Jumbled Mumbles (#2)

1) This past Saturday, we started the paci-weaning process with Macie. (She calls it her "maci", rhymes with paci.) She only can have it at nap and bedtime now (as opposed to pretty much any time she wants it when she's home). Because we had never let her take it to school anyway, the transition hasn't been as bad as I thought it might be. She will still ask for it on occasion, but is okay with getting just her lovey instead. The biggest time she misses it is when she gets hurt (either physically or just her feelings!), as her paci was definitely her comfort item.

When she wakes up in the morning and has to give it up, her favorite way to do so is by putting it in my or Dale's pocket. Then she spends a few minutes lamenting, "My maci . Pocket." And then she moves on.

We'll wait a while on the bedtime extraction...

2) We're flying to Missouri for Halloween! While we'll miss our yearly ritual with the Dever clan, the girls (okay, mostly Ivie, since Macie is clueless) are so excited to trick-or-treat with their cousins! And I've ordered the girls' costumes. But we'll keep them a surprise for now... But I'm pleased to say I was able to find something thematic, yet non-princess, that Ivie is actually excited about! SCORE.

3) Dale's home all week this week! And I'm relying so heavily on him it's not even funny. I don't get sappy on here much, but I really don't know how I'd be making it through this difficult time, work-wise, if not for his support. He really is amazing. And I don't give him credit for it as much as I should.

4) Speaking of Dale... In the past week or so, Macie has made the transition to a Daddy's Girl. She can't get enough of her daddy. And it's so. darn. cute. Dale thinks I'm jealous. In fact, I think he wants me to be! Whatever! I'm ECSTATIC. Happy as a clam that she now wants to sit on his lap while he eats his dinner, leaving me to eat mine alone. Ahhhhhhh, serenity.

5) This is Macie's last week in the toddler class. So she'll have to say goodbye to Emma, Kisha, and Brenda, and hello to Stacey and De'Andrea. She's already spent some time with the 2's in the past couple weeks to help with transition, but Monday is the big moving day. The best part of this for Dale and me? No more washing sippy cups every other night. Because, in the 2's, they drink from big-girl cups.

So what that means is that she's going to come home with milk and juice-stained shirts, since she hasn't quite mastered that art yet. Oh well. I'll take that over the sippy-cup-washing ritual any day.

Next up, pump/bottle washing. Coming soon to the Herman house. April, 2011. You can probably sense Dale's excitement all around the world, wherever you are.

A Saturday Without Television (alternatively titled: What in the WORLD was I thinking?!?)

Remember my earlier mention of how we've gotten in the habit of letting Ivie watch television before bedtime in our room? Well, last night, I somehow got talked into putting Macie to bed a bit early (7:15p) and letting Ivie watch the beginning of the new Toy Story DVD that we'd just gotten in the mail while I made a couple of calls for work. (Turns out Daddy's not the only sucker.)

This would be a boring blog post if I said that everything went as scripted, with Ivie watching her 35 minutes of the movie and then traipsing (I'm pretty sure I've never typed that word, but I got the spelling right on my second try!!) happily off to bed.

But she didn't.

Rather, when I told her it was time to stop the movie and hit the sack, she threw a horrendous fit, which resulted in me having to walk out of her room twice with her screaming behind me and ultimately leaving her to cry herself to sleep. After, of course, telling her that there would be no television on Saturday as a result of her actions.

I should have thought first about the effect that this consequence would have on ME.

Now, I'm not saying that I think I let my children watch too much television. But, on the weekends, even while we're doing other things, it's generally on Nick, Jr. in the background. And it also will provide me a few minutes of peace here and there to switch a load of laundry, clean up after a meal, or sneak upstairs to brush my teeth or something.

Today, though, I had to find other distractions.

So we spent HOURS in the bonus room/Dale's office. I spent the time sorting through Ivie's old fall/winter clothes that will hopefully fit Mac this year, and was even successful in getting both of them to try a few things on...



But who knew that plastic bins storing stuffed animals (several of which are from way back to MY childhood) could be so much FUN?!? They have been stacked in the bonus room/Dale's office for quite a while, but we really don't hang out much in that room, so the girls haven't been able to spend much time playing with them. Meaning the animals/dolls OR the bins...



So we all survived the day, and I was still able to wash/fold a boatload of laundry. All's well that ends well, right?

Our Journey to Five (#1)

By now, I've figured out (hopefully) a fun way to share the news that the Herman clan is ecstatic about the upcoming addition of another family member in late April!

Well before we broke the news, though, I woke up early one morning (1:00a'ish) and couldn't wait any longer to take the pregnancy test. So I did. This blog series (Our Journey to Five), will document each of our eager steps along the way, beginning that very day...


Thursday, August 19th

As is typical for me when it comes to pregnancy tests, I was unable to wait until the appointed day (supposed to be Friday, this time around) on which I told myself I was going to take it. But, by yesterday afternoon, I'd convinced myself that Thursday was long enough. So when I awoke at 1:17a today, the time had come...

After taking the test, I impatiently sat on the bed and waited for the clock on our alarm to move from 1:19a to 1:21a (the prescribed 2 minutes required for the test to process). Heck, I was proud of myself for not just standing over the test and watching it the entire time (as I'm pretty sure I did with both Ivie and Macie's)! This 2-minute span gave me the break I needed to convince myself that, either way, all would be okay. But don't let me fool you. I desperately wanted it to be positive...

Woooo Hoooooo! A plus sign!

Dale isn't home, as he's in Charlotte, NC preparing for his first regional meeting as "boss". It's going to be a big day for him, and I don't want to tell him on the phone, so I'm stuck being the only person in the world that knows we're expecting. Kind of a fun feeling!


Friday, August 20th

Dale called me to check in on his way home from Charlotte. Knowing that today was going to be the day that I took the test (before I gave in and tested early!), he asked me about it. I didn't want to tell him on the phone, but I didn't have a choice at that point! He was very excited. An hour later, I got a text from him that said, "More great news for the day! Ivie, Macie, and I love you very much!!!". What an awesome daddy!


Saturday, August 21st

I told my parents over the phone this afternoon. They're pretty excited about grandchild #8! Right now they're at 4 girls and 3 boys. Will baby Herman balance out the genders, or make it even more estrogen-heavy?!? Time will tell... We already have "leaders in the clubhouse" when it comes to names, either way...


Saturday, September 4th

I've had a couple bouts of light-headedness over the past couple of weeks, but they've been brief and passing. Today, though, at just over 6 weeks, I've had my first day of just generally not feeling great. While it probably has a lot to do with the stress and lack of sleep I've gotten over the past 10 days (due to a work crisis), I can't shake the feeling that it's at least partially related to the pregnancy. If I'm not mistaken, this was about the time in my first two that I started battling nausea. I sit here and type this after eating a Grasshopper cookie and a bowl of jello for dinner, because nothing else sounds even remotely tasty. Maybe I'll have some cereal later. And probably an early bedtime (which probably will involve watching the Heels battle LSU at 8p until I fall asleep).


Monday, September 13th

Hello, Nausea. Welcome to my world for the next few weeks (if history repeats itself). There's no denying it now. Over the weekend, there were several moments of having to just take a break and sit down, eat a Nilla Wafer or two, and just walk outside for some fresh air. I'm afraid the girls are going to be tired of the "walks around the block" I'm going to make them take in the evenings over the next few weeks!

And then there's the frustration of knowing that food generally helps me to fight through these bouts, but not being able to think of a single food item that I think I can actually stomach at the time. Not to mention that foods I love seem to fill me up more quickly. I mean, how is it even possible that I only had one piece of pizza at Alfredo's Friday night?!? I know. Crazy.

Mornings are the worst (so the phrase "morning sickness" really is appropriate for me). But late evenings aren't great either, though that might be better explained by the general tiredness that also comes in this stage of pregnancy. Either way, kudos to Dale for taking over bath duty with the girls...

One week from tomorrow is my first doctor's appointment. I'm nervous and CANNOT WAIT to hear a heartbeat. I don't remember being this nervous with the girls, although I probably was, given my nature...


Tuesday, September 21st

Today was the big day! My appointment (now at almost 9 weeks) was set for 9a, but I got to the office early (8:20a), hoping that they would be able to get me in sooner so that I could still make it to Macie's 2-year check-up at 9:50a. Turns out they were having a slow morning, so they were able to hustle me right back to the vitals room. After being questioned about my low blood pressure (nothing new for me, I've always been in the low 90's/low 60's, which is why I am oftentimes light-headed when I stand up quickly!) and registering my "pre-pregnancy" weight (which we'll use to determine how much weight I gain with pregnancy #3), I went back to Dr. T's room. I've seen Dr. T for both Ivie and Macie, so, we've got a pretty comfortable relationship. Which is nice, obviously, when he has to see things that... Well, out of respect for my male readers, I won't go there.

We tried to hear the heartbeat abdominally, but were unsuccessful, given the apparent tilt of my uterus. Whatever that means. So that left only one option if I wanted to hear the heartbeat. Again, men, I won't describe the process. But suffice it to say that at 34 and after having two children, I didn't even think twice - I was determined to know that the little guy/gal was kickin' around in there...

Minutes later, we had the proof. Yea!!! I saw his/her heart beating like crazy. I saw the little body moving around. And, let me tell you, that feeling never gets old. (Although, after doing it only twice, I'm already annoyed by the guy/gal, he/she business. The 18-week ultrasound where we learn the gender is set for November 23rd. Until then, I've got to think of a nickname for this baby to save my grammar-sanity.)

Dale and I spent today calling our immediate family members to give them the news, since we had agreed to wait until we heard a heartbeat. And tonight, before bath, we told Ivie and Macie. Macie is obviously clueless, but Ivie "gets it", although she was not too fired up about the fact that it would be several months before we could actually MEET the baby. But it was super cute. Other than just general excitement, Ivie uttered the following exclamations:

"I can't believe it!"
"Mommy, are you just joking?!?"
"I want it to be a baby BOY!"

Then, when I explained to her that the baby's gender is GOD's choice, not ours, she paused for a few seconds, looked up at the sky, and said, "Mommy!!!! God just told me it's a BOY!".

Sure He did, Iv...

Minutes later, as I walked by their bathroom when the girls were in the tub, I overheard Ivie say to Mac, "Macie! Can you believe that Mommy has a baby in her belly? Are you excited? "

And then, with a bit of a sad face, she said, "But it's gonna take a few days...".

Little does she know how many "days" it's going to take! I'm probably going to rue my decision to tell her this early in the pregnancy!

Tomorrow, I'm planning to share the news with the world (or MY world, at least!) in my Wordless Wednesday blog post. It will definitely be my most exciting Wordless Wednesday post ever! Shortly thereafter, I'll release this post, the first in my Our Journey to Five series, so that all of you will then be caught up with how this blessing of our third child began. I'm eager to share the adventure with you!


Thursday, September 23rd

By most accounts, the blog release was a smashing success. I did get a couple of comments, however, about the method I used to break the news:

My favorite Stacy left me a voicemail pretty much immediately after I posted the blog. She said, "I'm going to try to just forget the fact that I found out you're pregnant FROM YOUR BLOG."

And a co-worker and friend, whom I didn't tell even when he was in my office chatting for several minutes after the blog release, later found out from his wife, who had seen my post on Facebook. He, too, was none too pleased that Facebook-via-his-wife was his informant.

Oh well. All-in-all, it was very fun! A nice mini-escape from work craziness, at least.

(Nearly) Wordless Wednesday (#31): herzschlag, battement de cœur, latido del corazón, battito cardiaco

(Translation, anyone? Need a hint?)

(Okay, maybe something more direct?!?)

(Coloring by Ivie and Mommy)

Macie 2-Year Check-Up

Just a quick post to get Macie's 2-year check-up stats in writing, since I have yet to actually open her baby book.

Height: 35 1/2 inches
Weight: 28 pounds
Head Circumference: 49.5 centimeters

And here are Ivie's at age 2, for comparison sake:

Height: 34 1/2 inches
Weight: 27 pounds, 8 ounces
Head Circumference: 46.8 centimeters

As Dr. Dunk was showing us the charts with the percentiles for Mac today, this is what she said. Pretty much verbatim.

"Her weight is between the 50th and 75th percentiles, her height is between the 75th and 90th percentiles, and her head is... still big!"

Gotta love when the pediatrician loves giving your husband a hard time visit, after visit, after visit!

Jumbled Mumbles (#1)

I know. Silly title! But I already use the boring "random thoughts" title for Ivie, and wanted a different name for MY musings.

1) Friday evening, for the first time, Macie asked to sit on the potty. I've put her on it before, mostly before bathtime, but this time SHE instigated it. And she actually TRIED to go poopy (the grunting gave it away). It was really cute. Unsuccessful, but cute. The real thing came about an hour later. In her diaper.

2) I went to probably the only football game this year where I will get to watch every, single, play. Dale and I got a babysitter for the day and had a "date day" at the game. Fun! (But we lost.) Our typical pattern of taking the girls to Tar Heel Town, staying for maybe the first half (or quarter!), and then packing up the girls to head home will resume October 2nd (our next home game).

3) Speaking of babysitters, we've finally gotten Ivie to the point where she's actually excited when we tell her our sitter is coming over. I think it's because she recognizes that Miss Colleen is a whole lot more fun than boring Mommy and Daddy. Macie, on the other hand, who a few months ago didn't care who was watching her so long as they let her sit on their lap, has turned into the I'm-going-to-scream-my-head-off-so-that-you-can-still-hear-me-as-you-pull-out-of-the-driveway guilt-tripper. One for two's not bad, I guess.

4) Ivie's got Dale wrapped around her little finger. When Dale's home, I put Macie to bed and he takes Ivie. Their pattern these days? Ivie talks Dale into letting her watch "just one segment" of Clifford on the DVR in our room. As Dale gets her all set up, Ivie says, "Daddy, I think you should go to your office to work." Dale, who thinks this is a good idea and a wonderful way to multitask so that HIS bedtime is earlier, obliges. Then, inevitably, the clock moves more quickly than he thinks, and by the time he gets back to our room to take Iv to bed, the second "segment" of Clifford has begun. And, since it's already started, Ivie convinces him to let her watch the rest.

So she fairly regularly gets 30 minutes of Clifford instead of the originally-agreed-upon 15.

And don't think for a second that Ivie didn't plan it to happen just this way when she made the "work" suggestion in the first place. Smart girl.

Wordless THURSDAY (#30): Ivie's Latest Consignment Sale Puzzles

(Gotta love when you get them home and ALL pieces of the $1-each puzzles are accounted for!)

(And Macie, just being cute.)

Learning Politics Early

There's something really funny about overhearing your 4-year-old, while playing in the bathtub, inquire nonchalantly of her sister,

"Hey, Macie! Who's our President? BARACK OBAMA!"

And then continue on by making up songs including his name.

I'm not sure why, but I've never even thought to teach her the name of our President. Thank goodness for "school", or my children would probably never learn anything important. Especially about history or politics (sorry, Dad).

34

I turn 34 today! I would love to say that the girls understand that it's my birthday and that you're supposed to be sweet children on your mother's big day. But Ivie didn't get the memo. She was a little, well, "difficult" this morning. But she cheered up at Kanki. Partly because of the inherent entertainment at Japanese Steakhouses, and partly due to the lime-and-orange sherbet that followed lunch. (Good call, Daddy!)

After Macie's cake on Friday, I wasn't in the mood for another one. But Dale and the girls improvised well. See?

Macie is TWO!!!

Yesterday was Macie's 2nd birthday. I managed to bake a cake Thursday night after our mall trip, though I didn't have the energy or desire to stay awake long enough to frost it, so that had to wait until Friday morning. And, as you can tell, I didn't take the time to wipe the excess icing off the edges of the pan. So it's a bit sloppy. Thankfully, Macie didn't care...


I also wanted to get some pictures of Macie before school on her birthday. This was her look when I said, "Hey, Macie!"...


And then I took her paci away. She couldn't believe I had done such a thing...


So she scolded me...


Finally, she realized I wasn't going to give up. So she gave in and smiled. Well, kind of....


You know, the sort of smile that says, "Happy now? Okay. Enough of the games. Give me back my paci."

Wordless THURSDAY (#29): Look What I Did Tonight!!!

(And I got over the surprise, shock, and pain relatively quickly, too, much to Mommy and Daddy's delight!)

Meet the Heels, 2010

Last Saturday, while I was at work, Dale took the girls to Meet the Heels. And he was even brave enough to take the camera. What a superstar dad! (Although he was quick to point out to me later that Michelle Brunner saved him. So thanks for your help, Michelle!)

Upon arrival, as Dale was fighting with the stroller, carrying Macie, and trying to keep an eye on Ivie as they descended the stairs into the stadium (I've got a pretty good visual of this, and, while I feel sorry for him, I must admit that it makes me want to laugh), Ivie took off in front of him and ran toward Rameses. So Dale frantically put down the stroller, pulled out the camera, and started snapping away, eager to get some pictures to show me.

Until, that is, he heard a man behind him say, "HEY! We've been here for 30 minutes WAITING OUR TURN." Whoops. Apparently there was a line...

So Dale quickly took a few more pictures, apologized, and scurried Ivie away. Well done, Daddy!

Here are a couple shots from their day, including a series of Macie throwing the football. I THINK SHE'S GOING TO BE MY LEFTY!!!!

Family Bowling Night

Last Friday night, we had a family bowling night with friends of ours from daycare, the Kidds and the McCullochs. It had been a while since we'd been to the bowling alley, mainly because our most convenient lanes, The Mardi Gras Bowling Center, decided not to continue the "Kids Bowl Free" program this summer. I know. The nerve...

The good news, though, is that, sometime in the last year, they got kids-sized shoes. Strutting around in them was definitely Macie's favorite part of the evening. The shoes and the soda, that is.



Ivie had a blast bowling with her friends, the two Carolines. They started off actually rolling the balls down the lanes themselves...




But it didn't take us long (only one scolding by the staff) to realize that the girls weren't strong enough to get the 6-pound balls all the way down the lane by themselves (not that I can say much, since I only use an 8-pounder)!


So they were delegated to ramp-use only. Thankfully, it didn't cut down on the excitement! Or, as you'll see, the encouragement of friends (and sisters).




Thanks for the fun evening, friends! We hope another Family Bowling Night is in our future soon!

Wordless I-Don't-Even-Know-What-Day-It-Is (#28): Prepared...

(My mom is in town helping me with the girls this week. This was my kitchen table at 12:04a this morning when I got home from work. No, friends, that time is not a typo.)