I Want to SCREAM! (in a very good way)

I anxiously called my doctor’s office to make schedule my first prenatal appointment, but got their answering service. Too early. ARGH!! Another ten minutes later, I got through. I have to wait until I’m eight weeks pregnant before they’ll see me… August 30th may as well be an eternity from now! I remember having to wait when we found out we were pregnant with Shawn, but I didn’t remember it being so long. Luckily, according to an online Pregnancy Calendar , I’m already three weeks pregnant, so just 5 more to go… Will I make it?

It’s so hard not to announce our news to everyone I see!


I dropped Shawn and Abby off at Spanish class and had to leave the center in order to stop myself from talking too much to the staff. I camped at Panera a few blocks away instead. While I had a list of things I should have been doing, I browsed pregnancy websites and tried to remind myself of what to do while pregnant – what types of foods to eat (and not), etc. I downloaded pregnancy apps to my iPhone…

I’m pregnant!!

 

I can’t concentrate on anything else!

Ok, I'll try.

 

After having a few weeks of inclement weather, Shawn and Abby were thrilled that class was outside at the park today. They were excited to tell me that they put bandaids on a stuffed teddy bear and a kitty cat coloring page because they were pretending the animals had 'ouchies.' They learned words about being sick or hurt, though they couldn’t tell me what they were. (It's a good thing they brought home a sheet explaining different vocabulary, so I can attemp to help them practice.)

While Abby napped, Shawn and I spied on a baby rabbit. He looked about palm size and grateful to have found shade behind some planters in the backyard. I wanted to offer him cool water and greens, but I knew that opening the door would startle him away. Still, it was sweet to watch the little bunny rest.

Eeek! I’m pregnant!!

P is for Pumpkin, Potty, and Pfffffft!

I woke Shawn in time to catch the garbage truck come around our circle, which also meant he was awake to greet Abby and Bill when they arrived.  Suddenly, he wasn’t so bleary-eyed anymore!  It’s play time!


Bill explained that Abby’s doctor didn’t think she was ready for potty training yet, so they were going back to diapers.  Bummer, but okay!

Abby and Shawn played in the living room with some trucks and books until breakfast was ready.  Then, played some more until it was time to go to art class.

Art class focused on pumpkins today. Too bad Shawn didn’t focus on pumpkins today! He was all over the place and not very interested in participating in the projects.  

Abby's

Shawn's Mine

I will admit that Shawn helped stuff the paper bag with newspapers in the beginning, but when it came time to paint, his contribution was done.  Every once in a while, I got him to hold the paintbrush, sometimes with me sometimes independently, and made a couple of dabbles, but he just wasn’t into it.  Meanwhile, Abby realized that scrunching the giant sheet of newspapers was a bit too tricky for her fingers, so she figured out how to loosely roll up the paper, then fold it into (about) thirds in order to get it all to fit inside the paper bag!  Great problem solving!  She had a great time painting her bag and was very aware of any brown bag showing through.  (Ms. LouAnn even commented on her attention to detail!) 

While the kids ate Winnie the Pooh cookies, Ms. LouAnn read Pumpkin Pumpkin by Jeanne Titherington.  It was a simple story illustrating the growth of a pumpkin, starting from a seed.

Shawn was a little more interested in the second project. They painted an apple orange and stuck stickers on it to make a jack-o-lantern face.  Shawn figured out that rolling the apple in the paint was a much faster way to cover it, but we managed to use the brush to spread the paint around.  He loved putting the stickers on, too.  (Meanwhile, I thought it was a weird project to do at all!)

For the last activity, Ms. LouAnn uncovered the tub/table and the kids found balls and foam blocks.  She set up a game of 'Pumpkin Bolwing,' since most of the balls were orange and the blocks could stand up like pins.  It was a good practice in taking turns and waiting patiently.

I had a chance to chat with Shelley while kids napped.  Since Abby’s enjoying wearing underwear and using her potty seat, Shelley decided to continue potty training as we have been.  (Phew!)  There have been other instances that she hasn’t been happy about with their current pediatrician, and this sealed the deal.   Now, she’s on the market for a new doctor.  Shelley said she had someone lined up to get a second opinion and I shared Dr. Lin’s business card, just in case they want to shop around.

I’m so glad I closed the windows in the kids’ rooms before naptime.  The house stinks of exhaust from the roofers’ machinery and generators.  It’s a shame to shut out the beautiful day, but there’s certainly no fresh air circulating around here today!

Abby woke around 3:30 pm and was not happy with all the noise over our heads.  She was all smiles by the time Bill came to get her though.  Perhaps being back in underwear for the first time all day had something to do with it…?

When Raj got home, he and Shawn went out to Open Gym at Gymboree.  When they came home, Shawn had a goose-egg / strawberry on his forehead.  He was excited to tell me about the Elmo ice-pack he got to use though, so the bump must not bother him too much!

After bath time, we were each doing our own thing in different rooms.  Suddenly, I heard a sound that I haven’t heard in 20-something years, yet I knew immediately what Shawn was doing.  We keep a cassette (yes, cassette) of German/English songs in the tape player of the mini-stereo in his room.  I heard the familiar, though distant, swooshing sound of the tape being pulled from the inside of the cassette.  Argh…  Using the eraser tip of a pencil, I managed to re-wind it all back inside, but as I was spinning the pencil around and around, I kept reminding myself, “This is why no one uses cassettes anymore!”  Though I got it all back in place, Shawn had it pretty crumpled in spots, so it may be history… like the rest of the world’s cassettes!  (It would be a shame not to have those songs anymore…

...oh, well...

...it is a cassette!)

A Triangle, Momma!

We all got to sleep in until 8:00 am today.  That was nice.  (Ahh, gone are the days when 8:00 was still getting up early!)  Shawn (and I) slept much better last night.  My cold/allergies are still giving me a hard time, but at least Shawn let me sleep for more than an hour stretch at a time!

While he was playing, he decided to put his potty seat on toilet, pull up the stool, and sit down – all by himself!  I wasn’t even in the bathroom with him!  His diaper was on and pants were still up, but I was very impressed!

It’s official – Shawn knows his shapes.  Raj was at an orthodontics class, so Shawn and I had dinner on our own at the kitchen table.  All of a sudden, Shawn started pointing at the back door exclaiming, “Triangle, Momma!  Triangle!”  I tried to correct him and explain that the back door was actually a rectangle, but he wouldn’t have it, “No, Momma!  Triangle, Momma!  Triangle!”  still insistently pointing at the back door.  I saw the reflection of our light fixture in the glass of the back door, “This?  This is a circle, Shawn, not a triangle.”  Getting very impatient with my apparent lack of knowledge about shapes, “NO! NO, Momma!  NO!  There’s a triangle, Momma!” 

Sure enough. 

I finally saw it. 

There clinging to the screen door was a moth, whose wings were in the shape of… a triangle.  When I finally pointed to it and asked if that was what he had seen, Shawn had an enormous, satisfied grin from ear to ear, “See, Momma?  See it?  A triangle!” 

We watched the moth dance in the light on the sliding glass door until it found another light to visit.  But, even after it was gone, Shawn continued to look for the triangle on the window, which he now knows is called "a moth."

The Garbage Truck is Here!

Shawn smiled and giggled in his sleep this morning.  It was adorable.  I wish I knew what he was thinking about - it must’ve been a good dream!

When Bill dropped Abby off, he told me that Abby woke between 6:00 and 6:30 am.  Since her day started earlier than usual, I woke Shawn right away when she came over.  That way they’d both be ready for naps early today.

With both of them awake early, they were able to watch the recycling truck come around our circle for their weekly pick up.  It just may be the highlight of the week, when we make it to the window in time to catch it!  (And, it's my highlight to watch them get so excited!)  This week I finally remembered to get them on video while the garbage truck came by.  (It's a bit slow and they're initial excitement was spent when they saw the truck turn to the cul de sac across the street.  So, unfortunately, you don't see their jump for joy when they first saw it.  Maybe next time!)

We had a surprise greet us in Spanish class – Xander, from our old Gymboree Music class, was enrolled in our class!  I think his mom was just as surprised to see us.  It sounded like she got a deal for a few classes on Groupon or something, so she hadn’t decided if this would be a long term enrollment or not. 

Diego lead the group in reviewing the names of shapes and colors.  Abby’s vocabulary’s definitely growing.  Today she said, “Gracias!” (thank you) and “morado” (purple).  I love listening to her try to say words like “por favor” that come out a bit jumbled, but her intention is perfectly clear.

The rest of the afternoon was uneventful, but I did hear Abby coughing a bit.  I hope she's not coming down with something.

While Shawn and Raj went off to Open Gym in the evening, I got my hair cut.  Becca trimmed off about two inches, which ordinarily wouldn’t be very noticeable, but when she straightens it, I have a drastic new “do”!  I didn’t do anything with color this time, but I’m think at my next appointment (in May) I’ll do something different for the summer.  Maybe… red?

Sleepyhead and Diva

Shawn woke every hour and a half last night.  I thought he’d sleep in a little this morning, once he finally passed out.  Nope.  He woke around 7:45 am.  This could be a long day!

We went to Gymboree for Music class.  Again, Abby participated in the Ba-Ba rhythm activity and showed that she knew how to move her stuff!  She danced, showed high and low movements, shook maracas, hit drums to beats, bounced her knees to beats, walked fast and slow...  She was on fire!

Meanwhile, Miss Elizabeth even noticed how drained Shawn appeared in class today.  He was very stand-off-ish and dazed.  There was a definite difference between his being shy and people watching versus today’s lethargy and zoned-out stance.  Poor kid.  I wish I knew how to fix whatever was going on last night!

On the way home, I played Shawn’s bedtime lullaby CD, hoping that the hum of the car and the Pavlov’s response to the CD would lull Shawn to La-La Land.  It worked – even better than I had anticipated.  Both fell asleep on the way home (around 11:30 am).  Not risking trying to transfer Shawn from his car seat to his crib, left him in the car with the garage closed, but the car window open.  He’s bundled in his winter coat and the car is still pretty warm from our drive home.  I’m in the dining room so I can hear him when he wakes up (and I can check on him through the kitchen door, too). 

Abby had no problem with me getting her from her car seat.  (I’m sure it was a relief for her neck to get out of the awkwardly bent angle she was sleeping in!)  We took off her boots and winter gear, got her baby doll, then easily went back to sleep in the pack & play.  Sweet dreams, Little Ones! 

I’m tempted to take a nap myself, but I feel like I should use this time to get some things checked off of my To Do list.  Hopefully, we’ll have an early bed time (and one that sticks this time!  …at least for a few hours… please?!)

Abby eventually woke up at 1:45 pm and Shawn slept until 2 pm.  I thought it would be fun to have some more music time, since Abby was a rock start this morning and Shawn basically zoned out the whole time and missed it!  So, I played a few songs on the harp for my miniature audience.  They both came over and stood at the base of the harp, sometimes touching the strings, sometimes just watching, sometimes playing with toys closeby.  At the end of a song, Shawn looked up, smiled, and said, “Good job, Momma!”  That’s better than any encore or standing ovation! 

Then, it was their turn:  True virtuosos in the making!

We spent the rest of the afternoon reading books…

…and watching snow plows.

Chicago Blizzaster, SnOMG, Snowmageddon, Snowpocalypse 2011‏

Last night, we were hit with "the Blizzard of 2011," as the news stations are calling it.  We're doing well, though we're pretty bundled up.  Watching the wind blow the snow around yesterday and last night was amazing.  The BBQ grill in our backyard is now completely buried under snow and there's a drift that goes halfway up the windows in the back of our house.  I think it must be between 5 - 6 feet high.  On the other hand, my car hardly has any snow on it at all.  (Pretty incredible micrometeorology at work here!)  I tried taking pictures last night as the blizzard was rolling in, but it was getting dark, so I couldn’t get enough to make a good time lapse series.  Still, you can see some photos from last night and then today. 

Since so much snow came so quickly, everything shut down - Lake Shore drive even closed!  Here's are two photos of cars burried and abandoned there last night:

This picture was taken on an abandoned bus that was on Lake Shore:

My attempt at time lapse photos was no where near as good as this guy's:

There are a lot of great blizzard pictures and stories.  Here are just a couple: 

http://www.chicagoweathercenter.com/photos/chi-110201-monster-snowstorm-2011-pictures,0,7403567.photogallery

http://www.nbcchicago.com/weather/stories/Blizzard-Unleashes-Winter-Fury-115047384.html

Entire towns were closing businesses and school districts, so Raj got to stay home today, too.  (That doesn't happen very often.)  I dragged the boys outside to play in the snow earlier today - sledding, snowballs, and climbing on the mounds left behind by the snow plows.  Shawn wasn’t nearly as impressed by all of the snow as we were.  I guess sledding with Mom and Dad just isn’t the same as playing in the snow with Abby.  He was less than amused by the whole experience.  He did crack a few smiles when we pushed him around in his Cozy Coupe, but with all of the ice on the road, that was a lot of work!  It was nice to come in for hot chocolate when we were done.  I think Shawn had more fun playing with our snow gear inside than he did while we were outside!  Oh, well.  We tried.  Here's the video.

We're supposed to be getting a few more inches tonight, but I think the major part of the storm finished last night.  In fact, it's actually really pretty and relatively warm out right now – as long as you’re not trying to drive anywhere!

Oh, yeah – and Happy Ground Hog Day! I have a feeling winter's going to be sticking around for some time- it's at least going to be a while for all of this snow to melt.  I'd be surprised if Punxsutawney Phil even cared to venture out to find his shadow today! 

Window Sill Rock Band

Though they started simply admiring the snow drifts in the backyard, Shawn and Abby began performing as their own rhythm section in their two-kid band.

Unfortunately, as their manager, I had to pull the plug when their rhythms progressed from the window sill to the actual window. Sorry guys, show’s over.

Besides, it's time for Shawn to get dressed!