Weekend Wrap-Up

When I was younger and pictured myself having kids, I always pictured having girls.  Probably because I grew up with sisters.  And then, as a teacher, I found out that my favorite kids were actually always boys.  You know why?  I have NO time for girl drama.  Seriously.  My patience for girl drama is, and always has been, nonexistent.

While I'm ecstatic to have a daughter (and another one on the way) and we are now well into the threes, our toddler's flair for the dramatic is coming out FULL FORCE.  Especially this weekend.  Holy Moly. 

Maybe it was partly because she got another cold and wasn't feeling that great.  Maybe it because my patience level is L-O-W.  Maybe it was the pouring down rain that happened throughout the weekend.  But whatever it was, the weekend attitude was a little rough.  Probably on both of our parts.  But the DRAMA and TEARS and LISTENING REFUSAL...oh my.  Oh my, oh my, oh my.

Anyway...on to the weekend.

Saturday
We woke up to a really cool thunderstorm and spent some time in the morning watching for lightening and listening for thunder.

Notice the lovely piles of dirt and construction things?  Yeah, that is what our street will look like for the next month.  Thanks St Paul.

In order to minimize the damage to our clean and organized house, Chris took her to G-ma and G-pa's house for a bit and she got to have quality bonding time with Kona.

Callie: I LOVE YOU KONA
Kona: HELP ME, DADDY

Then we met the Knutsons for lunch and Callie practiced her big sister skills by entertaining Baby Avery.

"Reading" to Avery

Next, there was a nap that was WAY too short, as I saw this face after only about 45 minutes.

This does not bode well for the evening plans

The evening plans consisted of a BBQ at Brent and Bethany's, in which she showed everyone how truly dramatic 3-year-old girls can be.  And here is photographic evidence.

Charlie- just being a ninja
Callie- being a drama queen

Sunday

Thankfully today was fairly less dramatic.  We started the morning early feeling Hamsie hiccups for the first time...so fun...and then Sunday school.  After a nap at the condo, we headed to Anna's graduation party in the pouring rain!  But someone had a smile despite the crazy weather.

Rain Rain, Go Away!

Congrats Anna!

We ended the evening watching "Baby Dance," a video that Cal got for Christmas (or maybe birthday?) from Boom and Bops.  It is a video that has a half dozen different "dances" led by a very exuberant Miss Theresa.  Callie normally just likes to watch and occasionally tries to do a couple of the moves.  But tonight she was TOTALLY into it.  And it was adorable.  So of course, I had to take a couple videos.

Baby Dance 1 from Baby Goose on Vimeo.

Baby Dance 2 from Baby Goose on Vimeo.

Isn't she talented? Hahaha.  As someone who LOVED dance classes from when I was a 4-year-old all the way through high school, it makes me so excited to start her in dance class in a year or two. And as someone who endured thoroughly enjoyed a couple of my dance recitals in high school, I'm sure Chris is also thrilled for the many dance recitals to come.

Hamsie Update:  31 Weeks!  According to Baby Center, she measures over 16 inches long and weighs about 3.3 pounds.  She can turn her head from side to side and is getting plumper.  My doc said she'll gain about a half a pound a week until the end.  Yikes!  I feel like I'm already huge, so the thought of adding 4 more pounds of baby in there seems CRAZY.  Sleep is definitely getting harder as I have to toss and turn a lot to stay comfortable, but tossing and turning is a feat unto itself.  That usually is accompanied by groaning.  Or grunting.  I'm the absolute opposite of dainty these days, but I'm okay with it.  I'm clumsy and bump in to things with my stomach a lot.  Including students at school.  When I teach, I usually sit on a bean bag with my student(s) and it is getting more entertaining for them to watch me get up.  I am getting short of breath- when I'm sitting and reading with Callie, I have to take breaks with her squishing on my lap and Hamsie squishing my lungs.  I'm slow going up stairs, but can still make it down stairs pretty quickly.  Despite all the weird things, it's all good.  Hamsie moves around like crazy and I'm happy despite the crazy stuff that is going on with my body.  

This upcoming week is going to be crazy busy.  I have an overnight trip to Arizona for work, and then my cousin Karl is getting married next weekend!  Can't wait to see all the crazy Ekebergs!

Favorite-Things-Phone-Dump Friday

Happy Weekend!  It has been another crazy week so we're ending it with a movie night with a toddler who got yet another cold.  She's all sniffly and cough-y and eye watery, so we are just taking it easy. 

On to the pictures...

Favorite Thing #1: Construction on our street for the next month
Okay, that is definitely NOT a favorite thing, but it is a picture I took, so there it is

Favorite Thing #2: Weather warm enough for playing in the sprinkler!

Favorite Thing #3: Swinging with Grandma

Favorite Thing #4: Hamsie
Couldn't resist posting this picture again...look at those cheeks!

Favorite Thing #5: ANOTHER day nice enough for the sprinkler!

Favorite Thing #6: Watching my big girl climb up the playground with the big kids.
She's the one at the top.

Favorite Thing #7: More climbing!

Favorite Thing #8: A shadow bump

A Letter to Hamsie

Dear Hamsie-

You poor second child, you.  I hope that you don't feel like you already are playing 2nd fiddle to your big sister.

When we were pregnant with her, this blog was started and completely focused on me, our pregnancy, our thoughts and feelings about every little thing happening, etc.  With you, we didn't even acknowledge your presence on this blog until the pregnancy was half over, and you just get a little blip at the end of each of my weekly wrap-ups.

Luckily, I know a number of 2nd and 3rd children who are pretty darn fantastic, so I'm thinking that you'll turn out pretty darn fantastic as well.

But I want you to know that, even though it may not seem like it, there are SO MANY PEOPLE who are SO EXCITED to meet you!  You are on my mind constantly as your are pretty much kicking and jabbing me constantly in my belly.  I LOVE IT.

Your big sister talks about you all the time, and is still convinced your name will be Hamsie when you come out.  I promise we won't do that to you, but I can't guarantee that she won't call you that as a special sister nickname.  We'll just have to see.

It has been a stressful few weeks for us as we have been working on figuring out where we want to live.  But know that your dad and I (and the rest of our family!) have been working hard to figure out the best place for you to come home to once you are born.  We want to find an amazing home for you to grow up in, and I think we're getting close.  So I'm sorry if I've been running around too much or making you feel too stressed out because of my stress.  I hope it will be done soon.  I know you're okay because I have had regular doctor visits and they say you are perfect. 

Speaking of doctor visits, I got to see you today.  I had an ultrasound and the technician got a pretty fantastic picture of your sweet little face.



30 weeks 3 days

Looks like you have big cheeks- just like your older sister.  I can't wait to meet you and see how else you are like her, but also how you aren't.  I can't wait to see how your eyes and your hair and your temperament develop.  I can't wait to see if you will have a gigantic head.  (I'd prefer it if you didn't, but I think it is meant to be...I saw them measuring your head circumference today on the ultrasound and it was measuring 2 weeks ahead of everything else...oh well!)

Anyway, just know that I can't wait.  We can't wait.  But please, just so you have the opportunity to grow as big and strong as you can INSIDE, stay in there for another 8 or 9 weeks at least.  We still have A LOT to do to get ready for you.  Sound good?

Love you,
Mom

Weekend Wrap-Up

First off,

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

to Boom, G-ma, Nana, Gi-Gi, and Great Grammy!  And all the other wonderful moms out there as well!

It was a fun weekend!

Saturday

This little girl had a barrel of energy in the morning. 


Saturday Morning Energy from Baby Goose on Vimeo.


Later we went to Charlie and Mabel's birthday party.  It is hard for us to believe that Cal and Charlie are now both THREE and that Mabel is already ONE! 

Pin the Skull on the Dinosaur

Ring Toss

Clapping for cake

The rest of the day was spent working on the house and the yard.  G-ma and G-pa came over to help outside, and Boom and Bops came over to help clean so it is show ready.  We think it will be officially on the market on Wednesday, which means we need to not spend any time here in order for it to stay show ready. :)

Sunday- Mother's Day AND Pa's Birthday!

Chris worked the Race for the Cure this morning so he left super early.  Cal and I had a muffin date at Caribou and then met Boom, Bops, Barbara and Mari for church.

My sweet girl

After church we headed out for a delicious Mother's Day brunch.

After brunch Cal and I headed to G-ma and G-pa's house for the afternoon.  Chris met us there, as did Auntie Cat, Uncle Dan and Anna, and Nana and Papa.  We had a fun afternoon playing games, eating, and celebrating Pa's birthday...

Not listening to the birthday song

Helping Pa blow out the candles on his birthday pie

...and Mother's Day too, of course!

Hamsie Update- 30 Weeks!!!!!!!!  It is totally crazy to think that 10 weeks ago we found out Hamsie is a girl, and 10 weeks from now she'll (hopefully) be here.  Right now she's about 15.7 inches long and weighs almost 3 pounds.  I think she is going to be a tap dancer.  I went to see "Anything Goes" with Adrea on Friday night, and during the *AMAZING* tap number right before intermission, Hamsie was going CRAZY in my belly.  It was awesome.  We have another ultrasound on Wednesday this week, so it will be fun to see her again- how she is positioned and how big she actually is.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Happy Birthday Papa and Pa!

May 11th and 12th are two special days...May 11th is Papa's birthday and May 12th is Pa's birthday!!!

Happy Birthday!  We love you!  Glad we'll be able to see both of you tomorrow to celebrate! :)

Favorite-Things-Phone-Dump Friday

Happy Weekend!!!!!!

It is way past my bed time, so I'm just going to dive right into my pictures for the week.

Favorite Thing #1: Two buddies heading to the park

Favorite Thing #2: Baby belly

Favorite Thing #3: The love of books

Favorite Thing #4: Bops was published in the Star Trib...TWICE this week!

Favorite Thing #5: Daddy tickles

Favorite Thing #6: One little monkey jumping on the bed

Have a great weekend!

Listen To Your Mother

This week has made me frazzled.  I should probably say this month.  Maybe even this whole winter spring that we've had.  Frazzled.

Jenna and I went to an event tonight at the Riverview Theater- a show called "Listen To Your Mother."  It's tagline is, "Celebrating Mother's Day with a national series of live-readings shared on local stages and via social media."

Fourteen Twin Cities mothers got up on stage in front of a packed house with only a podium and a microphone and shared  a story they had written about motherhood.  Some stories were funny (hilarious, actually), some stories were painful, some were sweetly poignant, and yet they all brought the theater full of women (and some men) together in a way that was magical. 

In the era of "Mommy Wars" and criticisms and judgments and all the things women use to tear each other down in order to build themselves up, this two hours listening to real people tell their stories was refreshing. 

I'm still a little frazzled, and I even had a blog post in my mind earlier today all about our morning routine and how our toddler likes to complicate it by, among other things, insisting on wearing "squishy Tangled undies" even though I have no idea which ones those are and it takes her 5 minutes to find undies that are suitable for her discerning undies palette. 

But I'm going to skip that post for tonight and just kind of revel in the fact that as I was listening to the stories earlier in the evening, I had my beautiful three-year-old daughter on my mind and in my heart, and my other beautiful daughter kicking and jabbing me in my belly throughout the whole show. 

So now I'm feeling more blessed than frazzled.  And am looking forward to our "squishy underwear" negotiations in the morning.