Gy5NMJmxvIlH4ZA6vF2Wwx77Z6LBX0dI2BhzsD0Qw9TboQ1DBC3d5XOZ27HRsp65DIWiff6wL9128ENoGShebAWwdjXEhqi92hmdGcthgWSqiGt0qcKGw7xjZQMvIlZ4B/s400/IMG_9416.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Nick picked a Harry Potter theme, and we had wall stickers left over from his birthday party last November. He wanted the poster from the first movie to go over his bed, and his grandma got him a blanket with the train to Hogwarts on it, plus the foam mat between their beds. See the ceiling? It's a special black spray for an industrial look. It was way cheaper than a dropped ceiling, and it makes the room feel taller, too.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwe5DGo63vxHAxyoYbwx3xUEZgMfDiQRKi3gcpmqAR4GNcEFIQleX67PPPu0-69muW1rETdzZfddntRdacMX1_WZtwt8i47PzkFuQShWL4MgxyQqbrAZLNbq7N27azys5jhEzpC2yfv3vW/s1600/IMG_9413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwe5DGo63vxHAxyoYbwx3xUEZgMfDiQRKi3gcpmqAR4GNcEFIQleX67PPPu0-69muW1rETdzZfddntRdacMX1_WZtwt8i47PzkFuQShWL4MgxyQqbrAZLNbq7N27azys5jhEzpC2yfv3vW/s400/IMG_9413.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Henry, true to form, picked a Minecraft theme. He loves his stuffed ghast and his creeper bedspread--if everything is square, Henry is happy. Their beds are unbunked now, so I was able to fit six plastic bins with lids under each of their beds. Out-of-season clothing? Boxes of blocks and cars? All of them fit under the beds.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GcD9yPBx5vQFnAMYaIWUuhYOqySCQFV9qMVpt_NzCxEB53xbLkK782oXMkt4RkCrpNiW2qTX9UtrfF4BElVskd2_0OrirFba5sWQ448rWea68cwhWE6iQKDqFHHWYSU9IwaZorMWc1pJ/s1600/IMG_9379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GcD9yPBx5vQFnAMYaIWUuhYOqySCQFV9qMVpt_NzCxEB53xbLkK782oXMkt4RkCrpNiW2qTX9UtrfF4BElVskd2_0OrirFba5sWQ448rWea68cwhWE6iQKDqFHHWYSU9IwaZorMWc1pJ/s400/IMG_9379.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This is their study area. I found these desks at a garage sale, and both Henry and Nick now have their own space to study, color, and write. Nick's desk is actually an old metal school desk that was painted red and decoupaged with a world map. Henry has a Minecraft "window" over his desk. Oh, and both boys can play basketball on the back of the storage closet door.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwo5PTTrczyaWtvvUg9RKAiskR7g9uextm9bmh1l0pvOfUE3003wnvoea587FtIoH2RsD-n5aC7YvaHDfKpdiHVAr_oddV5hNKD5DHJoYX7jKau3eWmWiOaBHiogn8EE6n_2sIw3v7GPgI/s1600/IMG_9381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwo5PTTrczyaWtvvUg9RKAiskR7g9uextm9bmh1l0pvOfUE3003wnvoea587FtIoH2RsD-n5aC7YvaHDfKpdiHVAr_oddV5hNKD5DHJoYX7jKau3eWmWiOaBHiogn8EE6n_2sIw3v7GPgI/s400/IMG_9381.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Here's what the rest of their room looks like. It really is like a miniature apartment. (The little nook in the back is because the hot water heater and the furnace are walled off from the rest of the space, for safety. In their "apartment," Nick and Henry have a trampoline, a reading nook, a TV with a DVD player, a karaoke machine, a Wii system (no cable or internet, though), and of course, Nick has his drum set.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br />
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fogsX1ad0-Y" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Another garage sale find was the huge beanbag chair in the corner (below). See the Lego table and the shelves of boxes? Everything was dumped together, and it took me about a week to get it all sorted out nicely. Yes, this pregnant lady sat on the concrete floor, day after day, sorting magnets from Squigz from beads from Legos from Zoobs, with crayons and random detritus mixed in for good measure. These guys have more Legos than they know what to do with!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQcHEOvi5uUZ99wjW7RMWUFsTSDeGwXG3SMsXZzu3v4kHWa9v5ACgZBjefYJLOIeck_5Hnmj3tO3XdagUrULjXC7ru7wyRbh25bOeCjGXi15TCwMJAtw7d4cTSL_brJulkWBTOzvDVO-F/s1600/IMG_9387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQcHEOvi5uUZ99wjW7RMWUFsTSDeGwXG3SMsXZzu3v4kHWa9v5ACgZBjefYJLOIeck_5Hnmj3tO3XdagUrULjXC7ru7wyRbh25bOeCjGXi15TCwMJAtw7d4cTSL_brJulkWBTOzvDVO-F/s400/IMG_9387.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Last picture, I promise. See the blue cabinet to the left of the window? Those are rulers glued to the front cabinet doors--another garage sale find from the same lady from whom I bought the desks. After sitting on the concrete floor all weekend, I just ordered another one of those large green foam mats (24 square feet), so pretty soon they'll have a soft area in the middle of the room if they want to sit on the floor. The boys also got their own brand-new curtains on their window, and you'd think with all the light they block my boys would sleep past 7 a.m. No such luck, unfortunately.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQLXrC9WHN8kKDY1EckIl4e5AL2Odz-YockszqfiMOOgR6s_3y84McRY8fohMc96q5SWIe03x0wxyKi-E0JKvy7HgIIG_TEl68vEce0EoLwgj-SavJZrjwDsmMdehgSudGdtqJGTF9Tmhc/s1600/IMG_9388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQLXrC9WHN8kKDY1EckIl4e5AL2Odz-YockszqfiMOOgR6s_3y84McRY8fohMc96q5SWIe03x0wxyKi-E0JKvy7HgIIG_TEl68vEce0EoLwgj-SavJZrjwDsmMdehgSudGdtqJGTF9Tmhc/s400/IMG_9388.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I guess the pregnancy nesting has hit me early this time around. <a href="https://cestlaviemdw3437.blogspot.com/2011/06/nesting-part-one-downstairs.html">When I was pregnant with Henry</a>, the urge came later. I suppose that's what I get for doing major home renovations two months before having a baby. Our next step? Greg just tore out the carpeting (original to the house, circa 1997) from our bedroom. The entire second floor is getting engineered hardwood and a new coat of paint, and the stairs are getting new, heavy-duty carpeting as well. The hope is to have the whole upstairs done by the time this baby arrives. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqk0KjmhckgWan6q5K22WebgG_Ho8ArBIeODbvRBH9WTQtYlcslLjRWP3UeLLbZgXk7pYI7AACaYU_T9YU3CxIb7eLVKTosez16GwvfFA3HMTqmp6XyYH-25kxnxGosKc3KUqUFDxZ61A/s1600/IMG_9367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqk0KjmhckgWan6q5K22WebgG_Ho8ArBIeODbvRBH9WTQtYlcslLjRWP3UeLLbZgXk7pYI7AACaYU_T9YU3CxIb7eLVKTosez16GwvfFA3HMTqmp6XyYH-25kxnxGosKc3KUqUFDxZ61A/s400/IMG_9367.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We went with a grayish-purple for the master bedroom. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-19359711812854566872017-07-05T17:28:00.002-05:002017-07-05T17:33:17.190-05:00Pregnancy Update: 27 WeeksI survived a nine-day road trip over ten states! We got back last week, and have been deep into our home renovations since then. Here's an update on my pregnancy:<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJT83uDIHhvoCvqD7zB0-XuclMMtLRrHLHolXrL2_5B4OPsoiYxZ2MlVvEEBYTEFBfSko70ThbRP0OrZbU0ARrrQMHI9n8zIIitUu5qDAzE2XRnD8aA5wMybNo12qB76yvZsLMMZPe96c/s1600/IMG_8404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJT83uDIHhvoCvqD7zB0-XuclMMtLRrHLHolXrL2_5B4OPsoiYxZ2MlVvEEBYTEFBfSko70ThbRP0OrZbU0ARrrQMHI9n8zIIitUu5qDAzE2XRnD8aA5wMybNo12qB76yvZsLMMZPe96c/s400/IMG_8404.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I know this baby can hear, because she jumped at the sound of the fireworks.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Pregnancy Statistics<br />
<br />
Weeks Pregnant: 27 weeks as of today. Depending on the website, the baby is the size of a large eggplant or a head of lettuce. My uterus is big enough that it's poking into my ribs, making sitting up straight quite uncomfortable. Oh, and this little girl likes to tap dance on my bladder, just for fun. I wonder if she'll want to take dance class when she's older? She kicks for sure, but because the placenta is in the front, it isn't regular. I'll just feel a sucker punch to one of my organs, and then nothing for hours or even a day.<br />
<br />
Weight: (from starting weight) =20 pounds, approximately. I've been retaining water, so my weight fluctuates a lot.<br />
<br />
Exercise: My average is still 10,000 steps a day, though there have been a few days I didn't meet my goal recently. One of those days I was grocery shopping (at two stores for several hours) and Fitbit only recorded 400 steps that whole time. I was robbed! I had another day where my feet and legs hurt so badly I just couldn't go for a walk. On hot days or when I can't put my feet up, I've definitely had some swelling. But nearly every night, if I'm not close to my goal, I go out and walk circles around my cul-de-sac. My neighbors must wonder why there's a pregnant lady in her pajamas walking around in circles, reading a book on her cell phone.<br />
<br />
Cravings: Lately I've been having corn tortillas with black beans, avocados, shrimp, and cheese nearly every day. I've been craving peanut butter, too. Oh, and red meat. (That's the anemia.)<br />
<br />
Sleep: My master plan to sleep in all summer and get 8 hours per night hasn't panned out too well. For one, I've had morning tutoring jobs many days. Also, I keep waking up in the middle of the night, and it's hard to get back to sleep. I'm averaging about 7 hours, which isn't enough for me. The night splint I wear for my plantar fasciitis doesn't make sleep any easier, either.<br />
<br />
Mood: I've been a little less irritable since getting back from our vacation. Something about driving across 9 states in a minivan with two whining children made me more on edge than usual. Oh, and the pregnancy brain has been quite severe. I've now lost my car twice in grocery store parking lots, just in the last week.<br />
<br />
I'm still pretty anxious, though slightly less so now that I've had my 24 week ultrasound to measure the baby's heart. (No problems detected.) Check out the pictures we got--I should have grown ultrasound pictures at least every 4 weeks from this point forward.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmjotfQ9Y8HxIyRFGLiKNmI7uYBSUV-zn4MGRtK6kMzI325b48b-rSOTl4aV9-7vJ62uD3dKaz77Z9dFH65uAD4Barn-mNwaFAOYCn4pRw5K1LInzho2i9wERfMApmacFk_2-B1cebx7TN/s1600/IMG_6574+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmjotfQ9Y8HxIyRFGLiKNmI7uYBSUV-zn4MGRtK6kMzI325b48b-rSOTl4aV9-7vJ62uD3dKaz77Z9dFH65uAD4Barn-mNwaFAOYCn4pRw5K1LInzho2i9wERfMApmacFk_2-B1cebx7TN/s400/IMG_6574+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She's covering up her face with her hand.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjORfB6DEu2BfiJf4cA9BE3HsCas9ClOtRAtCfNkLf-JDF8VjZDID5Yh_zyJ_do0qZsd64YXMwCIXkTxTO8ouIuqLqIpelt-7hyMd9LbI9eAfd1PrjT3bDoQ9ZVwx8e9oRzzGzcObCypLh/s1600/IMG_6575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjORfB6DEu2BfiJf4cA9BE3HsCas9ClOtRAtCfNkLf-JDF8VjZDID5Yh_zyJ_do0qZsd64YXMwCIXkTxTO8ouIuqLqIpelt-7hyMd9LbI9eAfd1PrjT3bDoQ9ZVwx8e9oRzzGzcObCypLh/s400/IMG_6575.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one is full-length, with her face down.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSwXZM1hBQJpaf4YheNCpsM-ijQk87rg5-s7DCAPRPJ2_DZg-EmQd0ufxKHAKis36f9kjj6UIjiSYkih1a9zKF5bN2k3mZpmkP0_AXHqCKMmQJRDPJZAADGjWw50kAcq2SYoCcHNSRgv_p/s1600/IMG_6576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSwXZM1hBQJpaf4YheNCpsM-ijQk87rg5-s7DCAPRPJ2_DZg-EmQd0ufxKHAKis36f9kjj6UIjiSYkih1a9zKF5bN2k3mZpmkP0_AXHqCKMmQJRDPJZAADGjWw50kAcq2SYoCcHNSRgv_p/s400/IMG_6576.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She looks perturbed in this one. Maybe she doesn't like having her picture taken?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
Medical: The Fetal Medicine Specialists said she looks great and her heart has all the necessary parts. I find it amazing that they can see and measure each chamber of the heart when she's so tiny and still inside me. I have another growth ultrasound scheduled in about a week. It's getting close to the time when they check that really closely, because the third trimester is when Nick ended up with growth restriction.<br />
<br />
I go to see the Hematologist tomorrow to see if IV iron is necessary yet. My iron was dropping at a pretty fast rate, so this afternoon they called me to come get blood drawn. When the results come in tomorrow I'll know if I need to have infusions. To be honest, it's more likely a case of when than if I'll need IV iron. The hematologist has told me I'll most likely need iron infusions at least once a year for the rest of my life, and anemia gets much worse in pregnancy.<br />
<br />
With Nick, they tried all kinds of iron pills and even liquid iron (nastiest stuff ever), and it didn't work--he was still born with IUGR (Intra-Uterine Growth Restriction) and a smaller head. This was likely due to my RNY Gastric Bypass surgery, <a href="http://cestlaviemdw3437.blogspot.com/2013/04/it-has-been-ten-years.html">which I had in 2003</a>. With Henry, as soon as my anemia got below a certain point, they just cut out the middleman (my stomach) and went directly to IV iron for the last six weeks of my pregnancy, which worked. Henry wasn't a huge baby (6 lbs., 14 oz.), but he wasn't growth restricted and his head was more normal-sized. Small babies are <i>not</i> normal in my family (I was 9 lbs, 14 ounces, I believe), so the stomach surgery has a definite impact. However, without the RNY surgery I would never have been able to have children at all.<br />
<br />
I'm still using a Dexcom 5, which is a continuous blood sugar monitor that sends constant readings to my iPhone and alerts me if I go high or low. (It's basically a tiny filament that sits under my skin, and no, it doesn't hurt at all once it's in.) I have low blood sugar (40-60) at least three to five times per day, but the high blood sugar readings I was getting last month are more rare for some reason.<br />
<br />
Nesting: I know nesting isn't supposed to hit until later in the third trimester, but it has definitely arrived for me! Our basement renovations are underway, and hopefully in a week or two the boys will be fully moved into their new basement room. Don't feel bad for them--it's easily triple the size of their current room. Here's the before and in-progress pictures.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8IjfX1qiGZeE1RNGJpfapOlpLreYWyBxTAVK_jWif0ZEZCVHP3Q55QYvjmt6YgZAhNGF8vXzjSd4n4pxu8xNydFhDZfvRiEL-wgWvrlZxDOwL3LobT_r7QP2e0OTHLMCLyXtQ4Uj5DJvw/s1600/IMG_2425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8IjfX1qiGZeE1RNGJpfapOlpLreYWyBxTAVK_jWif0ZEZCVHP3Q55QYvjmt6YgZAhNGF8vXzjSd4n4pxu8xNydFhDZfvRiEL-wgWvrlZxDOwL3LobT_r7QP2e0OTHLMCLyXtQ4Uj5DJvw/s400/IMG_2425.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This room was once stacked six-feet high with boxes, so it looks great to me!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaNoTNEiGNc4bRf4zwTqgRqQhSmZteRzHTp8oAwYygT-X4vUqfsqd0uPuIITnKTdE8xVrhZBki2soH2XrU8RmiEILKNiDyKAonM6CQ89fCHvmzfInY6YLI_Y8ukm0LCq4wwFsW5y5T8kDH/s1600/IMG_8355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaNoTNEiGNc4bRf4zwTqgRqQhSmZteRzHTp8oAwYygT-X4vUqfsqd0uPuIITnKTdE8xVrhZBki2soH2XrU8RmiEILKNiDyKAonM6CQ89fCHvmzfInY6YLI_Y8ukm0LCq4wwFsW5y5T8kDH/s400/IMG_8355.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think it already looks brighter in here with the drywall up. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This week, I've been planning out colors to paint our upstairs. (I've been going crazy on Pinterest.) After that, it'll be time to tear out the carpet and put down some Pergo-like flooring throughout the entire upstairs. I'm thinking a pale pink and grey for the nursery.<br />
<br />
Who decides to renovate their entire home just three months before having a baby? We do, I guess. With a two-bedroom house, though, it was kind of necessary. Plus, we haven't painted or done any kind of updating to our upstairs since we bought the house in 2006. Everything is original to 1998, when it was built, including floral wallpaper in the loft and a hideous border of hearts (!) in our bedroom. We're going to need a lot of luck to get everything finished before this baby arrives!Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-66849570462009328152017-06-04T21:34:00.000-05:002017-06-04T21:37:22.633-05:00Nick's Summerfest Concert at Settler's ParkToday was Nick's summer concert, and he got to perform at an outdoor amphitheater here in Plainfield. He plays the drums, and today he got to play on the "big kit," the "mini-kit," and the "base." I'm calling the different drums what he calls the drums, because my knowledge of musical instruments is seriously limited.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTHAbbwXjE2zPErFaUpRqWFpsKQQ2fkg71BNzSBi90D6VRZGp9R48ebnafmy9DNnEZjoMjtA0rPXNSZaayRr1LzI5BqhSveZGydolbVCWIHQZaK3a2DVHOUiNZBAxTn8LmzsWAgqLojca/s1600/IMG_6261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTHAbbwXjE2zPErFaUpRqWFpsKQQ2fkg71BNzSBi90D6VRZGp9R48ebnafmy9DNnEZjoMjtA0rPXNSZaayRr1LzI5BqhSveZGydolbVCWIHQZaK3a2DVHOUiNZBAxTn8LmzsWAgqLojca/s400/IMG_6261.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nick and his daddy, in front of the amphitheater. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The weather was warm and sunny, and I ended up with some definite sunburn. Like all the other parents, we sat and took photos and videos of our kids. We were kind of like kid band groupies.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-Ob05XEx4D1cePyOgDbcDoQOlZ3q9ldzT2V2ysL25XQPhi1q8jGLjcwWn0UCc1Or5rN8I7OR6t50jJNAno8L-i_RuVKSwrh0A3a7pdHOVaa9CkA4v1z2gHtZ5aRSDfJhBW60dm5HJgKF/s1600/IMG_6200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-Ob05XEx4D1cePyOgDbcDoQOlZ3q9ldzT2V2ysL25XQPhi1q8jGLjcwWn0UCc1Or5rN8I7OR6t50jJNAno8L-i_RuVKSwrh0A3a7pdHOVaa9CkA4v1z2gHtZ5aRSDfJhBW60dm5HJgKF/s400/IMG_6200.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I'm always impressed when I hear the kids performing these songs, all by themselves. This first song was Nick's favorite. It's "When I Come Around," by Green Day.<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LDsuIw_XKvs" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
<br />
These kids have been practicing their songs for months. Nick has been taking drum lessons at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SchoolOfRockPlainfield/">School of Rock</a> in Plainfield. Their band met every Thursday for an hour and a half, and Nick took drum lessons privately once a week for 45 minutes. For this concert, they decided to call themselves: RIP, Rock In Peace. This is Nick's special "Artist Pass" that he had to wear because he was a performer.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1mAesLk5zc3HhFwy9PpzgJIOF1QVhW5H4BzPLXGKQ8MM1mIl3x97GFLDsy4ECLnwHXcMCaDeUaTf86R338IRYf5_uCFK392KGL2Pq27lzrIuO22Asz3jSr7ezP9___PrxniD__8Sv7LJ/s1600/IMG_6282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1mAesLk5zc3HhFwy9PpzgJIOF1QVhW5H4BzPLXGKQ8MM1mIl3x97GFLDsy4ECLnwHXcMCaDeUaTf86R338IRYf5_uCFK392KGL2Pq27lzrIuO22Asz3jSr7ezP9___PrxniD__8Sv7LJ/s400/IMG_6282.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Greg had to take video of this one from the side of the stage, since Nick was on the big kit. He's fairly short, so the kid standing in front of him blocked the view. You can see him really well from this angle, though. They're singing "Sweet Home Chicago."<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-KtSVpN71oQ" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Here's the six to twelve-year-old cover version of "Louie, Louie."<br />
<br />
<br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XJT9TpdemwQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<br />
And last, but not least. . . Here they are performing "Blue Suede Shoes."<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dpBOPkbZIyQ" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
After Nick's performance, we got some BBQ from a nearby food truck and watched the other bands. Nothing like BBQ and sunshine after a rock concert.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPI7_A0BCapuPNOFojLvCH9Do64LxAhGkRaZAfBg67A9j1gseNYLU-3ho3CtGtNJx98Xin-F7QY3Vu2ejplhsLsaThsVBNQ18g_6gPCJhuE8hgdynm3ZXEr7Hlyj-lJmP2VvSS9Tzpah7W/s1600/IMG_6265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPI7_A0BCapuPNOFojLvCH9Do64LxAhGkRaZAfBg67A9j1gseNYLU-3ho3CtGtNJx98Xin-F7QY3Vu2ejplhsLsaThsVBNQ18g_6gPCJhuE8hgdynm3ZXEr7Hlyj-lJmP2VvSS9Tzpah7W/s400/IMG_6265.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-75473776998405625452017-05-31T17:59:00.000-05:002017-06-15T22:11:47.144-05:00Pregnancy Update: 22 Weeks<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Well, I've made it to the stage where there's no denying I'm pregnant. I've made it more than halfway through this pregnancy!.Walking up to the cash register in the liquor store the other day, buying two 1.5 liter bottles of wine (for my husband, of course), I certainly got some wide-eyed looks. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiasRhDOZk1Bbsv3caQ650v4Q3s8nul1BvYaGfQ2omanPqs4sMDzEZrS1os-dvinH43RzueRbcoA45U7H8jkZ_p99lE_7qXQzBRDA6relAvPyy336hlyP8sFggrjqFgVOpUp9w_EQDOaRdt/s1600/IMG_5666.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiasRhDOZk1Bbsv3caQ650v4Q3s8nul1BvYaGfQ2omanPqs4sMDzEZrS1os-dvinH43RzueRbcoA45U7H8jkZ_p99lE_7qXQzBRDA6relAvPyy336hlyP8sFggrjqFgVOpUp9w_EQDOaRdt/s400/IMG_5666.JPG" width="300" /></span></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Pregnancy Statistics:</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /><br style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /><u style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Weeks Pregnant:</u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> 22 weeks. Baby is the size of a banana, approximately. <a href="http://cestlaviemdw3437.blogspot.com/2011/01/pregnancy-update-20-weeks.html">Here's a post</a> from when I was 20 weeks pregnant with Henry.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /><u style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Weight</u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">: (From starting weight) +13 pounds. Lucky 13, I guess. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /><u style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Exercise:</u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> I have met my goal of walking at least 10,000 steps for 6/7 days of every week. My Fitbit says my average is around 12,000 steps a day. On Monday I got 16,907! :) My feet still hurt quite a bit, but for some reason they hurt <i>a lot</i> less when I can wear wedge flip flops every day. Thank goodness for summer weather!</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /><u style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Cravings</u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">: Meat in all of its forms. Henry was messing around with my phone the other day and commented, "Mommy, why do you have two different hamburger apps on your phone?" He's right, too. The doctors say I'm starting to get anemic, and I'll bet that's why meat has been calling my name. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /><u style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Sleep</u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">: I tend to get 6-7 hours of sleep per night, which isn't enough for me. I'm looking forward to summertime, when I can sleep in most days. The night splint makes me sleep more lightly, and my Dexcom alarm goes off some nights, waking me up. When I do wake up, no matter what the reason is, it's much harder to fall asleep for some reason.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Also, three times in the last week I've woken up ravenous a few hours after falling asleep. It's the weirdest feeling to be sleeping one second and then bolt upright in bed, and know that you just <i>have</i> to eat immediately. I'm becoming an expert at midnight snacks. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /><u style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Mood:</u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> Even though my 20 week ultrasound came up normal, I still worry a lot. I have a 24 week ultrasound coming up to check the baby's heart, and that makes me nervous. Also, I don't feel her move very much. Just like when I was pregnant with Henry, I have an anterior placenta. It's right up in front and she is behind it, making it very difficult to feel her moving around. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Here are some pictures from my 20 week ultrasound:</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4_y1_Q7iM2APgibZ_C5yVxcr-p4m4zp5FLSJwKPCtzLINs-SxzZhYtzAYPPmZ9ACxLoi4XT5GeNFyoK118W1ROMsv3pHstIdkasjsgpdjwkvn4PERBx-xY7NL1BwX_oTPf2knQk4m-RD/s1600/IMG_5654+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4_y1_Q7iM2APgibZ_C5yVxcr-p4m4zp5FLSJwKPCtzLINs-SxzZhYtzAYPPmZ9ACxLoi4XT5GeNFyoK118W1ROMsv3pHstIdkasjsgpdjwkvn4PERBx-xY7NL1BwX_oTPf2knQk4m-RD/s400/IMG_5654+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">She's measuring right where she should be for her gestational age.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigHvrM2QdgLdTYMdfTto92v78WOb3ZkgHfwNyY4VqtILyh96f_fiHex_CGpQ5ikXWV5LSrP-CaBHrXz7Y1CQNe4Mgl4B4OivalXYB_9JjkQpTV5M7MijHqttCG1LsSKrLDzBWu63lXpWj/s1600/IMG_5653+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigHvrM2QdgLdTYMdfTto92v78WOb3ZkgHfwNyY4VqtILyh96f_fiHex_CGpQ5ikXWV5LSrP-CaBHrXz7Y1CQNe4Mgl4B4OivalXYB_9JjkQpTV5M7MijHqttCG1LsSKrLDzBWu63lXpWj/s400/IMG_5653+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">Can you see her little arm waving?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ZdiHuhrM-XaKCl5VaV03ttSpEvWZ6tI2M1Wp2kKCWHLCcSZU2jRXtvuT-slpKr93DWjxhh3BdH-s412LFFIpcHTuboOb4O3HuDsyHyC3XIOep9HHhyphenhyphen-gWwWVpWpezrptBRegbaQzUUnx/s1600/IMG_5658+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ZdiHuhrM-XaKCl5VaV03ttSpEvWZ6tI2M1Wp2kKCWHLCcSZU2jRXtvuT-slpKr93DWjxhh3BdH-s412LFFIpcHTuboOb4O3HuDsyHyC3XIOep9HHhyphenhyphen-gWwWVpWpezrptBRegbaQzUUnx/s400/IMG_5658+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">There she is, full-length.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><u><br /></u></span>
<u style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Medical</u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">: I'm now seeing an obstetrician, a fetal medicine specialist, an endocrinologist, a bariatric surgeon, a hematologist, and a podiatrist. Something tells me I'll hit my out-of-pocket max on my health insurance well before this baby is born. ;)</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Because of the reactive hypoglycemia I'm prone to, my endocrinologist had me start wearing a DexCom 5 continuous blood sugar monitor. It has a tiny filament that sits under my skin and sends signals to my iPhone, continuously keeping track of my blood sugar. You'd think it would hurt, but it doesn't. In fact, I don't really feel it at all. It only requires two finger-sticks a day, to calibrate, and that is way better than what I was doing before. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;">It's been very helpful to know what's happening, and to have the warning alarms when I start to get low. The Dexcom warned me a few times that I was having low blood sugar overnight, and the doctor started me up again on one Metformin every evening with dinner. That seemed to help with the overnight lows. However, I've also noticed high readings lately, so now I'm also watching for that. I'm really hoping I don't end up with gestational diabetes. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"><u>Nesting</u>: In other news, Greg and I took out a loan to finish our basement. We have a small, two-bedroom duplex, and we're starting to feel rather cramped. Our goal is to finish the basement and have the boys move down there. Then we will have room for a nursery upstairs. The boys will have their own little apartment downstairs, so they'll have much more room, too. It will be our summer project--like nesting on steroids!</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">We've been working on cleaning out the basement. To be honest, neither one of us is particularly handy, so we have a contractor coming in to do the work. We bought our home in 2006, right when prices peaked, so we're underwater and can't sell. I'm really glad we bought a house big enough to renovate, so that we can make the house we have work for us. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-14820577598767309702017-05-07T21:35:00.002-05:002017-05-07T21:35:46.024-05:00Cub Scout Camping Trip<i>I must be insane!, </i>I thought to myself as I wandered the aisles, my cart full of roasting sticks, emergency compass/whistles, flashlights and sleeping bags guaranteed to keep you warm even if the temperature hits 40 degrees. <i>I'm pregnant, I'm asthmatic, and I hate the cold, and yet I'm packing for a camping trip when there's a frost warning. </i><br />
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
Saturday was Nick and Henry's first Cub Scout camping trip, and we were going to spend the night tent-camping at the <a href="http://www.campjellystone.com/park/2-chicago-millbrook/">Jellystone Campground</a> in Millbrook, IL. I've <a href="http://cestlaviemdw3437.blogspot.com/2014/07/cabin-camping-in-wisconsin.html">taken the boys camping</a> before, but that was in a cabin with heat, air-conditioning, and a refrigerator. This was a whole different ball game, and I kept questioning the wisdom of the trip. I am nothing if not stubborn, however, so I pushed on with my extremely full cart. I opted for an air-mattress, figuring I wouldn't be able to get off the ground in the morning if I slept without one.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaEGjvW50p7aDHKlipK13wD76adHrNw6YL6jFyX0nDLEHwRl21vZ-U5I3eV9tpHsBxyFgd6ljqWEkEWIhG6YMTUu3D13VM8yJl1MHsFymJpE1zuOIRkq7Gz5Mqi_wG-JIHOf9dttyjpdKB/s1600/IMG_5461+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaEGjvW50p7aDHKlipK13wD76adHrNw6YL6jFyX0nDLEHwRl21vZ-U5I3eV9tpHsBxyFgd6ljqWEkEWIhG6YMTUu3D13VM8yJl1MHsFymJpE1zuOIRkq7Gz5Mqi_wG-JIHOf9dttyjpdKB/s400/IMG_5461+%25282%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I have been camping many times before. In fact, I was an Explorer Boy Scout in a co-ed troop when I was in high school. (Explorer Scouts investigate careers, and our group was all teens interested in becoming teachers.) From what I can remember of those days, though, any camp outs we had consisted mostly of the guys showing off their manly skills while I clapped appreciatively, gingerly perched on a log.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdrHjyYIZHTtHmDn5qPNEGpJJb_9g1dWsTvZdfuV0C4pSizdFNdMiXz-kxxQL-96HMd28EV5acWqVEmiFOC3NWcZ0gN7XKJwmKbbWw-lwzIzeXW2BO7I6WFRLC8kXftyoeJNT5u5NsVJr/s1600/IMG_5494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdrHjyYIZHTtHmDn5qPNEGpJJb_9g1dWsTvZdfuV0C4pSizdFNdMiXz-kxxQL-96HMd28EV5acWqVEmiFOC3NWcZ0gN7XKJwmKbbWw-lwzIzeXW2BO7I6WFRLC8kXftyoeJNT5u5NsVJr/s400/IMG_5494.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Henry continually lost his shoes on this trip after going in and out of tents. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I haven't slept in a tent, though, since college. That wasn't true camping, either. Instead, it was more a case of wanting to take a trip but being too broke to afford hotel rooms along the way. I have vague memories of setting up a tent in the dark and collapsing inside of it, exhausted. My nineteen-year-old self had handled sleeping on the ground without too many repercussions. How would my thirty-eight-year-old body deal with getting back to nature? That remained to be seen.<br />
<br />
I love having my boys in scouting. It's outdoors, it's active, and running around poking each other with sticks is what Nick and Henry do best. Really. It's a true talent with these two.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP1Q2nEnjXUJSuuwNiOl_n5J4h1Qf3B3-xFcIxDKyHD2pp7rzWZ_jh25okXgU2QJxw7GEIDBqxVmxSxVNuHpeRBx_plsX_qzKGFm-iUwrLsFQ3bC1D3DWVuxbN6aVfm4pJs1hsNZSFq-9U/s1600/IMG_5444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP1Q2nEnjXUJSuuwNiOl_n5J4h1Qf3B3-xFcIxDKyHD2pp7rzWZ_jh25okXgU2QJxw7GEIDBqxVmxSxVNuHpeRBx_plsX_qzKGFm-iUwrLsFQ3bC1D3DWVuxbN6aVfm4pJs1hsNZSFq-9U/s400/IMG_5444.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These guys found firewood for our fire!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Speaking of sticks, Henry did an especially good job of gathering them. Long after the other kids had given up and gone to play, Henry was still bringing us piles of kindling.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAA9euugBfVhEHsyaj6An7RNub4nBzNVb9hqigDQNDHAZZrszV_t7nXyu1A7pvKMbilg6T3b6ycKpPvgp3FbybNAfWi1gSm5RrUGTwnR0ShiCaHvaMuI7sEvOuToOztC3RygxwjHjGKP0X/s1600/IMG_5448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAA9euugBfVhEHsyaj6An7RNub4nBzNVb9hqigDQNDHAZZrszV_t7nXyu1A7pvKMbilg6T3b6ycKpPvgp3FbybNAfWi1gSm5RrUGTwnR0ShiCaHvaMuI7sEvOuToOztC3RygxwjHjGKP0X/s400/IMG_5448.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
One thing that I love about camping is the food. We had hamburgers and hot dogs, and they were delicious. I should add, however, that Henry and Nick both refused to eat the hot dogs they cooked over the fire. There were "brown spots" on them, you see. Sigh.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-hQuXjO8o7sWnitnte_FMvcSU8AK5qy-QEmi02B9A6RiyTO3f9JTov6KCx0ooORBLzZUvvrRH97nxmriTqmSfaXAwdHdkKVWaBaBeDNUVc7zaPk3ldTrusv-XI7FOPJv9hAR_L2auhpfh/s1600/IMG_5488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-hQuXjO8o7sWnitnte_FMvcSU8AK5qy-QEmi02B9A6RiyTO3f9JTov6KCx0ooORBLzZUvvrRH97nxmriTqmSfaXAwdHdkKVWaBaBeDNUVc7zaPk3ldTrusv-XI7FOPJv9hAR_L2auhpfh/s400/IMG_5488.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
We borrowed a tent, and the boys were super-excited to get to sleep in it. They kept wanting to go in and out of everyone's tents.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRgp4zupj3MD_fzu8nsv23bfg4uGZC8k2BOuvbP8PiBXjkLEl6zW__6yefEwmrHdPrT4vInI_FpUweAXem4gaKMq3xEVPYQi6v7sxSm0w8n9cKQkI3Vxi4cofBt7hcMCWqkO1CJZ6GNI5S/s1600/IMG_5402+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRgp4zupj3MD_fzu8nsv23bfg4uGZC8k2BOuvbP8PiBXjkLEl6zW__6yefEwmrHdPrT4vInI_FpUweAXem4gaKMq3xEVPYQi6v7sxSm0w8n9cKQkI3Vxi4cofBt7hcMCWqkO1CJZ6GNI5S/s400/IMG_5402+%25282%2529.JPG" width="285" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Henry, however, was devastated when we told him there wasn't room on the air-mattress for him. Little did we know that Henry would indeed spend more than half the night sleeping in my sleeping bag on top of the air mattress. . .<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo7L8OnNNdPrEB6OP8QYXSTbLImJSUM8LsbAO5zw3yvDrJxJeXzJRnJ1Tt4vCIskQeGoTHsIooN6oXhGvCwId4YpdkvFqJw0In7AW4VIYCq-6RWiqnLDcP0IwSwAKOp9b2IpsXGre0yfST/s1600/IMG_5405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo7L8OnNNdPrEB6OP8QYXSTbLImJSUM8LsbAO5zw3yvDrJxJeXzJRnJ1Tt4vCIskQeGoTHsIooN6oXhGvCwId4YpdkvFqJw0In7AW4VIYCq-6RWiqnLDcP0IwSwAKOp9b2IpsXGre0yfST/s400/IMG_5405.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
While the campfire was cool, Henry and Nick really liked the night hike. Here they are with their buddies. I was very glad they were <i>not</i> hike buddies with one another--they fight too much.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyI2OSZUD1yXoCIl34BCoSbJeLKP9_PKD4StkgD05P08oy0FHteqWEEZ71ENajRoitqFplMIh1r7M-k_Dzy2byG06BV1fviJxvdFVFNoy3wcYArrcEb1RIAxiWKZgru6H7ibwFpcR9azqj/s1600/IMG_5508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyI2OSZUD1yXoCIl34BCoSbJeLKP9_PKD4StkgD05P08oy0FHteqWEEZ71ENajRoitqFplMIh1r7M-k_Dzy2byG06BV1fviJxvdFVFNoy3wcYArrcEb1RIAxiWKZgru6H7ibwFpcR9azqj/s400/IMG_5508.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Our troubles didn't start until bedtime. The boys were up past their normal 8 p.m. bedtime, and we didn't even get into the tent until around ten. It was definitely cold, but in the sleeping bags I'd bought definitely helped, so we were not too chilly. My anxiety kicked in around 2 a.m., when I woke up gasping for breath since I'd had the blanket over my head. I started worrying about what would happen if the boys had blankets over their heads, and then I grabbed a flashlight to check them out. I pulled the blanket off of Nick's head, and checked out Henry. Not only did he not have the blanket over his head, he was only half in his sleeping bag, and somehow he had taken off his shirt. (!?!) How was he sleeping so deeply in this freezing weather? At this point it was in the low 30s, temperature-wise. I could see my breath with every exhale, and a light coating of frost covered the part of my pillow where my head did not rest.<br />
<br />
I pulled both boys onto the air mattress with us, made Henry put on a shirt and climb into my sleeping bag with me, and tried to go back to sleep. The rest of the night consisted of Greg and I shivering and trying to get comfortable with four of us on a supposedly queen-sized mattress that was more like a full. Greg actually spent about an hour in the car warming up. The kids fell back to sleep within an hour, but I didn't fall asleep again until after 4 a.m.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvpBBBprTmVCilJhJRALFyv_e2UWtbREwd_uD0NiZ5llghx1XTj4b_6cEiQynGlES6piPK8qBeI_dw_bpasd2HAtswH6XC7BvepKxK36JoZ0nZAV9KVUTU52hXaTH8OcB9tKLlAVYRD8Ms/s1600/IMG_5531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvpBBBprTmVCilJhJRALFyv_e2UWtbREwd_uD0NiZ5llghx1XTj4b_6cEiQynGlES6piPK8qBeI_dw_bpasd2HAtswH6XC7BvepKxK36JoZ0nZAV9KVUTU52hXaTH8OcB9tKLlAVYRD8Ms/s400/IMG_5531.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Greg went on a Starbucks-finding mission as soon as he woke up. To be honest, he'd mapped out where the nearest Starbucks soon after arriving at the campsite on Saturday. I was just grateful for the caffeine he brought. When I got out of the tent, there was actual frost on my shoes.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsTtJwUUdszJEFvaDjVmI8-T_65GCWcCoDYmZw5SPHv1WLu-Q3Al-Rlb0iS5SvkLPds-jmsbY6f01iySX7WcTQ38_TxbeFHl1wYZSaBULQVV7Kg-8J9G3qA_nEl4OGeQG5qmxxfAATXv9/s1600/IMG_5535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsTtJwUUdszJEFvaDjVmI8-T_65GCWcCoDYmZw5SPHv1WLu-Q3Al-Rlb0iS5SvkLPds-jmsbY6f01iySX7WcTQ38_TxbeFHl1wYZSaBULQVV7Kg-8J9G3qA_nEl4OGeQG5qmxxfAATXv9/s400/IMG_5535.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This morning it was Nick helping to find firewood. Henry? He found me something very special. A rock shaped like a heart. "For you, Mommy," he said. My heart melted.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxnSzIf6GJzxCdUZDS5BWYKZu3-7MFjS-vbdR80hxBDisPGwyVimCB8pNgF26mZQ47fpmDlTTthboYHShGpaXwaBhDDpIzPDvhLfwpCCS29MzqggvSDc6W0g1ajAWu-q5XpJOF3i0dbdn/s1600/IMG_5536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxnSzIf6GJzxCdUZDS5BWYKZu3-7MFjS-vbdR80hxBDisPGwyVimCB8pNgF26mZQ47fpmDlTTthboYHShGpaXwaBhDDpIzPDvhLfwpCCS29MzqggvSDc6W0g1ajAWu-q5XpJOF3i0dbdn/s400/IMG_5536.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Well, we survived. To be honest, the kids had such an awesome time that I won't be able to deny them future camping trips. Overall, the trip was definitely worth it. I will, however, get a heated cabin if the temperatures are predicted to be below about 55 degrees. I don't want to miss out on the memories, but I do not want to risk frostbite again.<br />
<br /></div>
Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-88342972541713229752017-04-26T21:43:00.001-05:002017-04-26T21:43:54.889-05:00Pregnancy Update: 17 WeeksWhen I was expecting Henry, I did monthly pregnancy updates. I like having those to look back on, so I remember how I was feeling. The first one I did was when I was <a href="http://cestlaviemdw3437.blogspot.com/2011/01/pregnancy-update-17-weeks.html">17 weeks pregnant with Henry</a>. Today, I am 17 weeks pregnant with this little girl.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigragi1PrXNE97Vdq2XzEIffO-822x0BHdlNRoXqKx1U96iTflQXf-_R4XFCyVA_cVDfDCXVSybXVFQmKQnV6k-IbTNLSzSHC4uUweMhzQJKfHtTJR6HjOU7sH-K7i8IFk-v4zwaLxmO-V/s1600/IMG_5061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigragi1PrXNE97Vdq2XzEIffO-822x0BHdlNRoXqKx1U96iTflQXf-_R4XFCyVA_cVDfDCXVSybXVFQmKQnV6k-IbTNLSzSHC4uUweMhzQJKfHtTJR6HjOU7sH-K7i8IFk-v4zwaLxmO-V/s400/IMG_5061.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Pregnancy Statistics:<br />
<br />
<u>Weeks Pregnant:</u> 17 weeks exactly. I will go for my next growth ultrasound in Mid-May.<br />
<u>Weight</u>: (From starting weight) +7 pounds. It's hard to keep your weight down when you're taking multiple intramuscular injections of progesterone (as well as estrogen) every day for over three months. I was very happy to have that very last shot a few weeks ago.<br />
<u>Exercise:</u> Since recovering from influenza over my spring break, I've been meeting my goal of walking a minimum of 10,000 steps every day, at least 6 days per week. If it wasn't for the plantar faciitis, I'd probably try to walk even more than that.<br />
<u>Cravings</u>: Baked Potatoes, hamburgers, steak, and all kinds of desserts. I've been indulging in small portions. <br />
<u>Sleep</u>: I was doing better with sleep until my podiatrist said I should sleep with this splint on (see below). It helps a little bit but is terribly uncomfortable.<br />
<u>Mood:</u> I've had a lot of anxiety with this pregnancy. After all I've been through with IVF, I'm very nervous at every little twinge.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14BezvlR5BuQbMA2DToUFbK76W5d9AKpIxR8PQ2F7eU1zIPatJS2Yjt1rkaZtzvhiOBMeACffInvYe_2gLucMxNTcguIvfs49gpS0lejet6wB8s5uok2wBraviC_ODpiQm2p4PUwkiCx1/s1600/IMG_5159%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14BezvlR5BuQbMA2DToUFbK76W5d9AKpIxR8PQ2F7eU1zIPatJS2Yjt1rkaZtzvhiOBMeACffInvYe_2gLucMxNTcguIvfs49gpS0lejet6wB8s5uok2wBraviC_ODpiQm2p4PUwkiCx1/s400/IMG_5159%255B1%255D.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My night splint. I only wear it on one leg at a time.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Here's a sideways view of my bump.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhxk55MfPNOxJWXyB-lhxv-j0CgrOiFYnMSYjLR83bc99uBElPWK2vh6O-4b6wJQ4QEmm8tUyUuAUFy9ei8goA1yIbrPz8r1r-O8HusIDYOkcezEMnAasCmvockR_PoIFb0Mhr-i2spV73/s1600/IMG_5084+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhxk55MfPNOxJWXyB-lhxv-j0CgrOiFYnMSYjLR83bc99uBElPWK2vh6O-4b6wJQ4QEmm8tUyUuAUFy9ei8goA1yIbrPz8r1r-O8HusIDYOkcezEMnAasCmvockR_PoIFb0Mhr-i2spV73/s400/IMG_5084+%25282%2529.JPG" width="285" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
If you're interested in my IVF story, I'm going to tell it here. I know when I was starting out with a fertility doctor, I read the stories of as many real women as I could find. Here is my story.<br />
<br />
I think this is likely the most medically-involved pregnancy imaginable this time around. I've known since my early 20s that I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, which can cause infertility and increase the likelihood of miscarriages and chemical pregnancies (both of which I had right before getting pregnant with Henry). Nick was sheer luck--I became pregnant with him literally the first cycle I could ever have gotten pregnant in my life. Henry, who is now almost six, was born with the help of Clomid, which is a pill that often helps with fertility.<br />
<br />
When Greg and I decided to try for a third child back in 2014, we tried Clomid for an entire year, in slowly increasing dosages. It never worked. I decided to see an infertility specialist in January of 2015. He recommended IVF, since I could have genetic testing done that could cut the rate of miscarriages significantly. In 2015, when I was 36 and 37 years old, I went through four egg retrieval cycles. Greg and I ended up with 48 embryos, 7 of which made it to the blastocyst stage (5-days). We tested all 7, and only two of them were genetically normal. Both were female. The doctor had been right. If we had opted for IUI or if we hadn't tested the embryos, I likely would've had multiple miscarriages. Now, even though I'll be 39 when I have this baby, the embryo is from my 36 year old self, which I found out does make a difference.<br />
<br />
In March of 2016, I went through an implantation cycle. This is where the progesterone and estrogen come in, and while I had plenty of shots during egg retrieval, these shots were intramuscular and far more unpleasant. That embryo failed to implant, and we were disappointed, to say the least. My IVF doctor wanted to try to find out what had gone wrong before trying the other embryo, so I went through what they call a trial cycle. This means you do all of the medications (and yes, all the shots) for an implantation cycle, but instead of putting an embryo in, they take some of your uterine lining on what would've been implantation day and send it to a lab. This test (which was pricey, to say the least), told us that I needed more progesterone and that they should implant a day later than they had the first time.<br />
<br />
Another hypothesis my doctor had is that I could have endometriosis. Basically, this is when uterine tissue that usually grows <i>inside</i> the uterus grows outside the uterus and in the abdominal cavity. It can cause a great deal of pain as well as infertility. However, the only way to know if you have endometriosis is to sign up for exploratory surgery. It was a big risk, signing on and basically telling the doctor, "Yes, cut me open and root around in there to see if anything might be wrong." That doctor was right, though. One of my Fallopian tubes was kinked (which he fixed), and I had plenty of endometriosis that he was able to remove.<br />
<br />
That was last summer. I was originally supposed to have an implantation cycle in October, but it was postponed when I came up anemic in a blood test. In 2003, I had RNY Gastric Bypass Surgery (more about that <a href="http://cestlaviemdw3437.blogspot.com/2013/04/it-has-been-ten-years.html">experience here</a>), and one of the side effects is an inability to absorb iron. I had anemia in both pregnancies, and it caused growth restriction with Nick. When I was expecting Henry, they actually hooked me up to an IV once a week and just gave me the iron that way.<br />
<br />
My doctor had me go to a bariatric surgery center and get evaluated. I saw a surgeon, a nutritionist, an exercise physiologist, and a surgical nurse. I had B12 shots, went to a hematologist, had IV infusions of iron, and was finally cleared in December. That's when I started up on all the shots again. My implantation date was on January 16th. They even gave me a picture of the embryo before they implanted it.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0uSzHagHsTh1qgX8EEL24KG-jHsyo60PooWm3GuNglNY_NBZfK6Y2zCeFkRJ85XdaW20dmIbt6innOsmI3DgOzrf1ggTK5QInO0CqtK8GprOAm8ByMS9O1uQa0Q4oIYQz1TdTaDnP-_U/s1600/IMG_5160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0uSzHagHsTh1qgX8EEL24KG-jHsyo60PooWm3GuNglNY_NBZfK6Y2zCeFkRJ85XdaW20dmIbt6innOsmI3DgOzrf1ggTK5QInO0CqtK8GprOAm8ByMS9O1uQa0Q4oIYQz1TdTaDnP-_U/s400/IMG_5160.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Earliest picture---5 day blastocyst</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I was shocked when I found out I was pregnant, just a little over a week later. I had been mentally preparing myself for another failure. Besides the utter exhaustion that comes with early pregnancy (and the anxiety, of course), I generally felt okay. I have never suffered from morning sickness, though I've had some taste aversions and general nausea after eating.<br />
<br />
After I made it through the first trimester, I've allowed myself to get just a little bit excited. I haven't bought anything yet, though. Not until summertime, at least. I'll have to go a little crazy in August, though, because all of my baby stuff is from 2008 and for a little boy. Good thing I enjoy shopping.<br />
<br />
Greg is thrilled to be having a little girl. He is looking forward to a calm, quiet little girl. Let's not destroy his illusions about little girls-he'll find out in time.<br />
<br />Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-43971653204536021332017-04-05T19:53:00.000-05:002017-04-05T19:53:07.788-05:00Special Cupcakes With News for Big BrothersRecently, we brought home some special cupcakes for Nick and Henry. Check out their reaction.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0sjhUQ4QZl4" width="560"></iframe>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We waited quite awhile to tell the boys, and this was the most fun way I could find. I called up <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Smallcakes-A-Cupcakery-of-South-Naperville-314754095396115/">Smallcakes</a> in Naperville, and even on short notice, they were able to custom-make these cupcakes for the boys. Nick's cupcake says "Big Brother Again," and Henry's says "Big Brother." Each one really did have pink cream inside. Henry still had the flu in this video, so you can probably tell from his eyes that he wasn't in tip top shape.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLwHPvmn8XJgK18ZrFwyQDfNqvWC4exJQR36MTbDinr20iaRCtIUCJPVarurHo1fPEMUnan575v2uR3f9UPKgdvNrBG0h_65OI1tmUO4bUyszFLdoJuPxENiORBZ5nu9rOCU034L_IEyM3/s1600/ultrasound.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLwHPvmn8XJgK18ZrFwyQDfNqvWC4exJQR36MTbDinr20iaRCtIUCJPVarurHo1fPEMUnan575v2uR3f9UPKgdvNrBG0h_65OI1tmUO4bUyszFLdoJuPxENiORBZ5nu9rOCU034L_IEyM3/s400/ultrasound.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Yes, it's true. I am 14 weeks pregnant today. Now that I've hit the second trimester, I feel a little more comfortable letting people know. Greg and I are expecting a little girl this fall. After three years of fertility treatments, IVF, surgeries, and countless injections, we are very excited. She is healthy and exactly the right size so far, and all of the genetic tests came up normal. Because we did IVF with PGD testing, we knew the sex of the embryo before it was ever implanted, and the blood tests confirmed the gender.<br />
<br />
Later this week, I will do a pregnancy update with more of the details. <a href="http://cestlaviemdw3437.blogspot.com/2011/01/pregnancy-update-17-weeks.html">When I was pregnant with Henry</a>, I did monthly pregnancy updates. These may or may not be of interest to anyone else, but I sure find them helpful to remember an important time in my life.<br />
<br />
Nick is absolutely thrilled to be having a sister, and he greets my belly every morning with a pat and a, "Hi, Sister!" Henry isn't quite sure what to think yet. I think the reality hasn't set in yet. He asked me the other day, "Are you sure there's a sister in there?"</div>
Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-59277066454661036592017-03-30T21:39:00.000-05:002017-03-30T21:39:26.868-05:00Spring Break? Well, Kind of. . . This year our spring break has not been quite as fun as in years past. Last week, all of us were felled by influenza, and this is pretty much how we've been spending our time. My Fitbit gently warned me today that my activity level has been much lower than is typical. Unfortunately, there is no Fitbit mode for "flu," so mine just thinks I'm being particularly indolent.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvvvmC89Vi0M7gvQKaznFMRHjpszB5olLJZ5WMZfAhKh8vYri8Lk0tmff2-2o7wjBSNkxXBvnfnRc9HZ5vZH-PT0u_SWhU_j0JiMZmcmcydM74hp4t2sY6_qDOePs6dhvu7PJ20AoUFPU/s1600/FullSizeRender+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvvvmC89Vi0M7gvQKaznFMRHjpszB5olLJZ5WMZfAhKh8vYri8Lk0tmff2-2o7wjBSNkxXBvnfnRc9HZ5vZH-PT0u_SWhU_j0JiMZmcmcydM74hp4t2sY6_qDOePs6dhvu7PJ20AoUFPU/s400/FullSizeRender+%25282%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If Henry had a Fitbit, it would be admonishing him as well.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Poor Henry had the worst of it. He had a full seven days of fevers, some as high as 103.8, and missed the last three days of school before spring break. Henry spent most of the last week sleeping, and couldn't stay awake for more than an hour at a time. Greg and I both got a pretty bad case of influenza, too, though he recovered faster than I did.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDd-6SIBL9WGXGpc1bylBUYAbOERKBz6lFc79fekE15jxynhW_HihZ3KA3Bna14oHGX_yb9vYqMQn07z8q8Fc6Jv5bf83Bfc5HEscSErPmgZ4-RS7H-STwjIqhfQDwAFVrzUNiQxIM143g/s1600/IMG_4552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDd-6SIBL9WGXGpc1bylBUYAbOERKBz6lFc79fekE15jxynhW_HihZ3KA3Bna14oHGX_yb9vYqMQn07z8q8Fc6Jv5bf83Bfc5HEscSErPmgZ4-RS7H-STwjIqhfQDwAFVrzUNiQxIM143g/s400/IMG_4552.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nick drew a bunny, in case you couldn't tell.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Nick coughed for a few days, but overall has had a much lighter case than the rest of us. He ditched us to go play outside for most of the time, at least when it wasn't raining.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_q8UG6ez0U-b4uram6RKkUKpTjtQy15X-T1UZVXM6GahYif7wsUNKdszpmRBiELxZUh9NsBhQEBNFmQRjGNB91rlJhSk3CC0cInlXdHRgitgeXfA_c5H3cnJUL28hvXRMxuYXcB8O-Y2r/s1600/IMG_4531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_q8UG6ez0U-b4uram6RKkUKpTjtQy15X-T1UZVXM6GahYif7wsUNKdszpmRBiELxZUh9NsBhQEBNFmQRjGNB91rlJhSk3CC0cInlXdHRgitgeXfA_c5H3cnJUL28hvXRMxuYXcB8O-Y2r/s400/IMG_4531.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Henry drew an ice cream cone.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The boys spent a ton of time watching how-to-draw videos on YouTube. This doesn't require a ton of energy, and when you get a coughing fit you can just pause the video. Today was the first day we felt well enough to venture out of the house (for a longer trip than to the Walgreens or the doctor's office). Henry had his last fever on Tuesday, so no one is contagious anymore, though the doctor said the cough could last for weeks.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX29xCh1MhNuUyCJyvfemduuD7ippAIMfXuAgEvm_yW1ojDxcizDEg3Mnz5W77zj3cC8YLzgJDDytlvSwM-HYuh9hiAg6hA0qcT0qif7uG62C2XWeBecoSb_iEI366oIf2g421ybztvdNT/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX29xCh1MhNuUyCJyvfemduuD7ippAIMfXuAgEvm_yW1ojDxcizDEg3Mnz5W77zj3cC8YLzgJDDytlvSwM-HYuh9hiAg6hA0qcT0qif7uG62C2XWeBecoSb_iEI366oIf2g421ybztvdNT/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I decided to take the boys out to the movies, since it was pouring rain. I do believe nearly every other parent in the area had the same idea; I've never seen the $4 movie theatre so full! Lego Batman was exactly what you would expect from a movie with that particular title. Henry said he was tired and kept acting like he was going to fall asleep, and then something exciting would happen onscreen and he would be riveted.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLR90AsE6mbnxTMeMHhVfKlti_xfJmfgkauczpytdqEuWM3t6kXrxxjndE3TAgIBchBtn4gK06mNpx5_ky652YN-xcv9yrokZhmbAFbWNw4hRYlpqXJ4FKcP_UxocFwWcQAtBOpWPyEPdA/s1600/IMG_4560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLR90AsE6mbnxTMeMHhVfKlti_xfJmfgkauczpytdqEuWM3t6kXrxxjndE3TAgIBchBtn4gK06mNpx5_ky652YN-xcv9yrokZhmbAFbWNw4hRYlpqXJ4FKcP_UxocFwWcQAtBOpWPyEPdA/s400/IMG_4560.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
After our movie adventure, Nick had to go to drum practice, so Henry and I headed to the library for a rousing game of Uno and some block-building.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcAbhaSUyZyN3ntzNFMkXDabi5r1mmR6P1JPc4rv_gmnrFIeVbtZke-_I8F1mvE6aZhjbZiyVN08p_S-h-JPzaLzNlD5QutUyU91SOah5w9QNK_h3JPyX6BpOS09Is8LpAhILF-wsZJJmX/s1600/IMG_4562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcAbhaSUyZyN3ntzNFMkXDabi5r1mmR6P1JPc4rv_gmnrFIeVbtZke-_I8F1mvE6aZhjbZiyVN08p_S-h-JPzaLzNlD5QutUyU91SOah5w9QNK_h3JPyX6BpOS09Is8LpAhILF-wsZJJmX/s400/IMG_4562.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
While we did get some basement organizing done, frankly, this has been one of the least fun spring breaks that I can remember. I can't even say it has been relaxing; it's hard to relax when you can't stop coughing, even if the Fitbit says you slept over 10 hours cumulatively. I refuse to take the darned thing off, though. Hey, this week can be a baseline, and no matter what, I'll look like a superstar next week. Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-36422471322611103822017-01-28T20:59:00.002-06:002017-01-28T21:00:30.884-06:00Pinewood Derby 2017Henry and Nick joined the Cub Scouts last fall, and one of the things they've been looking forward to is the Pinewood Derby.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLXKjgqWeXKl8RI6K4Tz97m0iIYqPixrDtBpqV9fOHk9t7uCGM7EYZtSz0APM4ZjKqoyCmDLKwhjg759dRW5F5rX7GgqYy6Va1Q-u2yWHmoferkPrOhKShmjDHk2lwiSx-HQAorFxGLLS/s1600/IMG_3494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLXKjgqWeXKl8RI6K4Tz97m0iIYqPixrDtBpqV9fOHk9t7uCGM7EYZtSz0APM4ZjKqoyCmDLKwhjg759dRW5F5rX7GgqYy6Va1Q-u2yWHmoferkPrOhKShmjDHk2lwiSx-HQAorFxGLLS/s400/IMG_3494.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Making the cars wasn't easy (ask Greg), but I think they look great, especially for their first Pinewood Derby. Can you tell that Henry and Nick both painted their cars themselves? Henry really, really wanted a little Lego guy in his car, and he's even got a steering wheel.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOF_F81oEkfyaQ_-RJOEzkfq2xlk88UAvMR7lBiZ3SJnHP5mZAo1yIGYQ7aev5n8Jo0sNV4D2-G4DzudeAIoO2jh0MylsUcExUtkAOBnqYmV2OODQU6nZnDTqZYdcApTjYqs0rloeaJ_xh/s1600/IMG_3506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOF_F81oEkfyaQ_-RJOEzkfq2xlk88UAvMR7lBiZ3SJnHP5mZAo1yIGYQ7aev5n8Jo0sNV4D2-G4DzudeAIoO2jh0MylsUcExUtkAOBnqYmV2OODQU6nZnDTqZYdcApTjYqs0rloeaJ_xh/s400/IMG_3506.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
These are what the cars looked like before we added all the weights.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwNcj0DukUf3WCUa87d0w-heEBMHsNTVM5uzcOXaYO6S2rtXgFzpdAHS9QQX3EowYAm2Ux6eJ5a0p19MH_FW7FeE-E7fcBOOAgMmKka_1oiqXcZf4g82ewcQHqLJNmku6SoK63VeL7HuLm/s1600/IMG_3500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwNcj0DukUf3WCUa87d0w-heEBMHsNTVM5uzcOXaYO6S2rtXgFzpdAHS9QQX3EowYAm2Ux6eJ5a0p19MH_FW7FeE-E7fcBOOAgMmKka_1oiqXcZf4g82ewcQHqLJNmku6SoK63VeL7HuLm/s400/IMG_3500.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
For Pinewood Derby, the kids get a kit that's basically four nails, four wheels, and a block of wood. They have to pick out a design and (with parental help) shape their car and sand and paint it.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbV5Exe3vUtxRmnfkcvftFtftyUFsRSAbxncGRXC2CzdOTUL2_afi99AsAmUctdf-3upEr6YBZ7Y9m3nJFPIT9mUhyphenhypheni0MPoWgoTKGiYNbEnTNUKdZdRX5Ob8DsINvOoGiwrzTVhOTUVD6C/s1600/IMG_3543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbV5Exe3vUtxRmnfkcvftFtftyUFsRSAbxncGRXC2CzdOTUL2_afi99AsAmUctdf-3upEr6YBZ7Y9m3nJFPIT9mUhyphenhypheni0MPoWgoTKGiYNbEnTNUKdZdRX5Ob8DsINvOoGiwrzTVhOTUVD6C/s400/IMG_3543.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nick's car was #14 and Henry's was #15. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The cars had to race down a really long track, two at a time. A computer recorded all the results and calculated winners for each age group and overall.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAykOexnGK4q97sSli_Hc5jGMTl5CkaajJM-xbdOHRiXJPiIpfKoKNweMFsCBDCQkWwEu3AA394eSLKUD7jFxRde_Zo1U054eJm21TS20ZDGks6cd3mluYftiDZeJJ8XXpQxMnEeXA0E8/s1600/IMG_3560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAykOexnGK4q97sSli_Hc5jGMTl5CkaajJM-xbdOHRiXJPiIpfKoKNweMFsCBDCQkWwEu3AA394eSLKUD7jFxRde_Zo1U054eJm21TS20ZDGks6cd3mluYftiDZeJJ8XXpQxMnEeXA0E8/s400/IMG_3560.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Here's the one race where Nick and Henry raced each other.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyakDRAS8rZCH_2G1wgUOCMxSZw1gFe6s-XYPxtWmrmSRz93vQxyNH9Jxj4Ft23zvsY5nZbl4PR2IpMWlOY0A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
Due to the luck of small numbers, each boy ended up with a trophy. Henry is the only Lion Scout in the group, so he won the first prize trophy. Nick was one of two Wolf Scouts competing, and he won the second prize trophy.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTAT4IVhjDnNU-8Cu-rZmYHRIuNnTW7Zi7XisVfiiTwqe5WgqWNSuDJE4PgpQyid2mZzqf9LMFjhT0qsc1TmfZRtUZNAwj4ia9FnCXdtptM91oXiPr2n-2iYfikrNqEBArY0MYP904s668/s1600/IMG_3663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTAT4IVhjDnNU-8Cu-rZmYHRIuNnTW7Zi7XisVfiiTwqe5WgqWNSuDJE4PgpQyid2mZzqf9LMFjhT0qsc1TmfZRtUZNAwj4ia9FnCXdtptM91oXiPr2n-2iYfikrNqEBArY0MYP904s668/s400/IMG_3663.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
After we got home, Nick and Henry spent at least an hour reenacting the races with their cars across our hardwood floors. I think they'll be pretty motivated to work on their cars next year. :)Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-86042645121243118342017-01-25T19:44:00.001-06:002017-01-25T19:58:59.579-06:00Nick's Rock ConcertOn Sunday Nick played the drums in a concert with his band. They've named themselves the "Smooth Criminals" for this concert--his second with Rock 101 at School of Rock in Plainfield.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP96rqjP51-vo6GUfzUqo6I1sZtVyNFOZTmNmBVB3g1gmFPjw34qEHftvCStN3ZcOqdkxvVaU_iVN1DG7CmJAOeubCnyVNo-agIIr8c4Epw7DPlH985MA61OEVdWvXWuP9igAU5BK7idLW/s1600/IMG_3051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP96rqjP51-vo6GUfzUqo6I1sZtVyNFOZTmNmBVB3g1gmFPjw34qEHftvCStN3ZcOqdkxvVaU_iVN1DG7CmJAOeubCnyVNo-agIIr8c4Epw7DPlH985MA61OEVdWvXWuP9igAU5BK7idLW/s400/IMG_3051.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Nick got all dressed up in his "rock star" clothes. He had a shirt with a guitar on it and a leather jacket. Oh, and his "Nick's Sticks" personalized drumsticks, of course. Henry wore his leather jacket, too, though the only sticks he had were the pretzel sticks he was munching on.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeKPBmSHE2m8OEj0E3B2G5NrTJa6vDNsz5qJ1geolzO7ukCtXZL0qslwJSTHzZaQ4shm0-G_Of_bGyEsV2bXeFaLU8fkRhUqTjaWyNF8EcCjEjTOYP2JbrjxhmaMB10Y_Lh27gXLO7Ko7O/s1600/IMG_3068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeKPBmSHE2m8OEj0E3B2G5NrTJa6vDNsz5qJ1geolzO7ukCtXZL0qslwJSTHzZaQ4shm0-G_Of_bGyEsV2bXeFaLU8fkRhUqTjaWyNF8EcCjEjTOYP2JbrjxhmaMB10Y_Lh27gXLO7Ko7O/s400/IMG_3068.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The crowd was as enthused as any group of parents cheering for their kids would be, and the kids have improved since their <a href="http://cestlaviemdw3437.blogspot.com/2016/09/nick-rock-star.html">last concert</a>, at least IMHO.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4Kl89kOyw0EPSrfZoI7T8IyqWakg6vBij3Ujgp0fICdDfsHq_dQWAQR5EcVGmWxNt9InTEuWvVF2XO-FHZ_xHepPEyUkteZu9fQG6fLci4_DCfEhelgqGRY5pikZ79pMkb4JYKFrSoZK/s1600/IMG_3169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4Kl89kOyw0EPSrfZoI7T8IyqWakg6vBij3Ujgp0fICdDfsHq_dQWAQR5EcVGmWxNt9InTEuWvVF2XO-FHZ_xHepPEyUkteZu9fQG6fLci4_DCfEhelgqGRY5pikZ79pMkb4JYKFrSoZK/s400/IMG_3169.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This is Nick on the mini-kit playing "Twist and Shout." I love that I can hear his drum in particular playing. :)<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Mcu6IS2_veI" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
Here he is on the big drums playing "Judy is a Punk," by the Ramones.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/17b1x4Lq9LE" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
<br />
For "Bad Moon Rising," Nick got to play the tambourine. Yes, they are playing CCR.<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ycrNt-kfzrY" width="560"></iframe>
Nick doesn't limit himself to drumsticks. . . Oh, no. He can rock bongo drums as well.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ngWokmpjxO8" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
He has been practicing SO hard lately. Nick actually broke a drum head about a week ago. His drum instructor said he had the beats down for the concert songs, so he's been teaching him more and more stuff each week. I'm just happy that I can now recognize the beats coming from our basement.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6W20-N4O5P4nBcSqiH2SexsABTckidSuen-w-WLjEUchUkqxvVLPHpQyb-LBn6FHIFxorEfB4R6tk4xUUJkkslbwblq4FvTxX07mbO_caTp8WHnzIydET5iQDD_DZxKzmAC5-pgZ4zhBX/s1600/IMG_3054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6W20-N4O5P4nBcSqiH2SexsABTckidSuen-w-WLjEUchUkqxvVLPHpQyb-LBn6FHIFxorEfB4R6tk4xUUJkkslbwblq4FvTxX07mbO_caTp8WHnzIydET5iQDD_DZxKzmAC5-pgZ4zhBX/s400/IMG_3054.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I can't wait to hear what they'll play next time! They even had a concert poster!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhznyg5aOayM-BOFyLrktlxXY7Bi5Dwyg0S9Yh2NuipTZVqIht_L-nCT1SSNwlCLq62m4sXMjT0NdKLTlOdysSS4X2Hobta1dtkNtbNMTjckHhtzl7BhQipZqREpCMWdFA0gKthJ5RpkC-p/s1600/IMG_3062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhznyg5aOayM-BOFyLrktlxXY7Bi5Dwyg0S9Yh2NuipTZVqIht_L-nCT1SSNwlCLq62m4sXMjT0NdKLTlOdysSS4X2Hobta1dtkNtbNMTjckHhtzl7BhQipZqREpCMWdFA0gKthJ5RpkC-p/s400/IMG_3062.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Rock on, Nick!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQJruPJosWh2z85JzL4lhRCWUxoHvlf_8oZX0JPgiVP6yEA9XUGD_6SpEH1cR3o5W0Cuw0XZZX0oLu-zuH0Nq-8M6iYIRL5a7_Pwxbx1OfLzuI_WkU5g9HZPKw3Ea-lGbIKyh0SiodAUT/s1600/IMG_3242+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQJruPJosWh2z85JzL4lhRCWUxoHvlf_8oZX0JPgiVP6yEA9XUGD_6SpEH1cR3o5W0Cuw0XZZX0oLu-zuH0Nq-8M6iYIRL5a7_Pwxbx1OfLzuI_WkU5g9HZPKw3Ea-lGbIKyh0SiodAUT/s400/IMG_3242+%25282%2529.JPG" width="285" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-29555966977807239072017-01-01T22:58:00.001-06:002017-01-01T22:58:02.363-06:00Happy New Year!We kicked off 2017 with a visit to the <a href="http://www.msichicago.org/">Museum of Science and Industry</a>. They still have their Christmas Trees up, and the decorations were remarkably festive for January.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzwBzvXb6mXiN2GIj1osy5Sry_rnA7X2B-PMLKZ0NyTKvCJWrh4yzNJLeXhO3yKVMfWEXck08fh-wNK0CxbxAJPQA-bPKRieL187F3uXYFgH4pRFUPJKHYizQaGmSHO2qRZ4tbTQXvrLHy/s1600/IMG_2421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzwBzvXb6mXiN2GIj1osy5Sry_rnA7X2B-PMLKZ0NyTKvCJWrh4yzNJLeXhO3yKVMfWEXck08fh-wNK0CxbxAJPQA-bPKRieL187F3uXYFgH4pRFUPJKHYizQaGmSHO2qRZ4tbTQXvrLHy/s400/IMG_2421.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Henry was so excited to be at the MSI that he did a "map dance" when he got his map.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzJ46WMudlXI9hHfTzQb-edcxUHqHERPVkr5yg9WUYrQTpxxN1XVdIv67Ow7REUFSQTadRvcoDu1MI_vVHAzg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
The boys got to roam in Maurice Sendak's forest.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYqhZYqS7YSrJsvcCSj2NM4pVLY65Y4SEPiLzeon_RsKL13yGDgYHh5gqYHlQxG2NVnmKh5rPL5tp5oaAdTT5kapcl5uG_uV-0YhPpXzOmBCXoSAhsdOgXHV2kxqgHhLdPEiHZSSqNPBK/s1600/IMG_2586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYqhZYqS7YSrJsvcCSj2NM4pVLY65Y4SEPiLzeon_RsKL13yGDgYHh5gqYHlQxG2NVnmKh5rPL5tp5oaAdTT5kapcl5uG_uV-0YhPpXzOmBCXoSAhsdOgXHV2kxqgHhLdPEiHZSSqNPBK/s400/IMG_2586.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIBpt_e2eIBTDoiSPAcS-CzOgErPPx34HYxlNVE68f_KAAT6B4ekGiXV60XVxCwmPml_ZwmNHVkYpLPuW9DyDQPLXL8wSvFAMw0cZ8XVhJSJyIvm91QAS28QtcOWk5iKR5Ksy7noKE81zp/s1600/IMG_2596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIBpt_e2eIBTDoiSPAcS-CzOgErPPx34HYxlNVE68f_KAAT6B4ekGiXV60XVxCwmPml_ZwmNHVkYpLPuW9DyDQPLXL8wSvFAMw0cZ8XVhJSJyIvm91QAS28QtcOWk5iKR5Ksy7noKE81zp/s400/IMG_2596.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
We made some time to visit the airplane. We've never taken the boys on an actual plane, so for them this is as good as it gets.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnOrhGb85ksV3Ab-qbRPxfB1CIkoFS84Dw4jh0tBHVN33uXvyV_gBMqBb2rTYtSjuPyT8BuEo3LybU05Nw-HR3FGsgoThLtqH_VQl7boVpTqy7gyA-ngwJOifmiMIIDP9G0X6fc-SolfHw/s1600/IMG_2579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnOrhGb85ksV3Ab-qbRPxfB1CIkoFS84Dw4jh0tBHVN33uXvyV_gBMqBb2rTYtSjuPyT8BuEo3LybU05Nw-HR3FGsgoThLtqH_VQl7boVpTqy7gyA-ngwJOifmiMIIDP9G0X6fc-SolfHw/s400/IMG_2579.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Kzo-yZnX2nwBlGjnyrkDUCeUWNxC0zTuXNEClvzEUnHMDl_TNTwINJNMShlvUmJxykcD92a1vaJJmSLjo_Tse-8M9LoY29qLkurprR50paYHZlXnpBxyJkSAUFU68O8D-Rxj_NKBr5r6/s1600/IMG_2568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Kzo-yZnX2nwBlGjnyrkDUCeUWNxC0zTuXNEClvzEUnHMDl_TNTwINJNMShlvUmJxykcD92a1vaJJmSLjo_Tse-8M9LoY29qLkurprR50paYHZlXnpBxyJkSAUFU68O8D-Rxj_NKBr5r6/s400/IMG_2568.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Henry and Nick both absolutely loved the Brick by Brick Lego Exhibit. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZj55Zab4YYc9d42T3ur8pR9yT2NzX2LjsKqzkcsKhUnEBzwCZVdu_Ei_0uOCy3GTmLlGFCy-VeD-RO55Tsm7MOSSUFJWJrQQcMVMKYXPY9Iioh94Tsnq_xcplfZqYvAwYydWQyFgFZ81d/s1600/IMG_2540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZj55Zab4YYc9d42T3ur8pR9yT2NzX2LjsKqzkcsKhUnEBzwCZVdu_Ei_0uOCy3GTmLlGFCy-VeD-RO55Tsm7MOSSUFJWJrQQcMVMKYXPY9Iioh94Tsnq_xcplfZqYvAwYydWQyFgFZ81d/s400/IMG_2540.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4CU3hwxQutF3bknSqZ9vF7QgQe-UE_V6V6FhzN_cNo3fqn7YPrZ_fYl7CJC9_UduWM78tkwPHHJicGNjDa0AR_YKfzRyFhaPCw-C-CktGZdYdoDiQIVPdeZuLYyb7o8OZxVwDtCw1-Y17/s1600/IMG_2549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4CU3hwxQutF3bknSqZ9vF7QgQe-UE_V6V6FhzN_cNo3fqn7YPrZ_fYl7CJC9_UduWM78tkwPHHJicGNjDa0AR_YKfzRyFhaPCw-C-CktGZdYdoDiQIVPdeZuLYyb7o8OZxVwDtCw1-Y17/s400/IMG_2549.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Seeing the Lego Creations was awesome, but building their own was way more fun.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf0SMPfQl8tQC1h0G206ymreuOFTmuu4AIYv7zrJcQpLVN76BuDbaK0Wk4bTUgkezerHE6T_uqKHJlh99vhrZXj_T5wKCm7UPE7qY8nakOW0rJV4t7_Hjbaawr_61KLpa2X_DdqcSaHkB2/s1600/IMG_2521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf0SMPfQl8tQC1h0G206ymreuOFTmuu4AIYv7zrJcQpLVN76BuDbaK0Wk4bTUgkezerHE6T_uqKHJlh99vhrZXj_T5wKCm7UPE7qY8nakOW0rJV4t7_Hjbaawr_61KLpa2X_DdqcSaHkB2/s400/IMG_2521.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Henry wanted to try out the astronaut suit. Nick? He preferred to check out the gift shop. I can't blame him. It was a pretty cool gift shop.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggI-Xmdb7BRpyiHkc7kvMG7uyCgBxVlD5e6Lsyc-6OLLn-LQwQeoeegL_yRZu7Lyt70ON5uwaj7LrTZdPilk8vTSpUHfvzaRuOWJD63DCGF6dRZD4rzb4Gx9VhBzUVRC7ZpiBy0bgBkFkn/s1600/IMG_2609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggI-Xmdb7BRpyiHkc7kvMG7uyCgBxVlD5e6Lsyc-6OLLn-LQwQeoeegL_yRZu7Lyt70ON5uwaj7LrTZdPilk8vTSpUHfvzaRuOWJD63DCGF6dRZD4rzb4Gx9VhBzUVRC7ZpiBy0bgBkFkn/s400/IMG_2609.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Henry loved the lights in this room. He kept turning the different colors on and off and then on again.<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZGiOymi6HJjBvSrlaTa_8ep-f3vjD-RHyfVnPwrQxZK-bHYpF2aiUTLgK0v5pExY0zHZ-o3tLKR2efa617XzziUC9n-RDCdbSbPXaQJC9d9RIPTReAc_t27PSIMxRTTo5RuYNZGx2u7i/s1600/IMG_2665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZGiOymi6HJjBvSrlaTa_8ep-f3vjD-RHyfVnPwrQxZK-bHYpF2aiUTLgK0v5pExY0zHZ-o3tLKR2efa617XzziUC9n-RDCdbSbPXaQJC9d9RIPTReAc_t27PSIMxRTTo5RuYNZGx2u7i/s400/IMG_2665.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Not too shabby for the first day of the year. Many of us (except Greg, who was driving) fell asleep on the way home.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_H0wD8LIdarRcOzVpOPKBil7syTdnVUuDe8rMqwngphfqjGnMmcKbgt2gT4Dyv6DJr3_ahDSpjnhdVoDwdo7HvI0zkJmKJql_PG-uOPlffNAKEimd_ETlM2QpIpc42heBeaT3qVaiVbN9/s1600/IMG_2617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_H0wD8LIdarRcOzVpOPKBil7syTdnVUuDe8rMqwngphfqjGnMmcKbgt2gT4Dyv6DJr3_ahDSpjnhdVoDwdo7HvI0zkJmKJql_PG-uOPlffNAKEimd_ETlM2QpIpc42heBeaT3qVaiVbN9/s400/IMG_2617.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Happy New Year!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMlM7mwgEL1X2tzReOrBvyjPoP1Gqoru_ssC42vFKIHOHFed1lNuE03-h5YFLHlMDNe11tsJ4DvTqtjmWORson2gZGJgEDBNLuzFTz3KptyAYgdFNMoocRpfzU7cCSLcan3nQu3CFUS4J5/s1600/IMG_2563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMlM7mwgEL1X2tzReOrBvyjPoP1Gqoru_ssC42vFKIHOHFed1lNuE03-h5YFLHlMDNe11tsJ4DvTqtjmWORson2gZGJgEDBNLuzFTz3KptyAYgdFNMoocRpfzU7cCSLcan3nQu3CFUS4J5/s400/IMG_2563.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-469308008211567362016-12-10T21:45:00.000-06:002016-12-10T21:45:45.316-06:00Cookie Day 2016Yes, today was indeed Cookie Day 2016. <a href="http://cestlaviemdw3437.blogspot.com/2012/12/cookie-making-day-at-grandmas-house.html">Each year</a> I take the boys to my mom's house to bake, decorate, and eat lots and lots of cookies. In honor of this special occasion, Nick and Henry wore their new gingerbread man shirts. They read: Ninja-Bread Warrior.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3fgs-7wFNGk_3cVZICeELpVauBUhyphenhyphenobNUEO-sRmVdDHvSDGPWCf_1r4QmmBEjv08wh0rsP1xyWkIisDdZQ7CfFgzLViirw868mx5-oFbzUR3XDhX8WBIuJGxh9VWJX5-9XN9QUvdT3Jxr/s1600/IMG_1245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3fgs-7wFNGk_3cVZICeELpVauBUhyphenhyphenobNUEO-sRmVdDHvSDGPWCf_1r4QmmBEjv08wh0rsP1xyWkIisDdZQ7CfFgzLViirw868mx5-oFbzUR3XDhX8WBIuJGxh9VWJX5-9XN9QUvdT3Jxr/s400/IMG_1245.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div>
In the prelude to cookie day, I spent hours and hours arguing with (and, admittedly, yelling at) my cookie press as I made butter cookies. Some cookies are made with love, but I'm afraid my butter cookies were made with anger. Sweet, delicious anger.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0jWMbM1Dd2uYJQeaJqCK1t00XiNLqNS6SfpXSaH4IL9J4ldEjoZiyODIV3SiYhvIe9Jjeb5Xvle1NhYDlMh9jVBfhUGCPeMNi7Dvwwzar-i_0zjLTSa5R6_LxwT45Y6whWU1uS1bzaepb/s1600/IMG_1095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0jWMbM1Dd2uYJQeaJqCK1t00XiNLqNS6SfpXSaH4IL9J4ldEjoZiyODIV3SiYhvIe9Jjeb5Xvle1NhYDlMh9jVBfhUGCPeMNi7Dvwwzar-i_0zjLTSa5R6_LxwT45Y6whWU1uS1bzaepb/s320/IMG_1095.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Does this snowman show evidence of his maker's fury?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The butter cookies were still yummy, though. Also, since I didn't get angry enough to <i>actually</i> throw the cookie press out the window, and I eventually made two full batches, I'd call it a win.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3TURUtlMslBpCvsnFKkrcvzCVBzvxljB-Uclkmx5xPzERvFmoMMIrUUzgRy6VGb5YYa9V-GxwVZxVyEOL_LIvT3fTOZbN5Ij1SSWvpCcDXq22xFw7ZOSXNMLY8EC9LdU40DP103A5Zko/s1600/IMG_1155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3TURUtlMslBpCvsnFKkrcvzCVBzvxljB-Uclkmx5xPzERvFmoMMIrUUzgRy6VGb5YYa9V-GxwVZxVyEOL_LIvT3fTOZbN5Ij1SSWvpCcDXq22xFw7ZOSXNMLY8EC9LdU40DP103A5Zko/s400/IMG_1155.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
There was far less anger and more fun when Nick and Henry made gingerbread cookies with my mom. They loved rolling out and cutting the cookies. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVBfBj_cqawX5T8cxqgA9WtMA68ds4eFSRLHmptX-l-t2fP_GjIN7IQLfnYoCGjfBRYymrzYd0zealyUnTB7lNlKoety_I6Do8qpXkphtQb9KMwwPiR-JOgbM080Zcbe5XeZ2dh6WmME3/s1600/IMG_1142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVBfBj_cqawX5T8cxqgA9WtMA68ds4eFSRLHmptX-l-t2fP_GjIN7IQLfnYoCGjfBRYymrzYd0zealyUnTB7lNlKoety_I6Do8qpXkphtQb9KMwwPiR-JOgbM080Zcbe5XeZ2dh6WmME3/s400/IMG_1142.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
They made some, ahem, interesting cookie shapes. Notice Henry's custom-made cookie. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVBaOj6fg83M4nvxERuZJ8h6c_JMICwtT0-Zr-oGX_5K7LKT9Gqa8fwQuVUJcR0izQpSiacjKip6jtW6dr7LF5ox49BFpQxeFoHd8odXixLiLhAy4eHkDycbu0Eb-pn_qNx2B5OWoQsBKT/s1600/IMG_1172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVBaOj6fg83M4nvxERuZJ8h6c_JMICwtT0-Zr-oGX_5K7LKT9Gqa8fwQuVUJcR0izQpSiacjKip6jtW6dr7LF5ox49BFpQxeFoHd8odXixLiLhAy4eHkDycbu0Eb-pn_qNx2B5OWoQsBKT/s400/IMG_1172.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
It's a Target cookie, as in the store. Yup. I know what it looks like. Henry loves the Target because I let him pick something out from the dollar spot.<br />
<br />
Anyway, the boys made awesome gingerbread houses as well. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N_C7J4ylev8" width="560"></iframe>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
They worked so hard on them--with a little help from G.G. As for Nick, he hardly asked for help at all, and he did an excellent job with roof construction, especially considering he was using white chocolate for cement. He did, however, sneak one piece of candy in his mouth for every piece he added to his gingerbread house!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ9c4KuQnmXzFNclm8NaNvvHU_svHzHkSk5Bj_v_8a27VmBxzqyXPpP5k8l5-tCFd66v4dtJEl8dMOKb69uRJWZxLkYZwgixMktyYEmVV_DHjluFsLK-zqS4Xutv_gtq4B1r88OsiREwdk/s1600/IMG_1253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ9c4KuQnmXzFNclm8NaNvvHU_svHzHkSk5Bj_v_8a27VmBxzqyXPpP5k8l5-tCFd66v4dtJEl8dMOKb69uRJWZxLkYZwgixMktyYEmVV_DHjluFsLK-zqS4Xutv_gtq4B1r88OsiREwdk/s400/IMG_1253.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
They really loved making the gingerbread houses--I haven't done this with real gingerbread (the kind you'd want to eat) since I was a little girl. I hope we can do this every year.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr6TN_n70FbB1KTYw69lzJSC8x_5RS9-SPWfMHkKwmnui6Ctz54pBPCWWYwtSqNil5tXsfpS6hcQigZlNt6fTR8uzR54T2B5UxmWr1QOpMORCBlvPLmQUVgPOTXtzgcJBqvw6DnBSQ87OV/s1600/IMG_1244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr6TN_n70FbB1KTYw69lzJSC8x_5RS9-SPWfMHkKwmnui6Ctz54pBPCWWYwtSqNil5tXsfpS6hcQigZlNt6fTR8uzR54T2B5UxmWr1QOpMORCBlvPLmQUVgPOTXtzgcJBqvw6DnBSQ87OV/s400/IMG_1244.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Here's Henry showing off his masterpiece.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJFLMJ3aR1Bom9lB2JlyoyhmOb21yWZZ_JlEoARe6liDC4RHiq2xDj5zGZDFGgGNqQry-a49bwUiBgmk0sOSwY2I6_3wYV2NoGcqauFSYLw6RaL6neL_QHy59lSPlVwKZ6JQNnjWVvJg9/s1600/IMG_1294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJFLMJ3aR1Bom9lB2JlyoyhmOb21yWZZ_JlEoARe6liDC4RHiq2xDj5zGZDFGgGNqQry-a49bwUiBgmk0sOSwY2I6_3wYV2NoGcqauFSYLw6RaL6neL_QHy59lSPlVwKZ6JQNnjWVvJg9/s400/IMG_1294.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
We concluded cookie day 2016 with a thrilling ride through some pretty nasty traffic as the snowstorm started. It took us over an hour and a half to get home. The gingerbread houses made it safely, though! </div>
Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-27773951670231265642016-11-27T19:36:00.002-06:002016-11-27T19:42:05.664-06:00Nick's 8th Birthday PartyNick had his 8th birthday party today, on our last day of Thanksgiving break.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdfwUu6-rPwrU0L-J-9eg8cXyCZpx49K7K9l4fdtZFtTYbxCiiu85p0cFdIdTzF6f9hewKBCzgyy-d-B-LO7T1xRkoGuqVQW9YmoLlH39fYalbTl8ufHgxHd8-nlOP2RiKRj-mKgV-Io3/s1600/IMG_0609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdfwUu6-rPwrU0L-J-9eg8cXyCZpx49K7K9l4fdtZFtTYbxCiiu85p0cFdIdTzF6f9hewKBCzgyy-d-B-LO7T1xRkoGuqVQW9YmoLlH39fYalbTl8ufHgxHd8-nlOP2RiKRj-mKgV-Io3/s400/IMG_0609.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
November parties are normally difficult, because it's too cold to hang out in the backyard, and our house is very small. They year, however, Nick received some outdoor gifts, so he was very definitely outside. His favorite gift?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVFDWnAOY9wV5KZiwmE6lu5QaA4PjXiMw5oqHmKHiNH-noIH1947tXTEhvYq3h8zCCWO4lgraaRqEG00w9_uqZBvlbdEEKR-MILTiaS4eIf3soN0uKQTJehwH-u_5iM315oMeoFUeE2Aua/s1600/IMG_0623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVFDWnAOY9wV5KZiwmE6lu5QaA4PjXiMw5oqHmKHiNH-noIH1947tXTEhvYq3h8zCCWO4lgraaRqEG00w9_uqZBvlbdEEKR-MILTiaS4eIf3soN0uKQTJehwH-u_5iM315oMeoFUeE2Aua/s400/IMG_0623.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Auntie Mandy and her boyfriend Andy split the cost of a set of junior drums with Greg and me. I guess they're just like a full adult set of drums, only smaller. So Nick spent a lot of time showing off his drumming skills to various visitors. Auntie Mandy even decorated Nick's drum head, and it turned out really cool.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKUgtmdiBk7EMrBfk_V-SbRpccqqMTB7OTz-fnJg7r7xQqYrKX1N3gwukm_6hL2UxeqtOs1J_rL-VMJRe7PCkoKOL5XW8aCYi5bvY9X1sj4m9DJPv8zbn4kt0RdGcDyzGI5WtKvCz1jKc/s1600/IMG_0667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKUgtmdiBk7EMrBfk_V-SbRpccqqMTB7OTz-fnJg7r7xQqYrKX1N3gwukm_6hL2UxeqtOs1J_rL-VMJRe7PCkoKOL5XW8aCYi5bvY9X1sj4m9DJPv8zbn4kt0RdGcDyzGI5WtKvCz1jKc/s400/IMG_0667.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Personalized drumsticks? Nick has those, now, too. I'm anticipating Nick spending a lot of time in the basement with his drumset this winter. Perhaps Henry will accompany him on his favorite instrument--the microphone. My mom gave us an older karaoke machine so that my boys can make as much noise as possible. ;)<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fsMWa-VXw_QXu6Ey4Wo2xhYfk_Bu2Y3nFW0_n8XXAr2Xs3WvysgG1lR5mNqlk4VQc82gbiwUdgkVYt9Ay9_IcuCWCRr7Jiqgdo-s_PKN8UsmzcStH6Z-F9mgKNc1UAPpLBOol158ZSm4/s1600/IMG_0540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fsMWa-VXw_QXu6Ey4Wo2xhYfk_Bu2Y3nFW0_n8XXAr2Xs3WvysgG1lR5mNqlk4VQc82gbiwUdgkVYt9Ay9_IcuCWCRr7Jiqgdo-s_PKN8UsmzcStH6Z-F9mgKNc1UAPpLBOol158ZSm4/s400/IMG_0540.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They say, "Nick's Sticks."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Nick also lucked into getting an awesome skateboard with a super-cool green helmet and pads. Of course, he wanted to try it out right away.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQuVOPoouJEglRyjrAkLu7k-FtreqI6I4CX1wZAjoJwCBb1DjZOA0pJtgNByriZ8FEaw7Xh1OPCp34RpiU0ZJWv6hwwSxaLyGUK-SUgeJR60EsI4QQB9Ggwn2rCoCYKCBiKTdiZtPqxVq/s1600/IMG_0604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQuVOPoouJEglRyjrAkLu7k-FtreqI6I4CX1wZAjoJwCBb1DjZOA0pJtgNByriZ8FEaw7Xh1OPCp34RpiU0ZJWv6hwwSxaLyGUK-SUgeJR60EsI4QQB9Ggwn2rCoCYKCBiKTdiZtPqxVq/s400/IMG_0604.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
He's still working with just one foot on the board, but he sure was excited! I'm hoping the weather isn't too cold this week, so that he can spend some more time working on his skateboarding moves.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxeeUV1uOIwPrRc5UC2MiWnNIHIzHckaEYY-VIxkN6yCH_CMWYhivqhXgR62wOu6oskHZGJItxwEVkCCVNDejI6i7mpupNIGryb_IZWNbmPK3hslAbdpa-WL3XTEi8D7lcaxnHE9PD7axE/s1600/IMG_0593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxeeUV1uOIwPrRc5UC2MiWnNIHIzHckaEYY-VIxkN6yCH_CMWYhivqhXgR62wOu6oskHZGJItxwEVkCCVNDejI6i7mpupNIGryb_IZWNbmPK3hslAbdpa-WL3XTEi8D7lcaxnHE9PD7axE/s400/IMG_0593.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I bet he'll be a great skateboarder someday, but for now I'm sure glad he's got a supercool helmet and pads.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yNgBxDYyclT3jnGy1Ft1a6uhBfTj8VmYtIqq2xraoN0xDL-LlKWqvaURZxO_hnDmX3QTJpFvDTNPlZj-YZl3DKpS-4yIaLLKNj8HP4hmvw5TexHJn_DrEwqy8mrPiMQPgIcTQGE-ZntZ/s1600/IMG_0590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yNgBxDYyclT3jnGy1Ft1a6uhBfTj8VmYtIqq2xraoN0xDL-LlKWqvaURZxO_hnDmX3QTJpFvDTNPlZj-YZl3DKpS-4yIaLLKNj8HP4hmvw5TexHJn_DrEwqy8mrPiMQPgIcTQGE-ZntZ/s400/IMG_0590.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span id="goog_530554120"></span><span id="goog_530554121"></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Something tells me there will be a few bumps and bruises along the way.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoEgV14sq9EULaegoGNwhALg69miXfgsKb4J42uii1H_5eVD1_y7XHxkHSjwfAX6Ge83v_Sim1b481l0B9evFsFu05jL2cCBGbrTErePJquE5zufv39jlOC9gWEfLp-KtDo0IJer4qj70/s1600/IMG_0603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoEgV14sq9EULaegoGNwhALg69miXfgsKb4J42uii1H_5eVD1_y7XHxkHSjwfAX6Ge83v_Sim1b481l0B9evFsFu05jL2cCBGbrTErePJquE5zufv39jlOC9gWEfLp-KtDo0IJer4qj70/s400/IMG_0603.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
It was a Harry Potter-themed birthday, so Nick ended up with these cool mini-cupcakes from Smallcakes. I made sure they got some more wear out of their Griffindor ties from Halloween. He also got a magic set that looks messy but really fun, just the thing for a cold winter night. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE0KmXVDgKaBRjiX1S7pX9qAsVcGRhizTm4W1jFMhVrgkpO3zeHsabC7yesuymKEWHOx8xogeWryyh0OYc4aGiLnQaafQXSUux_ZprJ2oIdrhXG4AIf9jr8sB8ZDMWbAb-JQtR41MfsoTj/s1600/IMG_0660.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE0KmXVDgKaBRjiX1S7pX9qAsVcGRhizTm4W1jFMhVrgkpO3zeHsabC7yesuymKEWHOx8xogeWryyh0OYc4aGiLnQaafQXSUux_ZprJ2oIdrhXG4AIf9jr8sB8ZDMWbAb-JQtR41MfsoTj/s400/IMG_0660.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
His Grandma Toni also got him the illustrated version of the first Harry Potter book. Nick actually ended up with a whole stack of new books he's eager to start reading.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzF_glSRiIcN_lQLDADfjsgN6YmQ5AsuRSmcv6SCNkzoNdKXXmPSjgjtGyEtE2rp3jv6nd7USrq05EKZcgKvG2wWDp9Y0Xv8d8Ei96ub4LA2cBKqemUd2eDgclhT5corzKGeOuqWrCOAC/s1600/IMG_0633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzF_glSRiIcN_lQLDADfjsgN6YmQ5AsuRSmcv6SCNkzoNdKXXmPSjgjtGyEtE2rp3jv6nd7USrq05EKZcgKvG2wWDp9Y0Xv8d8Ei96ub4LA2cBKqemUd2eDgclhT5corzKGeOuqWrCOAC/s400/IMG_0633.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
According to Nick, it was the best birthday ever.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoxZz7LN9oDNuGp5dQZdu26KpmTUrzPZ9woUhG9Sn-R2cZKG49PsfLPDnEMb36F4HNfeTE_2NnqtT6REl9lcKE2qAdGyv_dWKTy5sI0HrTno365W0al0BH8LvD_PEeXX7whyphenhyphento4F1x0GmI/s1600/IMG_0656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoxZz7LN9oDNuGp5dQZdu26KpmTUrzPZ9woUhG9Sn-R2cZKG49PsfLPDnEMb36F4HNfeTE_2NnqtT6REl9lcKE2qAdGyv_dWKTy5sI0HrTno365W0al0BH8LvD_PEeXX7whyphenhyphento4F1x0GmI/s400/IMG_0656.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
What better way for his birthday party to end than with a hug from his cousin Sophie?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzVdWErPw3u8phxC6XioJWT_EwjEfzYDq3VBQ6V1fdwuAdiLiR81rF3K_Ao7_WPoQBWCUte4uAJ-XXkzoNJaV6sR4FB0y5wsio2TKRlUvjBTeYb-WiQEnYJdXQIH8rDnbNztsAWlf3l99/s1600/IMG_0651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzVdWErPw3u8phxC6XioJWT_EwjEfzYDq3VBQ6V1fdwuAdiLiR81rF3K_Ao7_WPoQBWCUte4uAJ-XXkzoNJaV6sR4FB0y5wsio2TKRlUvjBTeYb-WiQEnYJdXQIH8rDnbNztsAWlf3l99/s400/IMG_0651.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-16797119127680625082016-11-17T21:37:00.000-06:002016-11-17T21:37:06.765-06:00Nicholas is 8!Today Nick turned 8 years old. Amazingly, he now weighs 56 pounds, can read and write, and does mental math better than his mommy. Not too bad for a second grader!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgazwojJdaxOM2PL0X6HDU_XyWDkPI29Qi7eK0956JFRWIak3cJLKqZ-yf-lgh-MXR1wgs30mzF9LnxFx1E4yDRT340ri2d2Vh4u55WhQ9mGQaBNN4t6AatNLHAdc3KHGpZ5hPvPW-0jdey/s1600/IMG_1165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgazwojJdaxOM2PL0X6HDU_XyWDkPI29Qi7eK0956JFRWIak3cJLKqZ-yf-lgh-MXR1wgs30mzF9LnxFx1E4yDRT340ri2d2Vh4u55WhQ9mGQaBNN4t6AatNLHAdc3KHGpZ5hPvPW-0jdey/s400/IMG_1165.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
In celebration of this momentous occasion (come on, you don't turn 8 everyday!), I let Nick pick whatever he wanted for dinner. He picked. . . . Meatheads burgers and cheese fries. Nick has a bigger present coming after Thanksgiving, but for now he got a new book and a Hexbug gym.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguNJ7MyepQeiUYE-DPaslHEHrNZSleVwpzxsBaB9uij0MZt8bfmPkRW6m24-JqLWtKppA9pyDidAxYps1jWwbRxk1gSfRA5XGEiCSA3fQp47AeZNgYgwbYOI_kXFOHFxBH3woka4Fubiqo/s1600/IMG_1190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguNJ7MyepQeiUYE-DPaslHEHrNZSleVwpzxsBaB9uij0MZt8bfmPkRW6m24-JqLWtKppA9pyDidAxYps1jWwbRxk1gSfRA5XGEiCSA3fQp47AeZNgYgwbYOI_kXFOHFxBH3woka4Fubiqo/s400/IMG_1190.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
What, you ask, is a Hexbug gym? Well, Hexbugs are these creepy little fellows that can move and climb once they're switched on. You have to be super-careful not to let them escape, because they'll get under the furniture and make an annoying buzzing sound. They won't stop moving until their batteries die!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM59iJ3uM03FCjoGBn8_304Gz_zSvHniJgYh2Cu-74Ip6aXP-1GdC9D_oZHWF9vFhwLSWj0n9_T7ecw-yQYFC9VzeNs_1II-KV9XMDHWMH_VVxO2vjSZys4-R4N0EC53Zr7LldnW5ohK5M/s1600/IMG_1200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM59iJ3uM03FCjoGBn8_304Gz_zSvHniJgYh2Cu-74Ip6aXP-1GdC9D_oZHWF9vFhwLSWj0n9_T7ecw-yQYFC9VzeNs_1II-KV9XMDHWMH_VVxO2vjSZys4-R4N0EC53Zr7LldnW5ohK5M/s400/IMG_1200.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
These particular Hexbugs come with a system of sidewalks, ramps, and tubes where they can climb up. There's also a platform that you can put the Hexbugs on and try to fling them towards the open end of the tubes. It didn't occur to me until long after I'd bought them, but these persistent little creatures remind me of little mice, scurrying around and causing trouble, but (thank goodness) NOT leaving presents behind. I don't suppose actual mice would appreciate the catapulting gym much, either.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFwBULO_de-JWC_lWT_GS7pYR3OSDkIAQaxuSTMlT_qTo9VS7RbYAjSSl8emx-X6qFfXzjdm_iiEaJSow7yT9wNbM_yCzNCJuQK58HrqfwCL4nf2taC-jZKfcvdtklfBx3nAEBVPA3f0dP/s1600/IMG_1194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFwBULO_de-JWC_lWT_GS7pYR3OSDkIAQaxuSTMlT_qTo9VS7RbYAjSSl8emx-X6qFfXzjdm_iiEaJSow7yT9wNbM_yCzNCJuQK58HrqfwCL4nf2taC-jZKfcvdtklfBx3nAEBVPA3f0dP/s400/IMG_1194.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The Hexbugs didn't seem to mind being flung around, though. The Hexbugs, I expect, will get a lot of action over the next few weeks.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_wn4DFpYXLQsGFJGlZRfEn3bb4I_7FZBiyFUjafKes22DOwZOBoh8St2AGB-Yo_t6b1l_SLQhRbfMISFAzsuDNMZRja1qwvGd3_kbN1YNPfLI_ulE6Z9fLFuznBCwiUycX51CXERELtt/s1600/IMG_1209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_wn4DFpYXLQsGFJGlZRfEn3bb4I_7FZBiyFUjafKes22DOwZOBoh8St2AGB-Yo_t6b1l_SLQhRbfMISFAzsuDNMZRja1qwvGd3_kbN1YNPfLI_ulE6Z9fLFuznBCwiUycX51CXERELtt/s400/IMG_1209.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
There's another Nick birthday on the books. I sure hope that 8 is a great year for Nick!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXB-6bwfugtrGayigsYKqamXMtsCCz9bbGAXKEio-TNq_zDPaBAkfpnQosK3cmzoJiO3BxB6oDaALLsHDM_-fY2CHW6pETs9VEY25ka14G9ZGS95wpLFbSGIiQB65aLgcsA4HVh-fT5yOu/s1600/IMG_1207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXB-6bwfugtrGayigsYKqamXMtsCCz9bbGAXKEio-TNq_zDPaBAkfpnQosK3cmzoJiO3BxB6oDaALLsHDM_-fY2CHW6pETs9VEY25ka14G9ZGS95wpLFbSGIiQB65aLgcsA4HVh-fT5yOu/s400/IMG_1207.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-61106195973158715642016-10-31T20:43:00.003-05:002016-10-31T20:43:34.063-05:00Happy Halloween 2016!Happy Halloween from everyone's favorite wizards. Who says Harry Potter should always have top billing? This time, Ron Weasley and his cool orange hair get to be first.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzpExQ1HctxTMS9TCUlCrN1ECrxAY5aqYtxguldsIy3X8QjrNx8jz1vjIMN5-MY-UJpWVQuCjBYFFRuEiUE_BTxFrDuffiGdMIfDRqc_odJFTJtmDMUId_RwJgbVyPhfEPuqoNRX5qFe-K/s1600/IMG_0591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzpExQ1HctxTMS9TCUlCrN1ECrxAY5aqYtxguldsIy3X8QjrNx8jz1vjIMN5-MY-UJpWVQuCjBYFFRuEiUE_BTxFrDuffiGdMIfDRqc_odJFTJtmDMUId_RwJgbVyPhfEPuqoNRX5qFe-K/s400/IMG_0591.JPG" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greg advised the boys to use Aldi bags, since they won't break. He was right!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Henry was quite scared by many of the Halloween decorations. In fact, he refused to go ring the doorbell at more than ten houses. There were another four or five where I had to hold his hand and walk him up to the door. Something tells me Henry will be like me and <i>not</i> like horror movies when he gets older.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlNS3EenSJR4mXEGqcJGgEqp4N6e3V0qR9oF96tt-2iOzdhraSyxHWRmoLuXqJgJ9A-EDWPlob2IbtYQmnMn-d614aCydlrKibt29F0q7FypmmkloLB-CMk_IgPKnK0YcTAsi1h-oGX_L/s1600/IMG_0584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlNS3EenSJR4mXEGqcJGgEqp4N6e3V0qR9oF96tt-2iOzdhraSyxHWRmoLuXqJgJ9A-EDWPlob2IbtYQmnMn-d614aCydlrKibt29F0q7FypmmkloLB-CMk_IgPKnK0YcTAsi1h-oGX_L/s400/IMG_0584.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even this jack o'lantern gave Henry a bit of a scare.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Harry Potter (a.k.a. Nick) was so busy running from house to house that you mostly see him and his friends in a blur in all the pictures. Not as noble as seeking horcruxes, but hey, Nick had a mission.</div>
<div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1UDVGT4iOHT7xVpr-fgz7656J-tutQyAbl7SirRDt8OrRGL5-6HFhblpVXQgYCiY4RcuETtrT5QlvG2uvTDLefQCTB2Fg0R0S9gAqajukdgWqd_6GMrKiRV0SWO0S43OnZp5vMD9p7sQ/s1600/IMG_2007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1UDVGT4iOHT7xVpr-fgz7656J-tutQyAbl7SirRDt8OrRGL5-6HFhblpVXQgYCiY4RcuETtrT5QlvG2uvTDLefQCTB2Fg0R0S9gAqajukdgWqd_6GMrKiRV0SWO0S43OnZp5vMD9p7sQ/s400/IMG_2007.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I think this is the only picture Greg got him to pose for--I guess Nick only stops for death.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf6Yje7qMMcrxyNqAZsAmUSLNJ-kirwwUYIkGWVtTuOpSXSEPjQ6olvLB1B9Xbyll5Kg0l5tKWfiGsZjkIXVTDqHX5DHtGkNMHPy3k8OXUbkBLnRYQEy4LylYFEInX9u5oFtqEMLRMrB7f/s1600/IMG_2061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf6Yje7qMMcrxyNqAZsAmUSLNJ-kirwwUYIkGWVtTuOpSXSEPjQ6olvLB1B9Xbyll5Kg0l5tKWfiGsZjkIXVTDqHX5DHtGkNMHPy3k8OXUbkBLnRYQEy4LylYFEInX9u5oFtqEMLRMrB7f/s400/IMG_2061.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Henry wanted to tell me all about his Kindergarten Halloween Party. Here's what he had to say:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oDX79z9_Pdg" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Henry also made this cool paper plate pumpkin. Let him tell you all about it!<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MdawkxXqlYs" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
Nick had a class party, too, and from his descriptions, it was hopping. I'm not going to post the video where he describes, in excruciating detail, the Doritos, candy, and juice that they had. This one is about the games!<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WEx3kwyWdZQ" width="560"></iframe>
</div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
That last video ended when a trick-or-treater came to the door. Nick and Henry made out pretty well, and they filled their bags about halfway--not bad for their age and small legs. And me? Well, I ended up walking 13,766 steps today. Probably enough to make up for all the snack-sized candy I pilfered from their bags.<br />
<br />
Happy Halloween!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-19221047243330577822016-10-30T21:49:00.002-05:002016-10-30T21:51:21.502-05:00Carving Green Pumpkins and a Halloween Party with the Cub ScoutsSo why, you ask, do we have green pumpkins this year? I suppose that's what happens when you wait until October 30th to go and get pumpkins. These are the best that Greg could find. Good thing green is Henry's favorite color! :)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFDyKB-F_FmzvfpkudtndbK6LK3TPUlfRPbmsWd1_hXXydBKEbmmofWS5q8m1PX9TOhw5I9TGKxcUkfFcNT6s3HPmYRKX9SO9KqJyHW6YkdM8fNDzAS3_G-Qp9PgO0S3tTXQfo6oCOtGw/s1600/IMG_0547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFDyKB-F_FmzvfpkudtndbK6LK3TPUlfRPbmsWd1_hXXydBKEbmmofWS5q8m1PX9TOhw5I9TGKxcUkfFcNT6s3HPmYRKX9SO9KqJyHW6YkdM8fNDzAS3_G-Qp9PgO0S3tTXQfo6oCOtGw/s400/IMG_0547.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Happily, carving green pumpkins is actually less messy than carving their riper brothers. Nick was actually disappointed that there wasn't as much "gook" as usual--running his hands through that stuff is one of his favorite parts of pumpkin carving.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVSy0c2JpZg5uCMmJw-xp-azNQfiTkLqm35Lts_OfAL4DKo6lsfp8FrEv2H-0LmfkExWHbgMZgJRAW4QWJW92QdPQUvjfMv80lgcuosznzeht8Z1sXlSzN-jwfCSrtkZ8F1bY7dy0U9X8/s1600/IMG_0546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVSy0c2JpZg5uCMmJw-xp-azNQfiTkLqm35Lts_OfAL4DKo6lsfp8FrEv2H-0LmfkExWHbgMZgJRAW4QWJW92QdPQUvjfMv80lgcuosznzeht8Z1sXlSzN-jwfCSrtkZ8F1bY7dy0U9X8/s400/IMG_0546.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I think their green spooky pumpkins turned out pretty cool, thanks to Greg's superior carving skills. They look pretty scary!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwPwvUkpx_ov7nxTUW-W2hTJnePkoCeM6N8KBg4NRYqvYgVZZ01XLsz249CNNDGO1X5uMYrpqffe9w_cFobu0bLPFHbXzjCPa_BpRGgoZZk2mNQkIR7tXEofkLVilXvwVLRAxJUJ0bmSaq/s1600/IMG_0561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwPwvUkpx_ov7nxTUW-W2hTJnePkoCeM6N8KBg4NRYqvYgVZZ01XLsz249CNNDGO1X5uMYrpqffe9w_cFobu0bLPFHbXzjCPa_BpRGgoZZk2mNQkIR7tXEofkLVilXvwVLRAxJUJ0bmSaq/s400/IMG_0561.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I think Nick was trying to look scary in the above picture.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHDaOkdrZroWvF1Inn8eS6QpnwsUc1EG2B7n0QJG68ozfbLftx132b6wDlgiVqZv9kAwL2B4E87zsQBAHzQId7kCcHKNncZFyQpX0YMpvy07B8jxltpekf_eGQ40MKy3LJH4dyAuz_Rjhp/s1600/IMG_0559+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHDaOkdrZroWvF1Inn8eS6QpnwsUc1EG2B7n0QJG68ozfbLftx132b6wDlgiVqZv9kAwL2B4E87zsQBAHzQId7kCcHKNncZFyQpX0YMpvy07B8jxltpekf_eGQ40MKy3LJH4dyAuz_Rjhp/s400/IMG_0559+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
On Saturday the boys attended their first Cub Scout Halloween Party. Decorating pumpkins was on the agenda--with glue, felt, and glitter!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-DSm7VTPpUrsrXlnw27Nq_lm8CvEzIeCnhWPhYARKSmVDMomAo0DtGFnfXI4Ag3lm22_x5x2NzMRZQZtHfE5-A1lZTIUPqG__6PZ1nT1WGzgIaBdxuJ3Xi3MKFrPqEOFw6APgu2nx5gPS/s1600/IMG_0491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-DSm7VTPpUrsrXlnw27Nq_lm8CvEzIeCnhWPhYARKSmVDMomAo0DtGFnfXI4Ag3lm22_x5x2NzMRZQZtHfE5-A1lZTIUPqG__6PZ1nT1WGzgIaBdxuJ3Xi3MKFrPqEOFw6APgu2nx5gPS/s400/IMG_0491.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Glitter is a favorite of Henry's. Me? Not so much. That stuff lasts forever and gets <i>everywhere</i>!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmYSuMFa2_O6zwNe5briSdFGdX4s_MdlLlQt0NRDoPZSfXzduOJyUrurX2mmfSkFdtdAwaT8bBJlgrZR2KVV50cVbmi5k8ODCfI4ACmdsCf_kUL6lAmmzmj90VBWFqJeePV0kUM_Q3_O0W/s1600/IMG_0505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmYSuMFa2_O6zwNe5briSdFGdX4s_MdlLlQt0NRDoPZSfXzduOJyUrurX2mmfSkFdtdAwaT8bBJlgrZR2KVV50cVbmi5k8ODCfI4ACmdsCf_kUL6lAmmzmj90VBWFqJeePV0kUM_Q3_O0W/s400/IMG_0505.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Henry was especially excited about his finished pumpkin.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBqjrcSs1fTXbDaJcuXbrE2vQ-Zte52kRtFQOZ0BuoPBwTVbo_V9kFtOsw47jLAibkv3yQhcS1XGjoXVZKnsnWrY-8jFaaQ_1zoNOweryRnli7BIAqbDUOYnf1J3ZImPRIIPGez-mqQGO/s1600/IMG_0512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBqjrcSs1fTXbDaJcuXbrE2vQ-Zte52kRtFQOZ0BuoPBwTVbo_V9kFtOsw47jLAibkv3yQhcS1XGjoXVZKnsnWrY-8jFaaQ_1zoNOweryRnli7BIAqbDUOYnf1J3ZImPRIIPGez-mqQGO/s400/IMG_0512.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Look behind Nick and his pumpkin with many eyes--do you see the fortress of cups? They had such a good time building with them that I bought a whole new set of plastic cups for building at home.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoy-e2gQf_ViR3yzb-4rpToDcnhmnb4Wpk0V4mAqcbx8UXO3KE8L4G_-Wt4bTvumof96mvB_qBrqRtGDsj9dXBglwnMgpNBoD6cuzyXncLQKbjIjn_kgl_knxWmPHaIaIzytS6QXMiL29Y/s1600/IMG_0497.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoy-e2gQf_ViR3yzb-4rpToDcnhmnb4Wpk0V4mAqcbx8UXO3KE8L4G_-Wt4bTvumof96mvB_qBrqRtGDsj9dXBglwnMgpNBoD6cuzyXncLQKbjIjn_kgl_knxWmPHaIaIzytS6QXMiL29Y/s400/IMG_0497.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
They also used nerf guns to shoot down some styrofoam pumpkins. Sounds like the perfect Cub Scout activity for a Halloween Party!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg2fjTVSLeREoMmccO2QEp3RfivYHYtY_N-WdVRxv38_R-PEk3miqkfY9YtEadeVrWeORJM1KRKj3ilisgq5jnQD84f1hSJM5RSZ5L1Y92DKvZL9y1Xqu95xEtYl2CBuQEAvc4eo6LoBdL/s1600/IMG_0528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg2fjTVSLeREoMmccO2QEp3RfivYHYtY_N-WdVRxv38_R-PEk3miqkfY9YtEadeVrWeORJM1KRKj3ilisgq5jnQD84f1hSJM5RSZ5L1Y92DKvZL9y1Xqu95xEtYl2CBuQEAvc4eo6LoBdL/s400/IMG_0528.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
dMelissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-55511948731495226722016-09-25T21:40:00.000-05:002016-09-25T21:40:25.372-05:00Nick the Rock StarNick has been taking drum lessons for almost a year now at a music school near us called <a href="http://locations.schoolofrock.com/plainfield">School of Rock</a>. He recently switched from a "Rookies" class to a class called "Rock 101." It's pretty intense-a 45-minute drum lesson, 1 on 1 with an instructor every week and a 90-minute band practice with all the kids playing together. Today was Nick's first concert.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGbAOu3Z4pc1yRuhUjXX-3l2fgfexfoP_k4ecoFvo4turIByIVjEoWQYMNHkNrSUpttw0wd8FA0yftMOHRz9_g4DMivy6YE7YYIgwUrN2wz0I_HLxcQ7tohh5FqEhmgtL7L2F5J7QaqvH/s1600/IMG_8768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGbAOu3Z4pc1yRuhUjXX-3l2fgfexfoP_k4ecoFvo4turIByIVjEoWQYMNHkNrSUpttw0wd8FA0yftMOHRz9_g4DMivy6YE7YYIgwUrN2wz0I_HLxcQ7tohh5FqEhmgtL7L2F5J7QaqvH/s400/IMG_8768.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nick's onstage at <a href="http://qbardarien.com/">Q Bar</a> in Darien, IL.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Yup, that's Nick on the drums in front of the "Budweiser Sound Stage." This school rents out local bars that have full stages and regular live music. They even charge a cover charge to listen to the bands, and there are teenage groupies who come sit in front of the stage to cheer the kids on.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8byX2OXzeoOvgZpbSh98Zk7lDEspbvkDoXGlGKnC9fNOdtni_q2yee4HSLUR_-Q6f7f5PDxTbzfIlhsKgzEK912coStMcdPJFeKnNh6K9NAYV41ryyx1qLjwlRhNPVh-PpuXWH2iFW5Gl/s1600/IMG_8845.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8byX2OXzeoOvgZpbSh98Zk7lDEspbvkDoXGlGKnC9fNOdtni_q2yee4HSLUR_-Q6f7f5PDxTbzfIlhsKgzEK912coStMcdPJFeKnNh6K9NAYV41ryyx1qLjwlRhNPVh-PpuXWH2iFW5Gl/s400/IMG_8845.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
For their playlist today, "The Super Rad Rainbow Unicorns" (Yes, that's their band name. They got to pick it themselves.) had on their set list: Wild Thing, Brown-Eyed Girl, Dirty Deeds, Done Dirt Cheap by ACDC, and Beverly Hills. Greg dressed Nick up in what we thought was cool rock star attire: a Beatles t-shirt with a button-down checkered shirt over it but unbuttoned. I'm not sure if this is what rock stars wear today, but it sounded good to me, who was a teenager in the 1990s.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrxW9icMl3Cs0nlt4qEBiPUnmIBnJjJ8C8zNROlj783XDqVGhBsoa1CJRxNlntbAJKlYOqSW_ZUe96zgaBAvFjvBw73eXiK6OrfrCJlia4Cw7M89ZbmNGA44L7eRAJUgaIFVGmNgzSWhzp/s1600/IMG_8690.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrxW9icMl3Cs0nlt4qEBiPUnmIBnJjJ8C8zNROlj783XDqVGhBsoa1CJRxNlntbAJKlYOqSW_ZUe96zgaBAvFjvBw73eXiK6OrfrCJlia4Cw7M89ZbmNGA44L7eRAJUgaIFVGmNgzSWhzp/s400/IMG_8690.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nick wasn't too nervous, all things considered. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
What does this sound like? Well, just imagine what a rock band made up of 7-11 year olds would sound like. That pretty much covers it. I was impressed because I could mostly recognize every song they played. They started out with "Brown-Eyed Girl."<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eh9OnL8_8QE" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
This one is "Wild Thing," of course.<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Di08ITxkLjE" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This next one is "Beverly Hills." Nick gets very serious when he's playing the drums. He opens his mouth slightly and really looks like he's concentrating.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JMsdRKFvWB0" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
I never really thought about the lyrics to "Dirty Deeds, Done Dirt Cheap," though I know I heard the song numerous times when I was a child.<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/98eqf3SreHA" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Nick had his own fan club in attendance. Henry and Greg and I were all cheering and clapping near the stage, of course. (We took these pictures afterward, outside the bar where the lighting was better.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJNyfnC8J2Sge-Ovl0A5-NRSeJzPg3FMZiUexo3mg49S0QCiW8xDP4JxK74OQy9FzWixlfNIPEp-3LLY_ak5cpiRk77bCBw7l-Nc9OMnVeFjR98f1Qe-iFoL_e7XOt1sUHpMFrfB07d1V/s1600/IMG_8872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJNyfnC8J2Sge-Ovl0A5-NRSeJzPg3FMZiUexo3mg49S0QCiW8xDP4JxK74OQy9FzWixlfNIPEp-3LLY_ak5cpiRk77bCBw7l-Nc9OMnVeFjR98f1Qe-iFoL_e7XOt1sUHpMFrfB07d1V/s400/IMG_8872.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Also attending as part of Nick's fan club was my dad and stepmom. Henry, by the way, wanted to be in <i>every</i> picture. I think he may have been a little jealous, though he was very complimentary to Nick after his performance.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVklYYXhvZSjxXyqAH2ab7somPF86RPg6mmzGL5BaUhEYovMaNaKDuBBYlWC3R6-awYMyI1D47fUbqLwlJ7CVYJEyTCrgLRHXx_XS7-vVx5xfWzNH4sVwTG4MSAJ7VjjzcYyKbs4S3crGY/s1600/IMG_8868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVklYYXhvZSjxXyqAH2ab7somPF86RPg6mmzGL5BaUhEYovMaNaKDuBBYlWC3R6-awYMyI1D47fUbqLwlJ7CVYJEyTCrgLRHXx_XS7-vVx5xfWzNH4sVwTG4MSAJ7VjjzcYyKbs4S3crGY/s400/IMG_8868.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Grandma Toni attended, of course, and stood next to Henry and clapped along with the music.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2qoZty_hyphenhyphenjRoX0BsmA8aBV2rq0xsyqmxNk3ah5_RrVlv9uVk8QW_vPFcDsUYhyphenhyphenGRa-88598Bo_hajIn3P0FaNIa_3g6n4yAIlpLNSLnc1r7A59tuDrNSxAWDxXrv6IhnijhXkSNCTOaz/s1600/IMG_8856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2qoZty_hyphenhyphenjRoX0BsmA8aBV2rq0xsyqmxNk3ah5_RrVlv9uVk8QW_vPFcDsUYhyphenhyphenGRa-88598Bo_hajIn3P0FaNIa_3g6n4yAIlpLNSLnc1r7A59tuDrNSxAWDxXrv6IhnijhXkSNCTOaz/s400/IMG_8856.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
My mom and stepdad came, too, and my mom even loaned Nick her sunglasses so he'd look cool for this picture.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDLx2Eo4sbN_W5OHKbswdpivM4quJFMcVSeS1GT9Wn95DQb02ip5ysSg0WA6AFrQ1Yy1nVol8nj0o7UAuqkmNUohkVdV13bX2v7q4rUBHW0BZykj5mANMEjLexAC2lHB3NqLp11YkPyltT/s1600/IMG_8863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDLx2Eo4sbN_W5OHKbswdpivM4quJFMcVSeS1GT9Wn95DQb02ip5ysSg0WA6AFrQ1Yy1nVol8nj0o7UAuqkmNUohkVdV13bX2v7q4rUBHW0BZykj5mANMEjLexAC2lHB3NqLp11YkPyltT/s400/IMG_8863.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
My musical education is practically nonexistent, so I truly have no idea what Nick is learning and practicing. Unlike most of his subjects, I'm utterly useless with his music homework. But I was very proud of Nick today. He was a team player, worked well with the other band members, and did his best. As far as I could tell, he's got some pretty good rhythm. :)<br />
<br />Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070064951323591230.post-74290263729910082922016-09-18T20:23:00.004-05:002016-09-18T20:29:25.509-05:00Buffalo Rock State ParkToday we took Nick and Henry on their first Cub Scout Hike. We went to <a href="https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/Parks/Pages/BuffaloRock.aspx">Buffalo Rock State Park</a> in Ottawa, IL, which is about an hour southwest of us.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXob6FEyL6bvgm6dI4PDUdt9yz9eEnkvmJr0h_f1801rY5l9bkw9bSRVs9C9TYK9U0-5hoPt-KSE0x3LPYDWPwMMh5p6xamSsXEnx8lGiM19QVFBT6Xvxvni-mvrlUYp6_N2Xo6MJoSVLg/s1600/IMG_8574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXob6FEyL6bvgm6dI4PDUdt9yz9eEnkvmJr0h_f1801rY5l9bkw9bSRVs9C9TYK9U0-5hoPt-KSE0x3LPYDWPwMMh5p6xamSsXEnx8lGiM19QVFBT6Xvxvni-mvrlUYp6_N2Xo6MJoSVLg/s400/IMG_8574.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
During the first leg of our hike, everyone kept finding <a href="http://www.almanac.com/content/woolly-bear-caterpillars-and-weather-prediction">wooly bear caterpillars</a>, who, by some accounts, can predict the weather by their color. I guess finding a lot of black ones with very little orange means this winter will be bad. Time will tell!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgri0qwQ_jTKsD8X-SI18Efjcr1hD_01mNSDKwmgIj-Um_4UGiFsmLI6F2bmwTYwCCfCVpeQB9w8vR0VCmvT9E9DctqSm4xuXG85Bz29l8BsAX2wd2DSB6OJDTwkrd6vpWZsFdo4ayBPBLH/s1600/IMG_1694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgri0qwQ_jTKsD8X-SI18Efjcr1hD_01mNSDKwmgIj-Um_4UGiFsmLI6F2bmwTYwCCfCVpeQB9w8vR0VCmvT9E9DctqSm4xuXG85Bz29l8BsAX2wd2DSB6OJDTwkrd6vpWZsFdo4ayBPBLH/s320/IMG_1694.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
We decided to join Cub Scouts a few weeks ago, when I took the boys to a Community Festival at their school. Cub Scouts were recruiting, and they thought it might be fun. I was a Cub Scout counselor back in the mid-1990s, and I remember how much fun the kids had. For kids as active as mine, I thought something like this would be a great idea. Henry wanted to "wear a suit" like the scouts. So we joined, and they got their own uniforms.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDJaJryrpey9bnjaVzpT5O8XYMcgNQ7DYJsQWNdPAgGwB_wcmGxSZ16HNHxUzJcuPZ5b8JPQoXhp9FUuvP3L4jxaL-QKKS3GwODZNGZd44dqcgxYH7LXxfCtzZCHUygRRZbJZXqs-U2od/s1600/IMG_8557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDJaJryrpey9bnjaVzpT5O8XYMcgNQ7DYJsQWNdPAgGwB_wcmGxSZ16HNHxUzJcuPZ5b8JPQoXhp9FUuvP3L4jxaL-QKKS3GwODZNGZd44dqcgxYH7LXxfCtzZCHUygRRZbJZXqs-U2od/s400/IMG_8557.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Henry is officially a "Lion Scout," which is a pilot program to get Kindergarten-aged students into Cub Scouts early. Nick is a Wolf Scout because he's in 2nd grade. Doesn't Nick look proud of that fact?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-fkgoPdlizk9pjiiz1ATHk-fut0f8YnJ-yFqpQDn6PfE6r6Zpicpi5p9Ls0nkZB7DynFYnD9wW2EiKI6RNNO5AH-y0ffcYbf_PNByJpOteo7YIAewbjcMhHmuMz7lazu8S5oQE3vyMJW/s1600/IMG_1711+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-fkgoPdlizk9pjiiz1ATHk-fut0f8YnJ-yFqpQDn6PfE6r6Zpicpi5p9Ls0nkZB7DynFYnD9wW2EiKI6RNNO5AH-y0ffcYbf_PNByJpOteo7YIAewbjcMhHmuMz7lazu8S5oQE3vyMJW/s400/IMG_1711+%25282%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
He's not actually that close to the edge--our Cub Scoutmaster kept them all very safe. I was very surprised that this kind of cliff could be found in Illinois--in fact, the topography of this whole area was really gorgeous.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOrwUpQby_VnAuidVDYsYOdxoY-o6ug8Sl5KYq_Wdlyhr5zXzCmzYp37AA-sHj3kIle_kbr7S5VRKxKPjIYzFjNrsFRrzCSPRRFQTU0eu0RH9IortNNJwt_nssJ4Ts35RvZIlYSbrzwtUh/s1600/IMG_1706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOrwUpQby_VnAuidVDYsYOdxoY-o6ug8Sl5KYq_Wdlyhr5zXzCmzYp37AA-sHj3kIle_kbr7S5VRKxKPjIYzFjNrsFRrzCSPRRFQTU0eu0RH9IortNNJwt_nssJ4Ts35RvZIlYSbrzwtUh/s400/IMG_1706.JPG" width="285" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Lest you think that this was some kind of gentle stroll through the woods, check out this picture. We actually climbed down to the bottom and them back up and around to the top of the cliffs.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLd-biKSq9h_voWqsvF0I4hJRrxK9ApnDqhxv6jWxb9TnOFaJAOIhm3VYVwgoqcc6zz5e_fP5GZXNpkmVc_jE7JYwi5fx3g5SMSW1aW6t7vXGv6dnC5d53yPW-RQTnun3dE9aVj0fYql1a/s1600/IMG_1766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLd-biKSq9h_voWqsvF0I4hJRrxK9ApnDqhxv6jWxb9TnOFaJAOIhm3VYVwgoqcc6zz5e_fP5GZXNpkmVc_jE7JYwi5fx3g5SMSW1aW6t7vXGv6dnC5d53yPW-RQTnun3dE9aVj0fYql1a/s400/IMG_1766.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I was very proud of how well the boys did while climbing and on the hike. All things considered, there was very little whining and a lot of good questions.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIboKplUbmYvE_8U6HZG_zMpsbFIoe9wdG9dNm3vOhGrinUVEy5mffWXRuAM7PFBlcv5UHv9LYQ6zhCkdXQ1OcW6ASE-1a6o_miBeXCnYT2wMUGsjaIBHH4M1oDMdD3FjDPYkt38V1LbVl/s1600/IMG_1784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIboKplUbmYvE_8U6HZG_zMpsbFIoe9wdG9dNm3vOhGrinUVEy5mffWXRuAM7PFBlcv5UHv9LYQ6zhCkdXQ1OcW6ASE-1a6o_miBeXCnYT2wMUGsjaIBHH4M1oDMdD3FjDPYkt38V1LbVl/s400/IMG_1784.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Greg was a trooper and carried our lunch and water bottles in the backpack.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxOTizmwUMGoHNF_fms8SqiEDVBsJ1FGYzAs0OgkDmgfyYiH3GNnOHAjM4qlE5kfFZP46Ya15yzqwQXip3ESeimairIbsq2yds8VQsp_uS1wf4-kkctBTy_Qaxetlnxjn1kGOp33O4NHFE/s1600/IMG_1728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxOTizmwUMGoHNF_fms8SqiEDVBsJ1FGYzAs0OgkDmgfyYiH3GNnOHAjM4qlE5kfFZP46Ya15yzqwQXip3ESeimairIbsq2yds8VQsp_uS1wf4-kkctBTy_Qaxetlnxjn1kGOp33O4NHFE/s400/IMG_1728.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
My Fitbit tells me I walked 11,120 steps today, and that this hike took us a little over three miles. It feels like more--this was quite the workout! My calves and feet are very sore, and I'm sure Henry's little legs are too, though he didn't complain too much.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJ96cVXgEtMrAI4cWodeOuKSYTJKlVr6uDMawHtDhksN2BFZ1pQvzvTBAjNmRmiA_aVJqZiTgK1X1LyL4lvBsQOKboFNWE88R1ejOqXOVkl_7yn89sCo96Pafsvl_prIOQjnO0_MOuC0c/s1600/IMG_1812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJ96cVXgEtMrAI4cWodeOuKSYTJKlVr6uDMawHtDhksN2BFZ1pQvzvTBAjNmRmiA_aVJqZiTgK1X1LyL4lvBsQOKboFNWE88R1ejOqXOVkl_7yn89sCo96Pafsvl_prIOQjnO0_MOuC0c/s400/IMG_1812.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I fell asleep in the car on the way back, just like a little kid. I figure I can handle more of these hikes in the future, though, so long as they're designed for Cub Scouts. If a five-year-old can do it, so can I! Henry and Nick were so proud of themselves today, and the best part? There were two stinky buffalo and a playground at the end of our long hike. You'd think they would've been too tired to play, but then you'd be wrong.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxCyV7oVPtj4I66mGXfiiuBQNWjo-Z-odLY8KAmXjaT_eZhP9UCzMnDIUAonHWnlJAmInxeIErRNnxTB2a_Mek2fQDO2lP_IhiqawGoed-8XURdzPTtgc8ZhAzAuAKpKH_PSOj9oydfZN/s1600/IMG_1793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxCyV7oVPtj4I66mGXfiiuBQNWjo-Z-odLY8KAmXjaT_eZhP9UCzMnDIUAonHWnlJAmInxeIErRNnxTB2a_Mek2fQDO2lP_IhiqawGoed-8XURdzPTtgc8ZhAzAuAKpKH_PSOj9oydfZN/s400/IMG_1793.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Melissa E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01113865084692372656noreply@blogger.com0