Sound Bites and Scenes

• Feeling lots of love these days. I think love is in the air....and just in time for Valentine's Day, which is right around the corner. Some may remember Eli's funny quote from the beginning of this school year when (see blog sidebar) about falling in love. And despite the feelings of love, he had promised me that he wouldn't kiss a girl until he got married. (yes!) He has become good friends with this precious little girl in his class, and friendship has blossomed more than love.....until the other day. Eli came home with a rekindled spark for his sweet friend. He told me they had planned to get married. That week. Ahhh! Did this mean he was ready for his first kiss???  Well, I am pleased to announce that Eli is still a single. He told me that they kept forgetting to wear their fancy clothes, so the wedding didn't happen. The moment passed, and the two are still incredibly cute friends. Whew. That was a close one!

• Scooter and bike riding love are other new things around here. With both boys getting bikes for Christmas, and Eli getting a scooter too, we have been riding a lot. Jude frequently requests to go ride bikes, and Eli enjoys scootering to school now and then.

• Santa finally followed through on his promise to bring Eli a new bike, and now he is more determined than ever to learn to ride his two-wheeler. We went to the park last week on the hard, packed grass to get some practice in with a safe, softer place to land in case of any tumbles. I helped him a bit, but eventually it was a little too much for my back. That didn't stop Eli from trying and trying and trying. I was impressed with his determination. I look over, and the boy is riding. A little wobbly, but he's riding...in a circle for what seemed like a minute before losing his balance. He dropped the bike and sprinted over to me with one of the biggest smiles I've ever seen on that kid's face and threw his arms around me in a hug. Mommy's eyes were full of happy tears as I clapped and cheered for him. What a moment! After that, he couldn't find his mojo again, but now he knows that he can do it and has a new found confidence. He just needs more practice.  

• Jude is working on his mastery of language. He is speaking in more complex sentences and is in a stage of over-applying a word or phrase that he has had success with. One of my favorites is his use of "very." As in, "This is very, very hot." or "That is very, very big." And then there is the not quite accurate, but hilarious use when eating soup a friend had made us for dinner, "This is very, very soup." I think I need to modify the blog side bar to *My Kids Say the Darnedest Things* and start adding some of Jude's because he is bound to say many more funny and memorable phrases in the coming years.

• Not too much Mommy creativity or energy these days, but at 36 weeks, I think I have a little  excuse....especially when there is still so much to do before baby comes. Nothing like a little procrastination. I always seem to wait until the last minute, but what needs to happen will get done. I'm not worried. But when I do have a little energy, we whip out a fun craft or activity. The go-to lately has been Play-Doh, so to mix things up a little, I made the boys a batch of snow dough a week or two ago. They love it, but it is messy. Thankfully, I'm not afraid of a little {or not-so little} mess. It stores well in a zip-lock baggie, so we have been playing with it quite a bit. 

A little finger painting action too.

• Jude has recently become incredibly clumsy. I am not sure if it is because he is fearless yet still not as agile as he wants to be, but I'm sure that has something to do with it. He got this lovely cut/bruise/bump playing at a friend's house. He tripped and fell, hitting his head on a door frame. Since then, he has hit his head in this same spot 3 more times. The scab is gone, but a bruise and bump remain. Such a mess, but a "very, very" cute mess.

• Eli has officially graduated out of the Tiny Tigers program at karate and into the full-blown kids program. He is one of the youngest, if not the youngest, to ever move up. He has been working hard and is taught regularly by Sensei Morris, a 9th degree black belt. What an honor! Eli proudly received his first stripe and is on his way to becoming a yellow belt after saying the school's pledge for Sensei Morris yesterday. 

• Jude has decided that he doesn't need to take naps everyday. Mommy is not OK with this and has not given up hope. We moved him to a toddler bed around his birthday to prepare him for the transition to a big boy room with Eli very soon, but this has led to lots and lots of getting out of bed to get more books and toys to play with during nap time. More days than not, I have to go up and lay him down repeatedly. Like for an hour, sometimes 2. Some days there are tears and squeals of, "I go downstairs!!" With an emphasis on screaming the "I." He seems to believe that if he squeals the first word of a sentence, it will happen. Nah. Other days, he sweetly asks me to lay down with him (he does this at bed time with Daddy too.) We are happy to lay down with him to help him settle for a minute or two. Just this week, he has begun to request that I "cuddle his back"....or tummy....and this means he wants me to tickle his back. It is so sweet. Usually, after a fight, he ends up asleep. Too bad we have to go pick up his brother at a specific time, so I typically have to wake him up after a shorter than needed nap....but then there are the days that he fights the entire 2-2 1/2 hours and never gives in. Those days are tough...especially from 5 o'clock on. Big sigh.

• Lots of pretty weather as the temperatures fluctuate between cold and hot. Usually the best times to get out and enjoy the sunshine is when it is right in between....like this weekend. A beautiful MLK weekend to get out to the Jr. Museum and some parks. 

• Jude and I stay busy on our mornings together. He has decided that he likes my {decaf} coffee and is always looking for one last sip. He also is asking me to take his "pit-chur" more and more. He loves to pose for me.

Never a dull moment, though Mommy might secretly wish there were a couple here and there so that she could rest a teensy little bit more.

Home Stretch

Down to one month until Baby Blueberry makes his grand entrance into the world....unless he decides to come early. As of last week, we have a birthday: 

February 18th.  

And as soon as the date was on the books, I started getting upset and anxious about the surgery again. I wouldn't mind your prayers for a peaceful heart as the last 4 weeks pass.

So, I'm in the home stretch. I would be lying if I said I felt great, but no one wants to hear the gory details. Bottom line is, I've felt better. This has been my toughest pregnancy yet. I'm still walking Eli to school in the mornings, weather permitting. It was a rough one today, but I made it. And I don't plan to quit. Surprisingly, my aches and pains usually feel better after the walk. It is still a part of the day that I am grateful for....even if it is hard to get going some mornings.

Despite all the not fun parts of pregnancy, there are still some awesome things. Like feeling him move and roll around. I love watching my stomach do the wave and seeing body parts stick out. Baby gets the hiccups all of the time now...usually for just a couple minutes, but sometimes as long as 15 minutes. Eli will talk to sweet Blueberry, and Jude likes to give my tummy lots and lots of kisses. I think Jude just likes to see my funny belly button....which is pretty much out at this point.

I had an informal shower last weekend with a few girlfriends. It was low-key and perfect. Out for a yummy lunch and then some pampering. Nothing over the top. Just the way I like it.

I am blessed to have such sweet friends.

(Bryce, Thanks for taking some pictures I could steal use.)

The baby bump is still growing and growing. Starting to feel very very pregnant, but I guess that is because I am! 

Despite the nerves, I'm very much looking forward to 2/18. Lots and lots and lots to do around the house as we have done....eh....pretty much NOTHING to get ready for this baby. I'm still trying to get organized after Christmas.  Time to purge lots of rooms and get some baby stuff out. As soon as I find that energy, I'll get on it. I hope! And then there is the name issue....we have actually started talking a little more about it. Middle name is pretty much decided, but we are no where close to a first name. I have a feeling Blueberry will remain nameless for a day or two until we decide. But that is OK. Names are hard!

Until then, I'm praying for peace, comfort,...and no more swelling!

The Best Christmas Present

Eli woke up on December 26th as excited as he did on Christmas Day, except this time, he was up before we were. He was sitting at the bottom of the stairs asking...."Is it time to leave for Disney yet?"  Once we were packed, we hit the road. The plan was to do Downtown Disney that evening, but it was super crowded, so we just grabbed dinner and went back to the hotel to rest up for the fun-filled days we had ahead of us.  

First up, Hollywood Studios! And with the temps right around 40, we loaded the bus and headed for the fun.

We had been tipped off to head right for the Star Wars area if we wanted to sign Eli up for Jedi Training. Over the years, we have learned our lesson in not telling Eli about something super exciting in case the plans fall through...he just can't handle the disappointment, so he didn't know what was in store until we walked up. We signed him up for a slot around noon. He was a little overwhelmed at the moment and wasn't sure what to expect, but he knew it was pretty awesome. And yes, we spent all morning telling him the time and letting him know how long until his Jedi Training. From there, he and Daddy got in the *surprisingly short* line for Star Tours while Jude and I explored the surrounding area and the Star Wars gift shop. 

Eli wanted to ride again, so Mommy got to ride this time, while Daddy and Jude explored some more. Eli and Jude were both in heaven. While Eli was loving the rides, Jude loved taking in all of the larger than life sights and meeting characters. Hollywood Studios is not as heavy on the rides as it is on shows and characters. 

This was right up Jude's alley and Eli loved it all too. It was crowded, but not too insane. Eventually, the time came for us to head over for Eli's Training. He was just a wee bit excited.

The Jedi Training was nothing short of awesome. After getting robes and lightsabers, the trainees were instructed how to use their weapons and taught a fight sequence in front of a huge audience of parents and other on-lookers. Then....the Darth theme music started and smoke poured out as the doors opened and out came two Storm Troopers followed by Darth Vader himself. It was incredibly awesome. 

Not far behind him, was Darth Maul. Again. Beyond cool. 

Then it was time to fight the Dark Side, and the Jedi Masters turned to the Padawans and asked for a volunteer to go first. Without hesitation, Eli's hand shot up, and he was picked to go first. As a Mom, I have to admit, I had tears of joy streaming down my cheeks as I watched Eli perform his lightsaber fight sequence against Darth Vader. It was just so exciting to see him up there and knowing how much it meant to him. I don't think he cracked a smile once. He took it all so seriously, and he did amazing.

When it was all over, and he had received his certificate for completing his training,  he finally found his smile and was grinning from ear to ear. The first thing he told us was that his legs were a little wobbly while he fought Darth Vader. Love it! Of course they were!! The kid fought the biggest and baddest villain from his all time favorite movie. He was over the moon...and talked about it for the rest of the day. 

After some more fun and yummy treats, we headed back to the hotel for a nap/rest time so that we could come back at night to take in a bit more fun and the Osborne Family Christmas Lights. 

It came as no surprise that at the end of the day, Eli chose a build/design-your-own-lightsaber as his souvenir.  

Day 2 had us heading to the Magic Kingdom. We were sure to get up a little earlier as we expected a bigger crowd here. And we were right. Ugh! The bus driver told us the park would be near capacity....I had no idea what that really meant until we were in it. Jude was a little crabby to start the beautiful day and was not feeling a "I am at Disney World" picture.

And after a ride or two or three, he started to perk up. Overall, he was not a fan of the rides...too dark, too surprising, too big, .... too much! He smiled a little here and there, but could take them or leave them.

Eli, on the other hand, turned into a little thrill-seeker. He was desperate to ride a big roller coaster, so he and Daddy went to wait in line for Thunder Mountain. Eli loved every second of it!! Makes me wish the lines weren't so long and he could have ridden others. The roller coaster was by far his favorite ride of the day.

While the big boys were off on their adventure, Jude and I found some fun more his speed. He loved getting to hug and love on Dale and watching the Country Bear Jamboree.

And yeah, as I mentioned, the park was "near capacity," and it didn't take long for us to realize what this really meant. It was NUTS! There were actually staff members directing people traffic. The crowds were almost unbearable, but we still had a blast and just found a way to make the best use of our time. The boys were not about to wait in long lines, so we grabbed a couple of Fast Passes as we could and waited in some shorter lines for rides or shows. 

Parades were a big hit for the boys...especially Jude, and we were able to see two during the day. The second one allowed the kids to go out and dance in the streets with the characters. It was so much fun. Jude was shaking his booty and dancing up a storm, and once Eli warmed up, he was too. So many fun memories!

A line we did wait in was the one to meet Goofy and Donald. I knew that Jude had a special love for Goofy, so it was extra special. We told Goofy that he was Jude's favorite, and he was sure to give him some extra love and hugs. Precious!

There were more characters to dance and play with and more treats to eat.

Because of our Fast Pass times and the crowds, we decided not to head back to the hotel for naps. The boys were both awesome...I don't think Eli asked to ride in the stroller once. Overall, we spent 11 hours in the park. Mommy was probably the most ready to get going...and at 32 weeks pregnant, I think I deserved to go back and lay down. We did stay long enough to see the castle lit up; always a beautiful sight!

And just as it was time for Jude to pick out his souvenir, he crashed. Sweet boy!

Sadly, the "Best Christmas Present" at the "Most Magical Place on Earth" had to come to an end. After a restful night of sleep, we checked out of the hotel to head on home....but not without stopping at Downtown Disney on our way out for a trip to the Lego Store, Jude's chance to choose a souvenir after all, lunch at the T-Rex, and dessert at Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop. The perfect end to an outstanding trip.

I can't wait to return one day with all 3 of our boys to make more memories....but remind me to NEVER EVER go during Christmas Break again...no matter how convenient it may be for us. Never. *smile*