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I'm starting to think if I did not stop and pause every month or so to take a breath and blog it, it may all very well be forever forgotten and replaced with the next 6 weeks of craziness! :)
That's right, I said craziness... but I mean that in the warmest of ways!
I absolutely love my crazy, crazy life!! My last blog entry left me with a determination to get out there and enjoy the last summer I have with my boys before we become a family of five and the next long, cold winter sets in! We did just that, here's the hard cold evidence below :)
The first adventure we took was to Shedds Aquarium with my girlfriend and her daughter.
We had a great time... the kids really enjoyed the turtles which Austin believed were waving to him as they swam by, perhaps they were?! The penguins and the dolphins were also a hit... and we all enjoyed lunch overlooking beautiful Lake Michigan and breath taking Chicago skylines!
Our next big adventure, also with my brave girlfriend who brought along her one little girl to help me with my two plus the little girl I Nanny for... was to the Brookfield Zoo. We had a great time there as well! Our favorite's there were the Giraffe's, Elephant, and the Primate Pavilion. We loved those monkey's but carrying my way-too-heavy diaper bag and 2 toddlers who weigh about 30 pounds each about put me in labor! They didn't allow strollers in there, much to my dismay!
We were all lucky enough to have Jeff for a 3 day weekend, the weekend of the 4th of July! Anytime we can have Daddy around it makes everything more fun!! We threw our annual 4th of July party with friends! The men spent the day hovering over their grills and their beers... discussing Lord knows what, while the ladies and I kept track of ALL the children... this year there were 10 at one point!! So as you can imagine, our conversations (when we were able to have them) were short, sweet and interrupted about 98% of the time! But it was still a lot of fun!
The kids played outside, we all ate on the deck... then the kids took baths and got PJ's on just in time to crack-up some glow sticks (our child safe version of fireworks) and watch the fireworks through the windows overlooking the nature preserve behind our house! This way they could watch with out being a late night snack to the nasty mosquitoes! After fireworks, they all curled up with their bags of popcorn for a movie. Watching the kids have f
un was what it was all about, for me! Happy Birthday America!
The next day, Sunday July 5th... Jeff had the day off... and I was determined to get in at least one good beach day this summer! Since I had the day off from watching Kuen and Jeff had the day off of work, I figured this may be our one shot as a family to make it happen!
We decided to head up to New Buffalo Beach, the most southern and therefore, the closest beach to us in Michigan! According to Mapquest we could get there from our house in 2 hours and 15 minutes.
I thought, not bad! But what I failed to take into consideration was that it was 4th of July weekend and everyone, and I mean EVERYONE would be on the road. Not to mention, it was also Taste of Chicago in the city, so we had that mess to contend with as well!
Jeff was very patient and kind to me as we chugged along at a nauseating speed of 10 mph for a majority of the trip! Poor guy and the things his wife drags him into!! Course, all that was soon forgotten once we FINALLY arrived at the beach and I placed a huge mug of not 1, but 2 cold beers in his hands. A little sun, and sand between the toes... and I think I even heard him utter under his breath something that sounded a lot like, 'good idea hon' I don't know... could have been my imagination?! Regardless, watching the boys play in the sand dunes, and build their first official sandcastle was proof positive that we 'did done good!' :) Austin even laid down to make sand angels, it was as if the boys were free... to explore, to create, to discover... and I truly enjoyed every moment being witness to it all! I will do my best to remember this as I continue to find sand on the floor of my new mini-van! :) Still, worth it... dont'cha think!?
We've also spent a lot of time outside playing in the yard, going for walks, meeting friends at parks, outdoor kids concerts, etc.. about a week ago, I thought it would be fun to pull the boys and the little girl I nanny for up to the cafe on the corner to get ice cream cones! I hitched up an umbrella over the wagon and we were off! I realize I'm in my final trimester, but I thought, what the heck,... it's really not that far of a walk. BUT, what I didn't consider was how I was pulling over 100 pounds up hill for the entire walk there! Again, I thought it was worth it once I saw how happy they all were picking out their ice cream and then eating it the whole ride home while it dripped everywhere and covered their faces! I even enjoyed a cone of my own, with my free hand. Needless to say, the way home was down hill and much easier... with the exception of the heavy wagon knocking me in the heels as it picked up speeds greater than this pregnant mama is capable of at the moment! Aghhh, all in good fun, right!? That's what I thought, until I was putting the boys to bed and began to notice some good strong contractions. Luckily, Jeff was home... so he put the boys to bed for me while I laid on my left side drinking water and timing them. I had 3 10 minutes apart, then about 3 at 5 minutes apart, and then... they jumped to 2 minutes apart, lasting a minute and half each with only a 30 second reprieve!! I was holding my breath and actually got tears in my eyes with a few of them! This went on for over 45 minutes when we decided we should probably head to the hospital. I got in the shower to get ready, and they stopped! Thank God! I don't know if the water just helped me relax, or what... but no more contractions after that! The doc checked me out and verified that we are okay... but warned me to take it easy the next 3 weeks. Our goal is to at least make it to 34 weeks, then she said she wouldn't stop labor if it started again... but before then is dangerous! Warning taken! It really freaked me out since I was not at all prepared and terrified at what might happen to our little girl! So, for now on... there will be no more long walks and no more heavy lifting... and unfortunately, no more big excurssions!! But, I'm happy we got in as much as we did before I got too big!
Jack is now falling asleep in his big boy bed!! Although he is yet to wake-up in his big boy bed, he usually wakes in the middle of the night and stumbles crying to our room, where we put him back to bed in the crib where he's used to... but as I type he is sleeping in his big boy bed!! (sniffle, sniffle) Now, I admit, the first time it happened... I took this picture and then went and sat in the rocking chair, in my empty nursery, and balled like a big old baby looking at the empty crib! It's the first time in 4 years that crib has been empty at bed time, and I can only thank God it wont be for too much longer!!
We also got to witness a huge, and I mean HUGE butterfly emerge from it's cocoon! This thing was probably a good 4 to 5 inches long, I kid you not! You really can't tell by my photos, but it was very cool! All the neighborhood kids and a couple of us parents watched in awe! It was really amazing! I reminded Austin of the Eric Carle book we read The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and we recapped the story as we watched about how the little caterpillar eats, and eats and eats, and then builds a little cocoon where it lives until it emerges as a beautiful butterfly!Nothing like being able to show your kid first hand, what you have been reading about all along! I really think he got it, too... cause he still tells me about that Butterfly and how it became so beautiful!
June 22nd, I turned 30! Yikes, I know... I'm an old lady as my OBGYN continues to remind me everytime I go in and complain about my high insulin levels, or my aches and pains, or why I have to be tested for this lump or for that chromosonal thing... it's never ending! This having babies thing was much easier at 25, let me tell you! I'm glad I'm almost done! We went to a nice dinner, and saw a movie... and Jeff bought me some beautiful flowers! What more could a girl want!? Oh yeah, how about tickets to go watch my girl compete for Miss Illinois, which I did! She did not win, nor did she place... in fact, it's a wonder she competed at all with a fractured ankle and her grandmother (who raised her like a mom) dying of terminal cancer. She passed 3 weeks ago. I was very proud of her for doing her best considering all of her rotten circumstances! She says she wants to try again next year, and I have vowed to be with her every step of the way! I have also recently been asked to write an article for Tiara Magazine as an Illinois Vocal and Pageant Coach. It will be published next month on page 5. A ton of fun! But for now, I am doing my best to lay low and just get ready for baby!
In closing, I would like to leave you with a couple random pictures of my 3 favorite men!!!
Just because they're the yummiest things ever!! Course I'm biased, but see for yourself!
*** Quick Update: After writing this post last night, Jack slept the entire night and woke up this morning in his big boy bed!!! First time ever!! WooHoo!! :) We Celebrated with big hugs, lots of praise and kisses, and Strawberry Milk!! What a Big Boy!! ***
