Scootin'

Hannukah came and went like a whirlwind. With plans nearly every night, we hardly had a moment to step back and enjoy. Despite being hectic, it was fun.
The boys did learn about hannukah in school, yet they did not seem to show any increased interest in the holiday with the exceptions of wanting to sing "Twinkle Twinkle Hannukah Lights," spinning, or at least attempting to spin, the dreidel, and the wooden menorah became the toy of the week, particularly for Ryder.
The gift giving and receiving was nice. The boys successfully gave wrapped gifts to their friends and cousins without opening them first. They also managed to gratefully say thank you when they received gifts.
We began the week with a dual celebration with the Tovsky's for Hanukkah and Chad's 33rd birthday. It was nice having everyone together. From Mom-Mom Jill the boys got a stand up microphone, a favorite of Ryder's, and immediately took on the rock star act even asking for sunglasses like the boy on the box. She also gave them a bean bag toss game and the movie 101 Dalmations, all of which they seemed to love. Aunt Carri, in adition to a memory game, gave them each an aorable outfit inclusive of a leather jacket which immeiately became a necessary prop for the microphone.
The week continued, a laptop, a cd player for their room, doodle pro's- which are amongst their favorites, stickers. Bean bag chairs (mom-mom and pop-pop,) which they love, Elmo Live (Rob and Jaime), mega blox (Amy), geotrax trains (Stewarts), the way they made out you would think we did celebrate Christmas. We made hanukkah cookies, we celebrated with playgroup, we celebrated with the Seltzer's and Betesh's, we celebrated with the Solnicks/Levins, we celebrated with the Stewarts, and we concluded the week with the Citrenbaums. One of their favorite gifts, courtesy of the Solnicks/Levins is their first scooter. Our daredevil children had somehow added the word skateboard to their broadening vocabulary months ago. Figuring they were still too young we went the scooter route instead. Excitement filled their eyes and they immediately wanted to scoot around Amy's house. The next morning, blessed with warm December weather, we put on their helmets and their pads and headed to the park for their first lesson. First, however, we did some practicing in the foyer, while the scooters were still out of the box clean.
Considering they are at least 6 months too young, if not more, they did really well. Chase seemed to have a bit more of the natural knck for it. Luckily, their falls were minor and pad protected allowing them to see why they must wear them.
Cute, yes. Ready for the X-games, thankfully, no!

Chase's Twin?

I know you"ll think I am nuts, and perhaps you would be right, but at my ultrasound last week, when the tech left me in the room for 15 minutes so she could consult the doctor this top picture was the image on the screen (the second picture is just for fun) :




At first glance, I just smiled seeing my baby's face. But then, at second glance, I got a quick shiver. I could not peel my eyes from the screen. Sure, it may seem to look like all ultrasound pictures, but if you look at the top picture at the right angle- turn your head to the right 25 degree's- (it's baby's face, by the way) he/she looks exactly like Chase. I
immediately took a picture with my phone and emailed it to Todd, who said he had no idea what I was talking about. Then I asked the tech (when she finally returned) for a printout to show him. So far, I am the only one who sees it. But, still, when I look at this picture, the black and white bone structure, alien-like as it may be by sonogram, I see my first born. I guess soon enough we will know for sure.

35.5 weeks

Today, at four days past 35 weeks, my pregnancy has officially outlasted my pregnancy with the boys by four days. This is not surprising being that it is only one baby, yet it still marks a milestone in my own mind. Although I have 4.5 weeks left, I am relieved to be delivering in 2.5 weeks as I am not sure I could get any larger or more uncomfortable. My clothes don't fit and I do not even try to hide that fact, and the baby is officially trying to push its way out of me making me feel as if I have just gotten off of a very long horseback ride where we did a lot of galloping. Most days I feel as if there is no way I will make it to the 6th of January, and am convinced I never would have made it to the 20th. Yet, I know everybody says that and I probably will and would have if given the opportunity. Chase and Ryder are feeling the upcoming change in their own ways and have both been extra clingy, luckily at different times. Todd and I are trying to use the next two weeks to have a lot of family time, and one on one time with them. Although, with the holidays amongst us, we are over-run with plans and we intend to spend all free days available just the four of us, until it is no longer just the four of us.
This morning we took a family maternity portrait. The boys were somewhat cooperative in that they wanted to be as close to me as possible and that is exactly what the picture called for. The boys look good, it is me I am unimpressed with. My face is as large as my belly and at 9 months pregnant my belly is really large. I do not notice the extra chins in the mirror, but in pictures there is no hiding it. I guess it's true when they say the camera adds ten pounds. Of course this becomes even more problematic when you are already up many multiples of ten. Ah, what can I do? I am happily very pregnant and have had few complaints along the way. The end is always the toughest but only because the reward is so close. I can almost start to imagine the joy we will feel when we meet our baby and its that, more than the discomfort down low that makes me want to deliver. Boy or girl? Light hair or dark hair? Brown eyes or blue? What name will we choose in the end? This is all part of what I can't wait to find out in a few weeks. And, of course, just to meet our precious third born.



PS: Notice in these pictures we have more hair issues. In the color photo I have a fly away curl that apparently was not noticeable to the photographer when shooting, or me when choosing photos. In the black and white photo it looks as if Ryder stuck his hand in a socket before the shoot and his hair is sticking up. Really it is the graphic on Todd's shirt. Again, this went unnoticed until too late. Still, these were the best of the bunch. imagine that.

School Pictures

We had picture day at school recently. I was oddly excited for this despite knowing cooperation from two year old's is very difficult. The morning of I bathed the boys, gelled their hair, was happy with how it looked, and put them in some nice duds. Then, I sent them off. Chase's hair did look good, but in the class picture they sat him in front of a big stuffed animal with black hair and he looks like he has an afro and Ryder forgot to smile, but it's still cute to see 7 two year old's sitting together.
In the individual pictures. well, they are ok. Only, I am not sure what happened to Ryder's hair along the way, nor am I sure why the photographer did not notice. Here are the pictures for your viewing pleasure.

How ya doing?

When we picked the boys up from school today we got the normal report; they did not eat lunch, they ate snacks, they had a good day. Only today, Ms. Sue had a funny story to tell. Apparantly she and Chase had a conversation that went like this:

Chase; How ya doing?
Ms. Sue: I am doing ok Chase. How are you?
Chase: I am good. How is your mother?
Ms. Sue; My mother is good, thanks. How is your mother?
Chase: she's good.

I am not sure where he got this conversation from, but it sure is funny.

4:30 am

It is 4:30am. You may think I am awake because I am 9 months pregnant and finding a comfortable position to sleep in as likely as me finding a bra that fits my current size. And, that would be true, but
the reason I am so wide awake that I am writing this is because there are ear piercing shrieks coming from outside our locked door. It did not begin that way. No, it started as a 4am visitor which Todd promptly escorted back to his bed. It developed into this screaming session with both boys, and we are not sure what our next step should be. Unfortunately, it seems, bedtime wars have begun....again. This time it is Chase putting up the fight. The last few days Chase has been a bit clingy to me. Although he has gone to school and to stay with Sandie (not to mention my parents) at the office without even a complaint, when we are home together he must be attached to me. All out fits begin when I leave the playroom to get a diaper, juice, sneakers, whatever it is. All are quick errands that under normal circumstances he would not notice I was gone. But, now not only is he noticing, he screams, the tears begin, along with the pleas of "mommy don't leave me!"
At bedtime it is not so different. Things start out great and Chase gets into bed, he will even claim to be sleepy, but within minutes of leaving his room he is crying and out in the hallway begging me to sleep with him, or for him to sleep in my bed. It is a nightmare.
Several days have passed since I began this posting. The war continues. Last night I was concerned I was going to go into labor. Chase would get out of bed and I, without speaking to him or showing any signs of affection, would swifttly put him back in bed. After about 30 long minutes Todd took over and handled it his way but still to no avail. The fight ended at 10:45pm (one and a half hours later) when I sat in the rocker singing nursery rhymes until he fell asleep. I am not sure whose victory this was but I am thinking it was not mine. With Todd out for three of the next four nights I am clearly dreading bedtime.

Week 34!

One hospital stay, a prescription of modified bedrest, a cancelled vacation, and 4 consecutive weeks of non-stress tests and amniotic fluid checks and we've made it to 34 weeks. This was an important week for the growth of the baby, as they did not want to have to deliver zygie anytime sooner. Luckily, there has been no need.
At 34 weeks I am starting to feel big, well bigger, and am reaching the point of where I will soon be ready to meet this child.
People on the street are often concerned that I may deliver exactly where I am standing. They seem to think I am really low, which is interesting since my breathing is more labored than ever. When they find out I, technically, have 6 weeks left, they usually chuckle and say I won't make it, which is fine since I am delivering in 4 weeks anyway. It is funny how everyone thinks they know something. Most people also "know" it is a girl, though lately I have been getting more boy guesses because it looks like I have a large beach ball up my shirt.
I am bit uncomfortable when I sleep, though I am so tired that I do sleep. I lay on my side (most often on my right), hugging my body pillow and after a few hours my hip begins to throb forcing me to shift. It is this shifting that is difficult, it takes me a good 5 minutes to reset and I am never comfortable the first time. Lately, however, there is only position I can lay in, and it is not a comfortable one, that doesn't allow pains to shoot across my low belly telling me I am either about to go into labor or poop in my pants. This position is half on my side, half on my back, with my fisted hand beneath my butt so that I do not lay flat on my back. My body is at a 25 degree angle, ready to topple at any moment, being supported by a body pillow and a small fist.
I am told I now waddle when I walk, and an oxygen tank would come in handy, but otherwise I feel ok. I still love the sweets, and was gifted a free Ascher's chocolate chip cookie the other day. it was like right out of my dreams. Food, however, is just something I eat when hungry. I do not crave much and want it to be simple as possible. I am also very thirsty. I am ready, when no longer pregnant, to go to kisso or oishi, or maybe both, and get a yellow tail and scallion handroll and a tobiko and quail egg, It's the quail egg I miss the most, believe it or not. Oooh, just saying it now makes me want that creamy, sweet egg.
A lot of my shirts no longer fit and I had to buy a new, larger pair of maternity jeans. We still are not set on names and the room is still not ready. Despite this unpreparedness, we can't to meet our baby, and know, somehow, it will all be ready for zygie's homecoming no matter when that is.

A She Here, A Her There

All along I've said publically that I think Zygie is a boy. For 33 weeks of pregnancy I did not waver once, which is very unlike me.
Last week something happened in my subconscious. Perhaps the indecision which has been dormant within is showing its ugly head, perhaps my subconscious knows something, but while I continue to say boy when I think about it, when I am not thinking she's and her's roll off of my tongue.
In one conversation with my sister I mentioned "she" three times, saying something about when she was born. When I looked at thank you cards last week I only looked at girls cards for the first half hour, until I realized. And, while talking to the manicurist yesterday I referred to Zygie as a her. Yet, if you ask me what I think I will still say boy. Last night I had a dream she was a girl, she looked like me, had dimples like my mom, and only a little bit of brown hair. Two weeks ago I dreamt he was a boy, with a lot of brown hair and he weighed 6 pounds and was born 4 weeks early. Clearly my dreams are conflicted. But, my subconscious is definitely trying to tell me something, perhaps I should listen??

Jamaican Me Crazy!!

Todd and I love Jamaica. It always seems to be, for many reasons, the vacation spot we return to most. We've been there a half dozen times already and intend to continue adding to the tally. In fact, we were supposed to be there right now. Literally, at this moment, we would have been 48 hours in to a Jamaican vacation, soaking up the sun, and relaxing. We also would have been there with four of our great friends and having the time of our lives.
When we found out I was pregnant, we knew I would be 33 weeks along when we boarded the plane for Negril, we were not worried. We figured we would still go, enjoy ourselves, and relax even if I looked ridiculous in a bathing suit and couldn't enjoy one cocktail while I was there. Uncomfortable or not, five days in warmth and relaxation had to be better for the pregnancy than five days in the middle of the winter chasing two year old twins. Not to mention this was our first adult only vacation with the Sperlings and the Klaus' in a very long time. And so, we counted down the months, then the weeks. With just two weeks to go a minor complication in this pregnancy landed me on modified bedrest and prevented the trip altogether. Disappointed as I was at the time, it was Todd I felt bad for. He had been so excited for this trip and I felt as if I had destroyed his dreams. He has been handling it ok. Now that it is the week of, however, I definitely feel the disappointment of being here and not there. I can taste the salty caribbean on my tongue, and the delicious coca bread from the poolside grill in my mouth. I imagine Beth and Dave and Erik and Lori enjoying hummingbirds with extra splashes of vodka, and I laugh as I picture Erik throwing off the fruit and umbrella that is surely accompanying the drink. I know they are having a great time and are likely thinking of us less then we are them. We'll get back to Jamaica, this I know, and we will probably even have the luxury of travelling with all of them again, but it definitely is a sore spot that we had to miss out. I know, though, once we hold Zygie for the first time the trip we almost took to Jamaica will be a distant memory and the love of our child will remind us it was worth it.

Car Napping

For the last few weeks 99.9% of the boys naps have been in the car. Since even before their big boy beds they have been fighting us on nap time. Though they are obviously in need of one they will just refuse to lay down awake. This was not particularly great timing with my pregnancy nor now, with this minor complication we have been faced with.
They do, however, fall asleep in the car. So, we let them. And, we leave them there where they can sleep for anywhere from 1 to 3 hours.
Sometimes I feel the mommy guilt, my poor kids napping daily in the car. But, I know they need it, as do I and they sleep for a good amount of time so they can't be too uncomfortable, right?
I would love for them to sleep in their beds, but have not figured out a way to get them to actually do it. So, until they drop the nap all together, car napping it will have to be.