Pumpkin Patch

It's that time of year again....where the stupid pumpkin patch stops traffic. Literally. I feel like kind of a hypocrit even typing this because we've actually gone to said pumpkin patch, but it's not going to stop me from complaining. Some brilliant planners decided a pumpkin patch right on the side of the freeway was a great idea. The problem is the minute the corn and pumpkins start growing, traffic comes to a dead stop. I was coming home on Sunday, the 21st of September...a full 6 weeks before Halloween, and the traffic had already started slowing down. It's pumpkins and corn people!! It's nothing special. And it's there every year. Not like it changes. And to the idiot drivers in this area, it doesn't matter if there are people there or not - they stop to look anyways. Last year, the weekend before Halloween traffic was stopped over 20 miles back because of this stupid pumpkin patch. I hope I don't have to go north for very much because I'll be pissed about this for the next 6 weeks if I do. But since I'm sure we'll end up there again this year, I'll be sure to wave to all of you who feel the need to stop and look.

Names

Quick update first: the glucose screening came back negative, so I don't have gestational diabetes, so yay for that! I am however slightly anemic. I had the same problem when I was pregnant with Samantha and it wasn't anything that couldn't be fixed with eating more iron rich foods and taking an iron suppliment every other day. So I guess I'll do the same this time.

Now if we could only agree on names for this little one. At the rate we're going it's going to be No Name Lua. I knew it wouldn't be easy, based on how long it took us to come up with names for the girls, but I didn't think it would like this. Our tastes are polar opposites this time around. I thought we had agreed on a boy's name, since Nacho was the one who suggested it, but now he's not sure, so we're back to square one on that too. We've tried making lists and vetoing out the other person's, but that just gave us a full list of crossed off names. I do have hope still, since we didn't come up with a name for Samantha until 2 weeks before I had her. But I did tell Nacho if we don't agree on names by the time the baby is here, I'm letting Samantha name him/her. Not seriously, but I did remind him that I'm the one who fills out the birth certificate. So when you ask if we've picked names and we tell you no, we're honestly telling you the truth.

Dr's appt. update

I had a doctor's appt. on Tuesday and it's the first time I've had to take both girls without Nacho's help. Let me tell what an experience that was, lol. The baby is doing good - heartbeat around 150, still measuring about 2 weeks ahead, but she assures me that's nothing to be concerned about, and moving all over the place. She did tell me that she believes the baby is laying with it's back against mine, which is why I can feel it EVERY time the baby kicks, moves, etc. and why I'm having lower back pain, which has been happening a lot this pregnancy. I'm really hoping this baby decides to flip because I had back labor with both girls and I'm not looking forward to having it again. As for me, I've gained a total of 12lbs - dr. wishes it was more, but since I've still got about 12-13 weeks left, I think it's fine. Which also means that I start my 3rd and final trimester on Wednesday. I can't believe we're in the home stretch already. So I've got another appt. in 4 weeks and then they start going to every 2-3 weeks (which is how I know I'm close to the end). Oh yeah, I have to my glucose test on Monday, so if you could all pray that I pass it, that would be great. I haven't had problems in the past and I don't want to start now.

Ballet has started again

Ballet has started again for the girls and this year we have changed studios. There is a multitude of reasons on why we did, but the biggest being that Miss Amy, Sam's beloved teacher has taken some time off from teaching and she was honestly the only reason we stayed at the old studio.

So we just did week 2 of ballet at the new studio and the girls seems to be loving it. And when I say we, yes I mean me too. Little did I know that the 2 year old program is actually a Mommy and me class. So not only does Sam have to sit and watch, something I'm sure that is driving her nuts (although she's been so well behaved), I get to actually dance with Lexi. I'm almost 7 months pregnant. Can I tell you, it's one thing to *know* you look like a giant whale pretending to be a graceful ballerina...and a whole other thing to actually be able to see yourself in the wall to wall studio mirrors. Luckily she's only in this class until the end of October, when she'll get to move into the 3 year old class with Samantha. This is a day we're all looking forward to: for me...I only have to drive to the studio once instead of the 2x on Thurs we're doing now AND I can sit in the lobby while they dance and not partcipate. For Sam: she doesn't have sit and watch others dance while she can't join in and finally for Lu: who informed me on her first day she doesn't actually want us in her classroom, she wants to do it herself.

Don't get me wrong, I've loved being able to share this with Lu since as the 2nd born, she's mostly been dragged around to Samantha's stuff or at the least had to share it with her. So this all about her and she gets my attention. I just wish I could have done it when I wasn't so pregnant...and so sore...and so tired. But that's for another post ;)

Today

is the first morning I'm by myself and I'm not sure what do with myself. Even though the girls have been back in school for weeks, the way our vacation and holidays fell, they've only been going on Wednesdays, which is the day I help out in the classroom. I'm sure they're doing fine, but I do worry a little bit about Lexi since I think she might actually believe I go to preschool with them. But she did give me a kiss and hug this morning and ran into the classroom, so I guess I don't actually have anything to be worried about.

But I've done the laundry and picked up the house, resisted the urge to drive through Starbucks and now I don't know what to do. I'm sure there is a million things I could find if I actually tried, but that doesn't seem like much fun. I do have plans to work on Lexi's scrapbook (like actually start it before this baby comes), but I think that's a project better put off for future weeks.

I guess I'll just take the rest of my morning and relax, something I don't get to much of. Because the next few months are going to fly by and I'll no longer have the time to myself.

First day of school

Well, it was the first day of school for the Lua girls, who've been itching to go back (please let them keep this enthusiasm in later years!). I tried and tried to coax Lexi out of bed this morning nice and sweetly...you know "Lexi, time to get up. Honey, time to get up." No response and her eyes are clamped shut. Then I say "it's time for your first day of school and the eyes pop open and she's jumped out bed ready to go. She even had her backpack on before her shoes and a full 15 minutes before we had to leave the house.

I signed up to volunteer in the classroom this year (Weds) until the baby comes, so today was my first day. It was amazing to be able to watch them do their thing, but damn am I tired. Who knew preschool could be so hard. But Lexi, who I thought might have problems with me staying (asking me for help instead of the teachers, etc) was completely oblivious to the fact that I was even there. I guess I should be proud instead of hurt, right? The teachers were amazed with how much Sam has learned from last year, which is funny since we didn't really do any "teaching" projects this summer. But I can tell she's already excelling as one of the few 2nd year preschoolers....she loves knowing how it's all done. But she's very sweet and took very good care of her little sister today, making sure she wasn't left out and explaining to her what was going on. Makes a mom proud!

Do-over Day

Do you ever have a day where you think it might be better to just climb back into bed and pretend it never started? That's been my day. Nothing horrible has happened, but there have been enough little things added up that it's made it feel that way. And I can't even have a glass of wine to calm my nerves. It started with our satellite receiver not working - AGAIN! We just had this receiver replaced last month because of a similar issue. And Dish Network customer service is such a joke. I'm so tired of them. Hopefully Nacho can get somewhere with them when he gets home tonight. Then our internet was working at a snails pace this morning. And of course it's the morning where I *have* to do something while trying to get out the door in minutes. I decided I would take the girls to see the last $1 movie of the summer and since I'm already running later than I wanted, of course I would get stuck behind a wide load trailer who's taking both lanes of the freeway, making us late for said movie. Don't even ask why it't still two lanes each direction here...stupid people in Novato who won't agree to the expansion.

So we get to the movies, get settled and everything seems to be going great. Then starts Lu's million and one potty trips that produce nothing. I know this is a part of potty training, but it doesn't make it any less annoying. Plus she's actually potty trained and usually only says she has to go when she has to go. After the movie, we go over to Target to get the girls' school supplies. Why do preschoolers need school supplies when we pay tution for them? I have no idea, but at least the list isn't as extensive as it was last year. And no suprise, the school section is a mad house. I repeated to Sam that she must stay right next to me if she wants to walk. She's doing great. I look next to me and she's right there. Until the time I look (maybe 15 seconds) and she's not. So I say "Samantha" thinking she's right there. Nothing. So I start yelling "Samantha" and of course panicking like any parent would do. She comes running over, apparently having been distracted by some markers and glitter, but behind a display that was taller than her. I know it couldn't have been more than 5 seconds until I found her again, but my stomach dropped. And I'm not sure whether any mother would react this way or it's just the hormones, but I burst into tears in the middle of Target because I was so relieved. She of course felt horrible and kept saying "sorry" over and over again.

The whole day wasn't bad...we did get to have lunch with Nacho which was a nice treat. And now we're home, safe and sound. The girls are napping (or pretending to) and I've got a few minutes to collect myself. Thank goodness our vacation is almost here!