The Countdown Is On, But I'm Not Counting

I'm no good with numbers or figures, so I'll just say that somewhere in the span of this week, I made it to the 3rd trimester.

13 weeks to go until we expect our newest arrival.

By this point in my pregnancy with Cohen, I was more than ready to have him in my arms already. I was impatiently pregnant, counting down the weeks, days, hours until I could see his face and kiss his cheeks. With this baby, though? I'm feeling way more patient. In fact, I'm actually a bit bummed that I'm so far into this pregnancy already.

How weird am I?

The thing is, this time around, I know what's coming .. sort of. While there's no way I can anticipate life with the chaos of two children until I'm actually in the thick of it, I do know what to expect with having a newborn in the house -- and all that goes along with it. I have experience with that. And, if I'm honest, that experience is not all fluffy clouds and cotton candy. That experience tucks some anxiety and a bit of depression into the memory folds of newborn sleep squeaks and that sweet smell of new.

I think what caught me most off-guard in the weeks following Cohen's birth was the realization that the pregnancy was actually over. For someone who wished away the majority of those 9 months, I mourned them when they were gone. As much as I loved my new baby, I felt ... an emptiness?... I didn't expect.

And since this is our last planned pregnancy, I'm a little extra sensitive about those particular memories. I really, really don't want to have those same feelings again. I have truly enjoyed this pregnancy. I have savored every kick, every belly rumble, every Cohen/belly interaction -- because I know these moments are fleeting, and I'll never get them back. My biggest fear is finding myself 3 months down the road wishing I had enjoyed this time a little more... feeling that emptiness again.

I was watching A Baby Story a few weeks ago, and the new mother said something that struck me, particularly because I thought she expressed my feelings so completely and eloquently. She said this was her last pregnancy, and she was sad it was over -- not because she didn't want the baby yet, but because she knew it signaled the end of a chapter of her life -- the baby days would soon be over, and she'd never have them again. She said she knew she didn't want to have any more children, that in her head, she knew 3 was way more than she and her husband could handle, but her heart was a bit sad that this time was over.

Travis thought she was crazy. I was sitting dead-center in her Amen corner.  I knew exactly what she means. Do I want more than 2 children? No, I can't say that I do. Do I want to continue having many more years of the baby stage? No, in fact, I'm very excited when I think of my boys growing into kids and doing kid things. But acknowledging that the baby time of my life will soon be over? That does make me sad. It's the end of one part of my life and the beginning of another.

So what will I do? I will take lots of pictures. I will stop the everyday-ness of life to enjoy the little moments. I will make the most out of Cohen's last 3 months of being an only child. I will sniff my newborn whenever I want. I won't worry so much about schedules and routine and getting back to normal as soon as possible. I will remember to appreciate and enjoy Cohen's toddlerhood alongside the baby's infancy.

Because I only get this time once. And moments are fleeting.

Menu Planning Monday, v.6

It's the last week of February! How in the world did that happen?! Weren't we just celebrating Christmas? I think the most startling thing of all for me is that in 3 months, we should have another little Chambers in this house. Dude.

Being the last week of the month, my grocery budget is thin, so my dinners this week are pretty budget-friendly, and the recipes are large enough that we can have leftovers one night. We're not big fans of leftovers over here -- something about letting food sit in the fridge a few days before eating it again doesn't really sit right with us (especially the husband, who constantly asks if things are still good after being in the fridge), but hey, leftovers=a free meal. And sometimes? You need a little free.

Here's what we're eating this week:

Monday

Paula Deen's Crock Pot Potato Soup
Vegetable Pizza (recipe from my mother in law, but very similar to this one)

Tuesday

Spaghetti a la Philly
Garlic Bread
Salad

Wednesday

Turkey Meatball Sub Sandwiches with homemade marinara sauce
Roasted Potatoes

Thursday

Leftover Night

Friday

Kitchen's closed!

Youth Lock-In at the church
(So I'll be eating lots of pizza and junk food)

Saturday

Kitchen's closed

Sunday

Leftovers after church

27 Week Bumpdate

How far along? 27 weeks. The end of the 2nd trimester is upon us. Oh my.

How big is baby? From head to toe, baby is about 14 inches long and is weighing a little over 2 pounds. Whoa.  He's about the size of a cucumber.

Movement: Lots. And very forceful. We're getting to the point that I can "play" with the baby -- the other day, I felt a little bottom jut out of my side, and I poked it. He quickly moved to the other side, where I poked him again. I got enjoyment out of our little game; I'm no so sure he did though. 

Sleep: I sleep a good amount, but I am not feeling rested at all. I also wake up randomly throughout the night with restless legs or a growling stomach. I've never experienced restless legs before, and man, they are a trip!


Best moment this week: I think we've decided on a name for the little guy. I promised Travis, however, that nothing was official until we met our son. So don't read into anything when I say that I made a onsie with his first initial on it :)

Miss Anything? Not really -- looking forward to May!

Food cravings: Donuts sound good. So does pizza. And peanut butter. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: I think this pregnancy just gives me a continuous churning feeling in my stomach. Nothing I can't power through, though.

Gender: Boy!

Labor Signs: The beginnings of nesting and lots of Braxton Hicks.

Belly Button in or out? In. Getting shallower and shallower.

Wedding rings on or off? Wedding band is way too tight, so it's off. Engagement ring is holding out though.

Mood: Exhausted.

Looking forward to: An ultrasound at the beginning of March. It's to check on an abnormality in the baby's kidneys, but it's not really that serious. I'm just hoping to hear them say the abnormality cleared up on its own like they predicted it would.

Cohen's Song

Much to my husband's dismay, I'm not much of a music person. I mean, yeah, I like music and I've had my share of favorite songs throughout the years, but music doesn't typically do it for me like it does for him (and according to him, all other normal people). He's a music guy. It runs in his veins. There's always a song for every situation in his life; he relates every event to an artist or a song. And honestly, I think he's the weirdo.

About a year ago, though, I stumbled across JJ Heller on a random Pandora station. I liked her voice and laid-back style. I liked the lyrics she chose to praise God. So I Googled her, and then I YouTubed her, and I eventually discovered that I really, really liked her music. So many of her songs remind me of me. Like, if I was creative enough, hers are the words I would write and the music I would create.

Maybe I'm the weirdo after all. 

No restraining orders, please. I swear I'm not trying to be blood brothers or anything.

There's this one song, titled "Boat Song" (but I've since renamed it "Cohen's Song"), that I swear was written with me in mind. I'm pretty sure it was written with romantic intentions, but it expresses exactly the way I feel towards my son. 

I hope that doesn't mean something weird or creepy.

But it's true. This song is a perfect illustration of my relationship with my son. He has my heart, my whole heart; he's had it since the first time I held him in my arms and caressed his cheek, and I'm confident he'll always have it.

And when Baby Brother comes around? Well, I'm just hoping that I grow another complete heart because I'm pretty sure he's going to own that one.

Life Lately, in a list

1. I can't get enough cinnamon. French toast is my best friend right now.

2. I worked 30 hours in 3 days last weekend. And the thing I kept thinking about is that it was 30 hours of missing out on what Cohen was doing. 30 hours of him hugging someone other than me, depending on someone else. I may have a problem.

3. There's been a lot of this going on lately:

4. And some of this, too. Those itty bitty baby clothes have been washed and hung up twice since last Tuesday.

5. All of this is leading me to believe that nesting is starting up. I am overwhelmed with the need to get stuff done, now. It's killing me that the nursery isn't painted yet. Or that we haven't even thought about cribs yet. And I haven't started on the bedding yet. Killing me.

6. I fear my backside is growing at the same rate as my belly.

7. I cannot wait until Spring arrives and brings the warmer weather with it. Cohen and I are getting some serious cabin fever, and I just want to spend time with friends again.

8. I bought this Hot Wheels Jeep at the consignment sale last week for $37. And Cohen? Obsessed with it. The only problem is that the weather hasn't exactly been appropriate for playing outside. So basically my kid thinks I'm the meanest mommy on the planet for keeping him away from his favorite toy.

9. Cohen has claimed my iPhone as his own. He plays Thomas the Train games and VeggieTales games like a champ. He's really good at playing matching games and putting together puzzles and learning new shapes, so I feel like this is a teaching tool. The problem, though, is that now my 2 year old has an iPhone, and I no longer have one.

10. I really enjoy watching Cohen's little mind hard at work. He's putting together complete (and long!) sentences correctly, and the extent of his vocabulary shocks me. He talks all the time, narrating life as we live it. It's awesome.

11. I think about pizza a lot.

12. We spend the bulk of our week in pajamas. Cohen has started to become very excited when I get out the real clothes because he knows we're about to leave the house.

26 Week Bumpdate

I'm just going to go ahead and say there's not going to be a belly picture this week. I'm 2 days away from 27 weeks, and I still don't have one. Let's chalk it up to laziness.

How far along? 26 weeks and 4 days.

How big is baby? From head to toe, baby is about 14 inches long and is weighing a little over 2 pounds. Whoa.  He's about the size of a cucumber.

Movement: I noticed a lot more jerking and shaking going on in there this week. And some kicks up by my ribs.

Sleep: Sleeping hard but still feeling exhausted throughout the day. I have been waking up in the night with leg cramps and bathroom runs, but I always crash when I get back in bed. Saturday night, I woke up starving just before 4AM. I managed to drift back off to sleep where I dreamed about a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger from Wendy's. Seems the little dude was hungry.


Best moment this week: Consignment sale shopping! I bought all of baby brother's summer wardrobe, a double stroller, and some random baby supplies. I've also started nesting a bit. It's driving me crazy that baby doesn't have any furniture yet, so all those clothes that I folded and placed neatly on the floor in his room? They all got washed and folded and placed neatly on his floor again last night. I don't like the thought of his nice clean baby clothes sitting on the floor

Miss Anything? Not really -- looking forward to May!

Food cravings: bacon cheeseburgers, cheese, things that aren't good for me in general. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: I think this pregnancy just gives me a continuous churning feeling in my stomach. Nothing I can't power through, though.

Gender: Boy!

Labor Signs: The beginnings of nesting and lots of Braxton Hicks.

Belly Button in or out? In. Getting shallower and shallower.

Wedding rings on or off? Wedding band is way too tight, so it's off. Engagement ring is holding out though.

Mood: Exhausted.

Looking forward to: A week of catching up on rest.

Menu Planning Monday, v.5

Happy Monday! I say that even though I can barely keep my eyes open and my body is thisclose to shutting down on me after the exhausting weekend I put it through. It's a new week, though! New opportunities to rest and rebuild my family's sense of normalcy again.

Last week revolved around the consignment sale over here. I worked 4 10+ hour days, and needless to say, after 2 years of being a stay at home mom, it was quite a shock to us all. I was pretty brave with my meal planning last week, and I feel like I did a pretty good job keeping up, but those days the kitchen was closed? Hello junk food. Ugh. What this body needs is some good, old-fashioned home-cooked meals.

Here's what we're eating this week:

Monday

Cheesy Chicken Tator Tot Casserole (Crock Pot) -- not my favorite, but I think that's because I let it cook too long in the crock pot. It was a bit dry, but the flavor was good. Husband said he liked it.

Green Beans

Best Rolls Ever

Tuesday

Crispy Cheddar Chicken -- very good chicken. Will go into dinner rotations.

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese -- I wasn't a huge fan of this mac and cheese. I think it was the sour cream that turned me off. Too much tang, and it was a bit curdled. Much better the next day, though. I think I will look around for a better recipe.

Broccoli

Leftover rolls

Wednesday

Homemade White Castle Sliders -- Wooo, so good. Very simple to make, and both husband and toddler loved the little burgers. I used Sara Lee rolls, and they were a bit too fluffy. Next time I'll try potato rolls.

French Fries

Thursday

Hamburger Steaks

leftover Crock Pot Mac and Cheese

Sweet Peas

Friday

Kitchen's closed!

Chili Supper at church

I may be making this chili recipe.

Saturday

Kitchen's closed

Day trip to Helen, GA

Sunday

Leftovers after church

Treasure Hunt

I'm not even lying when I say that my two favorite days of the year are the days I get to shop at the spring and fall consignment sale.

It's better than Black Friday.

Those are the only time of the year that I buy clothes for my son(s), and I find so much nice stuff at really great prices. It's funny, I can go to a store now and see a shirt or pants on clearance for $4, and I'm like, "Ugh, I can get that so much cheaper at the consignment sale." I guess I've become a price snob.

Last August, I started working at the event, and I really enjoy it. It's a pretty big commitment for a week, but the benefits I receive make it so worth it. Last night, I had to work the seller preview, the busiest day of the sale. I was there from noon (when I got to shop) until 1:30 in the morning. The organizers treated us very well (especially me since I am 6 months pregnant), and everyone had a great attitude all night, so it wasn't that bad. But man, I am beat today.

That hasn't stopped me from sorting through my treasures though. I got some really great deals this season and only spent $167 on TWO boys' summer wardrobes. Not bad at all.

Here's what I scored for Cohen:

Thomas magnadoodle and interactive laptop computer. Total cost: $5.

2 pair of flip flops, a pair of sandals, and 2 brand new pair of shoes. Total cost: $10.

THOMAS (!!!) pajamas, along with 6 other pair. Total cost: $15

2 Children's Place polos, 2 Osh Kosh polos, a Tommy polo, and an Izod polo. Total cost: $16.

2 Children's Place polos, an Old Navy polo, a brand I don't know, and a Chaps polo. Total cost: $14.

1 Gymboree tshirt, 1 Carter's tshirt, 2 Old Navy tshirts, 1 Osh Kosh tshirt, and 4 Children's Place tshirt. Total cost: $12.50.

1 Osh Kosh shorts, 1 Old Navy shorts, 2 Children's Place shorts, 2 Gymboree shorts, 2 Cherokee shorts, 2 Circo shorts. Total cost: $23

2 Children's Place play shorts, 1 Old Navy swim trunks, 1 Osh Kosh swim trunks. Total cost: $6.50

And here's what I found for Baby Brother:

A baby carrier, 2 pair of shoes, and a Swaddle Me

NEWBORN SIZE: 2 creepers, 1 outfit, 7 onsies, and 4 sleepers

0-3 MONTHS SIZE:  3 outfits, 4 onsies, and 7 sleepers

3 MONTHS SIZE: 11 outfits and 6 sleepers

3-6 MONTHS SIZE: 3 outfits and 2 onsies.
6 MONTHS SIZE: 2 outfits

Menu Planning Monday, v. 4

It's Monday again! Crazy how that happens -- I feel like I just got over last week's Monday.

We've had a bit of a strange weekend over here. Nothing earth-shattering or bad or anything. Just ... weird. And childless.We spent Friday night serving dinner to our church as a fundraising opportunity for our youth group. We have a weekend trip to Gatlinburg planned for April, and our church provided us this opportunity to help them pay for their trip. So the students served dinner and babysat children on their Friday night. Here's the cool thing (I love to brag on God): we needed to raise $510 for each student who worked to get to go on the trip. We received $510. Do you have chills yet? I do.

Saturday we went to a dinner party with our Sunday School class. Man, I love those people. They are genuinely good people. And good cooks, too. There is nothing quite like church lady food. I'm serious. If you don't regularly get treated to church lady food, you are missing out on life. Which brings me to Sunday -- we had a potluck after church with our students and parents. More church food. Yum. 

And now my stomach is thinking "What's with this banana for breakfast, lady?"

This week will be jam-packed and super tiring. It's consignment sale time! I'm working it, and life pretty much revolves around the sale this week. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm starting to look forward to opening up the kitchen a little more in the coming weeks.

Here's what we're eating this week:

                  Best Rolls Ever                                           Hamburger Steaks                                  Hawaiian Bread French Toast

Monday

Kitchen's Closed!!!
Shopping and then working the consignment sale all evening. 

Daddy and son are on their own.

Tuesday

Fried chicken tenders

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese

Broccoli

Rolls
This dinner didn't happen. At all. Instead, I pulled out a leftover ham and potato casserole from the freezer.

Wednesday

Hawaiian Bread French Toast

Eggs

Bacon

Fruit
This meal got moved to the next night, Valentine's Day. Instead, we ate Frito Pies with homemade chili.

Thursday (Valentine's Day)

Hamburger Steaks

leftover Crock Pot Mac and Cheese

Sweet Peas

Rolls
Didn't happen. We ate Wednesday's dinner instead. Nothing more man-pleasing than bacon, if you ask me). Travis said this meal was one of the best meals I've ever made for him. And, I swear, balloons and confetti fell from the ceiling -- at least in my imagination, it did. Victory.

Friday

Kitchen's closed!
Consignment Sale

Saturday

Kitchen's closed

Consignment Sale

Sunday

Leftovers after church

25 Week Bumpdate

How far along? 25 weeks. Woot.

How big is baby? Baby is about 9 inches long and weighs about 1.7 pounds. He's about the size of an eggplant. 

Movement: Yup, this is one active baby. He has been getting hiccups a lot this week, and I'm feeling a lot more nudges that feel like shoulders and elbows during times that his feet aren't kicking. At my midwife appointment today, he's still head-down and pretty low. You can totally see kicks through my shirt now :)

Sleep: Sleep is not an issue with this momma.


Best moment this week: 24 week midwife appointment on Thursday -- his heart sounds good and momma is looking good weight and blood pressure wise. I was a little worried about my blood pressure since I've had some little episodes this week, but my midwife said all is normal and I'm pretty perfect right now. Stay away, pre-eclampsia!

Miss Anything? Not really -- looking forward to May!

Food cravings: All I can think about this week is cheeseburgers. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing making me nauseous, but I have had a few episodes this week where I've felt lightheaded and dizzy. I need to remember to breathe and not lock my knees when I stand.

Gender: Boy!

Labor Signs: Nothing, just some annoying Braxton Hicks contractions.

Belly Button in or out? In. Getting shallower and shallower.

Wedding rings on or off? Wedding band is way too tight, so it's off. Engagement ring is holding out though.

Mood: Feeling pretty good. Lots of laughs and very few tears this week.

Looking forward to: Monday I will be buying all of baby boy's summer clothes! Consignment sales rule. 

For the Love of Chicken Nuggets

There's a rule around these parts that we tend to be pretty strict about: no snacks after dinner. Once dinner is over, you don't get anything else to eat or drink until breakfast the next morning, even if you are staaaaaarving because you let the dogs eat your food or you had a tantrum and threw your dinner on the floor.

Sometimes we fudge on that rule just a bit when Mommy gets an ice cream craving after Wednesday and Sunday night church. I mean, let's be real here.

Being true to his toddler self, Cohen typically tries to con me out of some gummies or Goldfish or apple sauce about an hour after dinner, and I'm proud to report that I am pretty hard-hearted toward the snack requests. But that don't stop the kid from trying.

Last night as we were driving home from church, Cohen began to ask for chicken nuggets. Then he began to beg for them. Then he began to cry and wail for them. Seriously, this kid needed some nuggets, man. In an effort to quiet him down, I reminded him that we don't eat snacks after dinner (hello tears), but that we could eat chicken nuggets for lunch tomorrow. From the back of the car, I heard a muffled Otay, Mommy, followed by some pretty pathetic sniffles.

I'm not even joking now: my kid woke up about 30 minutes earlier then he usually does, and the very first thing out of his mouth? CHICKEN NUGGETS, MOMMY! Luckily he is a boy who likes his routine, so he settled for his usual breakfast, but only after I promised 8472 times that we would have chicken nuggets for lunch.

I'll fast forward a few hours. We're getting ready to leave my midwife's office, and Cohen's excitement level is growing exponentially. He's telling every nurse and doctor and patient we pass that he's getting chicken nuggets for lunch. He's telling me to hurry as we walk through the parking lot. Boyfriend is ready.

Each time we approach and then pass a fast food restaurant, I hear, "Yay! Thank you, Mommy! Heeeeey ... Mommy, chicken nuggets! Back there!" In an effort to save some money, I've decided to cook some nuggets at home, so I let him know that's the plan, and he seems OK with that.

We get home; Cohen makes a beeline to the oven and demands that I turn it on. I open the freezer and begin to shift items around in there to find the bag of chicken nuggets. I begin to shift items a little more frantically My heart sinks.

We don't have any chicken nuggets.

I ask Cohen if he'd like a hot dog instead. NO MOMMY! I try to make a grilled cheese sandwich sound like the best idea ever. CHICKEN NUGGETS, MOMMY! He will not be swayed, and he's starting to realize his much-anticipated lunch is in serious danger.

Whimpers. Slumped shoulders and mopey walking. Giant tears. He is heartbroken, and I feel like the worst mother in the world. So I do what anyone else would do: I turn off the oven, put my kid back in the car, and I go buy my boy some chicken nuggets.

This momma is a total softie.

Another Boy -- my thoughts

The moment I found out I was pregnant with Cohen, I immediately hoped for a girl. I got sucked in to the hype of all the cute little girl clothes and accessories. And pink! And dolls! And and and! By the time I hit the second trimester, however, I was more than convinced that he was a boy. I could just feel it. I'm pretty sure that if I didn't already have those suspicions, I would have been pretty disappointed when we found out his sex. And that makes me feel horrible now because I just love that little guy so much. But at the time? I really thought I wanted a little girl.

So when we found out we were expecting a new baby, of course I thought about whether it'd be a boy or girl. I thought about it a lot. Probably because Cohen insisted that it was a little sister (he was also pretty adamant about there being "two babies" in there, so thankfully he's not a clairvoyant). Maybe because everyone's first question after they learned our news was, "Are you hoping for a girl?"

Honestly, after nearly a year of hoping and praying for this baby, I just wanted a baby. I didn't care if it had six toes on one foot, I wanted it. I recently came across a blog post that I never completed. I don't know where I was headed with it, but I think it illustrates perfectly where I was at (I wrote it about a month before I found out I was pregnant):

Today is August 8, 2012 ... 2 days shy of Cohen turning 21 months old and exactly 10 months since we started trying to get pregnant with Baby #2.
I don't kid myself: 10 months is not a terribly long time to try for a baby. I know of women and have heard stories of women who went years without conceiving. Some were never able to become pregnant. So I know that 10 months really is just a drop in the bucket in the grand scheme. But 10 months ... 10 cycles ... 10 "failures"... 10 disappointments... they have a way digging at your heart.
With Cohen, it took us 7 months, and looking back, I wouldn't trade it for anything, even though each negative test broke my heart then as much as they do now. Why? Because I have Cohen, and he's more than I could ever deserve. And what if I got pregnant on month 4? I wouldn't have Cohen. I try to remind myself of this fact daily, especially when I'm feeling particularly beaten down. God has a plan, and if His plan is for me to have another child, then He will give me the perfect child for me. That time just hasn't come yet.
During this time of waiting, I've learned a very important truth: God doesn't bless other people to punish me. Since the first negative pregnancy test back in October, I have congratulated 12 other women on their pregnancies. I won't lie, at first it hurt (it still hurts). More than anything, I felt sorry for myself. Why do they get a baby and I don't? But as time goes by and I draw closer to the Lord, I begin to understand that their pregnancies are not meant to punish me. God loves me too much for that. He knows my heart, my desires, my wounds, and my fears. He knows me better than I know myself. And His plan for me is perfect, even when I don't understand it or like it or want it.

Very early in this second pregnancy, I once again developed an overwhelming feeling that he was a boy. And you know what? I was super happy about it, right from the start. Cohen will have a brother, a playmate, a best friend. When I daydream about the future, I envision my boys playing trains and trucks and building forts together. I see days filled with baseball practices and games. Bikes and dirt and grass stains. I see the teenage years where I complain about them sleeping all day and eating all the food in the house. I pray they grow into men of God.

I cannot wait for this house full of boys. I know that it is what the Lord has prepared for me, and I welcome it. And honestly? Now that I am on this path, the thought of a daughter seems foreign to me. I remember a comment someone made when I found out Cohen was a boy: "You seem like a boy mom." Back then, I didn't understand what that meant or how special that was. But now? I'm starting to see. A boy mom. A woman God picked to raise boys into men.

 I can think of no more honorable job than that.

Menu Planning Monday, v.3

Happy February!

Last week was a crazy one, for sure. All that crazy kind of changed up my dinner plans, so that's kind of a bummer. Tuesday, instead of white chicken enchiladas, my toddler locked me out of the house all afternoon. By the time we finally got back in the house, it was dinner time, and those enchiladas were not in the oven. So we had Sonic. Tator tots. Drool. And Thursday, I spent the night at my parents' house, so those poor chicken pockets spent another week in the freezer while I endulged in the best pizza, ever. Period.

Eh. To quote my toddler: "It happens." 

I just got home from a morning of errands which started with a sick visit to the pediatrician (hello ear infection!) and ended with a trip to the grocery store. Somewhere in the middle Cohen conned me into buying him a milkshake. The set-up was too good; when we left the doctor, Cohen said, "I need a milkshake, Mommy. It will make me feel better." Little turd. 

His exact words after taking his first sip: "Deeee-wicious!"

I think he's starting to expect a milkshake every time he gets sick. Or every time we go to the grocery store. Or every time we pass a McDonalds.

Anyway, due to multiple nights of a closed kitchen and those chicken pockets that are waiting patiently for me in the freezer, this week's grocery trip only cost me $36. I love it when that happens.

P.S. Did you know that Publix sells the generic version of Amoxicillin for exactly $0.00? I did not. Here I've been paying the CVS pharmacy a boatload of money every time my kid gets an ear infection, and Publix is giving away the stuff. Needless to say I got a little excited at the Publix pharmacy today. I may have danced a little jig. The pharmacist looked bored.

Without further ado, here's what we [probably, provided we avoid all the crazy of last week] are eating this week:

{Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cookies,           Pepperoni Pizza Bread,             Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches}

Monday

Kitchen's Closed!!!
Making love baskets at church, so daddy and son are on their own.
Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cookies to take to the event

Tuesday

leftover Creamy Chicken Pockets (I'm determined to eat them!)

rice pilaf

sauteed squash and zuchinni
dinner rolls

Wednesday

Pepperoni Pizza Bread with maranara dipping sauce

salad

parmesan pasta

Thursday

Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
Steak fries
Carrots with Ranch dipping sauce

Friday

Kitchen's closed!
We have another function at church.

Saturday

Kitchen's closed

Church Sunday School party

Sunday

Leftover Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches after church

24 Week Bumpdate

VIABILITY, Baby! This is an exciting week!

How far along? 24 weeks and 1 day.

How big is baby? Baby is about a foot long (the size of an ear of corn) and weighs close to 1.5 pounds. I read that my uterus is the size of a soccer ball, and that does not surprise me in the slightest -- this mama is feeling huge.

Movement: Lots and lots. He likes to kick and squirm when things are quiet and I'm resting. A crazy thing I've discovered about this baby is that he will be still in the mornings until my brain wakes up, then he's immediately on the go. No more lying in bed trying to go back to sleep for me. I've also been feeling some jabs and kicks on my sides, which is different for this little guy. He's usually upside down and very low.

Sleep: Sleeping well!


Best moment this week: I visited my parents this week, and my mom and sister got to feel him kick! We hit viability this week. AND momma got some new big-belly clothes!

Miss Anything? Not feeling like my back is about to break. It's bad, and I'm afraid it's only going to get worse.

Food cravings: I indulged Friday with pancakes for breakfast and waffles for dinner. Bread and butter and syrup is the best thing ever.

Anything making you queasy or sick: I am trying to pinpoint exactly what it is that is making me feel like I'm 10 weeks pregnant again. Grease? Dairy? Eggs? Something doesn't sit well with me. Also, cooking ground meat totally turns me off.

Gender: Baby boy!

Labor Signs: Nothing yet, thank goodness.

Belly Button in or out? In. It's stretching and shallowing out a bit, though.

Wedding rings on or off? Wedding band is way too tight, so it's off. Engagement ring is holding out though.

Mood: Tuesday, Cohen locked me out of the house, and in that 4 hour stretch of being stuck in the back yard, I ran the gamut of emotions. When your toddler looks at you like you're crazy, you know it's bad.

Looking forward to: Starting to work on the baby's room, furniture buying, the big consignment sale is coming up in 2 weeks-- I hope to have all of baby's summer wardrobe bought after that!