New Baby, New Blog!

It's not surprising to know that this blog is driving me crazy right now; all of it: the banner, the name, the layout, and so on . So, I have decided to start a brand, new blog! Once I get it organized to my liking, I will OF COURSE (!) share the new link. I'm hoping that I can enlist the help of my wonderful father in law to get the ball rolling, as well. : ) The new blog will no longer be with blogger, which means that there is a little bit of a learning curve. Until then, I will continue to post the most current happenings on this blog...

Today is my "computer day". There's lots of online shopping that I need to get done ASAP, and I figured I could use a little bit of my time to work on the new blog. Also, this is shopping related: did you know that you could turn your blog into a book? Check out blog 2 print. It's pretty cool!

Back to spending money as fast as Josh makes it... ; )

Who needs a bumper sticker...

...When Michael B is your son?!?!

It's no secret that Josh and I are Barack Obama supporters, and we've made sure to include Michael in a number of our political conversations. He tries to participate in the conversations, but the majoritity of the time his words come out as gibberish. However, he clearly knows who we will be voting for today, and isn't afraid to shout it from the roof tops. "ROCK-A-BAMA!!!," Michael says!!! We've even been reading a book at night to Michael about the presidential election called Grace Campbell for President. And, to our dismay he listens to every word of this incredibly LONG book about the Electoral College.

Josh took Michael to vote with him this morning before he went into the office. The line was incredibly long, for our initials, while the other line was incredibly short. Imagine waiting in line with a three year old for forty-five minutes; Josh really is a great sport! Josh admitted that he was grateful that Michael did not start spouting off about Barack Obama to a bunch of strangers. Somehow, Michael was able to refrain from expressing his political views to the masses. Josh was happy to see the children's voting booth, but both he and Michael were disappointed to learn that you have to be FIVE to vote. (What a bummer.) Michael still got a sticker, though.

Michael has not missed an election day in all of his three years! Way to go, Michael B!!!

Pictures to come of Nicholas voting later on in the day. : )

GUEST BLOGGER! (Duncan K-H)

This is what I looked like a week ago:  (Check out the flashy, long, slicked back, dignified beard.)

Here I am now that my "master" is less than a week away from the due date:    

(I'm so embarrassed, I don't want to turn my head...)

Please don't laugh... 

It's all good, I got her back last night. 

Wanna know how?

 I'm STILL licking what's left of my beard, and it drives her CRAZY!  

Looks like someone's plan backfired....

A FABULOUS Rainy Day!

Someone, please tell me why there are empty seats right now at the US Open?  Tell me,  because if I could, I would be front and center and EARLY(!) for the match this morning.  

I can't convince Josh to name the baby Roger, wish I could, but I can't.  I'm working on convincing him to go to the open next year, though.  

Michael says his favorite sport is tennis, he makes me so happy... : )  And, so does watching Federer...  

Have a great day!

"Spelling Issues"...

Help us!  

When you hear the name Nora(h,) which spelling do you think of?  

1.  Norah

OR

2. Nora

Please help us settle this household dispute.  

Just leave a comment, please.  Post anonymously, it takes two seconds, I will have no idea who you are...  ; ) 

Day Care for the Dog?

Have I mentioned that I have the most annoying, hyperactive, OCD dog on the planet?

Normally, I am conscious of using the pronoun "we", rather than "I", because Duncan is jointly owned by both Josh and me. However, this dog has made it his mission to follow EVERY. SINGLE. STEP. "I" take EVERY. MINUTE. OF. THE. DAY. He's CLEARLY ALL!! MINE!! at this time. I sure do hope that once the baby arrives, he'll chill. Because if he doesn't, he's either going to spend the entire day in the crate OR I'm going to strike a deal with Michael's sitter. In the near future, I'm also going to buy a water bottle to squirt in his face when he jumps on our guests. I can't stand the jumping on people, I actually cringe when people come to the door-his behavior is THAT bad. It's either a squirt bottle, pepper spray, a little bit of alcohol slipped into his water bowl, or a drop kick. The water bottle (not bowl!) seems more humane, don't you think?

I do love my dog. No need to call the animal shelter, at this time...

He loves his Mom....

(31 Weeks!)

Last week Michael went to his sitter's house for a day. He certainly did not want his Mama to leave! I felt badly about parting with him for the day, but it was a good and productive day for both of us. Throughout the next year he will continue to go to the sitter's house, which I think will help the transition for NEXT August. : ) It's ridiculous that I'm already thinking about returning to work when I haven't even really started the year of leave! Josh and I have discussed (ad nauseum) the pro's and con's of Michael staying with the sitter or going to a preschool in town. Though, I'm incredibly interested in Montessori schools right now for Michael. I just don't see how we could afford it or make it work for us long term.

When we return from the beach Michael will begin his school year with Ms. Peg! She's such a blessing to us and he loves her (and the other children) so much. The baby will join Ms. Peg and the gang next August. I'm sure Michael will help to take great of his sibling!

A Peaceful and Clean House...

Josh is playing basketball and Michael is playing with his Grandparents right now.  Ahhhh....

So, I've managed to get quite a bit done--washed the floors, windows, dishes, vacuumed (inside and out, upstairs and down), removed my chipped fingernail polish, and dusted.  Now it's time for something that I like to call "internet window shopping".  And, here are a couple fun finds, that I did not purchase, though I would like to or might in the future.  Enjoy!  

1.  From Gap:  A long, sleeved nursing top.  Doesn't even look like a nursing top, does it?  I might be too modest for it, though.  I'd have to wear another shirt underneath, which would defeat the whole purpose.

I like this one, too!!

2.  Melissa B's Favorite:  Chaco's! 

I've been contemplating buying a pair since we went to the zoo together.  They sure look comfy, don't they?  

3.  And, more nursing "gear".

I'm wondering if this is better than the Boppy pillow?  Thoughts...Anyone?  Anyone?  : ) 

You know you're getting close to the third trimester when you're thinking about nursing tops, rather than maternity clothes!!   : ) 

That's it for now, the guys are starting to fill the house!

The K-H 4th of July Was Spent:

...watching the Wimbledon semifinals, of course! 

One day, Josh and I will spend the 4th of July holiday here: 

Depending on our children's love for tennis, we may or may not bring them along! 

Honestly, our day was rather uneventful. We spent a lot of time lounging around the house in our pj's, except for Michael! Now that he's a big boy, who wears underwear, he likes to get dressed first thing in the morning. Tomorrow and Monday we have some fun activities lined up, though. We're going to take Michael on a "Safari" car trip, spend the night in a hotel, and then head to an indoor water park. I, of course, don't want to leave until we get to see the gentlemen's finals tomorrow. I just can't convince Josh to wait until noon to leave for the safari trip, though...

Josh and I would like a matching set of these hats: 

How I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE RF!! (Roger Federer) Josh doesn't "Love" him, but he does agree that he's amazing! : )  I'm so glad that I won't have to wait until the US Open to watch him play, as he will be playing in the OLYMPICS!!!!  

A Moody Momma.

"Baby" and I have a new trick!! Check it out!!
That's something that I couldn't have done six months ago, now is it?!

Well! Baby and I are moving to the end of the 26th week!! Unbelievable. Overall, I'm feeling fantastic and I'm enjoying every minute of feeling Baby kick and wriggle around. Last night Baby was moving all over the place during Michael's swimming lesson. Truthfully, I have absolutely no pregnancy complaints: I'm so happy and I'm enjoying every minute of being pregnant.

Now, those around me may see things a little bit differently... I've been a teensy, weensy bit "moody" the past few days. Duncan, the anxiety-ridden dog, has faced most of my wrath. I completely adore our dog, he's a sweetheart and is so faithful. However, the anxiety is DRIVING ME UP THE WALL!! He follows me EVERYWHERE: the toilet, the kitchen, upstairs, downstairs, the laundry room, the car, the garage, EVERYWHERE. I find myself tripping over him on daily basis because he is never more than two feet away from my side. It would sound like this is some amazing intuitive sense that he has right now, but it's not. He's been like this ever since we moved to this new house. He is completely unsettled and it's so frustrating! He had a check up with the vet this week, and I tried really hard to explain my issue with the following me around the house, and they just smiled. And, I wanted to smack the vet. assistant. Michael doesn't even follow me in the bathroom, for crying out loud! So, to have a dog in there, just staring at you? Call me hormonal, but it's ANNOYING! I was really searching for a prescription offer from the vet, but came home fruitless...

And, here's another example of me being a little moody. (Aren't these stories fun?) I'm in Target, trying on a second maternity bathing suit and I hear a knock on the door. One would assume, that if the door is locked there must be a customer in the changing room. The person knocking was the clerk, she loudly asks if someone is changing in the room. I respond to her question and then she says, "Oh, did you know THIS ROOM IS FOR THE HANDICAPPED?!?!" Honestly, I knew that. I have used this changing room since Michael was like three weeks old because it's nice and spacious and has a good mirror. So, in the middle of changing in to another stinking suit that didn't fit, I wanted to shout back, "DO YOU WANT ME TO COME OUT NAKED? BECAUSE I WILL, MA'AM." Of course, I didn't respond that way. And, I thought to myself, Katie you are going to feel like the biggest jerk ever if you walk out and there is a handicapped woman waiting for this room. I hustled up, and got out of the handicapped room. When I step out of the room, guess who was waiting? A pregnant mom and a daughter, and they were not handicapped. I was so annoyed with the clerk. Mainly, because it's not easy to squeeze yourself into an itty, bitty changing room when you're feeling huge and it's hard to bend over. There wasn't a soul to be found trying on clothes yesterday morning in that Target, until the pregnant mom and daughter showed up.

I'm completely aware of the fact that this was SO not a big deal and I should have just moved merrily along, but the hormones got the best of me. : ) Josh just laughs when he hears these stories, and then makes some comment about how he's so glad he hasn't had to deal with the 'Wrath of Katie.' The world peace shirt that I'm wearing in this picture suits me well, doesn't it?

Pool Rats

Instead of being mall rats, I think Michael and I are pool rats.  Since Michael enjoys swimming so much this summer, we frequent the pool quite a bit these days.  Today we took Josh to the pool to show him all of Michael's new swimming skills:  hopping on one foot in the big pool, going under the water, and driving the cars around the baby pool.  

Tomorrow Michael starts swimming lessons, on his own.  I think this will be very interesting!  I am eager to see if he goes directly to the instructor or if he will cling to our legs. Unfortunately, for the the teacher's sake, I am going to be one of "those" mother's who hangs out directly beside the pool so that I can keep a close eye on my little guy.  The water is still kind of deep for him, as it comes up to the bottom part of his chin.  And, now that he thinks he can hop around on one foot, he falls frequently and has trouble getting back to the surface.  (A little scary...for me, not him.)

So, yes!  Here is yet another one of my neuroses!  : ) Swimming/water safety.  I don't think that I would ever be able to have a pool in my backyard, even with the very fanciest, state of the art technology to keep children out of the pool unattended.  Call me paranoid, but he's still a little guy and I want to be there just in case he needs me.  It's curious that I am so paranoid about the water, considering I've been a "swimmer" practically my whole life.  I started swim team around third/fourth grade and I was a lifeguard/swim instructor for at least seven years, or so.  The water really terrifies me, though, especially since I have a child.   Of course, I'll do my very best to mask this fear, so that he's not scared and so that he has a blast tomorrow evening!  

And, here's a question to all mother's out there:  Should I have two maternity bathing suits?  What do you think?  We go to the pool at least three or four times a week and we'll be at the beach for a week this summer.  Is it a waste of money since (HOPEFULLY!!) I won't be wearing either one next summer because I'll be back at my "fighting weight"?  : ) Would you buy two?  

Decision '08:

Instead of discussing our political vote for the upcoming November election, Josh and I are facing a few other pressing issues.  (We already know who were voting for, so that's one decision off our backs for the time being...)

Next year I will be taking the year off from teaching to stay home with Michael and the new baby!  (YAY!!)  However, we're facing lots of difficult and complex decisions, which range from choosing the right health care plan to cloth diapering.  : )  I am so grateful that Josh is such a fantastically gifted numbers analyst because numbers make my head spin.  We've really been talking through some things this weekend because the open enrollment period with my employer starts very soon.  Yiiiikes! 

I'm so nervous about this decision, but I think it's the right one for us, at this time.  So, really I have less than a month of school left-something like 19 days!  How fun--but WOW!  Buh-Bye, Paycheck!  : ) Hello, Freedom! Hello, Clean House! Hello, Michael...I hope you'll enjoy the extra time with your Mommy!

Back to the research on cloth diapers....More on that topic later! 

Going Green??

Boy, were Michael and I happy to have Josh home this evening!! Josh has been out of town since Sunday afternoon and because he got in late last night and left very early this morning; Michael did not get to see him until this evening. It was such a relief to share in his company at the dinner table, in addition to sharing the household/Michael B nighttime routine. I honestly don't know how single parents manage.

Until I had Michael, I had no idea how easy it is to obsess over your child's diet!!

When your baby is an infant you wonder is he getting enough from nursing? Is the formula upsetting the babe's stomach? When he is just learning to eat solid foods you wonder: Will he choke? What if he chokes? What about an allergic reaction? How do I handle those situations?? And, now, the worry is: has he eaten enough good food throughout the day?

Lately, Michael has been really picky and has hardly eaten his dinners. Granted, they may not be the best dinners or they may not be "kid food", sometimes. I worry, though, that he doesn't have a proper diet. I worried about his diet, in fact, until this evening. He ate and ate and ate. I grilled two steaks and made baked potatoes, a green salad, and green beans almondine . And, like I mentioned, he ate everything on his plate (including the itty, bitty salad)! Thank goodness. I worried that my holiday baking totally ruined his meager ('well-balanced') diet. but it does appear that my child will still eat something green.

Honestly, I have been obsessing about this food issue since Saturday night. And, thankfully, this obsession has come to an end. I wonder what I will worry about tomorrow?

What are YOU doing this weekend?

Over the past few days, I've had this conversation with many people. When I'm asked this question, my response is always the same.

People: "Any big plans for the holiday weekend, Kate?"

Katie: "Well. I'm watching tennis."

People: Not sure what to say. Respond with silence.

Tennis is my all time favorite sport to watch. Any of the major tournaments are just like the Super Bowl to me, except they are so much better! I l-o-v-e Roger Federer. (Love, love, love him!) He could teach some of the professional athletes, that you hear so much about on the news, a thing or two about class, intelligence, and not using steroids. I always have something to say about professional athletes, and I'll save you from the speeches that I deliver to Josh while he is watching ESPN. Surprisingly, he usually agrees with me. Maybe he's trying to shut me up?

I'm not sure why I love watching tennis so much because I certainly don't play. I will tell you that John McEnroe cracks me up. I love the outfits of the players, watching Sharapova and the Williams' sisters play is like watching a fashion show. But most of all, I love the athleticism and grace that comes with tennis. I rarely let Michael watch TV when we get home from school, but this week we watched tennis every afternoon.

So. In a nutshell, that's what I'm doing this weekend. Watching tennis. One of these days I'll get to Wimbledon or the U.S. Open. Michael has already agreed to play in Wimbledon one day, we talk about when he'll make his debut frequently.

Oh. And, another thing...the painter is coming on Tuesday! TUESDAY!?!? YIIIKES. I think we're good though. I'm not 100% sure about the chocolate/mocha shade for the kitchen, but I've got a pretty good idea. So, stay tuned for photos of painted walls! Yay, yay, yay!

Times have Changed.

There was a time when Josh and I would go to Lowes, check out the paint samples, buy a gallon or two of that sample, and then go home and slap it up on the wall. No research was involved, no planning was involved; we just found a color we liked (or, didn't like...in some cases...) and we began to paint.

Not now!! Times have CHANGED!!

Oh my goodness. This is excruciating! I'm losing my mind (and, sleep!) over paint colors! I've been to Sherwin Williams twice this week. Each time I go, I pick up as many little cards as I can stuff into my purse, and I buy at least three small containers of paint. I've painted about eight poster boards with various shades of greens and browns, and I've found ONE color that I semi-like.

We aren't painting everything, so I have to keep the "future" in mind...For example, if I paint my kitchen purple, then I proably won't be able to paint the entryway turquoise. Although, they just might be on the same palate, who knows?

Tomorrow I'm going to head back to SW and to get a few more samples. I'm drawn to colors with names like Beach House, Mexican Sand, Tiki Hut, Sprout, and Lemon Verbena. It's probably the name, and not the color, that I'm drawn to. Check them out if you get a chance... Just click on the name of the paint color. Tell me what you think by leaving a comment!

Sherwin Williams does have a great website, if you're looking to paint. You can pick a room and then move colors from the palate around. It's helpful to get a general idea of colors from a certain palate. I'm still baffled by it all, though...

Summer fading to fall...

"To watchin summer fade to fall
Growin up too fast and I do recall, I go back" ~Kenny Chesney.

This time of year really gets to me... It's time to go back to school. I'm excited. I'm nervous. I'm ready to wear skirts! I'm really, really going to be lonely without my baby boy. My, how I love him.

The start of the school year takes me back to so many happy times in my life. Like, when Josh and I fell in love. : ) I was in ninth grade, he was a junior, and we got to know one another during high school cross country. That MUST be why I love to run, it reminds me (on a subconscious level) of Josh.

This time of year reminds me of when my mom took me to my middle school to register me for school. I picked up my combination lock that day and I couldn't figure it out. I was terrified. This, thankfully, was not indicative of my middle school years. They were wonderful, and I was blessed with some of the very best teachers. And, I became a runner in seventh grade, because of Mr. B.

And, I certainly can't forget college...Uggh. My stomach hurts when I think about the day my parents and brothers dropped me off. Oh, that was so sad. Even though I was desperately homesick, I love to think about the day I met Missy and Kim. I love to think about finishing up my biology lab at four-thirty in the afternoon, with the sun setting because of daylight savings, and walking across that beautiful field back to my dorm.

These memories help me to remember that change is good and that I am opening a brand new door in my life. I'm scared, I really don't want to leave my Michael; but it's time to move along, I suppose...What a great summer we've had...

Not yet shipped.

That's what the canon folks have to say about my baby. Blah. At this point, I'm going to ask for the baby shipped to the beach. Aside from calling them EVERYDAY! and checking on the repair status, it's all I can do, I suppose...

Michael is spending the morning with my mom so that I can "pack" (or, "blog") and so that she can get her Michael fix before we leave on Saturday. When I left him this morning, she was letting him help to make homemade rolls. What a riot that was! You're probably wishing I had that Canon, right? Me too.

We're slowly, but surely, getting ready for our vacation. For some reason, I always feel the need to make my house spotless before we leave; bathrooms scrubbed and scoured, floors vacuumed and mopped, sheets changed, laundry washed. This makes packing difficult because I can't possibly put one article of clothing in a suit case, which rests on a floor that isn't vacuumed, now can I? Seriously. What is my problem?

(Oh, and Michael likes "messes" about as much as I do!)

Return to Me

Oh, my sweet camera is in the clutches of the Canon folks, somewhere in Illinois, I believe.

They have a site for obsessive people, like me, so that we can track the progress of our camera repairs. That just didn't cut it for me today, however. I broke down and called the folks out there in Illinois.

I explained to this kind woman, that I am going on vacation in a week and I desperately NEED my camera.

At one point in the conversation I said, "Tell me. Should I have the camera shipped back to my house or to the vacation spot? What would YOU do??? Do you offer over-night shipping?? The odds are that I won't get it back in time, right??? And, what is your extension so that I can talk to you about this next week? Oh, and when I call you back next week, what day should I call??"

She gave me the extension, but also mentioned that I could just as easily talk to someone else about this issue. Hmmm??? Was that a "get lost, psycho" cue???

We do have another digital camera, but this one...ahhh...It's my baby. And, I was hoping that I could take some shots of the ocean and blow them up into canvas prints. That way we could display them, like art or something...Even though Josh thinks that is a ridiculous idea...(Remember, operation decorate? Well, we're still struggling!)

I am still hopelessly optimistic at this point. Maybe I'll check once more, just to see if it's been shipped.

On the Road, Again.

Josh and I made homemade cookies a few nights ago.

This morning, as Michael was eating his toast, I suggested that we share some of the cookies with his friends. (He is with his sitter today.) I brought the plates of cookies over to the table and we counted out the cookies to put in the baggie. Once I sealed the baggie shut, he hopped down from the table and was ready to head out the door. That's the fastest that we've EVER gotten ready for the sitter's! I guess it's the thought of sharing something....

Or, is it? On our way, I told M. that he was going to share the cookies with his friends after they had a nutritious lunch. He said, "MY. COOKIES." Oh boy. Maybe he jumped down from the table and grabbed the cookies so that he could brag or show off???? That comment sent me into a long lecture about who would receive the cookies, what would happen to the cookies when he walked in the door, the approximate time he would eat the cookies, the importance and pleasure of SHARING something, he got the whole soap box. After my tirade, he then named off his friends and told me that each one would get a cookie. : ) Yay. Maybe he won't have a tantrum when his sitter brings them our after lunch.

This evening ( or, tomorrow morning--hopefully, not tomorrow...) we're heading out to visit some very, very special relatives! My Grandma, one of my aunts, and then Josh's cousin and her ADORABLE family, as well as one of Josh's aunts. It's going to be so much fun!! Our intention is to hit an amusement park on the way to K's tomorrow. We're hoping that Josh will be able to wrap things up at work quickly this afternoon.

So, stay tuned and follow us on our next adventure.

Priorities. They Change.

At the end of the school year, a number of people asked me if I was going to take Michael to his sitter over the summer. You know, just to keep his feet wet, if you will. I quickly responded with a resounding, "NO! My baby is staying with ME."



And so, now I'm eating my words. The closer we got to the end of the school year, the more I heard about this notion from my teacher friends. It turns out that a lot of moms and dads do this over the summer. One reason being, it helps the little one stay in the routine of going to the sitter or to daycare. The second reason being, many parent's enjoy the time to get a few things done around the house or running errands.


This morning, Michael went to spend some time with his sitter and the other children. The drop off was really rough. The reunion with his friends was wonderful, though. One little girl just enveloped Michael with a gigantic, joyful hug. That warmed my heart. I did my main errand, getting my address changed on my license and I registered to vote. (***Which, by the way, are you registered???? DO IT. ASAP.--That's a BIG soapbox of mine.*** ) That took about an hour. The other two and a half hours? I wandered around town and tried not to think about how much I missed my baby boy.

The frequent visits to the sitter are going to be more helpful for MY separation anxiety, than Michael's, I'm afraid! There was a time, before Michael, that I would have loved to have spent an hour browsing the aisles at Target. And now? I'd prefer an hour at the park with my baby boy pretty much any day.

Priorities are a funny thing, aren't they?