What a Belly Dancer! and other stuff...

Well it has been about a month so it is time for another update. You've been waiting with bated breath haven't you?

We found out that this little bundle I'm carrying is of the male kind. Yes, we are having a bouncing baby boy and he may be a football kicker. This boy is really active. In fact, a couple of nights ago he was rolling around and kicking so much that I was getting motion sickness. I felt like I had been on a roller coaster or swinging around the curves in the Ozarks at high speeds. It was a strange feeling to get motion sickness while sitting on the sofa. We still haven't decided on a name but the list is very narrow. Lola already has her choice picked out. Anytime we say another name, she says, "No! It's _________, I told you!" Now you want to know her choice, don't you? Well, you will be glad to know that I convinced her that Cinderella does not make a good name for a boy. If we were having a girl, she would be insistent.

I recently abused myself to sew three bedskirts, six curtain panels, crib bumper pads, a quilt, and numerous pillows withing a week. Then we painted and moved furniture, bought a bed and decorated all weekend long. The results are pretty cool. Randy will now be creating artwork and I'm searching for objects for baby's mobile. Other than a couple of small items the kid's rooms are done. Of course, I'm obsessing over those items. I'll post photos once they are complete. I will say that I would love to move into Lola's room. It's fabulous!

She loves her room. Once we got the bed up and everything done, she layed down and exclaimed over and over, "It's beautiful!" She was so sweet to say thank you a gazillion times, too. However, she is not so happy about not coming to our bed in the middle of the night anymore. We've been bribing her with little treats and she has been doing great, but she has let her displeasure be known.

One of those treats was a Dora nightgown. We let her choose between the Disney princess or Dora gown. When we got home from Walmart, Randy explained that she would only get her new pajamas if he didn't have to go lay in her floor that night. (Previously, when she woke up at her usual time he would lie in her floor until she fell back asleep.) She exclaimed with fervor, "Those aren't PJs, that's a dress!" We tried to explain that they were pajamas, just a different kind. She has only had one other gown, when she was about two, which she has obviously forgotten. Randy let her feel how soft it was and we continued to insist that her Dora dress was really for sleeping. She said, "Let me see it." He handed it to her again and she held it by the hanger, really looking it over and cocking her head from side to side. Then she thrust it at him and shrugged her shoulders and said, totally exasperated, "No, it's not pajamas. I'm sorry." Sometimes she acts like we are absolutely nuts!

Then there are the times when she makes you feel as though you are on top of the world. Like last week when we were cuddling and she threw her arms around my neck and kissed me while saying, "I love you, Mommy. You are my best friend!" Or a few days later when she told me I was the best girl in the whole world. Melt my heart.

My brother Bryan will be thrilled to know I walked through the living room to hear her say, "On your marks, get set, go!" When I looked, she had three of her strollers lined up to drag race. He'll be offering to pimp her strollers with racing stripes.

Lola has also become quite the monkey. Her friend Sophie from across the street is almost six and quite adept at climbing all over the swing set. She has shown Lola all kinds of tricks. When we were at the park the other day, she was doing tricks on the monkey bars and yelled, "Mommy, look at me! Sophie would be so proud!" Speaking of tricks, Lola had a fun time at Target a couple of weeks ago. We got the special basket with seats and room to stand on the front. As we shopped she was doing all kinds of tricks and singing at the top of her lungs. "I'm tricky, tricky, tricky. I'm so tricky. Look at me I'm tricky." Over and over and over and over and over... and you get the hint.

I have this habit of saying, "Oh, mylanta!" whenever the occasion arises. I blame it on Dana, she says it all the time. Erin & I were painting Lola's furniture in her room and she came in for the umpteenth time. I really can't recall if she touched wet paint (it happened several times) or if she was wondering why we hadn't finished or just what she was taken by; but she declared in the funniest tone, "Oh, mylanta!" as she walked out the door. Erin and I had a great laughfest.

There is no way to tell you all the funny, cool, smart things this kid does. She is brilliant and has miles of personality. I know she is going to be a great big sister. I can't think of anyone better to influence our new baby. He'll be cool just learning from her. One thing I am a bit concerned about is getting her to understand that she can't take over. When my sister's new son Rylan arrived, Lola kept telling us she didn't need us and that she could take care of him, hold him, change his diaper all by herself. I can see the battles ahead of us. But I am also thankful for the extra hands to help.

Now for a little about Randy. He has been working like crazy and some very late hours. His company laid several people off and have given some pay cuts while warning there may be more. So they have been working on a lot of pitches and trying to get new clients. There have been some upsides, though. He has had greater influence and control over his accounts and has a new office. The same weekend we tackled the house, we also tackled his office with new paint, I sewed curtains and covered some cushions and decorated for him. We are insane!!! His company seems to be on the upswing. They have landed some good accounts and strengthened others. We've been praying for their success, since it means ours as well and are hoping they will be spared through this recession.

I think I'll say goodbye for now. I'm going to celebrate my birthday in a few hours and I have a few errands to run. Love to all!