Random Ramblings

As mentioned in my previous post, this past weekend, 3 families joined up at Salter Path, NC and we had an amazing time! Our group consisted of Brett, Ryan & myself, my parents, my brother and his girlfriend, my mother-in-law and father-in-law, my best friend Jody and her husband Jeff, and her parents, Linda & Tony. We swam, we tanned, we ate, we partied, we reminisced, we played bocce ball & cornhole, we stayed up until after midnight, we got burnt, we built sandcastles...we had an awesome time! I can't believe it is over and I'm so sad that I have to wait an entire year to do it again! The extended weekend vacation was the first of many, I hope. Perhaps next year we can make it a whole week!

Just to enlighten you and remind those who were there, here are a few lessons we all learned during the course of our trip...

Lesson #1 - Don't play fire hose with your penis. (very important to a 2-year-old)

Lesson #2 - You can, in fact, fit 13 people into a 32' travel trailer.

Lesson #3 - If you're potentially being attacked by a wild animal, don't count on your mother to save you. She'll just run the other way, leaving you alone to fend for yourself.

On another note, yesterday I hit the 33 week mark and the under-50-day mark. There is so much still left to do before Liam arrives. I'm getting antsy, so I made a list. What I thought was going to be just a few things turned into a list of 26 things that need to be done or purchased prior to his arrival. As nice as it would be for him to come a bit early (maybe 1-2 weeks) I'm starting to think that him coming during the week of his due date might be in our favor, just so we can get everything done. Between working, keeping up with Ryan, and traveling, there isn't a whole lot of time between now and then! I reckon I better hop to it! I had my 32 week doc's appointment last week. Unfortunately I gained 6lbs in 4 weeks. NOT COOL! However, I do remember that towards the end of my pregnancy with Ryan and gained 7 lbs in 3 or 4 weeks. So I figure maybe it is just my normal pattern. Or at least that's what I'm leading myself to believe. I have been having some major pressure in my pelvic area from Liam's head... thank you, gravity! I have a pretty high pain tolerance, but last week it was almost unbearable. Doctor wanted to check, just to be sure and I wasn't going to argue with her since I was headed to the beach within the next hour. Thankfully, all is well and I'm not dilated at all. She "diagnosed" me with a weak pelvic floor... or as she described it, an "old hammock." Wonderful... I cannot explain to you the feeling I had when I was told my female innerds can now be compared to an old hammock. Bear with me for a minute as I explain. A NEW hammock is tight and stiff as is a unused uterus and pelvis (bones & muscles). An OLD hammock is loose from being sat on, stretched out and rained on, and from what I gather, quite comparable to my lower female region. How glorious is that? Yes, I know. I couldn't contain my excitement either.

Now on to my other child. This morning Ryan and I went to have his ears checked. We do this every 4 months because of his tubes we had put in back in November. I'm quite surprised they are still there. The life span of ear tubes is about 6 months and we're going on 8 months. Life before tubes consisted of an ear infection every 3 weeks through the fall and winter months. It was excruciating for me and even more so for Ryan. Since his surgery in November, he has had 1... yes, let's count them again... ONE ear infection. I could kiss the feet of Dr. Bellian, his otolaryngologist.

Anyway, while we were in the waiting room, Ryan was playing in the kids area with another little boy who was at least a year older than him. Obviously this is quite normal for 2 small children to play together, but what stood out to me is that they were conversing...like normal human beings. Call me wacky, I don't know, but I just think it's really cool when two little people have a conversation. I mean, obviously Ryan and I have conversations all the time about everything under the sun, but his speaking skills are still, well, like a 2-year-old's. Many times other adults (even Brett and I, sometimes) can't understand him, but another child can and I think it's amazing.

Ok, well enough of my ramblings. I've been accused of making people cry to often while reading my blog. So, hopefully you didn't this time. :) Save the tears for another day.

And just for giggles, check out America's next macho man, Ryan Michael, in all his glory.... he was growling by the way. I had the camera square on him, then he bent over, threw his arms back, gave his best bad-boy face and growled. I wish I had caught the rest of his body. The moment was priceless.

The Jodster

Today is the day I get to see my best friend. Her name is Jody. I haven't seen her since January. Her, her equally wonderful husband, Jeff, and her absolutely amazing parents, Tony & Linda are coming down from Maryland to NC to meet us at the beach until Sunday. I am absolutely beside myself excited that my family and her family get to share this time together. Hopefully, this will be the first of many joint-family vacations that we will take.

You see, Jody is pregnant too. The Bean, as he is affectionately and namelessly known, is due 6 weeks and 5 days after Liam. Yes, HE! Jody and I are having SONS.... TOGETHER! We couldn't have planned it better.

Rewind to fall semester 2002 at Methodist...if you would have told either of us that within the next 8 years we would get over ourselves and love each other like sisters, we both probably would have punched you and laughed. We weren't exactly each other's "favs", if you know what I mean... all because of men who are thankfully no longer in our lives. Now, ignoring the geographic location of Virginia, we are inseparable. Crazy how God works, isn't it?

Our friendship is relatively new (we met in August of 2001), however, it seems as if I've known her my whole life. My hope for our children is that they will grow up together (again... let's forget about Virginia for a minute) and love each other as extended family. And of course, when Jody and I are old and gray, we can sit for the 30th summer in a row, on the deck of the house we've rented together at the beach, watch our grandchildren play in the sand while our husbands challenge each other on the golf course, drink our respected drinks of choice and reminisce about the "good ole days."

Let the music play on

My Papa Earl spent a lot of time downloading music and creating CDs. I think his song collection has got to be in the 10,000 plus range, and at least 100 CDs made, that now sit on the shelf above the computer in my Mimi's computer room. I never knew of any other man of his generation that was so tech savvy. He would spend hours on that computer finding different versions of hymns, Elvis Prestley songs to play for Mimi, Korean music, and many others. I can't tell you how many versions of Amazing Grace are downloaded on that computer. My favorites are one played on bagpipes and one that is just the piano.
Anyway, I gave him a list of songs I wanted made into a CD for me to play for Ryan while he was in my belly. Earl didn't like my contemporary mix of a playlist, consisting of Mariah Carey, Dave Matthews, Van Morrison and some others from all decades, especially the theme song from Beverly Hills Cop (Axel F by Harold Faltermeyer). My Deddy and I used to dance to Axel F when I was little. We even danced to it during the Father/Daughter dance at my wedding. After he downloaded all the music and made the CD, Papa said, "What kind of music is this? You're going to ruin that child!"
I was cleaning out closets on Monday and I found a CD that Papa had made for "Peanut #2" when he made the mix CD for Ryan. He gave me both CDs at the same time. I asked him why he was making one for a child that wasn't even thought of yet and his response was, "Because I won't be around and the child needs to know what good music is!" I brushed his comment aside. Death of those so close to me is not something that I particularly want to talk or think about, even though we all know that it is inevitable. Plus, Papa talked about "when he's gone..." all the time. So it really wasn't anything new to me. The CD that he made for the child now known as Liam (or Lil Earl to some of you) is a mix of children's Bible songs. Papa may not be here physically to hold and play with Liam, but his legacy lives on through a little boy who he will never meet. He will teach him what "good music" is.
Later on, closer to Ryan's birth, I asked Papa for a CD of just piano music so that Ryan would have something during nap time and bedtime to fall asleep to and also to drown out the rest of the noise in the house. This time, I gave no request list. Papa had full and total say as to what went on the CD. 2 years and 7 months later, Ryan still goes to sleep to the tune of Floyd Kramer.

It's amazing what a 2 year old takes in. Tonight, I was craving pancakes and I didn't want to cook them, so we went to IHOP. On the way there, 2 things stuck out to me. For starters, we took Brett's car. We rarely take Brett's car anywhere, just because it's small. He has a jetta. But Ryan likes to ride in "Daddy's race car" and I learned tonight that he loves to have Brett rev up the engine. He kept saying, "Daddy, make noise! Make noise!" I see a car fanatic in our future!

The second thing on our trip that made me stop and think was the fact that he so seriously told us that the sunshine was pretty. He was referring to the sunset that was occurring behind the storm that just came through. I was amazed and very pleased that he had noticed such a thing.

Here are a few pictures from the last few days...


Tonight he decided to use his bath paint and paint a beautiful mural on his bathtub. Could you be looking at the next Picasso?

Two binks too many!

Saturday night we went to Durham and celebrated my Uncle Rod's birthday. Ryan LOVES (that's probably an understatement) to sing happy birthday and blow out candles. We actually did this twice.

Ryan enjoying the pool on Saturday afternoon at Jackson & Kailyn's birthday party in Wilson. Nevermind that the car floaty he insists on getting in is entirely too small, but who cares right?

And finally, Mr. Liam and me. I'm 30 weeks today and really beginning to feel the effects of the heat and the extra weight my back in carrying around. Other than that, I'm doing well! Thankfully I passed my 3-hour glucose test last Thursday, so I'm good to go!

Resisting Growing Up

Let me set the scene for you: This morning Ryan got up and staggered in to the den rubbing his eyes with bink (pacifier) in hand. I made his waffle for him, poured his orange juice and sat him down at his little table in the den so he could watch Little Bill while he ate and I got ready. Prior to turning on the tv he has to have his clothes on, otherwise he'll never put them on. This is the conversation he and I had while putting on his clothes.

Me: "Ryan, when can we get rid of your bink?"
Ryan: "No"
Me: "Binks are for baby boys. Don't you think we should give your bink to the babies?"
Ryan: "No! I. AM. NOT. A. BIG. BOY!"


Hmmm.... a little resistance ya think?

My best friend, Jody, had her "plug", as her mother called it, until she went to kindergarten. (Sorry Jod! Had to call you out on this one!) Other than the obvious, she has no ill side effects. (hahaha, just kidding!) Maybe I'll just let him keep his bink until he just grows out of it himself. I certainly wouldn't want him to feel as if I made him grow up too soon.

Awesome Daddies

Father's Day was yesterday. It was a good day, but different from others we've had in the past. Several things were different. One was that Brett had to work, so we didn't see him for the majority of the day. Ryan and I made him a breakfast of pancakes, eggs & bacon, Ryan fixed his coffee for him (with a little assistance from me), and I ironed his clothes for him. I don't usually iron his clothes, that's his thing. I hate to iron. But, I sucked it up so he wouldn't have to go through the monotony of fighting wrinkles to get his shirt "country club perfect." Ryan gave him the third, and last, of his gifts... a shirt he made at school with the word "Dad" ironed on it with his colorful little hand prints pressed all over the front of it. Such a treasure. His other 2 gifts were given to him on Saturday. Saturday morning Ryan gave him a 20-page picture book with pictures in it of Brett & Ryan from the day Ryan was born up until just 2 weeks ago. The book came complete with a poem about little boys wanting to grow up and be like their Daddies. The poem itself will make your eyes water, but add the pictures to it of 2 of my special men and I can't hold back the tears. Then, Saturday afternoon Ryan presented him with a wall clock in the shape of a NY Giants football helmet. We purchased it at the Blueberry Festival earlier that day. Ryan had a choice between a Wolfpack clock and a Giants clock. He knows how much his Daddy loves the Giants... he picked the Giants clock. I told Brett that it would look great upstairs with his Giants helmet lamp that he's had since he was little. I gave me the same look he gave when I told him he couldn't put that lamp in the living room. So, while he was at work yesterday, I hung the clock in the kitchen. :) It won't stay there, but I wanted to see if he would notice. He did! I made a huge effort yesterday to not ask him to do anything. I cooked twice, cleaned up from breakfast & dinner, bathed Ryan, folded laundry, vacuumed... even took the trash out. All in an effort to give him the same relaxing time he gave me on mother's day. I failed at about 9:00 last night. I was stranded in the bathroom with no toilet paper and had to ask him to pause the US Open, get up off our comfy bed and grab me a roll. I know, maybe tmi, but hey... it is necessary.

The other thing that was different was the absence of my Papa Earl. Instead of the usual church then lunch at my grandparents' house with my family, we met in Raleigh and went out to lunch. All of us weren't there, but the biggest hole in the group was Papa. It's an unusual hole though. At times, you can feel that he's still there. I guess that reflects the close bond we all had with him. I can't imagine how my Deddy, aunt and uncle are feeling this Father's day. My mom too, who said goodbye to my Papa Ellyson almost 2 years ago. It has been almost 1 year since we all said goodbye to Papa Earl. I will never forget the feeling of love and the strong emotions that were felt in that hospital room as he took his last breaths. Our entire family, all together to pay tribute to this man we called Honey, Dad, Daddy, and Papa. We held his hand, talked to him and around him, rubbed his head, kissed him and prayed for him. What more could a father have asked for? That to me, is a testimonial to what kind of dad he was to his children. Strong, faithful, loving, protecting, stern... all those fatherly words. He was all of them. That is the example my Deddy had and I see my Papa Earl in him all the time. My Deddy is such a great father. And I know I'm blessed to have him in my life. He has always and forever put his children first in whatever decisions he has made. He provides for, loves and protects us. He's happy with us when good things happen and he's sad with us with not-so-good things happen. He supports us in every way a father should support his children and I truly believe I have my Papa Earl to thank for a large part of that.

Back to Brett, my children are blessed to have him as their daddy. I could not have designed a more perfect man to father my children. I try to tell him that all the time and I hope he knows that I mean what I say. The examples that he sets for Ryan are amazing. He's always been a hands-on dad. He's never been one to say "I'm not changing that poopy diaper," or "I'm not cleaning up that puke." And he's always been one to show Ryan how to do things, help him when he needs it and love him with all he's got in him. I love him!

Here are a few pictures from our weekend.

I surrender...

I am not super-woman. Saving a reasonable amount of money at the grocery store with toddler in tow is now longer a reasonable expectation for myself. Not even if I have help from my husband. Flipping through my coupon book, keeping track of my list and comparing prices is virtually impossible with Ryan wanting to help put items in the buggy, asking random questions, begging for things we don't need, and of course wanting to get out and walk (by which he means run around like a maniac). I can only imagine how it will be when I have 2. As much as I hate late night grocery store trips, I think I will learn to enjoy them. Once again, I now know how my mother felt. Oh, and she opted for late night grocery trips too...

On another note, I had my 28 week doc appointment on Tuesday. All-in-all it was a good appointment. I gained 2 pounds to make me an even 150. However, I conducted a 3-hour walking tour yesterday for work. It was H.O.T. and I could have quite possibly sweated away those 2 pounds. My blood pressure was good. Urine looked good. Fundal height was 28.5cm...exactly where it should be at 28 weeks. Liam's heartbeat was beautiful. The only problem was that I ate pasta for lunch, therefore failed my 1 hour glucose test. BOOOOOOOO! I have to go back next Thursday for the 3-hour test. It is at 8am so I will not be eating prior to the test. Please join me in praying that I pass. I knew I should not have eaten carbs... carbs turn straight in to sugar. The sugar levels in my blood needed to be 135 or less. They measured in at 140. I wasn't a happy camper. I "rewarded" myself with a salad for dinner. Not that it was all that bad. I've been craving salads this entire pregnancy.

Tomorrow my department at work is going skeet shooting for a team building exercise. I can't wait. Pregnant + shotgun = ??? Stay tuned...