Dear August,

You are the longest, busiest month of the year. You make me want to sleep for a week. Good thing you're also lots of fun or we might have to have words.

I was looking through our August photo album last night and it hit me: This month has gone on FOREVER! I'd like to think that the coming months will be a bit more laid back, but we would never let that happen around the Schweighardt house.

Our visit with Auntie Em this weekend was phenomenal. (as usual) Audrey did really well in the car going to and coming home from Portland. She only really started getting fussy toward the tail end of each trip--or when it was important for me to be able to hear the instructions from the GPS. I told you--this kid is smart!

Once we got to Portland and met up with Emily, we headed straight for sushi. Audrey loved the restaurant and ate all of the avocados from her avocado roll. She had some edamame too and spent the rest of the time trying to fling the super sticky rice off of her fingers. It was classic! We stopped by Voodoo Donuts on the way out of town and picked out a delightful selection of sugar-loaded, strange-looking yummies. My favorite is the voodoo doll donut. (complete with raspberry filling and a pretzel stick through the heart)

Friday, we three girls hit the town while John was at work; we got Audrey some sweet new clothes and some more sugary treats at Kelley's bakery. Auntie Em bought her a lady bug cookie and Audrey now has red and black frosting stained into her car seat--It gives it more character.

Saturday was Fair Day!!! Audrey had a ridiculous amount of fun. The adults ate a ridiculous amount of fair food. And we were all ridiculously exhausted by the time we got home. Bunnies were petted, goats and ponies were screamed at, giant pumpkins were drummed on...it was a good day.

Next up in the crazy world of the Schweighardts?

John and I are trying to plan a camping trip for just the three of us sometime in September. The end of the fiscal year at PNNL is coming and he has some vacation time he has to use up before October. I can't really think of a better vacation than chilling with my two favorite people in the middle of the wilderness...and eating s'mores. (it never hurts!)

My best buddy from High School, Jessica, is getting married in October (she somehow willingly convinced me to be a pregnant bridesmaid) and we are getting very excited for the little trip back to Mtn. Home. I am, however, not stoked about taking Audrey on an airplane when she can walk...and attempts to escape anyone's lap she is sitting in. As I type, John is forcing her to sit with him in the man cave on his lap. She's got two remotes and a teddy bear and is still periodically testing the waters. Do you think they'll let us take Bomb Pops on the plane? Is the name too suggestive of something potentially hazardous? I guess I'll just try not to think about the actual traveling until I'm at the airport.

That's all the update I've got for today. Bailey/Georgie is still 19 weeks old, the size of a Mango and is kicking Mama a LOT more. She's not gonna let that big sister of her's steal all the attention.

George Bailey Lassos Stork!

That's Code for: It's a Girl!! Again!!

Lil Bailey Marie is looking good! She was all curled up on one side of my uterus for most of the ultrasound, but she finally woke up and started playing toward the end. We got to see her waving and 'breathing' amniotic fluid and we also got a good look at those girl parts. Take my word for it; even I could tell it's a girl!

We are so excited to know who's been hiding in there! Even though we've been referring to Bailey as Audrey's brother for the past few months, I told John I'd be surprised if she were boy...and I was right! I know John is just as happy as I am, but the fact that he is truly outnumbered now is starting to hit home!

Audrey seems to be remaining skeptical of the whole situation. Boy or Girl, I don't think she was too keen on sharing her room or her parents. Emily has promised to teach Lil A all about sibling rivalry and how to steal attention from her parents. She couldn't have asked for a better tutor!

Speaking of Emily...she has openly admitted to not being in love with the name Bailey for a girl. (it reminds her of It's a Wonderful Life) So, John decided, as a compromise, Bailey's new nickname will be George...hence the title of this post.

So, there you have it, folks! I'm on my way to having alphabetically named offspring. Next up? Claire! (just to put John firmly in the minority!)

Never Say Never: A Case of Mom-Karma

Fact: Nothing soothes a fat lip like a bomb pop. If you had asked me if I would let my one-year old daughter eat popsicles before I had children, the unequivocal answer would've been "No; kids that young don't need sweets." Ha! Hahahahaha! Old you, you are so funny!

It wasn't long into this parenting thing that I figured out Mom Karma. Meaning: Every parenting issue you get up on your high horse and swear to God you won't do...you will. And even if you don't, it won't be because you didn't already try and fail. A little advice for any new/ thinking of being new parents out there: do not throw off your Mom Karma. Don't believe me? Let's take a look at some of my sordid experiences mothering Audrey:

First of all: Somehow, formula companies know who's pregnant. They know which women are thinking about getting pregnant. They probably know you're pregnant before you do. Then the mass mailing begins: formula samples, odd coupons, strange magazines and pamphlets of useless pregnancy advice. Unlike many first time soon-to-be mothers, I pretty much just trashed these items without a second glance. "I don't need to worry about formula", I thought "I'm going to breastfeed!" (said with head held proudly high and nose prominently in the air) Ohhhhh, what a good mother I was going to be! Not like people who use formula; people who formula feed are either quitters or failures. Common knowledge.

So, it should come as no surprise that karma bit me in the butt, took me down a peg (you name it) and blessed me with an inadequate breast milk supply. BAM! Where were all those free cans of formula? Why is this stuff so incredibly expensive? Where are the coupons? I was right in the middle of something I had not only not prepared for, but pretty much despised. Thank you, humility! And even though I learned my lesson on that one (fyi: parents who formula feed are capable of loving their children just as much as parents of breast fed babies) Karma decided to make sure I didn't forget and started sending me sweet, sweet $11 formula checks...the month Audrey switched to whole milk.

That one pretty much took the cake. From then on, I started making a concerted effort to be more understanding of others' parenting choices. Just a few ways I've slipped further from my old image of the ideal parent? Using OTC drugs for teething, letting my kid gnaw on my cell phone/car keys/wallet, giving Audrey solids before 6 months and praying to God it would help her sleep through the night, having the kid with graham cracker crumbs on her face in public. We even tried to get Audrey to take a pacifier for a while and (thank God) she wouldn't.

The point is: Bomb Pops are not only a potentially addictive, super sugary treat, they're also the fastest way to heal a fat lip. The secret to good Mom Karma for me? Audrey's happy--I'm happy.

Norbert is almost 19 weeks old, the size of a mango and is happily kicking Mama's belly because he got to have a bomb pop too!

Walking!!

I finally caught Audrey on camera! Enjoy!




...and here's another for good measure. I mostly just love the gremlin noise she makes at the end.

Weekend Update

I went to Norbert's doctor on Thursday and I have been, yet again, deemed "medically boring". This is good! Now I just have to work to keep it that way. We scheduled our ultrasound for next Friday (while Auntie Em is here!) and we've been thinking of possible cute ways to tell people the sex of the baby. Here's what we came up with: "cute" takes too much effort, so you'll have to read it on the blog, hear it through the grapevine or (if my brain is even functioning that day) on the phone...probably from John since he's responsible like that.

This weekend has been a lot of fun; the Moore clan has been in town. Audrey is becoming more and more attached to my mother's little helper D'Arcy (a.k.a Duck) and we definitely miss the rest of the rugrats who temporarily took over the house too!

We're starting to transition back to working on indoor house projects since it's been so hot out. Grandpa S. has been slaving away building a mud room onto the kitchen in the garage. He's raised the floor already and is set up to install the new utility sink and move the deep freezer up too. It's exciting! I also finally picked a color I love to paint the Man Cave and, let me tell you, it's niiiice! In a few more months, we'll have carpet installed and the remaining black panels up on the stage--all we'll be missing is a HUGE TV, which John will not cease to nag me about until I happen upon several thousand spare dollars. Let me know if you find any.

Audrey has really started taking an interest in walking the past few days. She's gone from hesitantly taking two or three steps at a time to walking all the way across the pool room by herself today! We're so proud of her! I know, I know! You're yelling at the monitor about why I don't have video of this so you can stream it 24 hours a day. We were just too darn excited to even think about grabbing the camera! I promise I'll work on it in the next few days to appease the addicts. I love you. Please don't hurt me.


This week promises to be lots of fun too. Auntie Em just flew into Portland today for a conference and Audrey and I will be picking her up Thursday morning. We have plans for sushi and donuts (best combo EVER) in Portland and then we'll head back to the Tri-Cities for the fair. Audrey gets to see the bunnies again!!! And this time she better not be sleeping. Maybe we'll even get to take one home!

Norbert is 18 weeks old, the size of a sweet potato (I know--these veggies are getting sketchy) Tonight, when I was putting Audrey to sleep, he kept kicking her in the bum like "Hey! This is my room! Get up and find your own!" That's the most movement I've felt at one time so far...spurred into action by aggression toward his big sister. Classic. We're in for a ride!

Don't forget to check out the new photos I posted!

Now, Even More!!

Pictures!!!

P.S.

I forgot! I uploaded pictures! Check 'em out!