I don't have much for baby bump pictures yet. At over 19 weeks along, there isn't much of a bump yet. I was bigger with Cailin at 19 weeks for sure. Any day now I will wake up looking like I swallowed a watermelon in my sleep. I will have to rig up the tripod and timer for the camera to get a few pictures soon.
Last week I took an afternoon for myself and got a bunch of running around done. My favorite part of mommy's afternoon off was a tie between getting my hair cut/highlighted and finding the perfect paint chips at Home Depot. We are freshening up the paint in the whole upstairs of the house and painting our 'new' bedroom downstairs. The bedroom is going to be a pale peaceful blue. I'm very excited to get started next week. We've also been in the process of talking to a contractor about putting in a new vanity in the downstairs bathroom since the current one is all but falling apart.
I also managed to fit in a very quick (and refreshingly sane) trip to Walmart and got Cailin her first raincoat and matching rubber boots. She pretty much hasn't taken the boots off since I presented them to her. I also indulged in a Happy Meal and felt delightfully naughty at not having to share my child sized pop with anyone. Or the fries. Hee.
Also last week, Cailin's cousins arrived via the Papa Express. Cailin loves Kelli (8) and Grace (3) and has really enjoyed playing with them. She especially loves to follow Grace around and participate in whatever Grace is doing at the time.
They get on either side of the dolly playpen and push/pull it all over the house. Despite the many obstacles in their way, they manage to navigate that playpen without any issues. Cailin makes sure to put on Grace's Dora boots the second she comes in the door and away they go with the playpen between them.
For the most part, they get along and share pretty good. There were a few fights over Grace's pink baby, but once I brought out Cailin's blue baby, they were content to each have one.
Cailin can really get around for someone her age. She can climb and walk backwards and jump on furniture. Imagine my surprise when she climbed up a toddler armchair and deposited herself into the big playpen. Grace can climb in and out at will, so they spent a lot of time in there together. At some point, Grace snuck out to the kitchen and scooped a big handful of gummy worms, brought them back to the playpen and together they had a feast. What you can't see in this picture is Bailey hanging over the side begging for candy.
Grace and Bailey get along famously too. Bailey is a nice sturdy size and can handle toddler 'love' and affection. She doesn't mind getting a pet or a snuggle here and there, even if it's a little violent. Grace makes sure to update me on all of Bailey's activities. She and Cailin follow Bailey around to keep an eye on her. For the most part, Bailey seems very flattered with the attention. Kelli and Bailey on the other hand... Bailey loves Kelli. The feeling is not so mutual. But, since there are two toddlers running around with tasty snacks, Bailey leaves Kelli alone for the most part.
We managed to take a trip to downtown Beaverlodge and get a few things while wrangling all the kids. We went to the grocery and hardware stores first. Cailin loves to go explore and picks the most boring aisles to lolligag around in (engine oil anyone?). You have to actually chase her around or carry her to the toy section. Once there, she found an electronic dog that plays music and dances. There were two on the shelf and she kept turning them on and dancing and having a grand old time. Nana bought her one of course. The older girls needed no help to find the toy section. Grace selected a baby doll feeding set and Kelli picked a Bratz doll.
Then it was time for the quilting shop. That's kind of like a toy store for mommies/aunties if you ask me. Last time we were in there, Cailin wandered over to the classroom area and helped herself to a bag of jelly beans in a lady's purse. She remembered the candy the second we opened the store door and she made her way back to where the purse had been. Sadly, there was no purse bearing candy this time.
No matter. Cailin and Grace decided to fight over the status of the bathroom door. Open or shut? Cailin said shut. Grace said open. I said, OOOH FABRIC.
I went in there with an idea to make our son a green flannel blanket, preferably with some kind of froggy print. We've decided to paint his room a nice sage green and decorate with froggies. Of course, what I left with was a multicolored flannel kit to sew Cailin a quilt. I didn't see any froggy prints I liked at all - except for one that had girl frogs with pink lips, pink hearts and pink lillypads. Decidedly too girly for a little boy's room.
Mom found some Precious Moments jungle themed flannel and is making Jellybean a quilt out of that. It's going to be so cute.
It took much longer in the quilt shop than I thought it would. Cailin was past her naptime, and the girls were tired and hungry. Sensing meltdown central, I herded them out to the car while Nana paid for her fabric.
The following is not for the faint of heart or stomach. And let me tell you, I'm lacking both these days.
The girls got in on one side of the car while I struggled to buckle a wriggley Cailin in on the other side. I had put the child safety locks on so they couldn't open the door from the inside once it was shut. In hindsight, this was a BAD IDEA.
I tried to direct seat buckling from my side of the car. Grace refused my help. "Nana do it!" I told her Nana was in the store and she would be right out. Grace burst into tears and it soon escalated to the point where she was gagging. I went through the stages of denial in a nanosecond: no, she is not going to barf in my car; she better not barf in my car; she is going to barf in my car.
I told Kelli to hurry out of the car, but because of the child lock, she couldn't open the door. I finished strapping Cailin in in record time, but I wasn't fast enough. I then heard the sound that every auntie dreads so much to hear: the sound of a small child vomiting.
Kelli hit the door and flattened herself against it. "I don't like puke!" she cried. "I don't either!" I said in just as much pain. I ran to the other side of the car and swung the door open, intent on saving Kelli from her doomed fate. Instead, Grace was standing there and I had to jump back a step to avoid the vomit flying towards me. I lifted her out and told her to stand beside the car. Now I had my work cut out for me to lift Kelli out and around all the barf without getting any on her. I'm proud to say, mission accomplished.
That's about the time Nana came out to find two crying kids on the sidewalk (one still barfing) and a very unhappy auntie hurling curses at the heavens in the quilt store parking lot.
Surprisingly enough, auntie has quite the potty mouth. I know, you're all as shocked as I am.
Thank goodness I had brought a warehouse pack of baby wipes with me that day. While Nana cleaned Grace up, I went to town on the backseat of my poor car. Baby wipes are pure awesomeness. And leather seats? Are a godsend. Making a pregnant woman clean up vomit that did not originate from her firstborn? Certainly funny to watch - from a distance, of course.
*sigh*
I think I need a hug.
Grace D'Lee. As I held you I knew you were bound for great things. Truth be known, I hogged you all to myself a lot your first day on the "outside". I loved you instantly as only an Auntie could. Being an Auntie is one of my favoritist things ever (just ask Kelli!). I was so sad as I drove away to attend my pumpjacks and compressor. But I did get to come back and stay with you a bit later.
It doesn't seem like four years have passed by already, but sure enough they have. You are our blonde beauty, our wild child. Our lives haven't been the same for four years. 
It doesn't seem like four years have passed by already, but sure enough they have. You are our blonde beauty, our wild child. Our lives haven't been the same for four years. 
There was cookies, cupcakes and happy kids (of course!).
