5/18/06 Gabriel and Julian nap

A much better day than yesterday, even though there was more potential for failure since I had the boys all day. It definitely seems our Tuesdays and Thursdays go better than our MWF afternoons together.

Still, it's hard to go wrong starting off the day with swim class, they both love it. Gabriel is doing just great -- using his arms in a crawl, and then he rolls over to his back really well now (a precursor to learning to take breaths, I think).

I still needed an afternoon nap, but after yesterday's nap ordeal with Julian, I waited longer to try to get him down. Meantime, the boys had fun playing outside together, on the tricycle and with their new sanddozers. They played a lot together today, mostly pretty well. I think I only had to shout "GABRIEL!" when I heard Julian crying three or four times.

Then when it was time for a nap, I went through the usual routine, including a new book (Dr. Seuss' "There's a Wocket in my Pocket"). Julian resisted getting into bed, as per new usual, but I gave him just one chance -- one countdown and then I'd get the "crib." When I returned with said crib, he was lying in bed, and there he stayed for another 3 hours. Finally! He really needed a good solid nap.


When I returned from an unusually successful getting-down-for-nap, I found Gabriel asleep on our bed too. Perfect! I lay down and napped with him for about an hour. He woke up just as I did, and just looked at me at first, then sleepily blinked. I blinked back at him. Then he blinked back at me, and we went back and forth a few times like this until he burst out laughing.

I went back to my ice skating class tonight, after missing last week because of our trip. We had a different teacher this time, and she gave us lots of detail that I was surprised she'd bother with at our pathetic level. But what a difference! I think I actually felt what an edge is like, and my attempts at forward crossovers felt completely different. It's so much fun, I can't believe I waited this long in life to try skating. After that, I joined my mom friends for Coffee Night and an extended gossip session.

When I left for the evening, we went through the usual ritual of lots of hugs and kisses. I never mind this making me late, it's so sweet! The boys each have to give me one last hug, one more kiss, now the other side, big kiss, little kiss, rabbit kiss. Now they're starting it with Dave when he leaves in the morning. I just love it, that makes up for so much. Though today, there wasn't much making up for to do -- it's striking how much better afternoons go when everyone gets a decent nap.

Tomorrow, the boys spend the afternoon and night at Tonya's for sleepover. Yay! I have a lot to do tomorrow, but I'm especially planning on getting lots of rest. At least my sick feelings have stabilized somewhat. They go on and off all day, but a little bit more predictably than before, and with fewer extremes, but still. Blah. At almost 20 weeks along now, I think my stomach issues are in it for the long haul.

5/18/06

5/17/06: Belly Shots

Steph requested some belly shots, so here I am. 19 weeks along and sticking out a whole lot more than the first time!

Today I had the anatomical sonogram scan, and once again, all was normal. The sonogram technician said not many people don't want to know the sex of the baby anymore, no surprise. She said the baby's head was right up against my skin, plus I'm "so thin" (hah!), so she said no wonder I'm feeling and seeing the baby so much -- it's right there. Baby#3 head-butts me constantly; few hours go by that I don't feel it.

My stomach continues to be a nemesis, and soon the biomechanical challenges of pregnancy will kick in. I get out of breath walking up stairs now, and my fragile sacro-iliac joint (lower back) twinges all the time, reminding me of its imminent wrath. Sinus congestion and violent gut-wrenching (literally) sneezes also plague me. I refuse to say I'm too old for this. This level of physical misery sucks no matter how old you are.

I was an awful mom today. Supernanny would have been appalled at how impatient and ignoring I was with the boys. And I even had the morning "off"! I really, really needed a nap this afternoon, and Julian has gotten uncharacteristically unreliable. It took 45 minutes to get him down for a 40-minute nap, then another hour and a half to get him out of fussy grouchy mode because he hadn't had enough sleep. Me, I'm still in fussy grouchy mode.

Even though Julian was up at 3:15pm and we had plenty of time to go out to a park or make cookies or something, I was in no mood for it and instead tried to do a few things in the office, emerging only to scold them. At one point, Gabriel said to me, "No shouting, Mom!" and I knew he was right. His angry demeanor so reflects mine that it's downright alarming. Well, I guess we can't all be great moms every day. Oddly, I seem to have better days with them when I have them the whole day.

Today I feel very down about the whole kids experience. The only bright spot is imagining an innocent little baby again, that you never get mad at.

5/17/06

5/14/06: Murphy's and Sheep Ranch

We had an overall successful weekend on our annual Sheep Ranch and Murphy's trip, with the usual kid-challenges, but overall far better than last year.

We drove up Thursday late morning after swim class, and had a great trip. The boys like travelling, and the more interesting the road, the more they point things out and talk about the drive. "I like curves!" said Gabriel. We stayed in a rented cottage within walking distance of downtown Murphy's, a charming little tourist trap.

Friday we visited my first VP at my previous company, who incredibly, lives in Sheep Ranch now. He and his wife are raising horses on an old ranch along Sheep Ranch road, and are building a new house in a lovely little valley.


It's a great place to take kids visiting -- we looked at the river and threw rocks in, then saw goats, horses, miniature horses and the best part, construction vehicles.

Saturday is the big day at Sheep Ranch, where our old moto-friends stay and hang out at the historic Pioneer Hotel (which is privately owned now). We were very careful that two rambunctious little boys didn't disturb the group of about 25 mostly child-free grownups, with varying degrees of success. Any time anyone played with them, they loved it. Gabriel followed Lissa around like a puppy-dog -- even better, since she and Eric brought their brood of birds and rabbits! Amazing how people have hidden talents -- and Lissa has many not-hidden talents already -- who knew she was so great with kids.

Sunday morning's breakfast could have gone better: we went to a nice rustic place in Arnold called Bristol's, but Julian uncharacteristically was wiggly and difficult, grabbing and throwing things, not sitting down, and shouting "DAMMIT!" when scolded. After the 5th time that Dave brought him outside, we gave in to tag-teaming, and strapped Julian in the car and sat with him. That is, until he said "Dammit, Mommy" to me, so I left the car and sat outside in the parking lot. Not altogether bad in this particular parking lot; it was shaded with tall redwood trees and had a lovely mountain air. I used to spend all day immersed in that, exploring it via motorcycle. Nice, but still, I was ticked.

We took the usual indirect route home, travelling on roads only motorcyclists seek out, which again made for a far more enjoyable trip for all. When we needed a break though, I was in no mood to sit with Julian in another restaurant and be waited on, so we actually found a Carl's Jr. to have some french fries, a drink, and be on our way (the boys had yogurt first though). There is a place in life for fast food.

Next year, we're thinking about looking for a way to leave the boys behind and bring just baby#3. It's a lot of work for us keeping the boys under control, and arguably, little boys shouldn't be put in a position to be under control all day. That said, they loved being there and playing with grownups (including us). And of course, I just love being in the Sierra foothills again. We've got to go up there more than once a year. Someday.

5/14/06