Well, the boy is 3 days into summer vacation. And it's been raining for approximately 40 days and 40 nights. I think it's a bad sign that God hasn't talked to me. Yet.

Also, the house is back on the market. It took like 3 weeks to get a showing request and we thought it was bad news. But now it's picking up and there's no place to move to. I'm not entirely sure what to do. Other than hope that the house is still clean enough from yesterday's showing for tomorrow's.

We saw UP today. It was a fun beginning of vacation event, I ate too much popcorn and cried a few times. I think my six year old saying "she died huh?" makes it even sadder. I hope that's not a spoiler, it's about 6 minutes in to the movie. We all liked it and it aided an early bedtime. Although when we got out at 4:30, the girl said "momma, it's another day!" The movies do that to even grownups.

Oh also, I had another ultrasound yesterday. At the hospital, where I went alone, so because of earlier dream, I was freaked out. All was fine, and now I get them once a month or so to check on growth, because my blood pressure is mad. Which it always is. Especially with two kids and a house on the market. This will be the first time it's medicated, actually. I get to take something, starting tomorrow. Let's just hope it doesn't mess with my vbac plans. The doctor said it might, but I'm fortunate that I have a history of naturally punctually going into labor. Even the time I didn't need to and was really hoping for a few more days of sleep and had a nice appointment already lined up . . . but the girl has been like that. ;o)

Let me tell you about my life lately.

Thursday night I was putting the girl to bed and my ear was a little sore. An hour later, I thought I would be better off just amputating it, myself. I didn't sleep more than 45 minutes the entire night. I called the oncall doctor at 7:30 am, and no one ever called me back. The whole thing was so weird - the office opens at 9, so that's when they get their messages. You know, I could have called at 9 to get an appointment. They couldn't see me until 11:45. The thing is, after all was said and done, it would have been worth it to go to the ER at midnight, spend the $100 and possibly get some rest like 12 hours sooner. Actually more like 18 hours sooner, because even though I got antibiotics, they don't kick in immediately, and I didn't really get any relief until 10 pm that night when my eardrum burst.

But back to earlier, at the doctor, my blood pressure was sky-high. I wonder how *your* blood pressure would be if you hadn't slept and had been in pain for 15 hours straight? But they wanted me to call the ob. So this morning I went in, and it's better, but not super. I do have this issue while pregnant, it's how I grow babies. Generally they do the watch and wait tactic until I give birth. And I pretend that I'm going to rest more and eat less salt. So they want me to do a 24 hour urine collection, and I get another ultrasound next week. But we're otherwise cool, I guess.

Ack, it's been a long time.

The boy has been bringing home the year's worth of work these last few days. It makes me burst to see the "writing journal" from the year. Mostly they are things like "the __ lives in the __": draw a picture and write the sentence. But just to compare September to May is amazing. His spelling is great, and being able to read what he wrote, putting together sentences, and just the humor factor. Many of his fantasies involve rappelling with helicopters. He always has a very elaborate plan.

Although I think in terms of neatness, he peaked around January. He was finally good at upper vs. lower case. Now he's just so comfortable with it that it's sloppy again.

I have to figure out a schedule for the summer. We really need to be good about reading and writing every day, even if just for an hour.

We've all been passing around a summer cold here. I think we're mostly on the recovery side. I'm a little worried that the boys are later and haven't been hit as hard - I hope that doesn't mean theirs is still forthcoming.

I had a very unsettling dream last night. I was at the hospital because I was bleeding, and no one was taking care of me. They were sort of lining people up (husband, "my" doctor, etc) because they knew it was bad news. But they hadn't done anything yet. I hate those dreams.

So at some point over the weekend, we were weeding and I guess I yanked some poison ivy and then touched my face. So now I have a lovely red splotchy complexion going on. I called the doctor and get to go in this afternoon since it's all around my eyes. She's going to flip when she sees my belly.

Also, it reminded me why I hate my doctor and need a new one. Not only is her bedside manner totally sucky (and that hasn't even been demonstrated today), but I called at 9:05 this morning (they open at 9) and got the answering service. At 9:10 when I called back I got the triage nurse's answering machine. I got a call back after 10. And an appointment at 2:15. My eyes are going to fall out or something! Not even any reassurance. Ugh.

Also, I'm freaking out about moving. If we move, it's going to suck. Any way. Even if we get a zillion dollars for our house and find the perfect situation, moving sucks. But in all likelihood, we'll have to scramble to find a decent place, and then will we move again in 3 years? Will we find a great spot with a dumpy house? No house? I'd love to build but then where will we live? Right now there are less than 1 decent options we've found. Where are all the great deals on foreclosures and estates and stuff?

Also, did you know there are real estate listings on ebay now?

So my neighbor is kind of an asshole. We know this and just deal. But he's also the coach of another baseball team in the same level as my boy. Last year, he was a coach, and chose many neighborhood kids to be on his team, but not my boy. In fact, all but my boy. But whatever, he's an asshole as I said, so no biggie. Not to mention that the kids are all a grade level older.

So today we played his team. And he had some issue with the way our team (a much younger, smaller team) was playing or something. So he says something to our coach, who then says "well you're pitching 5 strikes" (as the coaches pitch and tell the kids when they're out), and the ass guy starts to get into it. "We'll talk later" says our (awesome, if I do say so) coach. But then again, he's the one who's a middle school principal and the other is, as previously noted, just an asshole.

After the game the ass man tries to get into it, but the good guy just blows him off. Wtg coach.

Oh also, tonight marks the completion of one week TV free for the boy. This has been a great thing for all, more outdoor time, more violin practice, all that. Except for early mornings. I like saying "Oh hey transformers is on!!" at 7:30 saturday morning, and then staying in bed. I like that. Tomorrow, tv is back on, and transformers is on at 8. *Sigh of love*

These last two days have been a nightmare on my sinuses. Whatever is pollinating this week, I am not a fan. As I was out just now, hanging laundry on the line, I could see it floating through the air. It looked like inside when the dust is in the sun? The girl calls that "pixie dust" and makes it okay.

Speaking of, the house is super duper clean because some lady realtor called, said she had a couple looking for a house, and knows we didn't sell last year, can they come over? Tomorrow? So we scrambled, and fortunately, they loved the house. I don't know what to expect next though.

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Originally uploaded by archimom

Here is the wee one! He's got a secret, can you tell?

I'm a hormonal mess. This morning I was ready to kill my husband for no good reason. I seriously mean that. Looking back I have no idea what the issue was, but I hid in the guest room for an hour and then gave him the silent treatment for another hour. The rest of the morning/afternoon was uneventful. Then, when at 4:30 an emergency calls him off to a client, I'm on the verge of tears that he's leaving. And even on days when I don't spend much of it hating him, this is good. I like renting movies and having happy meals with my kids. But today this was a big whoop.

I think it has something to do with the rhubarb cake I made. And by that I mean, the hormones made me make and eat most of that too.

Excedrin Migraine, I do love thee. Not only are you safe for the first 2 trimesters of pregnancy, but you really work (I'm looking at *you* extra strength tylenol). I'm sorry that you didn't kick in in time last night, but I'm pretty sure I still got 3/4 of a dose. I hope I don't need you after pregnancy, but I'm glad you were here for me.

Also, thanks Ikea for making a comfy bed so I can lay in it (even though it's a tish short) and "play" little people with the girl. That dragon is totally in the sky.

Yesterday I signed the girl up for a week of half day dance camp. I couldn't figure out how to do it online, so we showed up at the place. Mis.take. She has been wearing her leotard with attached tutu nonstop since then, and thinks that it starts *today*.

I'm also a little bit worried - the reality of momma leaving her for a few hours is hitting her. The way the studio is set up, you can't watch the kids in class, unless they open this curtain (which I guess they do sometimes at the end of class), and she realized all the mommas sitting out there weren't watching their kids. Hopefully by the time it rolls around, the excitement will win.

So, I'm researching birth options now. Yes, it's early, but I'm one who pretends to prepare early and still cram it all into the last second. So, I really loved having a midwife with G. Since I'm vbac-ing, they want me to be managed by a doctor. So I contacted a friend who's a doula, and it turns out she's now a homebirth midwife. Suddenly that option is on the table. In theory, I'd love to. In reality, someone would be expecting me to make them a sandwich 45 minutes after giving birth. So I'm gonna say no. However, having a doula will be huge. This way I can just stay at home as long as I want. And the fact that she's a midwife will be great - if an "accident" happens, I'm all set. I've fantasized a bit about that particular accident, I must say.

So we had this tax fiasco for 2007, which resulted in us paying about $42,000 in taxes to the IRS and state over the last 15 months. Just now, I wrote out my final check. The business reimbursed us, but it still sucks. Want to know why? Because our (personal) stimulus money, tax refund, anything, was applied toward that. Not only that, but that extra money bumped us into a higher tax bracket, so the taxes paid on "our" money were also taxed at the higher rate.

Paying bills is always a mixed feeling. I feel great - I know we have heat and hot water and internet acces (what? it's important, man!!) for 30 more days. However, the money goes in and just as quickly goes out. Yes, some goes into savings and some into 401k, but it's all gone. I mean seriously *gone*. I get maybe one trip to the atm where the receipt makes me look like a lottery winner, and the very next one makes me go "how long until next month?"

Living the American Dream, I tell ya.

The big boy is very, very excited about sharing his room with the little boy in 2-3 years. I hope that when that time comes, the excitement still holds. That or I'm more comfortable with having the biggest boy sleep on the lowest level.

I'm beginning to realize that this room will be a den of testosterone, right around the time the girl probably begins to care. Right now, her primary entrance is through his room, but I have a feeling that will shift to the hall door when there are two boys, double trucks, double legos, double stinky feet.

Here's my littlest son!!

The girl has named our game alter egos Callida and Bellulah. I just love them, they're so close to real princessy names but just aren't. Bellulah. Collide-uh.

Mom you have hair too!! I see it!

(last week I was showing her the tiny hairs on her arms and legs so I assume, but we're in the pool)

In there mom! See? It's black!

My armpit. I guess I need to shave.

So here is where I tell you the saga of the late school bus. Last friday. So I go out to the bus, I'm 3 minutes early. It usually comes at 1:53 by my cellphone, but has been as late as 1:56. We had just bought a new sit n stand stroller so the girl was in that, testing it. Which turned out to be fortuitous.

At 2:08 I call my house, no call from school. That's 15 minutes late. Five minutes later, I call the school. No answer, and I ring through to the main office, no answer. I am freaking.out. at this point. Fortunately, the school bus stops at a house where I know the mom, and she was home. So I bang on her door, ask her to keep watch while I run home to make sure there's no caller id or message from school, or note from teacher letting me know of issue. Of course, there isn't, and as I'm walking back out the door, I see the bus and lovely Sheila greeting my kid. I also wave down the street (maybe 200 feet?) so the bus can see I'm okay with letting him off.

But how UNCOOL is them not answering, not calling, nothing, when he was 30 minutes late? I guess the bus was late getting there, there was horrid traffic somewhere, so he wasn't sitting on the bus, but was playing at school, but I was having a meltdown?!

And of course it was the day before vacation so no one's reachable now. Which might make it a little better for those who have to deal with me.

Oh also, we had plans to meet the husband in Boston, taking the train and having A Grand Adventure, with the new stroller. Which all worked out fine except for the travel to the train/parking/running up the platform with 30 minutes less than planned. I didn't get my camera, comfy shoes, or idle time before the train left the station, but it was fine.

I love having other little boys whose backyards touch ours. So I can send him off all independent to play, but sit here putting dishes away (or, um, planning to) and watching him play with his friend. It doesn't hurt that he loves orange so he has on a bright orange baseball cap which is super easy to follow during whatever they do there in the woods.

What do we think of this vehicle? What do we think of buying an American car for the first time ever for both myself and my husband (unless a toyota counts, which it kind of does, but a Ford?)?





Hubby's car has 100k miles on it, and mine has 55. We've had both the same amount of time, and mine started at 10k, whereas his started at 0. So we're considering having his company lease a new car and then he will drive the bigger one, and I'll drive the scion. It's in great shape and I would *love* to go to a manual transmission. And a smaller car day to day would be lovely. We're planning a pretty big road trip for this summer, and a new car sure would be fun for that. It seats 7, gets better mileage than our current van, and is 4wd. It's weird not having a vehicle that's 4wd, even though both of our fwd cars do well in the snow. The scion will be tight with 3, but I do like having the kids close - right now the girl sits in the 3rd row, just the best way it works out, and she's so darn far away. Not to mention that I only have a back door on one side and the rear windows are manual slides. It's a cool car but less and less practical.

We shall see. We've only ever looked at one from the outside, not been in one, not driven one, nothing. And I have no idea how good the lease terms are right now.