Funny Kid

I want to make sure I write down more of the funny things Charlotte says so I don't forget them later.   We heard these comments this weekend when Fred fixed some leaky plumbing and a broken hot water valve.

Fred's facebook status:

Fred Sanchez When ever I pick up my tools to fix things around the house, my 2 year old daughter says the funniest things: "Daddy, don't hurt yourself." and "You broke it, AGAIN!" I guess daddy's home improvement skills need improving.

I must also point out that she also says things like, "Good job!" when helping Daddy work.

Tuesday "would be Better"

One of Charlotte's sayings when we are talking about alternatives between ABC and XYZ is XYZ "would be better."

So for me, Tuesday would be better.  Definitely.

MC and I knocked out the rest of my last minute Holiday shopping (which of course, has been rendered null and void as I had to add something minor back to the list after a Charlotte-related mishap this afternoon) this morning, took my virus-ridden, blue screen computer to the IS department at work (okay, a bad note), had lunch with Helen and Ernest, and wrapped everything left to wrap.  The only thing left for tomorrow is baking!  Yay!

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I'm not brave enough to let MC out of the house without a pull-up or diaper on, but she's getting better about going on the potty when home.  She loves to wear her panties but generally needs reminding to go sit on the potty on a regular basis (unless she wants to get out of sitting at the dinner table).  I can always tell when she's had an accident because she comes running in to me saying, "You not sad. You not sad, Mommy."  Ummm, why am I not sad, exactly, Charlotte?

Tonight she was playing nearby while I wrapped a Christmas that the UPS man had just delivered.  I said, "Charlotte, do you need to go potty?" Of course the answer was, "No."  To which I had to reply, "Charlotte, you didn't go earlier, I think you need to go to the potty." 

She scampered off quickly while I finished taping the edge I was working on and hoisted my big round body off the floor.  Charlotte came running to meet me halfway to the bathroom saying, "Mommy, I tinkled!"  Her panties were obviously soaking wet, but she still seemed so excited.  I checked the potty.  Yup, tinkle in the potty.  

"Good job for tinkling in the potty, Charlotte!  Next time, though, let's remember to pull your panties down, okay?"

Monday

I just need a space to vent.

So I woke up this morning with that feeling.  You know the sore-throat, coughing, heavy-chested, feeling after you've spent a whole day trying to convince yourself that you are NOT getting sick and that it is JUST allergies?  Yeah, that one.

Thankfully, Charlotte slept in until 8 (a small Christmas Miracle), which allowed me a few minutes to lay in bed feeling sorry for myself.    I may have also experienced a contraction and instructed Little Bug to stay put where he is; there is no way I would have been able to manage THAT today as well.

Around 9 I decided that with only 3 days left to get ready for Christmas celebrating, and the lack of milk in the fridge, that we needed to get out and do some shopping.  By 10 we are both dressed and walking out the door.  I carry my things to the car as Charlotte stops to investigate something left in the cup holder of a lawn chair.  She doesn't come when I call.

Guess what?  She found and opened a bottle of bubbles, and in the process spilled the soapy liquid all over her pants.  I must confess that my first thought was, "It will dry, it will be okay," and picked her up to carry her to the car.  At the car, however, I saw the damage really couldn't be ignored, turned off the car, locked my stuff inside, and ran back into the house to change her pants. 

In the car and on our way 20 minutes after first setting about walking out the door, I decide to swing by the mall first to pick up that last gift card.  Charlotte and I like to go to this mall, because it has a great indoor germ play castle.  We usually go early, shop a little, play a little, maybe even eat lunch and go home.  Today we only made it into the parking lot.  I forgot that while 10:20 may be not long after the doors open on a normal day, December 21st is NOT a normal day.  Who are all these people, and why are they jacking with my everyday life? So we skip off to HEB.

And find more of the same.  While it isn't too crazy, every Mom is there with her 3 kids who are off for Christmas Break. 

Blueberries and strawberries are on sale; I ask MC which she'd like.  "Blueberries!" and then she demands to hold them.  I cave.  Then I remember I haven't asked my Mom what she needs me to bring for Christmas Dinner.  On the phone with her I find out all the easy stuff is already taken.  I opt for squash casserole, but can't remember the recipe.  As Mom tries to help me remember what's in it (all I could come up with is carrots and pimento), Charlotte drops the blueberry carton on the floor.

Blueberries go everywhere. 

I should have seen that coming, I know.

I get my 8.5 month pregnant body down on the ground in the middle of the produce section and start scooping up the blueberries that haven't already been squashed by passing carts.  One lady kindly tells me that I should just call someone to come clean it up for me.  However, no HEB employee in sight, I figured my way would be faster and result in less squashed blueberries.  I gratefully thanked one of the Christmas Break kids who gave me a hand.

I spend 10 minutes with the olives and pickles looking for a jar of pimentos, no luck.  Again, no nearby employee to ask.  Fred doesn't know it yet, but I decide to send him to the store later for pimentos. 

The phone rings, and I bite Fred's head off when he says he thought I was going to stay home in bed.  He just wanted to know if he could bring me lunch.  Poor Fred.

Headed to checkout I forgot to look through HEB's gift card selection, something I'd decided to do after skipping the mall.  Oops.

In the parking lot I call Fred back to apologize and take him up on his lunch offer.  Charlotte loses a shoe and her hair bow at the same time.  Shoe and bow restored, cart unloaded, I push the cart between two cars towards the nearest cart return.

And squash Charlotte's finger between the car and the cart.  I abandon the cart (something I never do with a cart return nearby) and buckle a crying MC into the car seat.  Though there is no blood, only a band-aid will make it better.  Band-Aid secure, we leave the parking lot.

And then spend 5 minutes getting back into the busy parking lot because I realize I've left my cell phone in the shopping cart.

Anything else on the list got scratched and we came home.  I found a big stain on the side of my shirt, apparently transferred bubble solution from Charlotte's earlier mishap.  Glad I only walked around HEB like that and not the Mall too.  Fred brought bun which always makes me feel better.   I napped and did little else with the rest of my day.

So let's now say good night to Monday. 

Good Night!

A Christmas Conversation

On the subject of Santa (though still slightly confused on the difference between Santa and a snowman.  Go figure).

Charlotte: (looking out the window from her rear-facing car seat) I see Santa!
Me: (not seeing said santa because I'm looking the other direction at the road) Wow, you do?  Great!
Charlotte:  Santa come to Mommy's house? (note: never HER house or Daddy's house, but Mommy's.  Apparently I own everything, Daddy nothing :-P )
Me: Yes!  Santa is coming to our house!  What is he going to bring?
Charlotte: A present for Charlotte!
Me: (In yet another attempt to discover if there is anything she wants for Christmas) What kind of present?
Charlotte: A GREEN one!

Note to Santa: make sure to buy some green wrapping paper.

To the Theater!

Last night I went with my Mom and sisters (minus Christy - we missed you!) to dinner and the Sound of Music.  As I was obviously getting dressed to go out, Charlotte asked me, "Where you go-in, Mommy?" and I responded, "Aunt Michele (who was here to pick me up) and I are going to a play."  Charlotte then said, "I want to go with Aunt Michele!" but I told her she was going to stay and play with Daddy.

While I was off eating yummy food and singing along (in my head) to "My Favorite Things," Charlotte found her dress up clothes and made Fred help her get all dressed up, including her purse and cell phone.  When asked where she was going, her response, "I'm going to a play!"

I guess she was a little bummed to find out she wasn't going after all!

Settled in for the Wait

Tomorrow marks the first day of my 38th week of pregnancy; with 37 full weeks behind me, I'll be considered full term.  YAY!  Unfortunately, Charlotte and medical science had different opinions on full term, so I am all too aware that "full term" means 5 weeks of "this baby could come at any time!"  This time, however, I'm prepared not to expect a baby until my due date or beyond.  Except for the part where I secretly hope he'll* come sooner.   The regular braxton hicks contractions that started around week 16 and have only gotten more frequent and stronger, manage to keep that hope alive (blast it).  *or she!

There is nothing like a few hours of contractions 10 minutes apart to convince me that indeed, it is time to make sure the hospital bag is (mostly) packed.  Unfortunately, having my bags "ready to go" doesn't seem to work for me, as there are last minute things that I'll need to pull together, but the important things are all now neatly piled either in a bag or on top of it.

Mostly I can hardly believe we are at the end.  Some days it feels like I've been pregnant forever!  I'm dying to know if the little monkey in there is a boy or a girl.  I must have been comfortably certain Charlotte would be a girl, because I don't recall quite the suspense.   Mostly I think of this baby as a boy, but I don't know why, so that has me second guessing myself.  Either way, I'm quite sure I'll do some gender-related shopping for this peanut as soon as I feel up to getting out of the house.  :-)

Ouch! Those are my ribs!

Seriously, my ribs hurt right now. I'm not sure HOW this kiddo did it, but I feel bruised from his little feet!  What the heck, kiddo?  Mexican food too spicy for you?  It hurt when he started kicking - almost like on the OUTSIDE of my ribs rather from the inside.  I'm not sure that is possible or if it makes any sense.  Like my belly is SO big now that when I'm sitting in front of the computer, (or dinner table) leaning over, it extends past my ribs enough that he can get his little foot up on the outside of my rib cage.  That sounds crazy, someone please tell me it isn't.

So anyway, as if being 8 months pregnant isn't discomfort enough, it now hurts to move.

In other news there are still ticks in my house, though less than before, I think.  Poor Maddie no longer has her beautiful long coat, so, hopefully, any ticks that find her we can remove.  I'm not sure WHAT else to do at this point.  These blasted ticks seem to be resistant to everything I've tried.   They creep me out!

I also did some shopping at Goodwill this weekend and will have to go check out some other thrifty places.  Like to make little gift baskets for the holiday season like me?  I got a whole bunch of cute little ones for 79 pennies each, and a big, heavy duty one for $2.  I love baskets for organizing stuff, so I'll have to go back for more.  I was less impressed with the newborn clothes, but bought a couple of boy things, just because it's cheap and I, with my end of summer little girl, don't have much with long sleeves that is gender-neutral.

And now we're at less than 4 weeks till Due Date.  crazy.

Snow Day!

One Month

January 3 is this baby's "due date."  Not that I put much stock in such things.

This week the nesting has started.  I'm not sure if it's because of the ticks, which prompted a lot of extra cleaning both before and after treating the house, or if it's bonafide nesting.  I feel like I spend all day dead on my feet only to spend my evenings doing "just one more thing" before bed.  Next thing I know, it's midnight (or later) when I finally close my poor tired eyes.  The house is looking pretty good, though, with all the cleaning and organizing.  It still needs more, but I'm pretty sure I'll have several more weeks to attack it all.  Then I need to plan to have people over to enjoy it all.  Wouldn't that be a crazy pregnant lady thing to do?

Today was the beginning of weekly visits to the OB.  Fun times.  My pregnancies are pretty boring, and I'll keep it that way, thank you very much.  Today though, I had a quick, exam room ultrasound because I'm measuring a touch small.  Apparently my amniotic fluid is on the low end of average for the 3rd trimester.  Time to drink up and keep myself over hydrated and running to the restroom every hour! Otherwise everything looks good.  Baby is head down with his feet in my ribs (as was kindly pointed out to me, as if I can't tell :-P)

I also had the scariest moment of my life today.  The exterminator ended up coming today, since the ground was wet yesterday.  As soon as we got home I went to work vacuuming and/or mopping every inch of exposed floor in the house.  I also opened up windows and turned on fans.   Charlotte was running around eating an apple and singing her ABCs as I moved from mopping the dining room at the front of the house to the bathroom.  Suddenly I realized I didn't hear her anymore and went to check on her.  She didn't answer my call at all and I didn't see her in any of the rooms she'd just been in.  As I'd been mopping, several chairs were pushed up next to the open window, and earlier she'd curiously peeked her head outside. I started calling her name frantically through the house, and all I could think was that she'd climbed out the window.  I ran outside in a panic, but there was not a soul in sight.  I called her name and ran down the driveway to the back yard, but she wasn't there.  Back inside I called her name loudly and began to imagine the worst.  I pulled down my sweater and started to dig through my purse for my cell phone.  As I was spreading the contents of my bag on the floor in a panic, she came trotting, all smiles, out of the laundry room with Fred's big flashlight.

I've never been so freaking relieved in my whole life.  I don't think I'll be opening the front windows without screens again, unless my eyes are on her the whole time.  It does give me more incentive to replace them - something that had been far down my list of to-dos for this house.

On a more cheerful note, MC and Fred had the cutest phone conversation this evening as he drove home from the airport.  The phone rang and MC was going to bring it to me, but then decided, "It's Daddy!" and decided to answer it herself.

"Hi, Daddy! You wanna play blocks?" 
"This blocks?" (pointing to her logo style, mega blocks)
"How 'bout this blocks?" (pointing to her wooden blocks)
"Christmas tree!" (running and pointing at the Christmas tree)
"Snow man!" (running to point at a Santa Claus - okay, so she's a little off)
"Maddie!" (pointing at maddie) "Maddie go groover!" (groomer)
(over to nativity set she'd been playing with when the phone rang) "Baby, Mommy, Daddy, Joeseph, sheep, 2 sheeps!"

The whole time I keep asking her if I can talk to Daddy.  "No, I talk to Daddy."

Finally I hear, "Bye, bye, Daddy" about 10 times in a row (apparently Fred was at the front door and trying to get her to come see him).  As sadly clicked the phone shut she said softly, "I love you."

She's totally precious!