Pump It Up!

As I've gotten...well...larger and larger, Noah has been shrinking before my eyes.

Since filming for Inspired: The Movie (http://inspiredthemovie.com/) is about to wrap up, Noah's friend Steve, documentary film producer extraordinaire, was in town last weekend for Noah's "after" shots. You will fall off your chair when you compare the after with the before (he may kill me for posting the before -- but the after is well worth it)!

Lily, who has started complaining that she "never gets to go to meetings" and "never gets to work out in the shack," decided to slip in to the tail end of the photo session. Check out those guns on my babe (and please ignore the wet hair)!

Fish

What seems like eons ago, I signed Lily up for a winter swim class through Arlington Parks & Recreation. Noah was set to take her. This would be the beginning of their "official pre-baby bonding time," as I'm assuming once Goldilocks arrives they're going to be spending LOTS of time together.

Having taken an Arlington swim class with Lily last winter, I knew full well that parents participated IN the pool. Noah showed up on day 1 in his swim suit ready to go. Turns out he was the only parent in that kind of suit on the pool deck; the others, apparently mind readers, were still in their business suits. Beginner Swim 1, for those who can read between the lines, is for kids-only. Sorry Noah. I may never live that one down!

Anyway, the last 10 weeks of class has had its ups and downs. Lily loved it at first. Then hated it. We let her skip a few (she actually begged to go grocery shopping one Tuesday night instead of swim). Then we changed our tactics....we'd trick her in to the car with the promise of an "adventure." Of course she caught on when Noah would pull in to the Yorktown High School gym parking lot. But at that point, half the battle was over since they were already there.

This week was the last class in the series. So focused were we on our family's "next great adventure" (aka Goldie's arrival), that we almost missed the class. I'll admit...we forgot. I had picked Lily up a little early from school and had her out on the playground (it was one of those incredible 70+ degree Spring evenings). Noah called me from the car, about 11 minutes before class was set to begin, alerting me to the fact that she did, indeed, have swim....he'd be late but he'd meet us there.

As he had done over the past few weeks, I hurried Lily off the playground and told her we were going on an adventure. As she had been doing to him, she called my bluff when we pulled in to the parking lot (yes, it is only about 4 blocks from our house and, yes, we do drive there). But then the most amazing thing happened....she hollered HOORAY and jumped out of the car.

Three year old brains really are fascinating things (BTW, Lily has taken to saying "because I'm smart in my brain" when I ask her how she knows X, Y or Z....which I ask almost daily....because I'm TOTALLY amazed by her these days). Why did she hate swim class, for weeks on end, and was now practically running towards the pool? Good question. No answer here. But I was delighted!

Something must have clicked. Lily happily jumped in to the pool (which got me a good scolding from the teacher -- apparently kids aren't allowed in w/o a teacher or parent before the age of 5) and was all smiles for the entire class.

She was a total fish. She was a rock star swimmer. She'd go under the water...kick her legs....use her arms.....float on her back. She jumped in when the others would only timidly slide in. Gusto was the name of the game.

I WISH that I'd had my camera there. Then again, some things are better experienced than photographed. Perhaps she would have turned off the enthusiasm, as she's sometimes apt to do, when she saw the camera appear.

All I can tell you is that it was so much fun to watch. Totally awesome. I was filled with pride. Noah was beaming (he did make it, and only about 2 minutes late). This is what parenthood is all about....makes the tantrums and whining instantly vanish from your memory!

April Fools!

Although, sadly for me, it's not a joke. After having a pre-term baby the first time around...and after all the complications with this pregnancy (all of which were indications that I'd likely have another pre-term baby)...it now appears that I might actually have to go to ALMOST 40 WEEKS (gasp!) before "Goldie" makes her debut.

I mean, talk about cruel and unusual punishment! In fact, while I got a super nice surprise with Lily's early arrival, every day since I hit the 36 week mark this time around has felt like torture.

Poor Noah keeps telling me that he predicts it'll happen "at any time" and "definitely this week." In husband-speak, I think that boils down to "I'll say anything that I think she wants to hear just so that she doesn't jump off the roof and leave me with TWO kids to take care of!"

No change since last week's appointment. And while I still hold out hope that I'll go in to labor on my own before then, I'm now officially scheduled to be induced on April 14th. So, yes, if you're doing the math and looking at an astrological calendar, that does mean yet another Aries in our house (poor Lily!). Which just increases the tally of Aries-folks in my immediate circle to....well....too many to count. And "Goldie" is already exhibiting a tell-tale Aries trait -- stubbornness.

Since pity loves company, I just jumped on to one of my favorite blogs -- amalah.com. She's 11 weeks pregnant right now with #2 and misery is her middle name (morning/noon/night sickness). I figured that I'd feel better about my 2 remaining weeks of pregnancy if I could read about her latest pregnancy dealings. What a treat I discovered. Having recently gotten over a terrible case of bronchitis, I can relate (sadly) to this story. For those of you reading this who also happen to be pregnant, please don't laugh too hard!

http://www.amalah.com/amalah/2008/03/a-story-that-i.html

I do have a (scary) 37 week belly shot to share....and I promise to upload the picture and post it while I'm actually still pregnant.

As for "Life with Lily," she's not exactly camera-friendly these days, so you might have to wait for hospital pics of the big sister (who repeatedly asks if becoming a big sister will mean that she can drink Diet Coke and lattes...oy veh!) with her new little bundle.

And Counting...

This weekend marks week 36 in my second pregnancy; a few days from now is when I delivered Lily. Exhaustion has set in -- it's just plain hard work to lug this big belly of mine around -- although I'm happy to say that I'm sleeping well (although if I had my druthers I'd be sleeping ALL the time right now!).

No news to report other than the fact that I've gotten lazy with blog postings as a result of my energy level drop. At Monday's OB appointment I was 30% effaced but not dilated. Hopefully we will see movement in the right direction when I go back for a check this coming Monday. Noah's prediction is that d-day is going to be Monday, March 31st. Sure would be nice!

Creative Genius -- Dooce

Dooce is a blog that I follow religiously; how can you not love a blogger who describes herself as a "recovering Mormon"? Although perhaps a bit to "pop culturesque" for me at times, I think that she's a riot. She's completely obsessed with her dogs, amazed by her daughter, and a totally brilliant writer. To top it all off, she's found a way to turn her past-time in to her job; since 2005, the advertising that she sells on the blog supports her family (I'm telling you, she's amazing). Suffice it to say, I'm a Dooce addict.

Anyway, each month she writes a letter to her daughter, Leta, and posts it; this month's letter is particularly wonderful. For anyone who has lived under the same roof as a three year old...who knows anyone who has a three year old...or who observes three year olds out and about (esp. when they're throwing fits in the grocery store!), you MUST read this posting. For everyone else who thought that the terrible twos started at 24 months of age and ended at 36, you MUST read this (BTW, three is SO much worse than two!). For anyone who just needs to laugh, read this!

http://dooce.com/2008/03/04/newsletter-month-forty-nine

Smile

(32 weeks)

Since we have practically moved in to our favorite neighborhood photo studio, CLIX, I decided to grit my teeth and bear my belly for them to record; a few shots of Lily with her sister to be. And since Noah happened to track us down right before we wrapped things up, we caught a quick one of his hands and mine on my very swollen middle.

These were taken last weekend -- Goldie was 32 weeks gestation. Currently I'm hovering at 33. Remember that Lily was born just after the 36 week mark. While our house is SO not ready to welcome our newest member, my back would be delighted if this little bundle of joy came as early as her big sister!!

Dropout

No "beauty school dropouts" in our family, but we do have a dance school dropout. Saturday mornings have gotten progressively more painful as I've tried get Lily to go to dance...and one we arrived she's been participating less and less. Of course, my energy levels have dropped in direct proportion to my growing girth, and after this past Saturday's dance drama I decided not to fight Lily on it any more.

Perhaps she'd do better in a class without parents (she does tend to behave MUCH better when I'm not around, although I'm not going to read the tea leaves on that one and try to interpret it....ignorance is bliss). Perhaps the tap shoes really do pinch her toes and give her a headache (I wouldn't blame her on that front...10 girls = 20 tap shoes = WAY too much noise!). Perhaps she's just too much of a free spirit to for such a structured activity.

Regardless, she's only three. It was supposed to be fun. When it turned in to a battle, we decided to let her hang up her leotard.

So no need to clear your calendar in early June for the recital. Perhaps next year. In the mean time, the NYC Ballet will have to wait!

Disney

Since pictures are worth one thousand words, I'll spare you mine and simply share a few photos from the Disney trip. Enjoy!

A Big Cinderella Hug

Lily with Belle

Some Sleeping Beauty Cuddles

The Highlight of the Trip -- A Peter Pan Encounter!

Lily with Annie and Leo from The Little Einsteins (remember -- she's pregnant, off and on, with the entire cast of this show)

And if you're dying for a more in-depth peek at our trip, click here: http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IbMWLluzas_8&emid=sharview&linkid=link2

MAGIC

To say that our trip to Disney was magical is a serious understatement. It was magical and then some (it was also exhausting beyond belief).

Noah had a special moment to genius last Wednesday night when we broke the trip news to Lily, telling her that Goldilocks had asked us (through my belly button) to take Lily to meet Cinderella.

Lily's eyes have never been so wide. She looked at both of us, looked at my belly, got a HUGE smile on her face and exclaimed, "Now that's ONE NICE BABY!"

Phew....phase one of "operation family expansion" has gone perfectly according to our plans!

There were so many wonderful moments of pure toddler/princess bliss during our 2 1/2 days in Orlando (excuse me, Lake Buena Vista). Things we will never forget....

1. Lily inviting each and every one of the five princesses we met at the Princess Storybook Character Dining Experience -- Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Sleeping Beauty, and , of course, Cinderella -- to sit down and eat with us. (She was rather disappointed when they declined)

2. Lily doing a small victory dance, with a big "I TOLD YOU SO MOMMY," when we saw Cinderella's mice in the Dreams Do Come True parade (I told her that I didn't think that mice lived in Florida and we might not see them).

3. Lily asking us, on the plane ride home, how Captain Hook can live in both Neverland and Florida.

4. Lily repeatedly calling Noah "three-sippie-ooh." It was days later that we figured out it was a Star Wars reference (how in the world she knows about Star Wars is something we haven't yet figured out!) to "C-3PO."

Photos to follow as soon as we are live again at home (Comcast woes already....don't ask).

Princess Power!

Have you ever heard a three year old remark, "now that was one FANTASTIC party" as she headed out the door once the festivities had died down? While Lily has been to more than her fair share of fantastic parties, her friend Callie's Build-A-Bear Princess party seems to have taken the cake. Not only did the girls come decked in their favorite princess dresses, but each bear left dressed as one of the Disney princesses (the birthday girl's mother is a lobbyist for The Walt Disney Company). It was, indeed, a fantastic party!

Speaking of princesses, "Princess Lily" is in for the surprise of her life. Noah and I are taking her, this Thursday night, down to Orlando for her last hurrah trip before she becomes a big sister. We haven't told her about the trip, or our destination, for fear that a pregnancy complication might force us to cancel.

72 hours out, though, I'm complication-free (knocking on some very thick wood right now!) and the suitcases have been brought down from the attic. We have a different princess dress for her to wear each of the three days in the park; she gets to have lunch with the princesses on Saturday; and Saturday night we're going to a pirates and princess treasure hunt in the Magic Kingdom.

Our three days in Orlando might cost us as much as a week in Paris. Who cares. Talk about making dreams come true...Noah and I are having so much fun planning/anticipating this one because it really will fulfill a few of Lily's wildest dreams. Yahoo!!