Beautiful Day

We set out for a walk around the yard after Hugo's nap today. The weather is just lovely right now. A perfect day for exploring and running and playing in our yard.

While walking down the drive, this dragonfly flew right into me. The thing was huge and completely surprised me! He sputtered about the ground but didn't make it very far from our feet. He had been injured by something, we don't know what. We did have fun picking him up, ever so gently, and examined him until he felt bold enough to fly off the edge of our fingertips. Eventually I felt bad for poor Mr Dragonfly. I imagined that his death was near and that he might like a little privacy. We left him amongst the woodpile and continued about our walk.


Our family doctor had ordered a lead test for Hugo awhile back. I've been a chicken momma and tried my best to ignore her wishes. I've been so afraid of the idea of Hugo being stuck with a needle to draw his blood, hasn't happened since he was a baby and that was a traumatic experience for me. To defend myself, I was incredibly hormonal and weepy that first week after his birth. I cried over just about anything. Still, I made Cesar hold him while I waited outside the room. Our baby Hugo screamed like a banshee and turned bright red all over his body. The experience was hard on Cesar too. I remember him sputtering about the tech saying how she did it all wrong and must not be used to babies, it was kinda cute. Big boy Hugo has seen me at the lab with my sleeve pulled up and the needle stuck into my arm a plenty with this pregnancy. He usually becomes a little concerned and says how he doesn't want me to get hurt. I've always told him it doesn't hurt and that I'm just fine, he needn't worry. He doesn't have a concept of what is happening, what the red stuff is, he refers to my blood letting as peeing.

Today our Hugo was a brave boy. He didn't want to go. I tried my best to explain what was going to happen and that his doctor said it was a very important test to have done because we live in such an old house. I even fibbed a little and said that his school wouldn't let him come back if he wouldn't do the test. I thought I could see some wheels turning in his head with that one. He didn't fight me about going, he just dragged his feet a bit and whined a whole lot. I told him that when it was all over, he could have a special treat. Treat! His mood picked up remarkably quickly. I gave him a choice of a lollipop or a doughnut. Doughnuts won out, big time.

Once at the lab parking lot he didn't want to exit the van. I reminded him of the doughnuts and out he jumped! He played with cars and looked at a large book of animals while I filled out his paper work. We had the office to ourselves and I was glad of it. When the nurses, there were two, were ready, Hugo and I sat in the big chair marked #1, he balanced on what is left of my lap and gently leaned back against my tummy. He pulled down the big upholstered arms in front of us, I told him we were in our own private spaceship. Up we rolled his sleeve. As the nurses began to busy themselves with preparing his special Garfield bandage and cleaning his arm with alcohol, the weepiness returned. I was asked to hold his torso and other arm steady. One nurse braced his left arm while the second nurse placed the needle. She was great. Only needed to stick him the one time. He cried. A lot. They filled two vials and I did my best to be calm and whisper in Hugo's ear about what a brave boy he was. How I was so proud of him. How cool it was to watch his red, red blood flow into the tube. He's a boy, isn't he supposed to like that sort of thing? He continued to cry, but he didn't flinch or jerk his body once. I really did believe that he was a good trooper. I can remember my mother needing to trick my into visiting her at the doctors office only to discover their plan of ambush, needing to administer a long overdue shot for me. I was in high school. Hugo was a brave, brave boy today.

Hugo scored three stickers from a nurse and a trip out for doughnuts and chocolate milk on me with a phone call of congratulations from Papa. He chose one vanilla frosted and one chocolate frosted doughnut, both with sprinkles. I had a maple frosted one. I let Hugo taste my maple doughnut. He didn't want his plain ole vanilla and chocolate anymore, he only wanted my maple doughnut. This was a problem. Maple frosted doughnuts can be tricky to find and though I was happy to share a taste with my brave boy, I wanted the rest of my maple frosted doughnut all to myself, thank you. I told him that on our next visit to the doughnut house, as he calls the place, he needed to remember to order a maple doughnut. That really means that I need to do the remembering and most likely will need to do some reminding of what a maple doughnut is and some convincing of the fact that he did indeed like the maple frosted doughnut, a whole lot!

Preparation

Tonight I am officially bushed. Wiped. Got nada. While preparing dinner I realized that I had forgotten to take my iron pill yesterday and this morning. Oops. I took two pills with dinner and hope to pull myself out of this downward slump sometime tomorrow. I'm not only sleepy but my extremities are heavy feeling. Slugish to the max.

These pics of tile are the old third floor kitchen flooring. We've been in our new kitchen, on the second floor, for a little over a year and a half. Cesar happily demolished the kitchen cabinets once we moved downstairs, but left the tiled flooring as is. With my mother coming for an extended stay once the girls arrive, we decided we needed to get our acts in gear and work on a new guest room for her. The old guest room will transform into the girl's nursery, the old kitchen, which was to be my craft room but really turned into my disaster room, will become the new guest room. So we've got some room switcherooing a happening here at our place. It is all developing very slowly because I am so slow and Cesar is so busy and Hugo, well, he sorta gets in the way discovering this and that becoming all excited and wanting to discuss... he gets that from me poor thing. We've got doors to be hung, pipes to be capped, painting, painting, painting, furniture to be rearranged and curtains to be sewn. Most of it is pretty exciting stuff if you ask me! I feel constrained though. I know I shouldn't be lifting or moving anything, but I do have a great pointer finger plus family and friends who would love to help but Cesar said "No." He wants to be in charge. But he really isn't here. I could've painted this week. Shhhh! Maybe I still will! (We'll see if he is reading this blog of mine or not!)

Sleepy

I woke last night to the tune of 2:30 am for my usual tinkle time. I could not fall back asleep. The mind was a whirling and a whirling. I decided to be a tad productive while not disturbing the sleeping husband, and slipped into the next room. Not too productive mind you, just the 'lets make a to do list for the next few months' sort of productivity. It was just the sort of activity that my very awake mind needed. The written page filled up a bit too quickly. I'm not sure where the past few months have gone? Baby-ies-ies will be here before we know it and boy oh boy is there a lot to accomplish first. Kinda frightening really.

I heard Cesar's phone alarm sound off and snuck back into our room. We chit-chatted a minute while he dressed for the day and I stuck pillows here and there around my growing body. With a quick smooch for me, a scratch for the kitty and some I love you's, he was out the door. I tried my best to close my eyes and count sheep. I think I actually drifted in and out of sleep a few times. I was comfy and cozy.

There was a thump and a squeak and the sound of Hugo's elephant footsteps coming my way. I lay there silent. I wondered where his point of entry to the top of our bed would be? He avoids me like the plague since he knows I'll march his little behind back to his own quarters. He walked towards Cesar's side but doubled back to the middle of the bottom of our bed to pull himself up. I couldn't resist giving him a squeeze and a smooch as I covered him up. He doesn't like to cuddle remember, so he rolled towards Cesar's side. I tried to close my eyes once more. Counting sheep, counting sheep, counting sheep...

After a long bit, the sheep were no longer being counted and Hugo was silent but still awake. I carried him back to his own bed. He hadn't been bothering me in any way, he just wasn't sleeping. I told him I was going to carry him back "so please stand up for me", I asked. He was fine with it. No tears, no pleading, no promises of being still and quiet. He just didn't want me to forget his slippers. Isn't that cute? We only pulled his slippers out of summer hibernation a few days ago and he is already in love with them all over again.

Okay. Back under my own covers. Pillows are in place. A bird is kinda sorta singing and a nice breeze is coming in through the window. Closing my eyes... I think I drifted in and out of sleep again.

There was a thump and a squeak and the sound of Hugo's elephant footsteps rounding the hallway, not my room. His voice called out to me explaining he needed to tinkle. Okay, I replied. "That's awesome hun." A strange sound... Hugo sorta upset asking what this was??? Well, I didn't know. I needed to lift and roll my stomach so that I could turn to the side of the bed with the lamp. Cesar said we should get me a clapper and I think he might be on to something. Anyway, Hugo had gotten himself caught up in the giant shop vac hose which was out of place in front of the linen closet doors. He didn't cry, he was just very surprised. After explaining I was sorry the shop vac was in the hall, I helped him into the bathroom. While tinkling, he became very chatty. He wondered over how bright the light from my room was. "Yes, yes" I said. "It is very dark outside so the light seems extra bright to our sleepy eyes." "But Mom, that light is soooo bright." "Let's not talk sweet pea, it is night time and we need to stay sleepy and quiet." "Okay Mom." We walked back into his room and covered him up again. I smooched the bridge of his nose, told him that I loved him and closed his squeaky door.

Back under the covers for me. Pillows arranged around the twin cooker of a belly of mine. The cat Evie needed a scratch or two and I was out....

I opened my eyes to the sound of Hugo's voice this morning, again. My room was bright, the sun was shining. Hugo sounded far, far away but he was standing right in front of me. I blinked my eyes to focus myself better. His eyes and a bit of his nose peered over the mattress at me as he smiled and said, "Momma, it's 14 o'clock, time to wake up. No big deal."

Everything these days is no big deal in Hugo Land. And we hear a lot of "I know" and "I told you" and "Jeez Louise" and "you silly goose!". He told me yesterday that some "big kid called me dude Mom!" It was funny to hear the word dude come out of his mouth. I'm liking his fascination with time best of all.

28 Weeks

My tummy is hanging l-o-w, low. I remember during my last pregnancy women telling me that they knew I wasn't ready to pop because I hadn't dropped. I don't know if the bulge has ever been "up" with these girls. My tummy hangs so low, that it is very, very hard to keep my pants on my rear end. This is one fall season in which I especially wish the Indian Summer weather would drag out forever. I need to be able to keep wearing my dresses! Oh, and I must keep bare legged. I shutter at the thought of pulling tights up and over the bulge, the watermelon, the torpedo, the twin cooker of a stomach which is mine. How would I keep them up? Clothespins? I have been worshiping the bulge with oil morning, noon and night. Please stretch prettily oh skin of mine, please. We've a ways to go yet.

Preparing For Winter

We are finally beginning to think about the quickly approaching winter. We want to be warm and toasty all over, so we dialed up our wood delivery man. This was the first of a number of delivery trips to fill our quota of winter wood warmth.

Breathless At 27 Weeks

I * am * out * of * breath - like all the time! I'm not kidding. A walk from the living room (once I roll myself up and off the couch that is) to the kitchen can leave me breathless. Not all the time, just randomly. Now, a walk up the stairs for say... Hugo's nap time or to get my slippers or to heaven forbid clean, leaves me breathless, and panting. Drinking a glass of water can leave me breathless. Singing a song can leave me breathless. Reading a storybook aloud can leave me breathless. A walk to our mailbox and back is the extent of my distance walking abilities. Our driveway dips downward on the trip to the mailbox leaving me to carefully watch and calculate my steps. The return trip home is a steady uphill climb where I end up breathing heavily with my mouth wide open and my eyeballs popping in search of a place to plop down my weary tush. It's amazing I haven't swallowed any flies or squitos yet.

Hugo had his second day of preschool today and was happy as a clam again. He stamped colored dots onto a giant cut out of a frog and placed googly eyes where they belong. Half way home in the van he informed me that he wanted to go home. I said - No problem! We ate lunch together and he could hardly keep his eyes open. He wouldn't walk upstairs though. He wanted to watch TV. Nope, was my answer. He stuck himself to the floor and was impossible for me to budge. I tried all my tricks, even the counting thing, you know 1... 2... 3! You're in trouble Mister! - nothing worked. I think he knew there was no way that I'd be bending down anytime soon to make him do much of anything. Eventually, he asked for me to carry him. What!? Okay, we'd try. You see, I miss carrying him. I miss that little bit of snuggle time with Hugo. I can barely fit him on my lap to dress him these days. When he stands in front of me I bonk him with the belly by accident, that just leads to trouble. He doesn't view the bulge of my stomach as belonging to me. He already knows that little sisters, which he has been designed to torment, reside inside. My tummy is no longer mine, but I will have it back I try to remind myself. I instructed Hugo to stand up on the couch so I wouldn't have to bend. He wrapped his little arms around my neck as I scooped up his body, shifting his legs to the left side of my baby bulge. I made it up the steps. I was proud of myself. Then I realized that I had stripped his bed earlier this morning and neglected putting clean sheets back on. Bummer...

This strange photo is from my ultrasound this past Tuesday. It's a view of the tops the twins heads. I'm not sure how it was taken because the girls are still forming a "T" in my belly but there you have it. Hugo loves looking at these photos.

Preschool

Hugo had his first day of Preschool today! He looooved it. Did not care one bit that I disappeared. Actually, I could barely keep him holding my hand as we walked down the hall toward his classroom. The room was already filled with children. Some were playing with toys and some were in the arms of the three teachers crying while their parents hid in the hall. Hugo spied the toys and made a bee line for the back of the room. I noticed that the other children all had name tags on. I tried my best to reason with Hugo that we needed to back up a moment and pin on a name tag, they were in the shape of triangles. Hugo flat out ignored me. Was not moving from the toys. I had to pick him up and haul him over to the name tag table. Once his tag was pinned on I asked for a smooch which he gave me and then he was off. I said hello to one of his teachers and left the room counting my lucky stars that our child has turned out to be a social butterfly.

I had 2.5 hours of freedom. I hardly knew what to do with myself. A girlfriend was walking home from the elementary school with her daycare kids. She invited me in and well, an hour later I headed for home. Once there, I tossed the dogs outside and toasted a bagel, smothered it in cream cheese and mixed up some chocolate milk to drink down my prenatal vitamin, calcium and iron supplements. I started some laundry. I watched birds eat flower seeds in my garden. The time flew past. I jumped back in the van and drove over to the dealer to pick up our new registration. That was that. My free time was up. I raced back to Hugo's school. With all that free time on my hands I was still the last parent in line to pick up my child, not that he minded one bit. Hugo was beaming as he jumped out the door toward me! He had a great morning.

We walked down the block back to Lisa's house. She agreed to watch him while I drove north for my baby doc appt. Hugo couldn't wait to play at Lisa's house, more kids. He pushed me out the door.

The girls are doing great. Baby A is 2lb 12 oz (72 percentile) and Baby B is 3lbs (82 percentile). They are quite content at the moment. I have this strange anti-body in my blood though, well, I'm actually negative for it. The Doc thinks Cesar is positive. I have to have a special ultrasound within the next two weeks to examine the blood vessels on the baby's skulls. I also need to repeat my glucose test. Changing from one doc office to another is a bit of a pain. It's interesting to me witnessing how one office thinks their way is better than another. I hope to do the test on Thursday while Hugo is back at preschool.

Weekend Update

Hugo hauls poor Evie around when ever he can. For the most part she allows it. It can't be comfortable.

This was the tummy on Saturday.

Cesar set the table tonight.

I embellished a tad.

Tumble With A Toy

I was on the floor. Hugo was on the couch. The edge of the arm, on the side of the couch which he claims as his own. Hugo hugs the left, I the right, Cesar is left with the middle of our aging couch. Cesar does try to claim one side or the other as his own, he just isn't so successful. Back to my story... As I looked up from my spot on the floor, I spied Hugo's tush in the air bent over his arm of the couch. The angle was not right. I feared our boy had finally met his match with the floor. Yes. It happened. The wailing, the tears, the fearful look on his face as he sprang up from his tumble spot. I hugged him and then peeled our boy away from my body to better inspect his face for a broken nose, missing teeth and the red, red blood. Nope, not this time. We hugged a minute more and then I carried him into the kitchen for ice in a bag to smoosh to his face. I tried my best to explain to our little Hugo that he was not Buzz Lightyear. That he did not have wings upon his back with which such a dive off the arm of the couch would be possible. He answered, "But I want to be Buzz, sniff, sniff, sniff... "

We Three

This was taken right after lunch today. I was trying to maneuver around the back of Cesar's chair at the head of the table and on into the kitchen. Cesar grabbed me and hugged my belly from his seated position. Hugo didn't want to be left out and quickly jumped up into Cesar's lap to hug him. Seeing this photo opportunity, I snatched up Cesar's iPhone from the table and told everyone to hold still. Snap!

We received our first financing bill for the new van today. Exciting... We also opened up some pay checks. Yipee! Cesar pointed out that since the girls will be born before the end of the year, we'll be able to claim 5 (five) dependents on our taxes this year. Five! Wowsie. Who needs the number four?

Awesome Day

Life did not roll as planned today.

Last night I had told Cesar that Hugo and I planned on staying home today. A nice quiet day was on the agenda. It is time to spiffy, dust, sort, toss and organize the upstairs. We have two rooms which need to be condensed/organized in hopes of being beautified for welcoming our soon to be arriving girls.

Cesar telephoned at 8:23 am and I was still sleeping, in my bed! Not on the couch, cuddling Hugo with sounds of Imagination Movers or Agent Oso running through my dreams. Then I realized that if I was in bed, Hugo must also be sleeping! Awesome! Once off the phone, my thoughts drifted towards those oh so yummy swedish hotcakes. I quickly dialed up Jin to join us with her girls for a breakfast party. It was de-lish!

Then Jan called. "Want to meet up at the park to play with Kenney?"

Snacks of apple slices, fat pretzels, almonds and water bottles were quickly tossed into a cooler. Bodies were clothed, bikes loaded into the back of the van, a movie was turned on. The weather was playdate perfect.

There were some grumpy moments.
Mostly from my child
but I couldn't resist Miss Amy
and her beautiful sourpuss face.

We avoided the yellow jackets, smashed a few.

Enjoyed the view from the river's edge.

Met new play friends.

The afternoon was fading and groceries needed purchasing. We caravaned to Jolly Cow for chocolate cones all around, Jan was a trooper and stayed behind with the kids. Jin and I slipped away in our van to Adam's for quick dinner items. I want to try out her husband's meatball recipe. I've been dreaming of them... The Doc says that I'm anemic at the moment so, bring on the meat I say!

Once home, I didn't make the meatballs. Possibly tomorrow or maybe Friday. I want to make extra to start putting aside dinners, or at least parts thereof, for when the girls arrive and I have less time. Millie told me she has a great chicken casserole recipe which freezes well, I'm waiting for her email. Any more great freezing ideas out there?

Hugo and I ate ham sandwiches with horseradish cheddar cheese spread, cheddar and herbs flavored chips, grapes and a biscotti with milk for dessert.
Hit the spot.

All and all, it was a very tasty food day.

Now, what to make tomorrow?