Quittle Me!

The girls have leapfrogged again and Ava has taken a turn for defiance and temper tantruming. When she's asked to do something, she'll throw her hands in the air and say, "OK!!" with a really rough tone. If you comment on her rough tone, or become more specific about what action/emotion isn't pleasing you one bit, she'll tout back, "Just quittle me!", which we've come to understand as "Just quit bothering me."

I have started losing my temper about her newly found defianace and sense of entitlement about pushing her parents around. Where did my sweet child go? Fortunatley, us moms tend to talk with each other when frustrations like this arise and I've come to realize almost every one of us with kids in the same age-range is dealing with this issue. I've already read half of On Becoming Child-Wise and have been told by my mommy friends that 1-2-3 Magic is also a good resource for this type of problem.

The best remedy, however, I've found by watching my husband. At least half the time, he just sings, "Just quittle me" right back, teasing her. He'll start saying it in the most random of situations as well, which shows his skill for making the phrase a joke rather than getting upset by it. Perhaps this way, Ava will realize that it's not having the great button-pushing effect which will force her to come up with some new strategy...perhaps becoming the "good girl" again?? Let's only hope!

First Month and our First Smile

Our Little Man is becoming a little man! It seems that everything happens faster this time. I remember waiting what seemed like forever for the girls' first smile. Alessandro's just snuck in there. I was simply changing a diaper when all the sudden, there it was! This video isn't really his very first smile, but it was soon after. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

One Week of Growing Up

This was a week with huge strides in growing up and becoming "big girls." Well, little brother, too. It started out with a flight little brother and I took to go to my cousin's wedding near Seattle. We arrived at the airport an hour in advance, or so we thought....After our bag had been checked in, the attendant looked at me and my baby and said, "You know you're here 13-hours before your flight..." Well, apparently, they have a 9:30am and a 9:30pm flight to Seattle -- I got ticketed on the wrong one! Ouch! Well, all the flights until 7pm were full, but I waited on stand-by, hoping to make the 12:40 or the 1:00pm flight.
After wandering around in the airport and spending $16.00 on a glamorized breakfast burrito and a cup of coffee, we found ourselves on a flight without a hitch. After the initial shock and uncertainty of making a flight, everything turned out OK. Stander-bys who were watching the story unfold said, "You're so brave to wait this all out with a baby!" Little did they know that it was really much easier than going home to watch 3 kids instead of the one quietly snoozing on my shoulder! I even made it up to the wedding in time for a quick shower while family fought over who got to watch little Alex first.

Alessandro was also an angel during the 9-hour drive down from my dad's to Sunriver, where our annual reunion awaited this year. His learning to use a bottle and pacifier helped tremendously, too. The girls drove up with their dad and my cousin's teenaged kid, who also endured a 10-hour ride up from the south. This week-long vacation proved how quickly these little girls can grow up. Firstly, they slept in "big-girl" bed - twin beds instead of pack and plays or cribs. This was a big step, especially for Ava, who now wanted to sleep with the door open so she could see more light. Secondly, the girls went the whole week without diapers (except when they were sleeping) or an accident!! Also, Ava sealed the transition by finally going poop on the potty - an accomplishment only master by Bettina before now. Before the trip, we always knew when Ava had to poop as that was the only time she requested a diaper. "One day," I would tell her as I put on her diaper, "you will be a big girl and go poop on the potty as well. It's much cleaner and you will find you like it better." Sure enough, that day came just as we were waiting for Aunt Linda to cut her hair. "I have to go poop, Mommy!" she said. "Well, we're not at our house, so I don't have any diapers here. What do you want to do?" Before I'd finished talking, she was on her way to the pee pee chair to fulfill my prophesy. "I went poop on the potty and I liked it!"

Another milestone is Bettina's mastery of riding her bicycle with training wheels!! Those familiar with Sunriver Resort know its famous and many bike trails. Everyone brings their bikes and rides around the resort. With some persistence and determination, and being coached by second-cousins and her Daddy, Bettina has mastered - and enjoys - riding her princess bicycle. I'd catch her running out the door with her princess helmet saying, "Can I go ride my bike now, Mom?"

This is the only arena where the girls didn't make huge strides -- still just holding on the wall in the pool (well, they're confident in the baby pool) instead of outright swimming.
We took a two-hour ride down the Deschutes River with Ainsley and Patrick. They got the tandem kayak while we took the canoe with the girls riding in the middle. The girls went with us in the canoe last year, they just didn't like it and cried most of the time. This year, they rather enjoyed the trip and, other than the water fight that mommy and daddy had with each other (which inevitable splashed the two of them pretty good), in their own words, "I'm having fun in the big boat!"
The whole family - or at least our branch of it - snuggled together for a picture.

A Visit to the Bay Area Discovery Museum

Bettina and Ava learns how build a nest and pretend to lay an egg

A year and a half ago, my cousin gave Paul a couple free passes to the Bay Area Discovery Museum. Last week, we finally found the opportunity to go. It was a first visit for Daddy and like the first visit for the girls since they hadn't been in a very long time (probably a year).

They made music on the xylophones, climbed the play structures, pretended to be insects, birds and animals, and played construction in the gravel pit. Dad got to get on his hands and knees with the girls while Mommy more or less hung out with Baby Brother.

Here are some silly shots of the kids just being kids....

Looks like Grandpa Braxton??

This picture in particular reminds me of my Grandpa Braxton. It's probably the square jaw/head that gets to me. There's another photo where he looks just like the other side of the family where he's giving the camera what we lovingly refer to as "the Curletto stare" - ever see Paul really study something??

Ava was nick-named "Little Bird" early on for her fine features and big mouth that would open unbelievably large for food. Bettina was dubbed "Helga" for her stout German-like temperament or "Nay-nay Girl," based on the sound of her cry. I've started calling Alessandro "Frog-Man" because he still hasn't unfurled his little feet -- they're curled up under him like a little frog ready to jump away. He really does not like to have them stretched out, which I have to do to either change his diaper or put him in the Baby Bjorn.

First Portrait

We went to The Picture People for the first time today. Little Alex was very hungy in this shot. He relaxed a bit later as he fed while the girls took a few shots on their own. This one still turned out cute, despite the crying kidlet.

Happy 4th of July!

Bettina, Dean and Ava ride the kiddie Ferris Wheel at the County Fair

The 4th of July was a lot of fun this year. We spent the whole day with one of the girls' favorite friends, Dean, who's mommy is one of my favorite people as well. After watching the Piedmont parade on a tummy full from the pancake breakfast fundraiser, we caravaned out to the County Fair where, besides looking at livestock, milking a pretend cow and riding the kiddie Ferris Wheel, we gored on corn dogs, garlic fries and artificially flavored shaved ice. Dinner wasn't much better --- we showed up at Lydia's and Carlos's and ate leftovers from their BBQ lunch - mostly the leftover birthday cake and a few asparagus spears. You've got to have at least a couple of really good bad-habit eatting days a year, right? Heck, this IS America!!

Bringing Brother Home

Here's a video clip of the girls with little baby Alessandro -- their first time seeing him.

Funny side note: When Daddy came with the girls to the hospital room to pick us up, Mommy was still in the shower. From there, I could hear Daddy showing them little Alessandro. "He's not in Mommy's tummy anymore," he explained. After some "ooh-ing" and "awe-ing," I come out of the shower to say hello. Ava looks at me and, while pointing to my tummy, quickly says, "Mommy, are you having another one?" OK, it may take some time to get rid of the whole pooch, but give a girl a break!! I shed nearly 15-lbs in one day!!

Welcome, Baby Brother!

Little Baby Brother, now called Alessandro Andrea, was welcomed yesterday! We are all very excited by this beautiful bundle of joy (and I am so very thankful for no longer being pregnant)!

I was so surprised at just how easily everything went - when we finally got it all started! Paul and I weren't sure that the OB observation was going to admit us when we arrived at 4am with the "right number" of contractions again. Just like the last time, there were the "right number," but they weren't doing too much in allowing labor to progress. However, with my OB back from vacation and scheduled to come in in a few hours, they let me see her in the hospital rather than the office. She came in around 10:30am when she broke my water. By noon-ish, I'd requested my epidural and I was ready to push at about 2:45pm. Little Alex came soon after - at 3:25pm, and Paul and I had "won our prize." There was only one complication during heavy labor when his heartbeat did drop enough to concern the doctors. He recovered fine and all appeared seamless to me, but I found out later that they did contact the anaesthesiologist to set up an emergency c-section. Turns out, there was some placenta abruption and that is probably what upset little Alex. Lucky for us, he recovered and we were able to finish the VBAC.

Both he and I were tired after his birth and, after Daddy went home to be with the girls, we took a nap. When he woke, he latched on both sides like a pro. This left me thinking smugly that having one was really super easy. He's got a great disposition, a face like Ava's and dimples like Bettina and his cousin Braxton. Just as Aunt Ainsley guessed, he's got a lot of hair, which looks like it will be a bit curly. We are truly blessed by this little spirit and look forward to introducing him to his sisters, who will come to help bring him home tomorrow.

Tim Russert - What a Country!

A long time ago - perhaps 12 years? - I started watching Meet the Press most every Sunday morning. At least more Sundays than I'd go to church, at the time. I was never very political before, but Tim Russert, the host, broke it all down in a way that made it very easy to follow and get excited about current events and issues effecting politics.

A year or so after I started watching, I found myself rooming with a really nice gal, about my age, who did the same volunteer position I did for our sorority but for another school - she in Washington DC and me at UC Berkeley. We were flown out to Ohio to get our annual training. After sharing a couple of days with her, and noticing she'd check her email at every opportunity, I asked what she did for a living. "I'm in television," she answered simply. After more questions, I pull from her that she not only works on Meet the Press, she's the Executive Producer. She's just making sure that everything's cued up for tomorrow's guest and that Tim has everything he needs. WOW, I think. Such a nice and humble girl with a huge responsibility dealing with someone I really admire. On top of all of that, she does a great job running the local chapter of our sorority, and I know how much time that takes!

Well, Betsy and I continue to be friends, long after our stint as room mates in Ohio. We email often about how to solve certain problems, never forget to send Christmas cards, celebrate the births of our children and call each other when in town to get together for a drink (well, she traveled more often than I did). The one time I was able to travel to DC, it was for a sorority convention. Betsy and I made time for a drink (even though I was pregnant) and she even introduced me to Tim, who was there as a guest speaker. Tim even gave me a copy of his book, Big Russ and Me. I was surprized just how much I enjoyed reading it.

When I heard about Tim's death last Friday, it shocked me two-fold. He had the ability that I so admire in people that makes you know that he's listening to you; he's one that lives in the "here and now," attentive to details and curious about people. Even though my visit with him was relatively short, I had his attention the whole time. He was curious about me, my opinions and was a pleasure to be in his company. For the loss of someone like that, it is a great tragedy. However, my devestation was doubled knowing that, if Tim was at work at the time of his death, surely Betsy had a front-row seat. It must have been a very, very difficult day for her and my heart bleeds for her. I immediately emailed her my thoughts, knowing she probably won't go through her email for weeks.

I watched Tim's memorials on TV. Each time, Betsy played an important role. She sat next to Tom Brokaw as part of the panel that first Sunday. She was one of the many speakers at his service and I watched as she sat composed and poised, full of wonderful memories and insights into Tim and his life. I marvel at and thank God for people as poised, humble and just plain good people. I hope we learn to be as patriot, supportive, interested, invested and loyal as Tim Russert. Friends like Betsy inspire me to be just so.

Nearly 40-Weeks

Tomorrow, we reach the 40-week mark of this preganacy. You would have never convinced me two-weeks ago that I'd still be pregnant today. I was so convinced that I'd be early. In fact, I was so sure I didn't want to be pregnant, that I literally took my suitcase to my last OB appointment and demanded they either break my water or schedule a c-section for me (I still have that option, right?). Between the heat (in the 90's in the City, cooling only to the mid-80's at night) this week and my weight and bulk, sleep has become a serious issue. I've only been able to manage between 2-4 hours a night, waking every 1.5 hours, and I see birthing as my only reprieve.

With my regular OB still enjoying Legoland, I meet her replacement - someone new to the group. Unfortunately, I'm not able to convince him or guilt him into doing much to help me. "You know we can't induce you," he says. How about breaking my water? "I'll do that if you're already in labor, but you're not yet. If you want the C, fine, but the first opening we can plan won't be until Monday afternoon. Again, if you're in labor and change your mind, I'll do it over the weekend, but you have to wait for the labor." He looks at me puzzled at my impatience as we discuss semantics of "just a few days." Nobody seems to understand - I leave, defeated, but also with another appointment to see my regular doctor at her first opening, Monday. She assured me I'd deliver before then - perhaps, if this kid's still stuck inside then, I can guilt her into doing a bit more.

The one thing the new guy was willing to do was strip my membranes - for the 3rd time. He did a good job, though, stretching another 1.5 cm. He encouraged me that everything looks very ready: 80% efaced, 3.5 cm dilated and "very soft." Well, as it did the other 2 weeks, the striping sent me into contractions again, but nothing with any type of regularity. It made me a bit sore, PMS-y, walking like I was carrying a log between my legs, and sure I'd check into the hospital by Saturday. There was an upside as the 21st is a common birthday in our family: my birthday, the girls', and baby Braxton were all born on the 21st. Perhaps, we could have all my parents' grandchindren born on the 21st of a month!

I tried everything permitted. I even schuduled a hair appointment, thinking that Murphy's Law would help. My nervous hairdresser had obsessively thought of what to do should I start giving birth while she's doing my hair, but never had to act on it. Even Murphy's Law isn't as strong as this kid's resolve to stay cozy inside.

All dressed up and nowhere to go? Well, at least yesterday afternoon, it seems as though contractions are starting to organize a little bit. Yesterday, they were about 1/2-hour apart moving to about 15-minutes apart last night. Is today the day? I'm starting to become a cynic, yet I'm stubbornly still driving with packed bags in the car. The contractions didn't go away during the night, but I didn't stay up and time them, either. We'll just have to try not to think about it...hope for the best (today) and plan for the worst (organizing another sit-in at my OB's appointment tomorrow!).

Anticipation....

"Will try anything!" including Skipolini's Prego Pizza
Remember the old Heinz commercials? "Anticipa-a-ation is making me wait..." So feeling that right now. Two days ago, at my last OB appointment, the doctor again stripped my membranes in an effort to start things along. I'm still at a little over 2-cm dilated, but "it's a softer" cervix now, which, apparently, is suppossed to be better sign of readiness. She predicted it would happen over the weekend: "Saturday or Sunday," she says. "Make an appointment for next week, just in case, but I'd be really surprized if I saw you again next Monday."

You see, she's going to Legoland this week with her 2 and 4-year olds. Perhaps she said "sometime over the weekend" just to make me feel better. After having my membranes stripped for the second time, and yet one more Prego Pizza dinner from Skipolini's (we brought the whole family this time: party of 13 - as if the increased number would also increase our odds and not just our cheering section), but nothing but a bit of heartburn has happened.

Yet, I continue to try to make the house ready, just in case. I do a load of laundry every day and check to make sure I have at least 3-days worth of food in the house for "whoever" will be here with the kids. My sister will leave back for home tomorrow, so it's not likely going to be her. Wouldn't it have been a great Father's Day present if Daddy's little man showed up today? Well, we only have 9-more hours for that Father's Day present. Otherwise, it's just more of the same waiting game.

38 Weeks and Desparately Uncomfortable

I'm supposed to still have 2-more weeks to go. I suspected that I would be at least 2-weeks early, as it's been my family history: both my sister and I were quite early (me by nearly 3-months and Ainsley by 3-weeks; even Ainsley birthed 2-weeks early). Already, I'm carrying this baby 2-weeks longer than the girls - 2-weeks and a day, to be exact. This is good, I know, but I keep having dreams and fantasies about how labor's going to start and give me the eventual relief from this heavy load I'm carrying. At over 46-inches around at the widest part (which is nothing compared to the 54 I was with the girls), I've got sciatic pain in my lower left back, between my shoulder blades when I sleep for more than 2-hours, and "Baby" is sitting directly on nerves that, when rubbed, causes me to involuntarily bend and collapse my leg. Itchy skin on my tummy is a bother, as well as other unmentionables from the load-bearing weight that should resolve itself after the birth. I went out shopping for new nursing bras and am amazed at the size of the monstrosity they give me: 34G (that's 5 cups sizes larger than my usual monstrosities)! They only have 2 in stock, so I get them both.

I get winded brushing my teeth or blow-drying my hair. I drag a stool over to the counter when I cook and I haven't been able to reach the toys lost under the couch for months. I slash at them with a long-handled broom which either rescues them or send them further back into the abyss. Twice a month, the cleaning lady and her son made a small pile of the books, puzzle pieces, tiny doll shoes, etc. that can finally be reunited with their like parts.

Looking at the positive, it's supposed to be beautiful weather all week long. The girls have been almost as desperate to go swimming as I have been to feel the freedom of buoyancy. They put on their swimsuits nearly everyday despite the fact it's only 65-degrees outside. Today, however, it should reach 91-inland; 80 by the Bay. I've pestered everyone I know who belongs to a pool for a playdate. If no one responds, I'm thinking I'll just hop the fence ;-)

There are signs of birthing soon, however. Last week, my OB "helped" by manually stretching me (ouch!) another 1/2 cm so that I'm a little over 2 cm dilated and almost all effaced. That night, my contractions were frequent enough to call in and they sent me down to the hospital. It was a regular fire drill: Paul's mom was called at 10:15pm to watch the girls while we bumbled to pack things into Paul's truck and wind our way to the hospital. True to "everyone's" story, I nagged Paul about him taking the longest route to the hospital invented as well as driving the stiffest car (I'm never riding in the truck again until after this kid's born!). Ended up that the contractions weren't doing too much to change anything. They gave us the option to check in or go home - we went home and things quieted down even more.

We got a call from my uncle this morning who tells us he and my cousin (the one that was deployed to The Gulf and currently on leave and visiting home) and family were going to come down for a visit. Elated, it's the only reason I'm glad I haven't given birth. I figure after their visit, I can celebrate by having a pizza dinner at Skipolini's. They have a pizza, called the Prego Pizza, that's guaranteed to send you into labor within 24-hours. Does it sound like I'm ready??? I'm ready!

The Big Ballet Recital

Today was the big day - the ballet recital!! Miss Jenny decided to practice and dance in the big auditorium instead of the classroom since it was available. This was neat for some kids, since they liked being on stage and having extra lights, but it intimidated others who cried and refused to dance with the rest of the class. Luckily, our girls were OK with the change.
Grandma, her friend Inga and Daddy all came to watch the girls preform. It was clear that my girls really only understood a couple of moves by name: plie' and very-official-sounding "bunny hop." The rest of the time, they were just copying Miss Jenny, which is perfectly fine.

In the first video above, Ava (the wobbly girl to the right of the one with the fluffy skirt) attentively follows Miss Jenny while Bettina sort of aimlessly wanders around.

At least the "bunny hop" (above - with Bettina as the first bunny and Ava the second) was a little easier to remember!

This last one is the passe' - Bettina is third followed by my childhood playmate Simone's daughter Paige; Ava is 5th. They also learned to do first and second positions, arabesques, "tippy-toe turns," and a curtsy. All and all, it was a very cute event. We went out for a cookie afterward to celebrate!

Funny Article - Dad in the Delivery Room

One of my favorite parenting magazines - the only I read, actually - is "Wondertime." My OB subscribes to it and I look for it as reading material whenever I wait in the office.

This article, Dad in the Delivery Room by Jeff Wagenheim, really caught my attention as I am worried about how Paul - and I, for that matter - are going to handle the upcoming labor. Even though we have kids, we've never had to go through the daunting, active task of labor.

The first exert had me laughing as I envision poor Paul will likely have a similar experience: "He looks around the glaringly lit delivery room and notices that everyone (nurse, doctor, duola, memories of the birthing coach and mom) is doing a job. Except him." The writer likens himself as a participant, but "more like those billionaires who pay their way onto space shuttle flight. It's the journey of a lifetime, but do you think those astronauts let these space tourists take the controls for even a second?" Later, as his wife falls deeper into the animalistic sounds of labor, his mind races again: "He's never seen anyone in this state, much less the woman he loves, and it throws him into his own state of paralyzing horror. His instinct is telling him to fix it, to do whatever a good husband has to do to ease his wife's pain and panic, but he can't. He can't move a muscle. He has to remind himself to breathe."

The good news is that eventually, this writer does blink and find his way out of the headlights. He awkwardly trusts his instincts and figures out how to be comforting and helpful, even if it's just to be leaned upon. To read the whole article (it will have you chuckling), click here. And, oh, send a prayer for poor Paul.

An update on what the doctor found: I'm almost 1 1/2 cm dilated and 70% effaced. Baby Brother is not too big and is low and turned just perfectly as to prevent unnecessary (in my opinion) back labor. "This baby will not likely be late," was her unhelpful answer when I asked when he's coming. I'll probably make the ballet recital on Monday, but we'll have to wait and see if my cousin's wedding is a go. He needs to be born in the next 2-weeks for that to happen.

The Planning Stage

I'm not sure just how much one can plan for birth, but we're at the place where we need to come up with one. I'm getting unbearably slow and lethargic, exasperated by a slight head cold that has me a little congested and constantly battling cotton-mouth. My girlfriend Teresa, who's set to have her planned C-section with boy #2 on June 4th, is also suffering from a slight cold. We jointly marvel at just how much a little ailment slows a pregnant lady down. It just zaps all our energy and leaves us with little to no patience for slow husbands or children.

And even though I've given birth before, there are some things still new to me this time. Take for example all the controversy over plastic these days. I sold my old Avent bottles and will use instead glass bottles. I found from the "new moms" out there, this website that sells tested BPA, PVC and Phthalate-free products. Even the pacifiers are different now. Labor will be another new thing for me. Last time, Bettina got me out of it by being transverse in the womb. Now I have something new to experience - a different kind of delivery and pain. And, there's the "what to do with the existing kids" factor. How DO you plan to go to the hospital when there are others to consider?

The pregnancy books tell us that this is the week we should have our bags packed for the hospital. I'm supposed to review our plan on who to call and where to meet. This book assumes I have no other children for whom to plan, or multiple sets of car seats, etc. And, if the City weren't so full of working moms, I might have more options. However, I've noticed that most City moms don't have time or the inclination to make friends with the stay-at-home types, so neighborhood moms I can rely on are very few -- cut that to zero. So, I have absolutely no plan on who to call or what to do when "the time" comes. Does Paul come to pick me up or to go home watch the kids while we figure something out?

On the "just in case" route, I've interviewed a babysitter that I can rely on when family isn't able to help. Most family work during the work day/week and there are times I will desperately need the extra help - mostly during our hospital stay and the few months following, but I want the girls to be familiar and comfortable with her in advance, so tomorrow is our dry run. We'll go to the park and then I'll disappear to my OB appointment while they continue to play. She's a student at a local college and comes with great twin experience, although that is increasingly unimportant now that the girls are older.

I guess I'll have to stop postponing and start at least a little bag. Probably we'll need to put a book of baby names in there, just in case, as well as a ton of lotions for the many back and foot rubs I will likely be requesting. Paul will have to step it up a notch, though, as I'm quite nervous about the whole pain toleration factor. Hopefully he won't cave under the reality of my discomfort and stare blankly at the wall, avoiding eye contact, while I search for a calm, unnerved soul to soothe me. I hope we are able to complete this VBAC as my recover from my last c-section was much longer and more painful that I expected. I hope to recover much more quickly this time. I'll find out tomorrow how things are progressing. I was 1cm dilated last week. We'll see just how different things are now. And, oh - some good news: the girls' ballet recital was pushed forward a week as the teacher will have a sub for the last class. I'm much more comfortable I'll be able to see it myself now!

What you DON'T Want to See...

This is definately what you don't want to see when you think your child has been innocently napping in your room... I had to email Daddy a heads-up so that he wouldn't yell too much about the lipstick that was embedded in the carpet. Everything else Ava was able to clean up more-or-less easily. She said, "Daddy going to give me a pow..." I think he'd calmed down enough by the time he got home...

A Very Busy Week

A lot has happened in the last 6-days: the girls' 3rd birthday party, the loss of a family pet and indications that the new baby is coming... (Ordinarily, I'd try to write individually about each one of these significant happenings. The energy level at this time, however, has me consolidating. :-)

Firstly, among 15 of the girls' friends and their families, we celebrated the girls' 3rd birthday with pony rides, a petting zoo and a bounce house at a local farm. The girls had a great time and, true to current form, Bettina spent most of her party on horseback. Ava squealed and ran around with Antonio and Dean as well as flirted with "boyfriend" Jon Thomas. I was just glad to be there. I've reached the first of my two goals: to make it their birthday before giving birth to "baby brother." The second goal is to make it to the girls' ballet recital in 2 more weeks. To see the photos of our day at the farm, click here.

The second big event was a very emotional one for me. Hayden - my canine companion for nearly the last 16-years - was finally put to rest this week. It's hard to be sad about losing someone who has had such a wonderful life and lived the hard last months with as much dignity, but nonetheless, she will be sorely missed.

Although we knew it would be coming soon, it happened more quickly that I thought it would. I woke up one morning, consulted with her vet, and before we could let the girls say goodbye (they were taking a nap at the time), she was gone. The girls asked about her before they went to bed that night. And since they've had a little experience loosing people they know this year (with Nonno and my Grandma), I explained that Hayden went to be with Nonno and Grandma. To which they asked, "You mean we can't see her anymore?" "No, darling, you can see Hayden anytime you want to. You just have to close your eyes and think about her and there she'll be - playing in Heaven." The next day, we were walking to the car from a play group and I noticed that Ava was walking (holding on to the stroller with one hand) with her eyes tightly closed. "Ava," I told her, "why are you walking with your eyes closed? You might trip if you're not careful." Her reply was another one of those poignant moments that prove just how wonderful children are: "I'm watching Hayden. She's playing with Jesus." "Does she look happy, Ava?" "Yeah - she's playing with Jesus." I just love my kids...

Lastly, I had my now weekly appointment with my OB/GYN to check on "Baby Brother" today. I'm at 36 weeks and told Paul this morning that I wouldn't be surprised if I was a little effaced since I've started having some pain with my contractions. Turns out, I'm 1cm dilated. Nothing to be worried about; the doctor says she's fairly certain nothing will happen - at least in the next week. Let's hope not - I still want to see the girls' ballet recital! He's doing well, though and continues to drop even a little bit more than last week.

Plie' and Stretch....

"Plie' and stretch...." Bettina kept repeating this all throughout dinner tonight. It was ballet class earlier today and I'm guessing they learned how to plie'. I so can't wait until their recital to see all that they've been learning!

45 Inches and Growing

Now, those of you who know me, know that my boobs don't usually look small.... Compared to my belly, however, I'm looking more average. I keep thinking I'm huge and I still have 6-more weeks to go. However, "huge" is a relative term. This time last pregnancy, I was at 47 inches - 2-more than I am now; that serves as some consolation. "Baby" has dropped and his back is settled in my right hip, his butt under my ribcage and his feet regularly kick my left side. I have gained about 23 pounds, which is nearly half of what I picked up this time last pregnancy. I'm feeling pretty good aside from the giant boulder that continues to harden at whim and make it uncomfortable to move or twist with ease. I'll be OK so long as I make it past the girls' birthday party this weekend.