Am I there yet?

39 weeks and one day pregnant today. Still no baby...but then again, I keep reminding myself that I am not even due until Thursday. And then it still could be another week after that (at which point I will get induced...I am not going beyond 41 weeks). Here is me about 2 minutes ago:

Even Lucy is getting very ready. Here she is, demonstrating how the swing works:

"You see here, this is the light that comes on...and then the little fishies rotate around."

Feeling much better!

today's project

Last week was quite a week. I haven't felt that sick in years...I had the flu last year for three weeks and I was sick with a stomach bug over Christmas 2006, but nothing felt as bad as last week did. I think a lot of it had to do with my fear of having a baby while feeling that awful. For some reason, I felt the need to photograph myself during the thick of it. And now, for some reason, I feel compelled to post the picture -- perhaps as evidence that I wasn't faking it:

(Attractive!)

I was feeling much better by the weekend...not 100%, but not deathly either. I dressed Lucy up her her best Patriots' attire on Sunday. She cheered really hard with her daddy. But, alas, 'twas not meant to be this year.

Today we baked Valentine's cupcakes. This is something I really wanted to do this year...I'm not sure why, but probably because I am anticipating being a bit out of commission this V-day and want to make sure that Lucy has some specialness in advance. She had a lot of fun helping me and, of course, made sure that she "booped" (i.e., put her finger in) the cupcakes as she decorated them.

Two Years in Pictures

In honor of Lucy turning two, I have put together a little photo retrospective...one picture per month from the first two years of her life. I hope you enjoy "watching her grow" as much as we have!

Just born

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months

9 months

10 months

11 months

12 months

13 months

14 months

15 months

16 months

17 months

18 months

19 months

20 months

21 months

22 months

23 months

24 months...TWO YEARS OLD!

Good times

It's been a heck of a few days. I had a cold brewing late last week, but ok, not so bad. On Friday night at 5:30, Miss Lucy gives me a swift kick to the abdomen (very unintentionally). We follow up with a precautionary call to the doctor, who tells me to go to the hospital to be monitored. They tell me I might be there for 4 hours, but maybe up to 24 hours (to rule out a placental abruption). All tests look ok, but darn it, I am having regular-ish contractions and am dilated 3-4 cm. So I get sentenced to all-night fetal monitoring. No food, i.v. in my arm. Jeff was great -- he stayed with me all night. And so were my in-laws for coming to Boston at midnight to retrieve Lucy, and my mom for spending the weekend. Thankfully I was released on Saturday morning, but by then my little cold because a massive one. Horrible congestion, cough, etc. So it's Monday now and I just spoke with my doctor, who gave me the ok to take some fun things like Robitussin and Sudafed. I am just so fearful of going through labor without the ability to breathe well. And because I have so much congestion and have pretty much blown out my nasal passages, I can't smell anything. What if I have the baby and can't smell her little baby head? Silly concerns, perhaps, but still I would much rather go through childbirth as a well person than a sick one. So, pray for my speedy recovery and that baby decides to stay put for another week or so!

Note to Baby

(That's you)

UPDATE: I have changed my mind. Big sister came home sick from daycare today and I am not feeling so hot myself...so, let's wait a few more days, shall we? We'll all get better and then we'll really be ready for you! And no, this is not reverse psychology.

Dear Baby,

Today we are at 37 weeks gestation. Do you know what that means? It means you are now FULL TERM!!! Which also means that you are now free to come out. Really, I mean it. Today is good. Your sister is in daycare, the laundry is done, the house is relatively clean. You have lots and lots of pretty clothes waiting for you. And a beautiful pink nursery! I know, I know, it is so nice and warm in there and it is so cold out there. I guess you are like your mom...you'd rather soak in a warm bath until your fingers look like prunes rather than brave cold weather. But we've got plenty of blankets for you and even some hand knit hats and mittens (hand-me-downs from your sister, ok, I know!).

Speaking of which, maybe you are a bit afraid of your bigmouthed big sister? Don't worry about her, she is really very sweet. In fact, I'll bet can you hear her asking you to come out and play with her. She really wants to meet you! And it will be great if you can clear up her confusion by coming out of Mommy, because right now she thinks you are coming out of her tummy.

Well, that's all for now. As I said, today would be great. But I know, you've got weeks and weeks before anyone tries to smoke you out of your warm and comfortable home. So I'll wait patiently...sort of.

Much love,
Mommy
xo

She's Two!

Lucy Elise turned two on Saturday! It feels like she has been two for a while, actually...maybe because I've been saying "she's almost two" for a few months, or maybe it's because her terrible twos arrived early!

She started out the day with a princess crown on her head, of course, followed by a princess card and a present she has wanted for a while -- a ducky backpack. She has a bit of a love-hate relationship with it, wanting it on when it's off, off when it's on, etc. (typical two year old behavior I suppose). For breakfast, we had eggs, toast, and her favorite food in the world, veggie sausage. She actually calls the sausages "greedies" because in the book Little Miss Greedy, the character eats 22 sausages for breakfast. I think that Lucy feels she should do the same...though we always stop her at three.

In her crown

Wearing the ducky backpack

In the afternoon, we had...what else but...a princess party! Funny, because all her little guests were boys :) Still, we did it up with tons of pink balloons, pink roses, and a princess cake. Lucy wore her gorgeous new dress, which she calls her "Poppa dress" because her Greatnana and Greatpoppa gave it to her (sorry, Nana, I don't know how you got left out when she named the dress!) She looked so pretty, like a little flower girl in a wedding. She had a great time at the party and seemed to really and truly enjoy the fact that it was her birthday. What more could we ask for?

Playing with a party blower

With Nonni...at least we can see Nonni's face!

Waiting for her cake

Blowing out the candles

The princess cake

Pretty party girl!

Spring was here...and then it left

We had a lovely January thaw...60 degrees out (or close to it) for a few days! I loved being outside and took some great walks. The snow was melting. Were the birds maybe even chirping? On Saturday I got my hair cut (for the first time in 7 months), had lunch with friends, and took Lucy to her friend Renny's birthday party at a mini gym. She had a lot of fun playing in the ball pit and jumping on the trampoline!

(That is not me holding her up...it is a mini gym staff member. I don't wear tie-dye shirts...any more.)

Alas, it was just a tease and we were soon reminded that we are indeed still in the dead of winter in New England. Overnight on Sunday night, my springtime fantasy came crashing down as we received nearly a foot of new snow. We all stayed home from work/daycare on Monday. We bundled Lucy up in the morning to go play in the falling snow. Unfortunately, it didn't go too well. She kept wanting to touch the snow so she took her mittens off -- but then promptly complained about the cold. She cried being outside...then cried when we tried to bring her in. When we finally did get her in, she had a good, long tantrum. Needless to say, we spent the rest of the day inside.

"Hmmm, maybe I should leave my mitten on? Nah, I'll just keep it off and cry about the cold."