One Last Cabin Retreat As a Family of Four

Yes, for some reason Sullivan was the star of the camera this weekend...Monty was a bad boy and acting strangely most of the weekend...and Claire stayed put!

What a greaaaat mini vacation: Me, Tim, Mont Man (grumpster), Sullivan (snubasnorklingdoggie), Brad, Jen, and Luca (their English Bulldog - Sullivan's friend, Monty's enemy).

Sooo I will let the pictures do the explaining.
Friday - Tim and I arrived with the boys (after Sully was Mr. Salty with a bad 'tude going on)
We took the boys to the river immediately and let them play for as long as they wanted. I read and read and read nearly half of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (OH MY IT'S A MUST READ) while sitting in the water!
Jen & Brad arrived with Luca around 7:30 pm. We made dinner and enjoyed it on the screened in porch!

Saturday -
Everyone was up by 9 (Tim woke up last at exactly 8:52 am which was the joke because he told B & J that he always gets up by 9 am - which is sooooo not true!!!). I made breakfast and we all started playing outside! It was a by the river kind of day. Monty was acting semi weird sitting in Tim's Pilot the entire time because he was a little grumpy. Sullivan was learning how to dive in the water. Tim & Brad would take the boat for a spin while Jen & I were reading in the water!

After lunch we decided to head down on the river in tubes and kayaks. It was a suppppper sloooowwwww ride. I looked like a beach whale on a tube that surprisingly stayed afloat! Half way down the river the unthinkable happened - Brad got stung right on the chest by a yellow jacket. And BAM he was feeling the effect. We are probably a 30 minute float still to our property and thankfully he had the kayak. He paddled hard and fast home to go take Benadryl. He mentioned the last time it happened he was ten and rushed to the ER. Well, yep sure enough by the time the big pregnant lady made it up to the house it had probably been 30 minutes and he was swelling and getting hives. I told him to call his doc immediately and he said to go to the ER. Well, he went and sure enough is very allergic to bee stings - they wouldn't let him leave until his heartrate settled down again. Well the good of the story is we know it took Tim 15 minutes (driving VERY FAST up and down the mountain) to get to the hospital. They also said the nurses and doctors there were awesome and super nice! So we know where to go in case of an emergency. Once the guys got back we had dinner and enjoyed the evening.

Sunday - Last trip to the river where the boys ran and ran and ran. When we finally left the boys were SOUND ASLEEP in the car the entire ride home and remainder of the day on Sunday! :o) Success!

Second Thoughts

As the arrival of baby Claire becomes more and more real, I am second guessing my decision of having a natural birth. Hmmm...we had class last night and although it's nice, I am just not being sold on all the relaxation techniques. I mean I believe them, I can get there, but I have no "surges" (contractions) while I am doing them. You know that time when you've been in so much pain (everyone's had horrible pain once in their life), I am just not sure if what these "pains" are supposed to feel like I can do it without the pain mads.

I am having a hard time deciding, so I think I'll just go in with an open mind. No set "birth plan" I already told my doctor I am open to whatever I need and whenever in order to deliver a healthy baby girl. I will not be one of those crazies who says you can't deviate AT ALL (that was decided a while ago).

I just watched A Baby Story and the mom was so calm with her epidural and it looked so stress and pain free. I'm just afraid of the epidural. I fear I'll be the 1 person out of the 2000 that will have adverse affects. This seems like the least amount of fun part of pregnancy - making decisions when you have no clue what to expect.

36.5 Weeks Survey

Doctors Appointment Today:

Weight: 156, means I am up a total of 25 pounds...which means I've gained 4, yes FOUR, pounds in the past 7 days - ah!

BP: 120/80 (a little higher than usual, but pretty average for me)

Heartrate: I am sure the same as last week between 145-155

Position of Baby: Head down, wahoooo!

Stretchmarks: still none - and I am very VERY thankful since apparently mi madre had them and they run in the family, usually. I guess I still have a couple weeks left.

Next appointment: Wednesday, August 3rd at 8:45 am

Things to look forward to: possible internal check (to see if there is any progress)

Best thing about the week: The Shabby Chic Shower my mom threw! We got so many wonderful gifts and are so thankful to everyone who came! It's now been a challenge cleaning and organizing all of Claire's things. I need two more small tables of some sort for shelving or to get things off the ground for her nursery. I also need to place a few things in the attic.

Goals by the end of the week:
Find two tables for the nursery and finish the nursery for good.
Make Rice Krispie Treats for the cabin.
Shop and pack for the cabin.
Finish all thank you cards and mail them.
Fill out my W2 for M&D - gosh I need to do this right now.
Clean out the guest bedroom so it's organized.
Place things for sale on MarketPlace (our work's craigslist).
Baby pool up and running by Monday.
italics = done!

Nighttime Munchies

Wide awake at 4 am!

I woke up to pee (the first time tonight, which is odd)...and I laid back down to go to bed and my stomach started rumbling. Like I was starving! As if I had not eaten in three days. I had eggplant parm from Olive Grove last night for dinner around 7:30 pm. I shouldn't be starving, but then my pelvic pain was so horrible to try and get comfortable again, I got out of bed and realized peanut butter and crackers might do the trick.

Monty & Sullivan joined me and each got a finger lick of peanut butter while I satisfied our baby girl!

On a side note, Katie's (my bff) is an AUNT! She sent me a picture of little Charlie and Mary (her sister). They both look great! Charlie is a cutie for sure, and I'm sure Claire will be happy to meet him. But Katie knows I am not introducing her to him (in a romantic way) until they're in college, otherwise they'll turn out hating each other, sort of like what happened with the youngest siblings in our households: Peter & Emily.

A Dog Must: the Gentle Leader

Check it out on their website!

I cannot say enough good things about the Gentle Leader. Maybe I should have listened to my mother two or three months ago when she first said I should use it on both Monty & Sullivan. Now do my boys like it, no, but they will learn to love it because that's how they will get their walks from now on. Until I can get it under control without needing treats (rewards - the basis of the leader) I will only be walking them one at a time. It may be a shorter walk than they are used to, but it's summertime and much hotter now than normal, so I think they'll live.

What is so great about this oddly placed leader? It seriously gives me all the control in the world over even my most hyper and active dog, Sully. He usually tends to jump 3 feet in the air and bark when he sees another person, stroller, or God forbid another dog. This leader keeps me in control where they are not pulling me towards the unexpected visitor or "casual passerby". So Sully has now used it 4 times (2 times the day I got it), the next day, then we took off with the massive heat wave that's come, and again this morning. He is so well behaved now, he barely tries to get it off his nose (maybe that happened twice today). He actually passed another itty bitty dog, barked, but couldn't pull. I was able to keep him moving with me and he eventually sat on my command and got a treat which distracted him. It was wondrous.

Well obviously taking Sully made me leave Monty behind. Tim was still sleeping and I feel bad because clearly Monty was not happy. I came back and Monty was no where in sight...clearly Tim locked him upstairs in bed with him to quiet him down. So I asked Tim how bad he was. He said it sounded like he was going to die, that's how upset he was, haha, I chuckle at this! If they would just behave on walks they'd go together.

So it was Monty's turn. He's only used the Gentle Leader one other time. It was not very successful the first time. We made it about 75 yards down from the house and back. So we set off again trying to improve from the last time. He initially tried to get it off before we made it out the house, but I quickly refocused him, made him sit and gave him his yummy Little Jacs reward. YUM! We made it out (this time leaving Sullivan behind) and set off behaving, yes, I said BEHAVING! He barely sniffed and he just walked right next to me as I held a treat for him by my waist. He'd get one every time he was behaving beautifully. At times I made him sit, especially if he would try to get the GL off. Sure enough it was working. He was so well behaved that we passed a dog (inside), barking and jumping at the door, and Monty turned to bark back, but as I kept walking he could only do one thing, follow me. I AM THE PACK LEADER (so I'd like to think...or I am working on being). He was soooo good. We made it back, took the GL off and praised the heck out of him being such a good boy.

I am in love with this product. I HIGHLY recommend it, because if it can work on my two knuckleheads, it can work on anyone's pup.

Here it is: It seems as if it might be hurting them, especially as they try and get it off, but it's not...they can breath, eat treats, and even hold a ball in their mouth when worn properly.

My Shabby Chic Shower that Mimi is Throwing...is today!!!

So today marks 36 weeks (see picture below) and the last baby shower for little Miss Claire. This morning I woke up at 12:44 am to pee (Tim was still up watching movies in bed), then again sometime around 2:30, I think, then finally ten of 5 am. At that point I got up and stayed up. It's getting a tad uncomfortable to sleep with this big Miss Claire belly in the way. I try my hardest to stay on my left side, like they recommend because of the vena cava that runs down your right side, but sometimes I wake up on the right side and sometimes even on my back. I figured I'd just get up anyways. I miss sleeping on my stomach, finally after 36 weeks pregnant I am complaining about something.

Yesterday I had a wonderful massage, so I can't complain too much because it was joyous and lovely and just what the doctor ordered. I am a tad sore I think from it, but it at the time it was perfect. I think I may squeeze in one more before I deliver!

Back to the shower today, my mom is hosting it at her house with about 30 people. It should be a very nice time and a lot of fun. I know she's worked hard on the food, decorations, and even some games. I brought over a bunch of things that are in Claire's nursery to help set the mood of "shabby chic" and my mom made the cutest of cutest favors, I've ever seen! I am soooo excited to see friends I haven't seen for a while, while we celebrate the awaited arrival of Miss Claire Bear. I started this post early as I said, I've been up since 4:50 am. I will finish it later tonight after the big event!

The next morning after going through all our goodies of pretty pink stuff:

Wow, what an event...my mom sure does know how to outdo herself. I suppose she's had a lot of practice this year with hosting showers or attending them given the fact we did all my wedding stuff, Allison's wedding stuff, and my baby stuff within 5 months (WOW!). Anyways, she'll be a pro for Peter's little wife, whenever she may pop in the picture.

The morning/day was just lovely. We had a wonderful brunch spread of french toast casserole, hash brown casserole, a huge fruit salad (without pineapples - Sada was in heaven - she's allergic), quiches galore, muffins, and more. It was delicious.



Then around 12 we gathered around and played ONE, yes only one, baby shower game. I am pretty sure no one else has ever played it which made it little more fun than the typical games. It was a Alternative Book Name game of all the classic Children's books. Of course I had a feeling Sarah Slaf would come out with the win. So did my mom's coworkers: Brett, Meredith, and Diane. The best answer by far for the "Be Off Pooch Be Off" was Sarah's "Shoo Dog Shoo" response...when in actuality the answer would be.... GO DOG GO.

As I began opening my gifts was so excited by the many wonderful children books Claire will get to read with her mommy and daddy - they're just lovely. One in particular, Time For Bed", was from on of my lacrosse players. The inscription was enough to make me teary eyed and sad she wasn't there to see that special moment. When I got home and unpacked I started reading the book and fell in love. I will most certainly be reading that to Miss Claire today.


The greatest part about the books we received was that I had only two duplicates. Earlier I had received a Goodnight Moon (classic) and I got another - but really it's one of the best baby board books ever. One will go in the bookcase/basket/chest and the other will stay at Mimi's or in the car or the diaper bag. The other duplicate was The Giving Tree - which is just obviously well known as a the "perfect" book. It's such a wonderful story and I cannot wait to read it to Claire, clearly great minds think alike because what a classic that one is. Even Alex & Allison sent up a few books for baby Claire even though they couldn't be there. My mom did explain to me Alex said there was no significance in any of his choices, which surprised me because Alex totally seems like the book wiz who has a favorite childhood story...(nope just favorite childhood song: Somewhere Over the Rainbow).

The generosity of my friends and family is just overwhelming and thankfully I haven't been the easily sensitive, and overly emotional (in public) pregnant woman so far, so no tears. My friend Kate actually KNITTED a little hat for Claire - it's PRECIOUS, like the cutest thing I've ever seen. She might even make one with little girly skulls on it (I am sooo excited). Other friends got me the Kokopax carrier which was a must have for me because it will be perfect for lacrosse, walks with the dogs (no stroller), and cookouts etc when she can hold her head up and is a little older. Katie and her mom got me the ERGO which is another must have from all previous mamas. They say it's the BEST carrier on the market. I am thrilled that Petunia Pickle Bottom came out with a few patterns of it, I just love it!
The clothes and socks and blankets galore were in abundance and oh so cute! Erin, my old roomie, made me a diaper cake with a ton of essentials, it was perfect with white onesies, bath wash, shampoo, lotion, and the cutest little headbands!
The soothe and glow seahorse another item I wanted, but I never put it on my registry was given by my mom's coworker/friend and I am thrilled. Claire will love it and so will we when she behaves like a good little girl and goes to bed with her seahorse friend! Miss Karen, my mom's high school friend, got us the humidifier which I am thrilled about, now I need to run to the Pink Cabbage and get a cute end table to place in the corner of the room! I mean this is just a few of the items I received off the top of my head. There were sooooo many more wonderful things. Gosh, this little peanut is super spoiled, already!

Fluffy Mail PIP

Fluffy Mail = cloth diapers (PIP - picture in post)

I am obsessed with this beauty; yes a poop catcher, but a beautiful one at that.

I figured I'd post my favorite diaper so far. I had to stalk it and win it because it sells out in almost under 1 second. I literally am the only one with this exact diaper. I can't wait until Claire is big enough to wear it.

So speaking of cloth diapers, my daycare lady said no to them: I am super bummed! But, even if I do it part time we'll still save a ton of money and Claire won't have to be stuck in those chemical driven dipes all her first 18 months (CD babes potty train earlier than those in sposies!!!).