Meet Miss Kearyn Faye

April 28th

9:50am

7 lbs 14.2 oz

20"

Via C-Section. Sweet as can be. The boys (and their Daddy) are in love. Mama's tired and sore.

We'll Be Seeing Ya...

on the flip side

(of pregnancy that is)

Hopefully the next time I post it will include a picture of a lovely little bundle of joy for you to oohh and aahh over.

All About Drayson

Drayson Bug--22 months

So I was thinking about all the little things that Drays is doing right now.

And with the little Miss about to arrive, I wanted to jot some down, so I wouldn't forget.

Though, he really isn't talking as much as Caleb did at this age, I realized he does have quite a few words. Probably close to 50. He is starting to string a few of his words together into phrases. I think the biggest problem is that Caleb knows exactly what Drays wants and goes and gets it for him before he even has to use his words to ask.

Some of his favorite and best words right now are:

Daddy, Mama, Dat (that), No, ice, thanks, love you, all done, tay (okay), bye, night night, Oh!, whoa, hello.

But don't let his lack of communication fool you. This kid understands everything! Like multiple directions at once.

"Drays, go get your shoes & socks"

"go throw your dirty clothes in your hamper"

Loves to:

sing & dance, say his prayers, talk on the phone, play fetch with the dogs, wrestle/fight, any game with his brother, be outside, get his hair cut (weird I know)

Favorite foods:

lucky charms, poptarts, white ricce, apples, any "snack"

Mommy's favorite:

happily puts himself to sleep for naps & bedtime. And sleeps well.

This little guy is 1/2 pure sweetness, 1/2 pure naughty!!

He can drive me "pull your hair out" crazy one minute and melt me the next.

Doctor Says:

I went for my 38 week check up on Friday.
I'm only at 2cm, but baby girl's head is down and ready for launch.
Dr. M asks me how I'd feel about scheduling an induction for Tuesday because he is on duty and he thought there might me an opening.
(now let me tell you, I would have given my right arm to hear my Doc utter these words the last two times I was pregnant).
But I was like "Tuesday, THIS Tuesday?"
Then I went on to say "well, Chip has a game that night and his final master's class for the semester is the weekend of the 24th, I have a hair cut, my nephew is getting baptized, yada yada..."
The only thing I didn't say out loud was "I'm pretty freaking terrified to have 3 children."
Then he realized I would not be technically 39 weeks and they kinda frown on that, so it let me off the hook.
We decided to keep my appointment for the following Friday (the 23rd), and if I was still pregnant at that point then we would talk induction dates again.
He also told me I could just "wait it out." But I've had to have my water broken both times before and my mother went 3wks overdue with both me and my sister, so genetically the track record doesn't look so hot.
So we are looking right on track for a baby to appear around the actual due date. So we are T minus 2 weeks (for the record I have absolutely no idea what the heck that means).
I'm going to try and get my rear in gear this next week.
And maybe squeeze in a nap or two.

How to Make Great White Rice: By the Semi-Asian Gal

That would be 1/4 Japanese. And I know I don't look it (have you seen my father?)
But that doesn't mean we don't love us some Japanese food around here.
One of the staples at our house is steamed white rice.
Are you curious how my adorable asian grandma made her rice and I now make mine?
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First off, get yourself a rice cooker. I once had a friend say to me: "I can never get my rice like yours" when I asked her how much water she was putting in the rice cooker she exclaimed "well I don't have a rice cooker" Hannah Montana Say What?? (I got mine at Costco for less than 30.00, Target also has them on the cheap).
Second, buy your white rice on the Asian food isle, not on the pasta isle.
Now were ready to get crackin'
I don't do alot in the way of measurements, just eyeballing.
I pour several cups of rice into the pot (more or less depending on how many you are feeding or whether you'd like to save some for later (more on this in a minute)).
Then I rinse the rice a couple times until the water runs nearly clear.
Let your rice soak for ~10minutes (only if you have the time....you can skip this step and it is not the end of the world).
For your final water measurement, make sure the amount of water (cool water) comes the tip of your pinky finger's top knuckle length above rice level (did you get that? hold up your pinky, point at that first crease nearest to your finger nail end, then turn your pinky over so the tip of your finger is touching the top of the rice, make sure your water reaches that first crease).
Now drop your pot back into your rice cooker and press your "cook" button.
That amazing cooker is gonna do the rest for you. When it "dings" let it sit for a couple extra minutes to steam, then it's good to go.
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And now I am going to share a very easy tip with you, that my friend Lyssa claims "changed her life."

I know that the actual process of preparing and cooking the rice is a bit tedious. That is why I always make extra. Then whatever rice I do not use I portion into snack size zip lock bags and put into my freezer. Whenever we feel like perfectly steamed rice, without all the hastle, we just pull out a bag (~1 bag per person) and "resteam" it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. We often do this when we want some rice for lunch, or if we want rice with a smaller amount of leftovers, it also makes great fried rice. Easy Peasy (I've never actually used that term before for obvious reasons). And it tastes like it came straight out of the rice cooker.

Confused? Any more questions. Let sensai here help you. (that would be teacher in Japanese). I'm trying to start a rice revolution here people!!

For Kearyn

I am trying to finish the final details before this little gal arrives.

Today I finished her "lovies"
Her beautiful Petunia Pickle Bottom Diaper Bag from Grandma Jane arrived.

Got all of the lovely crib bedding put on

Took some of the extra fabric and put it into this cute frame
More sweetness for the nusery

And here is the special project I've been working on. This is 4 painter's canvases put together to make this pretty mural. I took a copy of the fabric and hand sketched it onto seperate canvases and then painted them. I am so happy with how it turned out.

There are still a few final touches to be added to the nursery before it is complete. Including a mirror, tissue puff hanging flowers, and an oh-so-sweet lamp my mom found.

And I just did 3 loads of "girl laundry." All I gotta say is: this better be a SHE!

She Crazy

Yesterday happened to be my Birthday.

The big 28.

My mother declared that we should go to dinner and told me to pick the venue.

I let Kearyn pick.

She decided she would like breakfast for dinner.

So we went to IHOP.

And I ate an entire platter of pigs in a blanket (because there are starving people in Africa and I wouldn't want that food to go to waste)

Rigghhtt. That was the reason.

Then they passed out those mints that I LOVE.

And I may have unashamedly asked if I could buy some.

But then they offered me a to go bag of mints.

Because who can resist a smiley nearly-ready-to-burst-pregnant gal.

I was pretty pleased as we walked out to the parking lot and I got into the passenger seat.

One small oversight was the fact that Chip & I had driven separate cars.

So he was trying to get through to my pregnant brain that I actually needed to be in the drivers seat (using hand gestures by this point).

Then I turned to say good bye to my mother.

So I said "thanks Mom, Happy Birthday!"

And she burst out laughing (cause you remember it was MY birthday, not hers)

Then I burst out laughing and almost peed my pants (again) in public.

I'm sure they were all thinking I had officially lost it.

And I was feeling slightly goofy (like when I drink 1 1/2 margaritas at outback, instead of stopping at 1)

But this cocktail consisted of an over excess of syrup+too many mints+Kearyn stealing MY oxygen

Happy 28th & Happy 37 weeks to me!

Easter 2010 in Review

Easter was the perfect end to a lovely spring break.

We were so sad to see Daddy go back to school this morning. Poor Drays has been wandering the house yelling: "Daddy?, Daddy?" Good thing Auntie Kass stopped by to take them to the park and then over to Grandma Jane's for a little extra spoiling. Which leaves me home alone. What to do? Can you love being by yourself, but miss your kids at the same time?

I think so, especially when you have a couple sweeties like mine:

As I was writing this post, I came across my Easter post from last year.
I still feel the same way, but even more blessed. Is that possible?

Don't get me wrong, sometimes life is just plain hard, but I hope it is days (and posts) like these that I can look back on and say: "I am one lucky gal!"

36 Week Check-up Status: BORING.

Today was the big 36 week check. Ya, you know it. Checkin the business to see if there is anything happening. Oh and also the lovely Group B Strep test (fun times). Conclusion. Nada. Maybe 1cm (but I think Dr. M was just saying that to make me feel better). We listened to the heart beat and he pushed around and measured my stomach and decided I was "boring."

But, I'm seriously OK with this.

Here's why: the first time around with Caleb Doc said: "2 1/2cm & 50% effaced, if you don't have your carseat in the car and your bag packed, I'd get it done this weekend." I walked around convinced I would deliver at any moment (maybe Chipper's birthday?..Sep 5th?). No go, Cdog didn't come until the 15th (and that was after they had broken my water).

This last time with Drayson: almost 3cm & 70% effaced (I know impressive stats), and his head was totally engaged (yep that was comfortable). And that is the way he would stay for FOUR freaking weeks until they finally took pity on me and induced me just in time for me to walk down the aisle in Kynda's wedding (4 days post partum--I do not recommend this--though the vicodin was heavenly).

So really my 36 week check is not any sort of indication on how things will progress. I will more than likely carry this babe full term. This time though, I'm not going to go in until it's the real deal people. None of this: "well those might be contractions" crap. I want to take my time at home. I don't need to show up there with a freakin' half smile on my face and declare that "it's time!" Just so they can show me to the little exam room, check me a couple times, send me around that stupid circular hallways on "walks" like I'm at an old folks home and feed me ice chips (though who doesn't love that hospital terd ice?). When all this was relayed with some gusto to Dr. M. last week, even he was looking a little shocked and concerned. I told him "don't worry, I'm not gonna let it get to the point where Chip needs to deliver me on the I-182 bridge or anything."

And I'm not. I'm just saying. Did I also mention that I may or may not be doing this labor thing sans drugs? It's on the table for consideration. I tried this with Caleb and made it 8 hrs in. But then I stalled out at 5cm and I was super tired. I was afraid that if I didn't start making progress I wouldn't have any energy left to push. And I'd rather an epidural than a C section for sure. With Drays I was on pitocin and beggin' for the epi like an hour in. But I really feel like I could do this if everything went smoothly.

When I told Chip: he was all for it and ready to support my decision either way (because he is good like that). My sister took some convincing, but now says she is on board. My mother thinks I'm slightly off my rocker ("and if epidurals had been so readily available she would have gladly taken one both times"). But I am always up for a challenge. On the way to the hospital to have Caleb I might have even said "hey hon, I'm gonna kick the crap out of labor."

Bottom line: we shall see.

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Drays demanding the raisins out of my Raisin Bran

(this pic has absolutely nothing to do with this post, except for I love those chubby fingers and that sweet smile}