Things I Love

My "go to" wine has become Gabbiano's Chianti. Tan label, please. It's the "middle class" of Gabbiano's Chiantis - not the fanciest and not the cheapest. Sometimes you can find it on sale for $10, but it's usually $12-13.

My secretary turned me onto this wine. Her friend from Italy (Emilio!!! I could write an entire post on him and how small the world is. Long story short - we ran into him in the streets of Florence) showed it to her while he was here in the States and said it was the table wine at one of his favorite restaurants in Florence. Of course - any table wine in Italy is a good glass of wine!

I stocked up today so that I'm properly prepared once Abby and the holidays arrive. This meant stopping at 2 liquor stores because the first was out of the tan label completely. I guess my little secret isn't that much of a secret!! The lady helping me made an alternative suggestion, but when you haven't had alcohol in months, you can't take a risk like that!

Big Boy Bed

On Sunday Grant moved into his new room and into his big boy bed. How has he done in the new room and new bed?! Pretty much a perfect transition (I know - now I'm really tempting fate). He played in the room during the day while we were putting the last of the gear away, so he was comfortable with the layout. He really loved playing on the bed!

Derek says he went to sleep without making a sound on Sunday night. I was having dinner with friends, so I'll have to take his word for it!

A few things we did (notes to myself for when Abby makes the transition):

1. All toys are out of reach. Grant can't open the closet and can't reach anything on his bookshelf.

2. Elmo book - We read a book for several days about Elmo moving to a big bed. I have no idea if he "got" it or not.

3. Skipped a second nap. Sometimes Grant needs a second nap, but we skipped it on Sunday so he'd be extra tired and more willing to go to sleep at bed time.

4. COMPLETE DARKNESS. Grant had a night light from about 0-4 months. It was mostly for our convenience. After that, the night light went out and we never replaced it. He is comfortable sleeping in the dark (which helps in so many ways - he's quite portable)!

5. He can't open the door! Even if he tried to escape, he'd be stuck!!

He seems to really like his room. He knows to go there for bed now instead of the nursery. Last night he played in there quite contently (climbing in and out of a suitcase we'd gotten out to pack hospital bags) while I hung up all the new size 2T clothes from my sister (25 short sleeve shirts and 50 long sleeve shirts - I counted!).

I've checked on him every night and there's only been one mis-hap. On Wednesday when I went to check on him, he was actually on the ground next to the bed. Sound asleep with his monkey close by. I put him back in bed and he didn't even wake up.

Every morning when I go to check on him, he is sitting on his bottom on his bed. Usually repeating "Na no nah" (which translates to "Hi Lola"). It's such a sweet sight and such a sweet sound!

I'm glad my boy is getting into this routine now. Abby will no doubt shake this up a bit and will probably wake him while she is tiny and needs night-time feedings and cuddles. LESS THAN 2 WEEKS!!

37 weeks

I was 37 weeks on Monday. Overall, I feel great but my feet are getting more sore (along with my shoulder - the last steroid shot did nothing for me). Sidenote - When we went to the hospital a few weeks ago, Derek said after the fact that he didn't think anything was really going on because my feet weren't swollen like they were last time with Grant!

Abigail is moving around all the time and I can actually feel the Braxton Hicks contractions (I couldn't feel them/didn't know what they felt like with Grant). It's impossible to sleep through the night without a bathroom visit (or 2) and getting much harder to focus at work! This baby is always on my mind!

Time is FLYING by! And so are the doctor's visits. With Grant, I had regular sonos throughout and also had those fun cervix checks weekly once I hit 36 weeks. But since Abby's 20 week sono was all clear and I'm having a repeat C-section, my doctor's visits are very brief: Urine sample, blood pressure, doppler, tape measure, signature and out the door!!

In 1 week, we will be sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner with my family at my brother's house. Last year Grant was eating baby food and I made sure he had Thanksgiving-appropriate baby food. There was a bib, a bottle, formula and lots of diaper changing! I remember staggering our eating so that Grant was always taken care of.

This year, Grant will eat everything that we eat and probably just as much. We'll all eat together too! I think I'll take the monster bib though because he is so darn messy! There will be a booster seat and I'll be saying prayers throughout the meal that he doesn't throw anything on the ground (that's Grant's sign for "all done" - real sign language just doesn't stick with him!).

I will be in elastic-waist pants giving me a huge advantage (like Joey's Thanksgiving pants from Friends - but the cuter maternity style)! Derek will probably be chasing Grant around. I know Grant will try so hard to keep up with his older cousins! Chasing will be out of the question for me - 9 months preggers and weighed down by baby and food (did I mention the beauty of elastic-waist pants during the holidays?!).

And in 2 VERY short weeks, Derek and I will be dropping Grant off to stay with Matt & Julie. It'll be his last few hours as an only child! After dropping him off, Derek and I will head to the hospital and impatiently await our time to deliver Abigail (Impatiently not only because of the excitement but also because I CAN'T EAT AFTER MIDNIGHT AND DON'T HAVE MY C-SECTION UNTIL 1:30 PM!!!).

If Abby hasn't come on her own by Sunday, I really want her to stay put until December 1st! If she's here by Sunday, we'll be out of the hospital in time to enjoy Gloria's stuffing with the family!! Can you tell how important Thanksgiving is?!

Wow - this was supposed to be just an update on pregnancy and baby. But it involves a lot of food talk (and parentheticals). I guess that's just a consequence of my "condition". Yes - pregnancy causes an over-use of parentheticals. Google it.

Tiny Prints Giveaway!!

I'm not even sure if Ashley knows that I blog-stalk her. But I do. She has such an adorable family and they're always doing adorable things. And she's cheap. Like me!

She posted about this today, and I HAVE to do the same now because it's SUCH a good deal!

Tiny Prints is offering 50 free Christmas cards if you blog about them! All you have to do is blog, then fill out this form. Then you can start designing away!! I adore Tiny Prints but I've never used them. I was planning on doing a 2-sided card this year (1 for family, 1 for Abby's birth announcement), and they are one of the few online retailers that have that option! SCORE! I'll save a ton on postage too!

50 cards only starts to make a dent in my Christmas card list though, so Tiny Prints' will probably come ahead in this deal. I think it makes us all winners. But that's because I rarely lose - right Marlene? right Adolph?

5 generations

Derek's family is blessed with longevity. Grant has met one of his great-great grandmothers [age - 92] (through his father's father's mother), and he's also met one of his great-great grandfathers [age - 92] (through his father's mother's father). I hope you follow all of that!

This weekend, we had lunch with Derek's family to celebrate a host of birthdays and all 5 generations were there! Of course we (really, Karl - THANKS KARL!!) have evidence of this:

Grant, Father - Derek, Grandpa - Mike, Great-Great Grandpa - Roby, and Great Grandma - Betty
And it's suddently very clear where the boy gets his blue eyes!!

Happy birthday to Mike, Roby and Robbie!

Alligators

A work post! I can't resist - I was just CC'ed on an email from a broker to his client.

"Since we have attempted to reach you without success, we assume alligators have eaten you. We hate pestering you, but do hope to work with you. If you're still alive, one of the following is likely to have happened.

Please be as open and honest as possible. Please mark the best response and return to me, instructing us what our next step should be:

___ I've been eaten by alligators. Please send flowers.

___ I'm just plain swamped. Please call back after __/__/__

___ No. I haven't been eaten by alligators, but you may wish I had been because I have decided I have no interest in your service. Sorry, you're sunk.

___ Yes. I have some interest.

___ Other: _____________________________.

Your Everglades Friend,
Mr. Broker"

I really love this. I feel like some parts of my job are just babysitting (my boss calls it "quarterbacking") to ensure all the pieces come together. So when I'm ignored repeatedly, I may use this so that my project gets the attention it needs!

Take cover!!

I have some other posts in the queue that need photos to go with them… but I have a quick update on Grant.

Grant has started hitting. Initially it was the ground – we would tell him “No,” and he would turn around and hit the floor out of frustration. We would correct him and tell him hitting is not nice. Then earlier this week, he hit Clara. I can’t figure out what she did to set him off – but she can give some pretty mean looks! ;) Then last night, it was Nathaniel. His hero!! His mentor!! That one baffles me!

He’s also started throwing his toys. This one revolves around attention. But he will launch his favorite train, then try to go pick it up and throw it again! It’s a two-handed throw (and it usually goes pretty far).

We’re trying to nip this in the bud as promptly as we can so that hopefully a newborn isn’t in his crosshairs. Oh the beauty of being able to express yourself and the frustration of not being able to use WORDS to do so.

I wanted to put this down because I think it would make my head spin for someone to say “Oh – he’s reacting to the new baby.” No. This bad behavior came about on its own – without a baby, thankyouverymuch!!

If the train throwing is any indication, Grant will be a star on the basketball court. But we’ll have to wait to develop that athleticism. And in the meantime, Lola will learn to run faster!

Lazy Sunday

We spent Sunday recovering from the rest of the weekend. This meant playing outside and watching football.



Grant and I also helped Derek organize the shed. Grant thought all the leftover waters needed to be spread out. I thought his diaper rash needed some air.

8 am

We woke up at 8am today. The whole house. Just wanted to jot this down so I remember what life was like before Abby in a few weeks.

Dinner In

Last night we joined friends that are close enough to be family for "dinner in". The dinner was a fundraiser for Jesse and Rachel. They are adopting TWO infants/toddlers from Uganda, which is almost as expensive as it is exciting! The idea of the fundraiser is to provide a dinner in and for guests to donate as if they are having dinner out! I loaded up on lasagna and spaghetti (I had seconds of each) and on dessert (I had finished the cake before I even sat down to my table - which meant I had to go back for more)! A big thanks to Ron & Judy for feeding 50 or so of us!!

To read more about their adoption journey and their decision to adopt, follow Jesse and Rachel's blog. To help out their cause and score some gear for yourself, shop Rachel's etsy store or make your Scentsy order before December 31!!

While we were visiting with friends and celebrating Rachel and Jesse's APPROVAL, Grant was partying with his favorite Bereuter second cousin, Susie. I love this photo of them.

Grant and Susie have a special bond and he doesn't even cry when we leave them together. That's saying a lot if you know Susie! She can make grown men cry. ;)