Random Photos

Here are some things I've taken pictures of this week.

These are glue ghost necklaces I am making for B's

class. I got the idea from a Martha Stewart Crafts

email. Some Mom will probably think I am trying to

get her kid strangled, but I think they are cute.

I am wrapping the necklaces around cello bags filled

with candy, playdoh and plastic spiders

(B's contribution).

B got these dinosaur jammies for her

birthday. Notice she is holding a mammal

that is actually soft.

Another pair of dino pjs. I bought them at

Target. B's new breakfast is toast with jam.

Perfect for before school.

A Sad Day on James Street

Yesterday we lost one of our best friends. Jake was Mike's dog when we met, but as Mike reminded me last night, I quickly invited Jake to become my dog too. Everyone loved Jake, I mean everyone. His gentle demeanor was in sharp contrast to his "sister" Shadow's.

When Shadow and Jake first met, 10 years ago, it was knock down, drag out, fighting. Poor Jake wanted to maintain his alpha dog status and Shadow made sure every challenge was shot down. Jake was just biding his time until Shadow was too lame to fight back.

Jake was always the good dog, to Shadow's badness. Jake was friendlier and sweeter. Yes, Jake had his faults. Sometimes he didn't find it necessary to go outside to lift his leg. Hence his nickname Pee Pee Boy. Jake also had what Mike called comforting breath (I never quite thought it was comforting, familiar and stinky was more like it). He also whined to get on the bed at night - he needed to be invited up. And he liked to join Shadow in a loud round of barking at whoever walked by the house.

Jake's favorite pass time was swimming. Whether it was in a lake in Hayward or in my Mother's pool, Jake solely focused on being in the water. In Wisconsin, from the moment he woke up, until he collapsed at night, he was either in the water, whining at the door, or standing on the dock waiting for something to get thrown in the water. At my Mom's, he stood outside the window crying until someone came out and threw the Pillsbury Dough Boy into the pool for him to fetch. We told B, heaven for Jake was a lake with plenty of stuff to chase.

Jake was a Novia Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. Quite a mouthful, and quite a rare dog. We always had people stopping us and asking about him. Jake had beautiful tawny eyes, and a cute fleshy pink nose. I love his nose - he poked you with it to get attention! One time in Hayward, Jake was running around on the shore, and a whole flock of ducks came swimming by the house to see the playful clown running around. Here are just a couple of pictures that are saved on our computer.

Swimming in Hayward.

Sleeping on the couch.

Frolicking in the snow.

With his sister Shadow. Our yin and yang dogs.

Black and Tan. Frick and Frack.

Who's out there? I'll get 'em.

Relaxing in the yard. B took this one.

As all beloved pets, Jake will sorely be missed. I know, I didn't want to come home from the gym this morning and have him not begging for a treat. Shadow is a bit lost too. Every time one of us comes home, she races outside to harass him. You know, you never know how much they mean to you when they are around. I need to remember that and make sure each of our animals gets the attention the deserve and need. We'll will miss you Jake. We love you!

Pictures of B

Here are a couple more photos I took of B before school this morning. I don't know why she was OK with me taking her picture today, but hey, I don't look a gift photo in the mouth.

These are B's new favorite boots and her new

favorite sweater.

She likes wearing shorts, so I cut off last

years jeans (something I saw in crewcuts), added

some tights, and she was dressed perfectly for the weather.

Fall Trip to the Zoo

Late in August, I received a newsletter from Brookfield Zoo with their fall calendar of events. One of them was DinoNights. Yes, right up my B's alley. It was all she talked about. I explained we would go after her birthday - it started the evening of 16 October. Well, she saw a picture of the eerily lit dinosaur and said she didn't want to go. We decided it would be fun to do DinoNights during the day. So, Saturday,we were off to the zoo.

We got a late start, no arriving at the zoo until noon. That actually worked well, it was a bit warmer, and the entry wasn't crowded. We visited the big dino first, then had lunch. Then, B wanted to go into every store the zoo had. She was like this in Disney too. Doesn't ask for everything she sees, but loves to touch everything. We finally go her out of the store, and on to the animals. So, the first animals we saw? Geese. Imagine that.

They were lined up in formation. It was like they

were part of the costume parade happening in the background.

The next animal we saw? A frog statue. Why do we go to the zoo?

Mike, with B, on the frog.

the next place we went was the Swamp. One of B's favorite exhibits. Alligators, turtles, and snakes. Then onto..

...Tropic World. We hit the same places each time.

There are still parts of the zoo we haven't visited.

Yes, another non-animal. B loves the plastic animals.

This is because I deprived her of plastic toys

up until last year.

After the dragon, we hit the dinosaurs. There are no photos, because B wouldn't go through the exhibit. Yes, she is afraid of the dinos. Her true loves! The dinosaurs are life size, move and roar. They are really cool, but I can see how they are scary. B sat and looked through the door. I really think she wanted to go into dino forest, but just couldn't make herself go.

Dora and Boots were next.

(Boo at the Zoo was also happening.)

On the carousel. Won't ride the animals.

But oddly enough is not afraid of random costumed

characters like these....

Loved these guys!

Enjoying popcorn and her new dinosaur on the way home.

Aren't I cute and tired?

Pictures of B

These are for my sister, who loves photos of B. I made chicken noodle soup, B's favorite. She pretended she was a bird and the noodle was a worm. You know B, if it is gross and not cuddly, she likes it.

"Look at my worm."

"Watch me flap my wings."

She also pretends to be a bird, or pteranodon, that catches fish. I keep hoping this next baby is a girl, but I could be screwed if it is. It might like girly things. Clothes, toys, then I would have to buy more, more, more. A boy will probably like dinosaurs and trains, and creatures with scales. There is a bit of blue sky, if Charlie is a boy.

I know I am crazy, but I am ready for this baby to come. I am 29 weeks, and it seems like the next 11 weeks are going to crawl! Plus, I swear, while I was in the shower yesterday, my belly grew right before my eyes! I mean, I can't see my feet, and I wear a 10 or 10.5, so you know my belly must really stick out.

Check it Out: Nursing Bra Giveaway at Breastfeeding Moms Unite

I recently found this great little blog about breast feeding. One of my passions. There is some nice information about nursing. Anyway, Breastfeeding Mom's Unite is hosting a Bravado Nursing Bra giveaway. Check out the post and leave a comment to enter to win.

B goes Shopping

We didn't have any plans Saturday, so we went to Oakbrook, an outdoor mall. Mike wanted to check out J. Crew, and B wanted to visit the Land of Nod. B likes this mall because it has fountains everywhere. So, even though it was a bit chilly, B wanted to run around checking out all the fountains. I like she looks pretty cute too. The tights and boots are from Mini Boden. Some of the cutest tights I've seen. Believe it or not, the rest of her clothes are from last year. And, it isn't like she didn't grow. I must buy her clothes too big.

I tried to get a picture of her using her coat as

"wings". Neither myself or my camera phone

were fast enough.

Checking out a fountain.

Sure, she'll twirl now. Try getting

her to ballet class.

The shopping day didn't end well. Mike bought nothing except much and a pair of jeans for B. And, B threw a fit when we left. Screamed and cried until we got to the grocery store. Then she fell asleep. It's so much fun now that B is three.

The One Thing I Like About Being Pregnant

There is (believe it or not) something I like about being pregnant. I really like to feel the baby kick. Sometimes, if I haven't felt him/her move recently, I eat a little something sweet or give my belly a little jiggle.

My ultimate favorite, is when B is hugs "Charlie" and is laughing at the same time, or just talking to him/her, the baby kicks. B, gets a kick out of that. She says, "Charlie likes my laugh." Just this morning, after she woke up, she was talking and laughing, and the baby was moving all around.

Now, when I tell B the baby could be a boy, she says it could be a girl. Then I say, it could be a boy, and back and forth and back and forth.

Maybe she knows something I don't?

B took this photo (with her very own camera, a

birthday gift from Grandpa - cool, isn't it?) of my giant,

almost 7 month belly. This is the only one I have. Of course,

B didn't ask if she could take a picture of my belly, she

asked if she could take a picture of Charlie.

B Turns Three!

So, yesterday was B's third birthday. Saturday night she slept with me, and we cuddled and talked about the day she was born. B was all smiles when she woke up. Not sure why she made this face in the picture below.

Seriously, I am only three today? I feel like a

40 year old. And I have the eye bags to

prove it.

Opening presents.

B eating the breakfast of champs. A cinnamon roll.

Those are her new dragons.

B's birthday sign.

I printed out coloring pages, then copied them onto

colored paper. It was easy, but took me awhile. I did

an animal a day.

This is the extent of my decorations.

I put one balloon bouquet on the dining

table, another on the buffet.

The jumpy house is from Dino Jump. I wanted

to make sure the kids had something to do. I am

glad the weather cooperated! Actually, this is

the first year since B's birth, that the temperature

was in the 60's. Her first birthday, 95 degrees.

I think we need a trampoline.

We lucked out. They set the Dino Jump up around

12:30. That is B in her pjs. It wasn't wasy to get her

changed into her birthday clothes. (Jeana helped.)

There is Grandpa in the back. I did a lousy job

of taking pictures this year. I usually try to take

one of everybody. The jumpers are (l-r): Luca,

Eileen, B and Wade.

My Dino jumping fiend. Never wanted to stop.

Present time. This triceratops moves

and roars on it's own.

The cool dinosaur is from Big Tony and Dorota.

(L-R): Wade, Lee (behind) B, Mike, Becky (in the orange)

Chase, and Cathie (in the purple).

(L to R): Max, B, Mike, Cathie P., and the back of

cousin Eileen's head. Jess sent her the Hotchkiss

sweatshirt (this is to replace the one she outgrew.

Thanks Jess!)

B had to open the Dino playset Lee gave her.

Almost couldn't tear her away for cake.

B's favorite cousin, Jeana. OK, there is a favorite cousin

tie between Jeana and her sister Jessica.

"Will there be enough cake for us?"

(These are our other children, Jake on the

left and Shadow on the right. Isabel, the cat, got

booted. She kept trying to eat the cake.)

B's cake. Carrot with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting.

Movable Feast made the cake, and it was good.

Way better than my carrot cake.

Lighting the candles. That is me in all my

pregnant glory.

B wasn't sure about all the singing and candle blowing.

Still, this is a rare photo of the three of us together.

Sniff. The three of us. I'll have to get used to the

four of us. Four is the magic number?

Instead of treat bags, B gave everyone cookies

from Lovin' Ovens. Aren't they cute? The bakery

isn't close, so Cathie P. picked them up for me.

B enjoying her cookie favor. Yeah, B's diet

yesterday kind of stunk!

It was a good day, filled with family and friends and (way too much) good food. My sister brought homemade potato chips with gorgonzola dip. They was incredible. And homemade pulled pork, mac and cheese from Movable Feast, lots of appetizers, homemade vanilla ice cream. And most of all, B had a really fun time. She enjoyed her guests. She was exhausted, even during the party (there was an "I don't want to share" tantrum), but I know she had fun. Isn't that the best present of all?