Thursday...

Yes, it's must see TV (day). Yes, it is one day closer to the weekend. But for some reason, Thursday is not the day for me!! Really! I know that I've blogged about this before, and described how Thursday was always a bad day for me in college. I always tended to dress down that day, and had a rough day that day! I remember during my pregnancy with Finnegan, it was the same way. Well, today (18weeks in) I've had a rough Thursday. Not a hard day, just emotional. I talked to everyone today and yet feel like I've not talked to a soul. Today I just feel all alone. I'm 90% sure that its just pregnancy, but it still makes for a crappy day!

Thanks so much!!

Thanks, moms, for all your suggestions. I had been told about the preperation and preparing the kids for what is next, and so I tried it today, and it seems to work really well for Finnegan. I just have to remember that he needs to be prepared and to start everything ahead of time, so I'm not trying to walk out the door and he is throwing a fit!!

So, here's another question, for those of you who have older kids who sleep in toddler or big kid beds... I ask this for my girlfriend Stacy, who's having trouble keeping her daughter in her bed during nap time...

How do you get your child to stay in the bed, and not continually get out of bed to play during nap or bed time. I suggested taking the toys out of her room for a few weeks until she can understand the concept that her room is where you sleep, not play with toys. Stacy has been doing the "super nanny" approach to if she leaves her room (picks her back and explains that she needs to stay in her bed, and then each time after, there's no talking she just places her back into bed until she stays). This has been working, but now, especially during nap time, she's getting out of her bed and playing with toys rather than taking her much needed nap.

So, super-moms, any ideas?? Thanks again for all the help! I know I really appreciate the help from other mom's who have similar concepts and ideas of parenting that I do, rather than taking every suggestion I find over the internet!! :)

Nothing New to Speak of...

Yet again, I realized that I haven't blogged in several days. We haven't had an especially busy week, but we've had activites each day.

Monday was our normal grocery shopping day. Tuesday was a scheduled doctor's appt with Finnegan's ear doctor. He has great hearing and the doctor isn't concerned about hearing loss at this time (We have a family history of early hearing loss - so that's why we were there). Today was a planned play group that only one friend showed up for. But that's ok. It's always nice to touch base with one mommy rather than a handful... it can get kind of crazy with a house full!

I've been dealing with a new little boy these last week or so. He seems more adgetated and frustrated in this last week. I have a feeling that it is a combination of a independence stretch and a growth spurt. He seems sleepy all morning and tends to have a long nap. He is outwardly frustrated and our time-out corner has gotten significant use, although he's catching on. :)

Yesterday we had a super outburst and break down at the doctors office when he didn't want to leave. That wasn't fun. I'm trying to be calm and get down on his level. But that doesn't always calm him down. Any ideas, fellow mommies, to how we help our children adjust to changes throughout the day - especially in public? I'm sure anyone would be a millionair if they had the correct answer to that question, but thought I could ask for some suggestions to try!

Mommy's feeling pretty good. We have started the countdown to next wednesday, when we'll go in for our ultrasound. I have gained some weight but significantly less (i think) that I did in my first pregnancy. I don't think that I have a big belly at all. I just look overweight... well, more overweight than I did! I feel good overall, and am really looking forward to seeing the baby next week. I'll keep you posted (obviously) :)

P8A's First Flight ** Updated**

** Update**

I had a few questions posted that I wanted to address:

- No, Ken wasn't piloting the plane. Although he works for Boeing, he works as a software engineer for Boeing. He writes the computer code for functions within the aircraft. He has been asked to stay on the project until it's completion in 2011. It has been discussed that he may be on other test flights in the future.

- This aircraft is significant because the military has only one current kind of sub-hunter that they use, but it was originally built and designed in the 70's. Obviously, since then, the technology and science of our military has changed in the last 40 years, and therefore, so has the need for our air crafts. I'm not sure specifically what function Ken works on (although he swears he's told me and won't tell me again) but I can't remember. :)

** Also, below I mention that the aircraft had an aborted take off. I have been since informed that it wasn't that at all, but that they were supposed to do that... they were testing the breaks before they actually lift off :)

-------------------------------------
Original Post:

Last night, Ken came home while Finnegan and I were outside playing. He came out and greeted us both and then asked, "Do you want to go and see the first flight of the P8A tomorrow??" My rely?? "Of course!!" I was really excited! Ken has been on one program since we've moved here to WA and this is the plane! Many of our friends have come and gone on other projects, but this is Ken's first projects. And to know that this was the first flight, well, there was no question asking if I wanted to go!

This morning when we woke up the sky was very overcast. The reports from Boeing were that they would call the flight by 8am (and run at 9:30am). So, at 8am, they'd decided that it was a go! We had our bags packed (you know, the amount of snacks and gear it takes to take a child outside for an undetermined amount of time) and we loaded into the car to make the 45 minute ride to the municiple airport just outside Seattle. Ken had mentioned earlier that maybe we wouldn't go. It looked like it would rain and what if we got up there and they didn't run?? Normally I would agree, but it's the first run! I told him that we would feel bad that we didn't see it if we later found out that they did run and we saw it on TV. I was glad we were on our way.

We made our way directly to the airport without hitting any traffic, and were in position to view the airplane with 10 minutes to spare, before the scheduled taxi to the runway. We waited and waited and nothing really happened. Finnegan was content just eating his snacks and watching the small one engine aircrafts take off right in front of us. We were three of about 20 at first. The crowd grew to about 75 or 80 people by the time the plane actually took off.

The plane was suppose to taxi at 9am and take off at 9:30am. At 10am, someone said that they'd be ready to taxi in 15-30 more minutes. Around 10:10, the gated entrance right infront o us opened and let through two HUGE fire trucks, as well as two Fire Aid vehicles (EMS) trucks. They got into position. Then, the two chaser aircrafts appeared overhead, and they began to circle. The chasers were to follow the aircraft and take photos of it, among other things.

About 10:20 the plane fired it's engines. Everyone cheered! Then the plane taxi'd and we were pretty excited. We watched it go out of sight. We could only see it's high tale fin. You could hear it take off. It made the same sound as those jets do when you're inside. Just as it got infront of us, I kept expecting the front wheels to lift off the ground and as the milliseconds passed, and then you heard the plane de-accelerate. Oops! The take-off had been aborted for some reason. The crowd moaned, and someone behind us commented that it just cost Boeing $500 in jet fuel to do that! The plane continued to taxi in the direction it was going, and then turned around. A man near us had a headset and a walkie talkie that was hooked into what I would call the CB radio of the plane... we could hear the control tower and the pilots talking about guages and "ready for take off."

We looked to our far right and we could see the plane, and hear it again, barrelling down the run way, and just then, just when you expect it too, it lifted off the ground and began to fly up into the air. Then the chaser aircrafts quickly followed behind and then took their places, one on either side of the converted 737. Everyone cheered, whistled, and clapped as the plane flew. It was pretty exciting!!

Below are some photos of our day. If you want to see more, just email me your email address and I'll send you the album of about 13 or so photos!! Also, if your super interested, you can search "P8A First Flight" on Youtube. Several people have already posted videos.

Baby Movements/Update

So today was the first day of lots of baby movement. I woke up to the baby sitting with it's tush to my right side, almost like he/she was sticking his/her butt out. This happened again around lunch time. I can't feel it on the outside, but definitely from the inside. This is the best part of pregnancy!

Currently in this pregnancy, I am only up 6lbs, at 17 weeks along. At times, I think that that is too much too fast, especially seeing that I've gained those 6lbs in the last 3 weeks :) But at other times I know its perfectly normal. We have less than 2 weeks before our ultrasound. I'll keep you posted about all the exciting news!

Pregnancy Posts

I was referred to a new blog the other day and I'd like to share it with you...

www.nursingbirth.wordpress.com

Most of my readers are already moms, but this is a blog that I wish was around and I had read before I had Finnegan. Granted, the "errors" that were made during Finnegan's delivery were just that "errors", but I wonder if they could have been avoided if I would have been more aware of what was happening and if my husband was a bit more prepared to be my advocate. The blog listed above is written my a L&D nurse in the east coast, who chronicles stories of real patients and scenarios that she has worked with. She talks about inductions, doctor laziness (although not all doctors are this way), breaking of your water, and other situations that take place during labor. The blog gives some great ideas for birth plans (which I wish I would have been educated more about... mine was very plan and dull... not nearly as detailed as it could have been).


anywho - wanted to share. Some of the posts are long, but very informative if you're having a baby sometime soon! :)

It's no easy being green!!

For weeks, I knew the summer was coming and thus, the grass would need to be mowed. With the end of Ken's master's program coming to an end, I knew that mowing the grass was the last thing on his mind! So I've been getting bids for having our grass mowed by someone else. Our neighbor, who installed our irregation system, did a bid for us, but it was a little steep for our wallets, especially while trying to stay on a budget and only needing it for a couple of months. I called a couple of companies in the area and got a similar and even lower price. But Ken had resigned himself to doing the lawn himself... when he got time.

I appreciate my husbands work ethic and how much he's working, but I just couldn't let the grass grow so long and then have him work 4 hours or more to mow and edge the whole lawn. It seems silly to me. But really, what could we do??

Well, today we found the answer. Or I guess, the answer knocked on our door. A neighbor boy, offered to mow our lawn for a nominal fee. Ken agreed and we worked out a deal where he would mow the front yard each week and the back yard every other week. Then every other week, Ken will just have to do the edging of the yard to keep it looking clean.

We'll still have to pay to have the work done, but I would much rather pay a kid, to learn how to work hard, rather than a big business!! :)

My new stove??

Ok, so I haven't really gotten a new stove, but you'd think that I did since I've burned just about everything that I've tried to cook since Thursday!!

On Wednesday, I was complaining about how difficult the stove plates were to clean and keep clean. Ken suggested just to go buy new ones. Sounded good to me!! While at Target I decided to also purchase a new skillet to replace one that I've had since our first Christmas as a married couple. The old one had certianly seen better days! So I ventured back home with new stove plates and two new skillets.

I replaced the plates and washed the skillets so that I could use them. Well... since then, I've burned grilled cheese... almost burned a scrambled egg, and all my water boils in less than 4 minutes. Boy, you'd think that I've never cooked before!!

Fourth month is the hardest...

Well, I have come to the conclusion that the fourth month of pregnancy is the hardest... Not physically, obviously, but emotionally. There's my reasoning:

• Your just now feeling yourself again after the first months, but don't want to over-do it. Do you push yourself? Do you whimp out?
• Your belly hasn't grown a ton (although some of the women on line look like their 7 months pregnant already). You just basically look like your bloated, or have gained a few pounds.
  
• The baby may move here and there, but there's no consistent movement. Those insecurities that you have begin to creep in... is the baby ok? Is the baby growing enough and properly?
• You don't know if the baby is a boy or a girl... so no planning can be done and no purchasing of items. Just waiting.
  
• Just all over emotional tendencies as your hormones race!!

So, these (in a nut shell) is why I think the 4th month of pregnancy is a rough one, emotionally. And I suppose it puts you in my mind for a moment, and these are a few things that I'm dealing with these days... internally/emotionally.

A few more photos

I haven't posted in a few days and not sure why. But thought I'd post a few photos.

Here's one from Easter day. I realized later that I didn't get one of the three of us. Which disappointed me a bit. But I suppose that it will happen!
Here's Finnegan enjoying his first Peep! This is the first bite!!


Needless to say, he liked it!

This was today. He was petting the doggie and saying "good doggie". This is our girl Tootsie... She loves Finnegan and let's him love on her. He'll even lean over and give her a hug. It's the cutest thing!
This is Finnegan talking on his "new" cell phone. I was working with the calculator today and I think he thinks it looks similar to my new cellphone, so he kept talking on it. I will try to get a video of it, because it's pretty cute. He says "hello" and then a bunch of gibberish, and then "hello" again! so cute.


Here's another new favorite pass time... Stacking plastic cups. They were out from our Easter brunch and Finnegan will stack them and unstack them. Then throw them all over the living room, pick them up (after mommy asks) and then does it all over again. And one of my new favorites. Finnegan doesn't like to sit next to daddy anymore. He shimmy's his way down on daddy's lap and sits with Ken while he works. Ken has been turning on a video game or surfing the Disney website.

Dessert by any other name??

Creme Anglaise... The original recipe that I had was for a Bread Pudding with a Vanilla Sauce. The Recipe is derived from a dish that is served on Disney Property in Florida. It's THE BEST Bread Pudding I've ever had!! I'd read the recipe several times and was pretty sure that I could do it for Easter Brunch that I was hosting this year.

Then, this week, I just happened to catch a few Food Network Programs that put it all into perspective for me. The first was an episode of the Barefoot Contessa. She was actually making an Italian Gelato, but the base of the gelato was what she called a "creme anglaise". And then turned it into ice cream. The second program I wastched was Throwdown with Bobby Flay. He was making bread pudding against a dessert truck in New York. As they both made their bread puddings, they both showed the process that they went through to make their sauce, or their creme anglaise. Then it hit me, that is what I was making...

Creme Anglaise... A french custard that can be difficult to make if you do it too fast or the milk is too hot. Essentially, you boil milk, and whisk eggs in a bowl with sugar together and then slowly add the milk to the eggs and just pray that they don't scramble in the bowl. The recipe that I had for "vanilla sauce" was just this method. Oh, no!! Would I be able to do it??

Well, sure enough I did. On Saturday night, I was preparing some prep items for Sunday's Brunch and I successfully made a Creme Anglaise. And then today, when we tasted it with the bread pudding, it was just divine!!! I was very proud of myself, and then began to think that culinary arts school would be fun... I'd like to wear a white jacket!!

Mr. Stylish!!

First off... Finnegan enjoyed his first trip to DQ on Saturday. We had a beautiful weekend and we got to do DQ together as a family. This is Finnegan having a taste of Daddy's cone. Needless to say, he didn't really understand how to eat it... so he just stuck his tongue out. :)


Here's my stylish kid... I just can't deny that he is so cute.

Here's his Easter outfit. We tend to go to the Sunrise Service on Easter and it is outside in a stadium. So we normally bundle up. So this last week, he wore his Easter outfit to church and then he'll wear it again on Easter for brunch.



This shirt is for his Papa!!
Here's another one for Papa!! He loves his Ambulance!!

Here's the last one for the night. My boys hard at work, writing code!



Hope you're having a good week!!

Photo Post

Here is the long awaited photo post...

Here's my boy, hard at work like his daddy!!




He's recently started feeding his stuffed animals. It's the sweetest thing!!
We had fried chicken, mashed potatoes and corn the other night for dinner, and Finnegan had an itch on his face :)

Ringtones...

So, I'm planning to post some photos of Finnegan, as I know I've only been writing lately, and we all know that that just gets boring... So those are to come...

Now, today's feature presentation... :)

Ringtones. Aren't they great? Whoever came up with the idea of taking a snipit of a song, and playing it instead of the annoying ring of your cellphone, should get a raise! What a great idea! I love that you can pair a person with a song. The song that you love, or reminds you of them. Just fun! Recently, I purchased my first ringtone... to only find out that my phone wasn't advanced enough to hold the memory that it needed to work!! There goes $3 wasted.

So, I was offered a new phone by my cellphone carrier for free, so I took them up on the offer. I wasn't allowed to transfer that song that I bought, but I could buy more!! :) So that is what I did!!

I didn't buy a lot... Only 4 songs. But they're fun ones:

• For Ken's ring: Lucky by Jason Mraz and Colbie Callette... If you've never heard it, this is the portion of the song that it plays, "I'm lucky I'm love with my best friend, Lucky to have been where I have been, Lucky to be coming home again!" This song just makes me smile. It's a new favorite of mine, and it makes me happy when I hear it say "coming home again" because that is normally when Ken calls me, when he's on his way home! The song has great harmony too, which just makes me smile!
• For Beth and Andrea: Happy Working Song from Enchanted. I wanted a Disney Song, but something that encompased both of them. They both love this movie, and its a fun song to hear!
• For Mom and Dad: Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow, from the Carosel of Progress ride at WDW and it's also in Meet the Robinsons Movie. I LOVE this ride at WDW and was sad that we didn't ride it when we visited this last time. But it's a happy song and reminds me of happy times and a great promise!
• For the rest of you... Another current favorite.... Single by NKOTB. I know it's silly, but its a fun dance song, and it was originally gonna be Ken's song (so he didn't have to ever hear it play) but not any longer :)
  

Fun songs make for a fun time. I love music, and how music can motivate and inspire us. I searched for many other artists that inspire me, but the Verizon store just isn't that user friendly, especially with Praise and CCM music :) I did find many TV themes that I almost purchased, but didn't. Particuarly the L&O them... That would be a great one!! Maybe next time!!

What fun ringtones do you have??