Little Gingerbread Boy

Friday night Derrick snuck out for a quick fishing trip so Riley and I enjoyed an evening of fun over at the Hutchie house where we tried our best to create a gingerbread house and found out very quickly that it's not that easy (especially with 2 year old hands helping : ).

I think it was a success though and it turned out pretty dang cute!  Riley loved himself the hands on fun but the temptation of having candy all over was too much and half of it went in his mouth!  He was concentrating so and very proud of his creation afterwards.  I think next year we will use graham crackers and less candy : )

Christmas continued with the Theisen party on Saturday and unfortunately both D and I came down with another sinus infection so throbbing headaches, way too many Theisen's packed into a tiny room and loud voices caused a short stay but Riley loved seeing his up north Nana and the Big guy in red and he scored lots of treats, a motorcycle and a Star Wars character complete with "baby nuns."

Please, please, please sickness stay away from our 2 year old and keep him healthy for the big weekend coming up as both D and I were up coughing and blowing our noses til 4:30 in the a.m. Sunday morn!  Thank you G'ma and G'pa for watching our little so we could celebrate a b-day and then stay up all night sick!  (Exactly what we were hoping to do instead of sleeping- seriously bad timing!)  So it's a lazy day at the Theisen house and thankfully a short week ahead!

33 Weeks!

PREGNANCY HIGHLIGHTS:

WEEKS: 33 weeks!

BABY'S SIZE: 18 inches, 4.5 lbs, the baby is the size of a pineapple!

TOTAL WEIGHT GAIN: 20 lbs now... I have my last 4 week appt on Monday and then it's every week starting at 36 weeks!  

SLEEP: Sleeping great with a few bathroom breaks everynight.

MOVEMENT: She is performing sommersaults that make you stop and take notice very frequently!SYMPTOMS: Holy heartburn!  Lot's of gum chewing-my jaw is sore!

WHAT I MISS: Nothing, just so thankful to be in the here and now!

CRAVINGS: Nothing really, but I have been enjoying Bottle Caps as a snack!  Remember those?
MATERNITY CLOTHES: Still surviving on fat clothes from after Riley.

WHAT I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO:  CHRISTMAS!  Sleeping in as a fam Friday morning and enjoying the quiet day to ourselves before appetizers and games at my parents start!  Love me some Christmas Eve apps!  Watching our little open his presents and seeing his excitement and surprise! 

Wonder and Joy

We spent the best evening together as a family last night! We headed down to Macy's and saw "A day in the life of an elf"....again but this time the wonder and amazement in Riley's eyes was hilarious!  He took it all in and didn't utter a peep!  What a difference a year makes!  Last year he wouldn't let G'ma put him down and this year he walked around peering curiously into the lives of the rather creepy looking elves.  I think his favorite scene this year was once again the dog covered in mail and the elf mailman who he appropriately named Papa.

Our favorite part of the whole thing was seeing Santa again though.  While we were waiting behind the red rope Riley kept turning around with a huge smile on his face asking "Now Mommy?  Now Daddy?" until finally she let us through.  He ran to Santa and like a well trained 2 year old with a camera obsessed Mommy, dutifully let everyone take some precious pictures before he starting telling Santa exactly what it is he wants.  "Nuns and noo noo's pease." 

Translated for anyone who is not familiar with Riwey speak is he wants guns and choos choos please.  Yes, our 2 year old asks Santa for guns every chance he gets.  We/Derrick never pushed this on him.  He saw D's guns after a deer hunting trip this year and hasn't looked back once.  He wants to be just like his Daddy and many a nights the last few weeks has slept with his 'baby gun' that G'ma bought him at a garage sale.  No, he does not point guns at anything other than the deer on the TV that he occasionally sees and the deer head on our wall.  He will understand gun safety at a very young age and be properly trained in how to handle them when necessary but for now we let him pretend hunt with his nerf/baby gun and that is our personal decision. 



But I digress.

We stood back and watched him have the sweetest conversation with Santa about his name, age, likes and whether or not he has been a good boy.  Thank you Santa and every Santa we have seen so far for reinforcing the 'listen to your parents' rule!  For some reason it sounds so much more reasonable coming out of your mouth ; )  After shooting about 25 pics the lady told me I was only able to take 2 pictures...oops, my bad!  So unfortunately I didn't get the shot of him getting off of Santa, walking towards us and then turning around quickly to go back and give the big man a huge bear hug!  Yes, our boy is delightfully sweet! 

We then headed up to the 12 floor for dinner and to our surprise Riley ate everything put in front of him!  Maybe we will be getting a Santa costume and suiting up before every dinner?!  He just sat there smiling at everyone and us, eating his chicken tenders, enjoying life as we overlooked the downtown sky lit up at night.
Perfection.  I just couldn't help but smile and be so grateful to be in that moment sitting across from a 2 year old cutie and my incredible husband.  Life is good people, Life is good!

We even took 10 flights of escalators down to the 2nd floor from the 12th-WHY?  because Riley loves moving stairs and he loved being inbetween us holding hands flight after flight after flight.  After every floor he would say "more stairs?" and then he would squeal in delight as he spotted around the corner the next moving flight downward.  Finally we spilled out onto the skyway and eventually down to the street level to find our hot seats and take in the Holidazzle parade.  Last night was mildly cold and we probably didn't need the hot seats but is was nice to sit down, relax, take off the winter coats and enjoy the light show in the dark.  Riley loved him the choo choo float and was waving his little arm off at all the floats that went by! 

Riley had a full day of Christmas since his classroom celebrated with a party also yesterday and yet he wasn't tired or sick of it.  The boy was just filled with wonder and joy at everything he saw.  He pulled 3 baby puppies, one big puppy, his 'nice car' (his secret santa gift from a classmate) and his lovie into bed last night and all he could do was smile.  Life is grand.  Bring on a weekend full of Christmas to lead us into next week where we can continue with the wonder and joyfest until we just need to spend a whole day in pj's watching movies and vegging out on the couch. 

Loving this time of year and feeling so lucky to see it all through the eyes of our 2 year old.

Panic sets in...

Whether it's my extreme tiredness causing early bedtimes (like 7:50 and 8:05 the last 2 nights) or the fact that I just turned in my admission paperwork and short term disability packets I just don't know but I am freaking out about a new baby in just 54 days.  The stress of "it's a girl" has totally grabbed me.  I feel like everything I look that is made for girls I don't like.  The blankets are too girly, the clothes have too many kittens on them and the accessories are endless!

I keep a running list literally circling my brain at all times and today at work I answered numerous phone calls with "How can I help her?"  Yes, HER, she is on my brain and my bladder as a matter of factly all day and all night long.  Sunday I couldn't sleep because I kept thinking hamper, garbage can, blankets, nuks, bundle me, new light fixture, rocker, and it goes on and on.  

Silly, I know but I/we feel totally off our game.  I mean with Riley we were prepared, we had lists checked off, bottles washed and ready, nuks sanitized and waiting, a blue baby book filled in with preparation details and with this one we are wondering around watching the weeks turn over and the months slip by practically oblivious that we are not really ready as far as supplies go.  Probably, maybe this is just a 2nd baby thing.  More relaxed, much more busy, less time to tediously prepare or maybe we just realize that this time around 23 receiving blankets, more outfits than a newborn baby can even wear before the outgrowing starts and 25 nuks are completely over-doing it?  

So the plan is to actually write down what we need to get done so that with the Holidays we can keep everything straight! 
Because I am a list person.
It's in my blood. 
I keep lists for chores I need to get done, dinners for the week, target shopping and more.  So I am thinking a list is a great starter plus I feel downright bad/guilty for not already having a baby book for her filled in with a few choice details.  I know it's here on the blog but I would personally feel better about having it in hand-in actual handwriting, written in black ink (never blue-you see I am a little OCD) and I think that would go a long way for my level of sanity that is preferred.

But for now I am just looking forward to wrapping my last present tonight and being done with Holiday shopping!  Woo Hoo!  Now just need to pick up a pink baby book and fill in a few stats. 

P.S.  We unpacked and filled up the changing table with newborn and size 1 diapers the last few days and the smell of a fresh, tiny, Pampers diaper goes a far way in bringing back one's sanity.  D E L I C I O U S!  Love that smell and can't believe I forgot how refresing and yummy it is!  Almost, almost as good as a new baby scent! 

P.S.S.  Did you see that little, creepy elf about butt level in the 32 week picture.  He brought tears me eyes I was laughing so hard when I finally noticed him precariously sitting there.  That also brought me back to reality and how silly stressing about the little things are when you can just be enjoying them!