boy conversation

First, you must look at my ultrasound pictures below. If you've already seen them, take another quick look at them. Of course you know what they are, but to a 3yr old, I guess it can be confusing. Tonight I had my blog up and Mase came in. I lifted him up to the desk, he got real close to the computer and loooooked at the ultrasound pictures.

Me: What is that, Mase?
Mase: Uhhhhh, Oooooo! It's a *gets quiet* .... a dark cave. Shhhhh, owls are sleeping.

I busted out laughing. Ahhhh, the imaginations they possess.

It's A ......

.... we don't know. The Scovil black clould has once again loomed over our heads and Baby II was very shy about things. That mixed in with the ultrasound tech totally SUCKED! First we walked in and at our old OB office they video'd the whole thing. This tech said she'd tape AFTER she got the pictures for the doctor. 90 seconds left of the hour-long ultrasound, she popped the tape in and got a whopping 90 seconds of video in, after which she takes the tape out and says "Oh, I'm not sure if that even recorded or not. Oops." Out of the 42 pictures she took for the doctor, she gave us THREE. I got about 2 pages worth of Maysen.

So, long story made short, the baby is healthy, proportionate, and on track. According to this ultrasound I am about a week further along that originally thought, stating 20w4d today, with a due date of January 12th. It will change probably every time I go in, but that is what it said today! My blood pressure has been elevated on past visits (today was explainable!) so I am having another ultrasound in 4 weeks! Hopefully this one will show a bit more!

Bedtime Memories ...

I know it wasn't even a year ago that we redid Maysen's room for his birthday. However, upon learning of this new baby we knew we'd need the crib mattress, etc from his room to prepare another nursery. So, at 1:45am last night I decided that today we'd remodel Maysen's room, including moving him to a "real" big boy bed (I love my husband very much. He just said "Okay" upon asking him his thoughts because he's learned to just go with my manic random ideas). So, that's just what we did today! Nate got this bed out of the attic, which we inherited last summer from his mom -this is a part of a set of bunk beds he and his brother, Josh, slept in about 20 years ago. It was neat putting it together for our son, knowing the memories it held for Nate. We went to Costco and got a new Twin mattress and then went to Target and got new sheets, quilt, bedside table, and curtains. I put it all together and then we let Maysen in who's reaction was all worth it. "OOooooooooo!! New bed!?" We'll see how he does tonight.

Tomorrow I have my 20-week ultrasound in which we get to find out the sex. People ask what I want and I truly don't care. A girl would be nice to round out the sexes - but just as equal it would be great for Maysen to have a little brother. I'll definitely be posting what I find out, so stay tuned ...

*sigh*

Ahh, pregnancy. My favorite part is peeing my pants when I cough or sneeze and when you've got a cold, like me, you're screwed.

Chaos

One 2.5yr old + One black permanent marker + One 5min phone conversation with a mom thinking he was playing "Fred and Bob" = 2hrs of Magic Eraser, Goof Off 2, hurt shoulder, aching back, fumes, and inside laughter.

And just when I sat yesterday afternoon thinking "I should blog. But about what?" Be careful what you wish for. What amazes me, is that in my stir of "OH NO" I actually thought to grab my camera and capture the "I'm sure this will be funny one day" moment. What you don't see is the string of marker all the way down the hall along the wall, on my kitchen lower cabinets, and one streak on our carpet. I'm just very very thankful that Nate came home and helped and the majority came up by 11:00pm. I still have to do another coat of paint on my walls - and more scrubbing on my floor with the Magic Eraser, but that should do the trick.

Thank the LORD Bonnie is gracious enough to let me bring the monster over to her house so I can finish it up, and maybe sneak a nap in. Oh, did I tell you I mowed, weeded, pulled bulbs, and winterized a few plants yesterday? Then when the boys went swimming I swept my pre-marker floor, windexed my windows, and dusted. So, the growing baby wasn't too happy with me by the time I went to bed last night - so I thought I'd be nice and give me ... 'er, IT a nap :-)

Life Race

This last week has been the Lane County Fair here in Eugene. Do you know a funny little tidbit? I grew up in Lane County Dighton, Kansas. Nathan grew up in Lane County Eugene, Oregon. When we met eachother we lived near a cross section of streets. One side was Leslie, the other side was Oregon. Just little things like that that make you go "Hmm." Anyway, we took Maysen to meet Uncle Bob and Aunt Bonnie yesterday. Bonnie is an artist and had a booth of her paintings at the fair. We bought one of her open paintings from the Creswell Christian School auction in March. We finally found the perfect picture for her to paint of Maysen, which she'll start this winter.

We spent the day riding kiddy rides, which Maysen was apprehensive at first. Then we couldn't get him off the rides! He was Mr Hotshot and there was nothing getting him off the rides .. until $20 of tickets ran out - which was quick, believe me!

Along side riding kiddie rides, was of course the gotta-have bag of the aired pure sugar we know as Cotton Candy. Can you believe this stuff is legal?

I'm not sure what causes most people to sit back at a given moment and make them count their blessings. Lately I don't think I have done that enough. However, yesterday while watching the pig race, I glanced over to Bob, who had tagged along with us while romping around with Maysen. Bob and Bonnie watched Maysen ever since I went back to work when he was 3 months old. They had him at least one whole day a week until June 15th when I hung up my nurses hat temporarily to stay home with my small kids while they're still ... small. Ever since that day I can honestly say that I never realized the impact it had on them that he wasn't there like normal - nor the impact it had on Maysen. Both Bonnie and Bob are cancer survivors, and when Maysen was born were both feeling the effects of illness and age. Having admittedly not known Bob and Bonnie very well prior to Maysen's birth, I didn't realize who they were. It was after the first year of watching Maysen did people start telling me and I really realized how much Maysen meant to their lives - and them to his. They share a special bond that I don't think anyone will understand except for them. They have their own routine, games, language when they're together. And it's not until I saw them together yesterday did I realize, in a way, I had taken him from them.

Now to the blessings part. I grew up as a kid in a big family. Big in the sense that I had lots of cousins, lots of aunts and uncles, lots of loving people around. Unfortunately family chaos arose, my family broke up, and I haven't spoken to mostly all of them in many, many years. It truly is a shame and I wish things were different, but unfortunately they're not. Even my immediate family is not what it used to be, although I love them very very much. My own mother and I have a strained, frustrating relationship and she lives in North Carolina (whole other story there), my sister is close in Portland but has her own life, and my wonderful dad and stepmom are semi-retired and travel all over the US. They are closer to us geographically than they ever have been but are still an 8hr drive one way. I shouldn't complain, as it could be much, much worse. That is the extent (to a small degree) "my family", or what is left of it. When I married into Nathan's family I never realized how blessed I was marrying into such a great family. What family was lost has now been somewhat recovered and I am back in a loving, caring enviroment. What is more important to me however, is that Maysen is surrounded by a group that is accepting, loving, caring, close, secure, and most importantnly - bonded. I could have never imagined that I would get that ... and so much more. The bond he shares with Bob and Bonnie will forever be there and that is something I would never change. It truly is a special gift from God.

Pools, trains, tractors ... OH MY!

Saturday night we got home from our trip to visit my dad and Jo in California. Jenn ended up going also and we all had a great time! Nate was in Seattle at a conference, so why stick around here alone?! What I hadn't really grasped, I don't think, was the driving down there. They are near Lodi, CA and it took us 8.5hrs to get there. Maysen did pretty well, but I think the bigger obstacle was the fact we decided to take my 80lb basset hound, Bailey, with us. She stayed with grandma and grandpa in their 5th wheel, thank goodness!

We went swimming both full days we were there. Maysen actually insists that he do this himself, only holding on to the noodle. Of course I'm right there, but he doesn't want to be touched, and actually does rather well!! He kicks and moves his arms and he scoots across the pool like no one's business!
"Prapa" still had to work while we were there. They manage this KOA park in Isleton, CA.

Near Isleton is this train museum. It seems sort of out of place, and although we were skeptical, decided to go. What a fun place that was! They had a *HUGE* metal shed that held all sorts of antique train cars you could walk through. There was basically no one there and we had the place to ourselves. Check out Jenn's blog for some really awesome pictures! Anything trains is A-OK in Maysen's book so he had a good time. We took a trolley/train car ride about 4 miles down the tracks and they actually gave you a ticket.

I don't know if many of you have seen Polar Express, but I have a son who is absolutely ADDICTED to that movie, and all he could do was sit and stare at his actual ticket! The conductor actually came by with a ticket punch and said "Ticketsssss pleeeease" just like they do in the movie and Mase looked at me like "DID YOU HEAR THAT!?" Here he is staring at his just-punched ticket, not letting go for anything!

Here's one more of the pool ... I had forgotten my bathing suit, so thanks to the clearance rack at Walmart found a cheapo tank top, which worked just fine. Maysen was getting so excited sometimes he'd forget to wait for me to jump. But he's warming up to the water just fine! He goes to swimming lessons with daddy on Wednesday nights (that's their thing together since Nate isn't around all day - they both love it and it gives me an hour alone!) and he's becoming quite the water bug. We've had a great summer so far ... I just can't believe he starts school next month...

Trainin' Him Right

We did some yard work today. Well, Nate did. I cleaned windows and cut part of our dogwood tree down. I know - are you crazy pregnant lady!? Yes, I think I am. It's amazing when you get rest how much you can do! Maysen helped me clean windows until I was re-washing them. So, Nate put him to work cleaning his own window on his playhouse!

This one was trained well, too!

Maysen has reverted back to getting up late at night. I know, what's up with that!? Over the last week he's been getting up at 3am, then 4am and so on until Nate finally goes in and lays on the ground until he falls back asleep. The only good part is that he's so tired he falls back asleep late and sleeps until 9am. But, I'd rather he just sleep through the night again. So I feel like we're starting over with trying to get a full night's sleep out of him. The challenges never cease.

We're heading to the coast tomorrow to spend a "family" day together. Nate is going to Seattle on Wednesday and Maysen and I are going to California to visit my dad and Jo. It'll be Sunday before we see eachother again, so we're going to spend the day together. Maybe hit ChuckECheese on the way home.

Bailey worked hard today ...