2 more weeks until my due date ... and I'm sure I'll see it!! I really don't expect to have this baby before Nov. 11 or even within a few days of Nov. 11! I think some people are just over due and that's that! Although I am ready to meet this little one asap. As busy and perhaps "crazy" as it might be, I'm ready to begin this new stage in our lives!! I'm feeling pretty good, can't really complain. Just the usual - tired, heart burn, not sleeping for long stretches at night. I guess the whole not sleeping for a long period of time at night is to get you ready for the newborn sleeping/feeding schedule, but let's get real - this is my third baby ... I know what's coming ;) I had a Dr. appointment today and the babies heart rate was between 128 and 140 bpm. All our kids have had a very similar range, so the heart rate really isn't giving much away! Although I don't think Emerson's ever went as low as 128. I sorted through all our cloth and disposable diapers today and pulled out the little ones! Hard to believe they once fit Blake and Emerson. With Blake we started using the cloth diaper service right away, so he never had little disposables, but with Emerson the cloth diapers we had were too big and we had to buy preemie newborn diapers. We still had 5 or so and I'm packing a few for the hospital just in case this baby is tiny like Em (she lost a few ounces in the first few days, Blake never did lose any weight!)! They are so, so small and cute! I also pulled out the family blanket my Grandma Marg made and I am trying to track down the blanket all the Smith family babies have came home from the hospital with. The babies room just needs the crib and it's ready. We'll just have to put the girl or boy touches on it when we know the sex ;) And bring up the appropriate clothes of course!
We had a blast at our New Mom's Group Halloween Party on Wednesday. Stacey, Alana and Parker were our hosts this year and what wonderful hosts they are :) Stacey always makes the most delicious Halloween chocolates!! The kids all played so well together and the Mom's enjoyed catching up. We really are very lucky to have such a fantastic group :)
Today at Come Play With Me I held my friends baby for the majority of the time :) I asked to hold him for 2 reasons: 1. Because he's so cute and I wanted to! 2. To see how Em would react!! Emerson was not jealous at all and was very gentle with him, even gave him nice hugs and kisses! It was really cute. She loves other babies and hopefully won't be too jealous of the baby who is coming to stay!!!! I think the first few weeks with Cal at home will be great, as she'll have her Daddy at her side, but there may be a little more trouble when Cal is back at work?! She also loves to be held and cuddled by us, which that time may be reduced with the babies arrival :S We're having trouble with her and shopping carts ... she hates sitting in a cart (although if it's a double cart, she does better beside Blake!)! She used to be fine, but lately she screams and cries ... :( Hopefully this is a phase and she'll get over it quick! We still hear a lot how from other people how well she talks and how clear her speech is! It's so cute to hear her talk!! She has very good manners right now, says please and thank you and excuse me :) She also likes to say beep, beep when she is trying to get around you or Heidi or Jazz!! lol! It sounds more like meep, meep!! I told Cal today she sounds like the Roadrunner!!!! During clean up time she's started singing, "Clean up, clean up, everybody, everywhere!" It's amazing everything that she says and the sentences she puts together. While at times it has been a challenging age with temper tantrums, it's also been a very, very fun and rewarding age :) Emerson had her last Splashers lesson on Saturday and we've registered her for the next class (Bubblers), which begins this Saturday. We were going to take a break from her lessons, but she loves it so much it seems like a shame to not let her continue! I was also thinking of registering her in gymnastics, but we'll stick to swimming for now!
Today was Blake's "Show and Share" day at preschool. He chose his blue quad as his show and share item. I watched some of his time in the spotlight! The way they work their show and share is the child introduces his item and then the kids have a chance to ask questions about it. It was so cute and very nice to see him in front of the class, not shy and responding to the questions! He's really gotten over the majority of his shyness :) He continues to make play dates with his friends, which I find hilarious! Last Sunday at the preschool Halloween Party he told his friend he couldn't come over to play because he was going to his Grandpa's birthday party!! The preschool Halloween party was a blast! There were so many activities and prizes, etc! I was very impressed!! Blake loved the bouncy house, as usual! He made 2 different crafts, decorated a pumpkin cookie, made a magic potion and played numerous carnival games, which earned him tickets that he cashed in for a prize! Today was a small party for just his class. They all wore their Halloween costumes, played Halloween games, and went trick or treating around the YMCA with treat bags they made last week. Emerson wore her costume to her program and had fun doing a Halloween craft! She pretty much just colors on the page, while I do the majority of the gluing!! But she loves to color, so has fun! Blake was registered in swimming lessons on Wednesdays at 5 pm, but they cancelled the class :( So we'll wait until January and hopefully a 5 pm class will be offered again. Any later then 5 pm doesn't work for us! Blake's ready for bed too early!! And of course he's busy Saturday's with hockey!.
Cal is getting into running again! I was teasing him that it's a fine time to start running every day again ... just when the weather is taking a turn for the worse ;) But he runs at work with his friend Brad and they seem to enjoy running in colder weather!! They did the Turkey Chase 1/2 Marathon one October and plan to run in a 1/2 Marathon in Spring of 2011. Right now they're also planning to do a Full Marathon in the fall of 2011, but will see how the training goes. Cal's looking forward to a hunting day trip tomorrow with my Dad and Dion. I told him he better not be bringing home anything to hang in our garage!!! lol!
We're looking forward to a fun afternoon tomorrow with my Mom, Erica, Danielle, Christa and Berlyn! My Mom made Halloween cookies for the the kids to decorate :) It will be fun!! Mom, Erica and Danielle are also staying for supper!
Have a wonderfully, spooktacular Halloween on Sunday with your little ghosts and goblins ;) I hear the weather forecast is looking up ... let's keep our fingers crossed!
xoxo Tracy
