51 Days Left

This is one of those vent posts where I tell you my woes and we all laugh and hopefully it helps me stop whining.
51 days left of pregnancy seems like such a short time... if it's someone else! I have to say this pregnancy has been nothing to complain about. I have been surprisingly well and uninhibited by this little man growing inside me, until this week. It seems like my body was holding on until the Red Barn Festival and then I came home and crashed. I've been exhausted, panting going up the stairs, unable to roll over without pain in bed, not sleeping as well, stretching like homemade taffy on a jig and just sore. I know, I know, it's all to be expected and it's nothing really, but I guess I'm just feeling more emotional about it all. There it is.. it's the hormones or something that blew up this week, because the rest is different, but not that different. Anyway, I'm lucky because Erin and Anona insisted on watching Eirik this morning so I could sleep, and I can't say how grateful I am for friends that act like family here. Thanks girls!
We're all getting excited for this little one to get here. Eirik loves to give my tummy hugs and likes to cry out "Chorn (Joren) ugs... ugs.. (hugs)" over and over until I come over and let him wrap his little arms around my huge belly. It's really cute and I think he really understands now. I showed him a picture or two of a baby inside a tummy in an anatomy book and I think he got it then. We talk about babies all the time and he's pretty excited.

We're pretty set on this name, but no one order anything that says Joren Paul or anything crazy like that... we are bound to change our minds at the last minute. (I speak for my husband mostly.) So here's the first pictures of our little man. Just in time for Halloween. JK. He does look a little skelital, but you can tell he's going to be pretty cute I think. His nose isn't really missing, it's just shoved up against the side of my uterus so it's hard to photograph. I love my doctor who does these 3D ultrasounds with each visit!

Of all of us, of course I'm the most excited about Joren coming though because I'm not happy about all the weight I'm gaining and the way my hips are streeeetching and no one has to say anything about how cute my beach ball belly is... I'm not asking for that, it's just a lot more weight than I gained last time and I'm worried. I always gain extra weight starting in October so I have to remember and not let the hormones speak for me. I just look awful now though and am dreaming of the days when I looked like this.... Oh well. ha ha... Paul does look like he's about to cry, but I promise it's not that bad to be married to me. :)


I'm getting my hair cut finally on Friday and hopefully that will help my mood. I hate going to a new stylist. It always stresses me out. It seems like stylist don't understand what it is like to hate your hair and have it be a stress since they got into doing hair because they love their hair and can do anything with it and it will look good. They're often so unsympathetic! I hope my new stylist gets me and tries to help me out of the hair mess I'm in with dignity.

Speaking of dignity....
Katherine dared me to post some embarrassing photos of me when I was a child. I finally have them scanned and I am posting them just to show that I have no shame and I'm not afraid of a dare... And with this post, I extend a challenge and dare to all of my viewers to also offer up some, or at least one, of your most embarrassing childhood photos. It's only fair!

Red Barn Festival!

I had a lot of people give me the "you are crazy" look this weekend. I drove to Kirksville, MO - (supposedly a 10.5 hour drive- for some reason it took me 12!) to exhibit my paintings in a booth at the Red Barn Festival. I wanted to make this crazy trek at 7 months pregnant for a couple of reasons.
1st- I wanted to see my K-ville friends that I miss so much.
2nd- When I moved to Michigan I immediately realized that I needed something to keep me busy that would help me transition to living in a new place. Emotionally I always do better when I'm busy and creating. Red Barn was perfect because it was a close deadline, - lots of pressure- and it was almost a guaranteed success since I didn't need to invest very much money to make it happen.
3rd- I like a challenge. :)

I had a wonderful time seeing so many of my old buddies and giving/ getting lots of hugs, having lunch with old friends and renewing friendships. Going back really made it apparent to me just how wonderful it is to live in a small town and develop close friendships with so many people.
I shared the booth space with three other very talented artists who all showed great work. Debbie, Tasheena and Rachel are awesome and our work all really seemed to flow together well. The day went really well when I overlook the sopping wet setup and cold wet aftermath of the rain, and the $100 bill I lost somewhere during the day. The rest was great. I actually sold enough paintings and prints to pay for the costs of the gas and the prints and to make a tiny bit of money on the deal. I call it a success, even if I am not much richer for the experience.

A few of my pictures turned out really blury, but luckily for me, my awesome friend Emily drove up from St. Louis and photographed all of us and is sending the pics to me soon. Thank you Emily!!! You are awesome!
I'll update the pics as soon as I have them.
Thanks everyone who made this weekend so fun!

A Brother is coming!!!!

Paul and I have been trying to prepare Eirik for the coming of a little brother. He is in a stage right now where he is very, exasperatingly needy. He won't let me leave the room he is in without a tantrum. This concerns me since very soon some of his needs will have to be superseded by a new baby. We've been reading a bunch of books about new babies and little siblings and we have been talking about the baby at least once a day. I think this exacerbates the problem for Eirik because he now refers to himself as the baby and wants to be held and rocked and sung to like a baby more often than he used to. Still, Paul has really taught him to be excited by the word "brother." It's so cute how Paul gets Eirik to squeal with delight about it even though I'm not sure he knows what he's getting excited about. This video really cracks me up and sums up life in a sweet little microcosm.
(Obviously I didn't learn my lesson about filming sideways since last time!) sorry...


PS. What does everyone think of the name Joren for Eirik's little bro??? Any middle name suggestions? We are stumped..

In the Belly of a Race Car

I am so lucky to have a couple of other women in my same situation that love to get together for play groups in the mornings. On this particular day, we went over to Anona's house for Eirik and Benjamin to play with her 3 boys. While we were there, a race car was being loaded into a trailer just behind her house. We herded all the boys (5 total) out to the alley to check out the race car and the owner recognized that this was a great opportunity to bless the lives of all these cute boys. He invited us over to sit in the race car and get our pictures taken. They loved it. You wouldn't know it from Eirik's look of confusion in this picture, but he thought it was really cool.

HGTV's Design Star

So, I'm not a huge TV buff, but I have to admit I have been following HGTV's Design Star since it started this season. In the past few weeks it has been on my schedule for every Sunday night and I totally look forward to it. This week was the final night and I actually got so excited about the reveal that I was one of the nerds that voted a bunch of times for my favorite designer, who WON! I'm so enthralled by this show, partly because I would love to be one of the designers on the show and partly because it would be so cool to get to know other designers in a setting like that. What a rush it must have been! At the interview before they revealed the winner they all talked about how they felt like an immediate family, like they had finally met others as eccentric and different as they are, and they all just relished each other's friendships. I would love to be friends with them too. I LOVE my designer and artist friends that I have because they make me a little less weird. (Thanks to all of you!) And if you're not an artist or designer, you're probably my friend because you like that I'm a weirdo so I love you just as much!
If I weren't married with children I would consider going for my own show. What a fun time that would be! Every challenge that they got I was sitting there sketching and planning and wishing I had $5000 to try it too!! What an awesome show! I can't wait until next season!

Way to go KIM!!! Can't wait to see your show!

Harmonica

This is my first time posting a video. I hope it works....

The first day of the rest of his life...

And so it seems, as Paul's first day of rotations has rolled around it feels like he will be going off to work everyday for the rest of forever. We have sure had a great month and a half of playing as a family! What a joy it has been to have Paul around all of the time. Yesterday was Paul's first day in his family practice rotation. He was all ready, even jazzed up in some tight new threads (looks good doesn't he ladies!) He had a plate of homemade lemon cherry scones; Allison's famous recipe, his new pocket PC, pager, snacks in his pocket along with all the other books, cheat sheets, and gear he would need. The only thing wrong was that his stomach was full of something other than scones.... a bad case of DUH DUH DUH.. FOOD POISONING!!!! Can you imagine a worse time to get sick than the first day of rotations???!!! He threw up before leaving and had to run out of his first appointment, then came home when they dismissed him at noon and moaned on the couch all afternoon and night long. I haven't seen Paul go to bed so early in a year! Other than the fact that the doctor is probably laughing thinking that Paul had the jitters, the day when pretty well, all considering. Ladies who have suffered through morning sickness, you know how it feels to pretend you're fine when all you want to do is vomit, and it's no fun! Props to Paul for sticking it out, and luckily today he left feeling quite a bit more "settled". Good luck today honey!

PS. The food poisoning wasn't from my cooking.. just so you know! :)

Gladiola goodness

I always tell Paul that buying me flowers is a total extravagance and a waste of money. Well, the joy that this bunch of gladiolas brought to me was worth every penny. He knows how to spoil me! He got me flowers because I was being mean to him. He always says "when someone deserves love the least, they need it the most." Did I say I'm spoiled? And did I say that they really did change my attitude? I love my hubby!

About Eirik... 18 months

This is one of those "document your child's progress" for his own history posts, and it's very long.... so read it if you want to.....

Some cute things Eirik has been saying:
"Surry"- meaning "silly"! I just crack up when he says this because he knows so well when something is meant to be silly or when someone is joking. I can't believe the little sarcastic remarks that we make around the house that he knows are "surry". He knows that when he pulls down my pants or skirt its "surry", and he knows if Paul teases me or says something in an accent or repeats back what Eirik has said when it's not quite the way you say it, that it's "surry". The kid astounds me. It's really fun.

Eirik says Thank you like "dee doo" and he says it at such opportune times without prompting. It's really sweet.

Eirik has had a lot of trouble learning his "r's" which has become a problem in the pronunciation of his name. I-dit was cute and funny and ok, but then he learned his K's really well and I-dit turned into I-dik and we are doing our best to break this habit with daily "r" practices. Too funny.

His vocabulary is REALLY progressing. I'm teaching him to say, "I'm articulate". Hey, what's a show pony for if you can't show him off. I have a hard time finding things or words that he is not familiar with now. He is starting to put together sentences and be very clever about how he asks for things. Tonight he wanted more bug spray but he didn't know what to call it so he kept saying, "more green" because the bottle was green. We were impressed although we didn't give him anymore. :)

Eirik LOVES the song "my low my baby." This is a lullaby that I had never heard before my mother-in-law taught it to me. Paul grew up with it. Eirik has learned all the words and sings it along with us. He requests it whenever he is tired and makes us sing it over and over and over again. If we are in the car and one of us stops singing he says "mommy, sing baby" or "daddy, sing". He knows what he wants!
Tonight as Paul was singing the song to him, he laid his head on Paul's shoulder and sang with him. At the end he said "Rock a baby by" and Paul laughed because the way he sang it was so cute. Eirik lifted his head off of Paul's shoulder but his hand on Paul's cheek and said "surry" and laughed, then put his head back down. What a sweetheart!

FAVORITE TOYS:
"Back Horsey"- ei: this super cheap badly made black plastic horse with painted hooves. We can't do anything without "back horsey"
His "bas-a-ball bat" and "base-a-ball mit and base-a-ball", although footballs, soccer balls, tennis balls beacha balls, and any other kind of balls are a close second. I could play catch with him all day long and he would be thrilled. Oh, he has this little lacrosse net that he LOVES. He always wants to play catch with his "net" and "baseaball". When we went to the beach the other day, all he wanted to do was watch the guys playing lacrosse.

He also loves to draw. We draw pictures every day. How fun for mom!
He of course loves whatever toy is being played with by someone else and love to say "mine, mine, mine, or Idiks".

FAVORITE FOODS:
Can a 1.5 year old survive on milk alone? Because if I only gave him milk, he would be just fine with that. He asks for milk at least 5 times a day and I have to insist that he eats some of his food at meals before he gets his milk because he would just fill up on milk and say he's "all done" before touching his food.

He loves hot dogs. He won't touch chicken or fish or nuggets of any kind, but the kid will down a whole dog in a minute flat. What's a mom to do?

He loves his broccoli! I know, who loves broccoli? But you should hear him say "brocwri". It's darling.

He eats pizza, cheese sticks, yogurt, corn if it's on the cob only- he'll eat the whole cob, apple, if it's not cut up and the skin is still on- he eats the whole apple (but not if it's cut and skinned!) Chocolate or any kind of treat (of course).

Other things he hates:
potatoes of any kind, strawberries, raspberries, 3/4 of everything else we offer him.

Other cute things he does:
Eirik loves animal shows on TV, but only really wants to watch them if mom or dad will sit on the couch by him and watch with him. He will pat the seat next to him and say "mommy, or daddy" until you either sit by him or he throws a fit.

He has this tiny little 4 wheeler that he rides around, but more than anything he likes to pat the seat and say mommy until I squeeze my huge pregnant body onto the seat of this tiny vehicle and put my legs up on the wheel wells until my knees are on my cheeks and he pushes me down the sidewalk. He loves this, and the neighbors love to laugh at me too.

Since we spent the past few days with Eiriks cousins who call me Melody, he started calling me Mommady. It cracks me up.

Eirik has started telling me when he is dirty. If his hands get dirty he comes to get me to wash his hands. I thought this day would never come and I love it. I don't think I really taught him this although I must have, but nevertheless, he is starting to be much more clean in his eating and everything else. I love it! Also, if he finds a piece of small paper or other trash on the ground he loves to say trash and take it to the garbage can for us. So cute!

He needs a little playmate so bad! He loves his friends and cousins and gets SOOO excited when he gets to see them. He has been referring to himself as "the baby" and likes to be rocked and held when he calls himself "the baby" more often than he used to. I think he might be starting to understand that there is a baby coming, and that he will be a big brother. I don't think he likes the idea very much. It's going to be quite a challenge for him. We are all excited. 96 days to go!

New Blog Header

So I tried out Ashley's instructions to make a custom blog header and here it is. I'm not sure I'm thrilled with it, but Eirik is now sitting next to me drinking chocolate syrup out of the squeeze bottle on the floor next to me.... so my blogging time is UP! It was fun while it lasted! Tell me how the header looks on your screen.
thanks!

Rain Rain Rain...

I have never lived in a place where it will rain for 24 hours straight before! For those of you who know Eirik, you know that he likes to be on the move... ALL THE TIME! Every morning around 8:30 he goes to the door to get everyone's shoes and brings them to us and cries until we put them on. No matter how much we explain that we are not going anywhere, he insists. Yesterday morning Eirik went to the door at 8:30, looked out the window and said, "WET", "BRELLA!!", "MOMMY'S SHOES!" "EIDIT'S SHOES" and then insisted on going outside. Now there are plenty of mornings when he cries and cries and we still just don't go anywhere just because he wants to, but this time, "Idit" and Mommy went for a long walk in the rain and got soaked. It was pretty fun, and didn't put a damper at all on his enthusiasm. Several of our neighbors have ceramic bunnies, dogs, cats, windmills, or yard ornaments with bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. He has memorized where all of these are and insists on visiting them everytime. He is so smart.

Cousin's house

We have lived so far away from family for so long that it was like a huge breath of fresh air to spend time with Paul's brother Zach's family who live 2 hours from our house. They are such a great family and we just played and relaxed the whole time. (oh, and they made us some spectacular food!) We love their "farm" house that is on a whole bunch of land with a big wooden play structure under the giant trees next to a perfect hammock. It's real living at their house. We at fresh herbs and tomatoes from their garden and swam in the lake and watched the cows outside their window. It was awesome!

More Detroit Excursions

First:
We made a trip to the zoo with our good friends Tiff, Craig and Coop. We had a great time and loved seeing our friends. The craziest part was that while we were there we ran into the Mathews and the Allreds!!! Isn't that crazy! 4 families from K-ville all at the zoo at the same time! (PS. It's a great zoo, but it's not St. Louis Zoo!! Those of you who have the chance, don't miss the opportunity to go to St. Louis. It Rocks!)


Second:
Our little family decided it was time to see what downtown Detroit is all about. We drove right downtown to explore and see what there is to see. Luckily while we were driving, my brother called. We told him what we were doing and he said, "Funny, my roommate is from downtown Detroit, let me call him and have him tell you what to see while you are there." He have us some great suggestions. We haven't seen all the spots he recommended but we did to to Belle Isle. It's an island right across the bridge from downtown and it is dedicated to parks and recreation. It's basically a huge park. We drove around and enjoyed the views and soon got to thinking, "Isn't this peak tourist season, summer, fun time right now?? This place should be packed! Why is it so empty!!!" There are a couple of beautiful lakes, one with swan boat rides, a boat museum, a little zoo, and tons of playgrounds, huge slides and picnic benches. The funny thing is that it all looks like a time warp has hit it. Nothing seems to have been updated in years! And the place was basically deserted.
The coolest part was going to the Conservatory.


http://www.bibsociety.org/sys-tmpl/door/
It was built in 1904 and still looks like a great old Victorian edifice that has barely changed since then. It's filled with all kind of amazing tropical plants from all over the world. They're all marked so you can learn about them. Since I'm such a plant lover, especially tropicals, I was having the time of my life ooing and awing at everything. We saw huge banana trees, palms of all kinds, a great orchid collection, gorgeous bougainvillea, euphorbia and tons of ferns. I loved it.
Still there was a sense of weird nostalgia about the whole experience, like it's become a city nearly forgotten. Of course, the volunteers who keep up this place do an amazing job considering that Detroit can't afford to fund places like this. Still, as we drove around town, the giant blocks of abandoned spaces, empty parking lots, overgrown dilapidated buildings that were once spectacular left me with a bit of an eerie feeling, like a sad longing for better times long since past for this city.




There are still lots of cool things to explore here. And, for your local Detroitians, I know there are jewels in this place, and we will find them. I know no one likes to have their state of residence knocked. Even if they're doing the knocking first, they'll defend it tooth and nail as soon as a foreigner tries to join in. So, so far, Detroit, thank you for the great metro parks, all the amazing birds, great stores we love right near our home, Ikea, the nice weather, ducks and great parks. No thank you to your ridiculous construction everywhere we look, but enough with the complaints, on with the good!

Newsworthy Announcment!

Debbie C. emailed me the other day and asked if I am planning to do the Red Barn festival this October in Kirksville. I had not planned on it because I haven't done much new work this year, but her email got me thinking and I decided that I can't imagine anything that gets me more excited than having a 9 week deadline, tons of work to do, and the reward of a really fun drive down to K-ville to see all of my old friends and participate in one of the best events that K-ville offers.... So.... We are going to do it!! I'm so excited.
So yesterday I pulled out all of my work that I have to sell, have to finish, have to paint over, and my ideas for new work and started making lists. My lucky husband just spent an hour staining frames, pressboxes and other treasures and preparing canvases for me. (Thanks honey!!) I really have slim pickings on new work right now, but lots of ideas, so I'm so excited.




These photos mark a milestone because this project is one of the first art projects that I have done in our new house. Of course there's been a lot of decorating and planning projects, but the work has finally begun. This is what a crafty mom does when she's super cheap and won't buy cute new towels for her kids new bathroom! A $2.00 roll of ribbon from walmart and a few fabric scraps and Eirik gets some fishy towels! I'm going to do the shower curtain the same way, but not until after the festival! This project is dedicated to Kristen who came up with the brilliant idea when she came to our house to visit all the way from Cleveland!!! Thanks again for coming guys! It was so good to see you!!!

Our New Pad

I finally have a few pics of our new house. I'm picky so they're still not really finished and you'll have to wait for the rest of the rooms while I finish them, but here you go. It's all our same old stuff just rearranged. It was fun to buy one or two new things for each room, like our new TV!