Dreaming

I often have weird, disconnected dreams inwhich I'm not the main player or if I am, I feel like I'm watching from a distance. When I do have a dream where I'm center stage, it tends to stick with me, espeically the weirder ones.

Last night I had a dream that I slept in and missed my hair and makeup appointment before my wedding - my wedding of course that happened over 2 1/2 years ago! But of course I didn't know that in my dream. ;-) When I arrived at the church, my brother in law was the one who took me and for some reason or another he was in charge of my shoes and was guarding them with his life. The church of course looked nothing like the church I really got married in. All of my bridesmaids were there getting ready, and only my maid of honor even suggested helping me. I started panicking. I trusted my maid of honor to do my makeup, but who was going to do my hair??? Then I realized all my bridesmaids were putting on this awful pink taffeta dress that I definitely never would have picked out - and all of them were wearing brightly colored bras underneath which were more than obvious - thus more panicking ensued. Someone suggested I call the hair and makeup lady to see if she'd come and help me even though the wedding was only about an hour or so from starting.

Then my brother in law arrives in the dressing room, and for some very odd reason starts insisting that I do HIS makeup - yes, he wanted me to put foundation on his skin because he was afraid he would look bad. I concented only because I didn't know what else to do at this point and I felt my wedding was basically ruined anyway. Then Gabriel woke me up by pinching the inside of my elbow. Thanks kid.

Schedules and Menues

I really hate schedules. It's kind of fun to fill them out, but keeping to them is another story. I don't enjoy feeling like my life is regulated, it seems so...well boring.

But since I had Gabe I kind of feel like I'm drowning in house work and just don't know how to keep up. I've been contimplating making myself a schedule for probably a good two months now, and a few days ago I finally broke down and did it. It starts tomorrow. It's not an hourly schedule in that my days are broken down entirely and I have to do certain chores at certain times - since Gabe is not on a 'set' schedule that's pretty much just a laugh and I don't think I could live that way as it is. I might have a meltdown if I tried. Instead I just have a calander filled out with what chores are to be done on what days. For example every other Monday I will throughly dust and clean the living room, the dining room, and vacuum the house. Every other tuesday is an entire cleanup of the kitchen. Every Wednesday I wash sheets and every other Wednesday I clean the nursery. You get the idea. With the way I've scheduled it there are a few blank days during the month so I don't feel like my entire life revolves around houeswork. Those days are for relaxing, turning the TV on, and zoning out (as much as my child will let me anyway). I didn't put dishes or laundry on the calander because sadly those are daily chores, even on my 'zone out' days.

My mom has told me for years that if I would just make a menu for dinner for the entire month and post it up on the fridge, I would be a much happier person when it comes to dinner time. There wouldn't be any more of Nathan walking through the door and me thinking 'oh it's dinner time!' followed by a back and forth "What do you want for dinner." "I don't care what do you want for dinner?"

I have known she's right, but I've resisted doing it because I just didn't want to. But then I figured while I was making a schedule for chores, why not make a menu too? So Saturday I sat down with my pile of cookbooks that I rarely glance at as well as my favorite borrowed recipes that I've written down on scrap pieces of paper and set to work making an entire menu for the month. Nathan helped me, at least in the terms of 'Yes, make that I like it.' or 'No, I hate (insert food item here), don't make that' and 20 minutes later we had the entire month planned. I do admit it makes me happy to have my grocery list pretty much easily filled out just by going off the menu, not to mention I'll probably save myself a good chunk of money by doing many of the easy from scratch recipes I've found. Funny how I never noticed many of these recipes while looking at my cookbooks before. Goes to show how much attention I was paying them.

I'm refusing to call the chore list or the menu New Years Resolutions because I simply don't keep resolutions. It's just coincidence that it happens to be the new year, I swear. ;-) Hoping that having the menu and chore schedule at quick glance will keep me focued in getting thing done throughout the day.

On the mend

It looks like we are finally getting well here! After a bout of colds that all three of us got, and then Nathan developing a very nasty stomach bug that knocked him flat and put him in the ER for 3 liters of IV fluids, we seem to be getting better. My cold is gone as is Gabe's and I think (fingers tightly crossed!) that him and I have avoided the stomach bug that is proving to be highly contagious.

Nathan is up and about and almost eating normally again, though still feeling weak. I think he's going to try to go to work tomorrow.

On other news, Elena has been going wild in my belly the last few days. A few times I wondered if I was actually getting sick, but it seemed to coincide every time with her very active movement and I think perhaps she was just using my stomach as a punching bag. She's much more active than Gabriel ever was and wonder what that says for when she is born! I kind of got a shock yesterday when I realized I have less than 4 months left of pregnancy. It seems so very short and I know that the time is just going to fly by.

Gabe has started 'clapping' as of 2 days ago. He does it with closed fists and interlocks his fingers when he does it, but it's still darn cute. He is also trying to mimic me saying 'Yay!' while he claps though it doesn't actually sound anything like 'yay.' This morning I got quite a surprise when he was playing with the puppy he got from my parents for Christmas (this puppy: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2265219&CAWELAID=107520220). He was crawling on it and set off one of the songs it plays, which happens to be "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands." While I watched he sat up, stared intently at the puppy, and then started clapping! I admit it was one of those teary eyed proud mom moments.

Bedtime disasters? or blessings?

I always think it's funny how the best laid plans never quite work out. Even the little ones. Gabe's schedule was a bit off today from us being out and about and so he got quite a late nap. I figured it would push bedtime back but no big deal, because we aren't really strict on a 'set' bedtime anyway. But he woke up super cranky and fussy from his nap, and was clearly still tired, so I decided we'd just go ahead with his normal bedtime. Nathan gave him his bath and then we both dressed him and I gave him his bottle. I picked him up to burp him a little and about 3 seconds later - I got puked on. Gabe doesn't spit up much anymore, much less puke, so I'd forgotten what it feels like to be projectile vomited on. Nice and gooy and warm! So then came changing (him and me!) and back to holding him and JUST as I had him asleep...a knock on my door! A friend came over to show me the yarn she'd bought to make a sweater for my new little one, and also to borrow a movie. I knew she was coming, but had lost track of the time. As soon as Gabe saw her he was wide awake and all smiles, go figure. After she left (after showing me the beautiful yarn, I love it!) I decided to rock him a bit and see if he'd go back to sleep.

I'm actually glad he didn't go to sleep like I'd planned because otherwise I would have missed out on rocking him for awhile. It was just one of those wonderful, quiet moments that you just sit back and really take stock of your life and how blessed you feel. Gabe talked quietly to me for awhile, looked around the dimly lit room, and just seemed overall quite content. Eventually he rested his head on my chest and slowly drifted off and we stayed like that for a bit. It was just so comfortable.

Of course now he's in his crib crying, after I set him down he woke up (go figure) but maybe I'll just go back and rock him for a little bit longer. It's just so relaxing.

Surprised!

That's how I felt when the tech at my ultrasound yesterday informed me that...*gasp* I'm having a girl.

I asked her 3 times if she was sure. While she wouldn't commit to it 100% (not an exact science of course) she was 'pretty sure' it was a girl. She gave me 3 lovely shots of the girlie...parts...which I have examined throughly since the ultrasound (several times) and I can't see any boy parts so I think it must be true.

Nathan and I are very thrilled. I've always pictured having a little girl. Her name will be Elena Grace. :-)

Anticipation

With only two days left to go until I have my ultrasound, I'm getting quite anxious and excited. I cried at my ultrasound with Gabriel (yup, I admit it, I'm a total softie). It was amazing to see that little baby on the screen, see the heart beating and all his organs. It was truly incredible. When they told me it was a boy, I was a bit shocked because I really felt it was a girl, but then at the same time it just felt so right.

I'm getting so excited to find out if this one is a boy or a girl, and slighlty afraid I'll have a shy baby - I really do love to know ahead of time though I guess finding out at delivery would be kind of fun...in it's own way...hmm no I'm just lying to myself. I really want to know at the ultrasound.

I have no real guesses on whether this baby is a boy or girl, though just today I've been leaning more towards boy than girl, after feeling for awhile that it might be a girl. I don't trust my feelings either way since I was very wrong with Gabe. I don't honestly care. I would love a girl, I've always wanted a girl, but I will be happy with whatever God blesses us with. The advantage of another boy is I'll have everything I need!

If anyone has any 'guesses' feel free to venture them. You've got a 50/50 shot anyway!

So much to be thankful for

The holiday season is my favorite time of year. Not only is there Thanksgiving, but also my birthday, and of course my favorite - Christmas. I love this time of year. Hot chocolate, festive store displays, the smell of cinnamon and sugar cookies...

This year I feel so grateful, I look at my life and see just so many wonderful things to be thankful for. It's not perfect, but what life is? I feel in awe of all that God has done in my life. And I honestly feel so unworthy of it. I know I did nothing to deserve this blessed life, and yet He has given me so much. It's quite humbling.

Thanksgiving dinner at my inlaws was delicious and I'm completely stuffed. Gabe had a great time. He got to try mashed potatoes for the first time and loved them. He wasn't at all a fan of the turkey in a jar, but I took one bite myself and threw it out. Pretty disgusting. He also refused the sweet potatoes. He wanted nothing but mashed potatoes and applesauce.

The afternoon went so well, besides one mishap where Nathan backed into Stephanie's mom's car - thankfully it's just a little dent - and Gabe not being able to sleep well because there was just too much noise. He was happy though, loving all the attention everyone showered on him.

Here are pictures, and a video where Gabe had fun crawling to Pepsi:

Video: http://s930.photobucket.com/albums/ad146/elenaceline/?action=view&current=CIMG2975.flv