The one with breakfasts and Go Dog, Go

It's amazing how quick the posts can start stacking up. I'm not sure what's going on with me lately. I attempt to go to bed at a decent time because I'm awakened before dawn each morning from the noises across the hall. During the weekdays my attitude is whatever but on the weekends I'd love to win Eleanor over with logic of why sleep is essential and why mommy needs it to keep sane. She will pat my cheeks, laugh and then proceed to treat her dad like a jungle gym, which is okay because that means that I'm not the jungle gym. There are some perks to playing second seat in our little orchestra. Her new thing that makes me

laugh is the morning routine. I typically am the one to go into her room first after being woken by her hand clapping against the crib. I usually sit on the foot stool and ask about how she slept, what she dreamed about, and get a sense of the mood for the morning. Some days she's all about it... other days she could care less about this interaction but every day she goes to the edge of the crib, stands up on the tips of her toes (as best as she can for being a little uncoordinated), and leans over the edge - looking for her dad in our bedroom door frame. Now, according to him, she does the same thing when he goes in... that she looks for me... that she wants us both present soaking up her attention. Either way, this little behavior makes me realize how much she has grown and changed in 9ish months. She looks for us, she knows where we come from, and she knows how to attempt to find us.

Either way, we've been busy surviving. I've continued to be sick... through the whole month of February. I think I keep getting new bugs, lucky, lucky. Eleanor has fought a few things and been into the doctor's office a few times two... once for a well baby check where they were happy with her growth and Dr. Anderson took the time to answer our/my million questions.

We've been doing projects around the house... whether it be cleaning up or straightening or playing or things on the list that never ends, we've been keeping busy on the weekends. We do take more time playing than we did before which may impede our socialness and our productivity but it's all good. We've had a few brunches too as a family. Eleanor had her first weekend of big breakfasts. One day we had blueberry pancakes with an egg yolk omelet, the next she had french toast with another omelet and cut up strawberries. We were happy with how much she ate. She was just happy with the change I think.

Matt and I managed to have another date day... hooray for state holidays. We went to Avery's AM Eatery, which was completely disappointing. I've been waiting to go there for months and it hasn't worked out and when we did, I wish we would have gone somewhere else. Other than that, it was a nice day, the two of us - hard to believe how rare those times are right now.

Best meal: I love brunch and fancy breakfast, those breakfast with little yolk omelets and cooking in the kitchen bring me the most joy.

All in the living room, playing one night after supper. 
EER crawls on top of MJR to plant a big wet, open mouth kiss on his face. 
EER falls off and teeters away a bit.
ALR wants to encourage this so she sits on MJR's test to coax her into doing it again by example.
MJR was not impressed.
EER was not interested.
EER begins to bounce up and down while sitting on her knees. Recent accomplishment that is continually practiced. 
EER is hold a small book that is perfect size for her. 
EER brings book closer to MJR and ALR, just inches from MJR's head.
EER suddenly grabs book by both arms wields it above her head, over MJR's head and lets out a war cry: AHHHHHHHHHHHH!
ALR loses is drastically falling off the side into a puddle of giggles.
In the meantime, EER knocked herself over due to the momentum of her own action, chuckled, and went to pick up one of her socks which she had taken off before.
MJR is left horrified as his life had flashed before his eye thanks to "Go Dog, Go"

Later that night...
ALR: Are you going to have nightmares tonight? 
MJR: Nightmares?
ALR: About our daughter offing you with a cardboard book?
MJR: Couldn't keep it together could you? What if she had lanced me in the head with it?
ALR: I don't know. (snickers begin again)
MJR: Do you think it was the funniest thing she's done her whole life.
ALR: Yes, probably.

The one with the Announcement

Month 2

It seemed like we waited a forever but we finally met with the doctor and finally heard the heartbeat. After a view moments of tracking it down, there is was chugging along at 172 beats/minute. It was a wave of relieve to us. We've been pretty quiet because it seems so hard to believe that we are already pregnant again...We've started telling the family.

Matt's family didn't handle it like we thought at all. We had Eleanor's 9 month pictures and Matt wanted very badly to replace the family photo that we had on the wall, from our wedding. So we had his parents come and his brother and we let Jess, our photographer in on the secret... she was going to break it to them and then would capture the result on film. What a bust! When she broke the news they didn't do anything, even after telling them "No, really, Amanda's pregnant." They stated they didn't want to wreck the picture! It wasn't until after the shoot that the calls started to their brothers and sisters.

My family had a bit more reaction. Before heading out to the farm, we wrote on Eleanor's diaper "Going to be a big sis." When mom changed her pants, she looked up in surprise and had to ask if it was true!

We let our workplaces know the day after hearing the heartbeat. Now we just have the waiting and planning game to contend with. Here's hoping for healthy!
Week 13:
Size: Macaroon
Symptoms: Irritability, tired, crazy dreams, light headed, breathless
Cravings: Cake

MJR watching EER smash her peas into her tray.
MJR: Can you believe we are having another one?
ALR stares as the screaming begins.
ALR: What did we do?

The one with the 9 month old and the drone

This winter had almost gotten the best of me. I've been freezing, cuddled in blankets, waiting for a thaw. I've been scared of ice and compacted snow, watched the roof rake put in a good day's work, and also ran the fireplace thinking of warmer days. They've finally come. We've gotten some thaw, we have a driveway again... It's February and we aren't in subzero temperatures.

With the defrost, I've also been doctoring a sick baby. She's been dealing with snot rockets and runny noses for about two weeks and suddenly one day I get a phone call from the daycare... "Eleanor has a crusted eye, we'll send you a picture." So I grabbed Quasimodo and the doctor concluded that she had a bacterial infection... one that transferred from her nose and the cold she was carrying there to her eye. And after about 6 days of drops, we thought it was all cleared up ONLY to have to show up in the other eye. She's had great spirits about it but has had a few rough nights. I'm just hoping she comes out of her cough soon - poor thing wakes her herself up at night.

This past weekend we took some time to celebrate her hitting another milestone...
9 months. It's hard to believe just how big my baby is. She's still super busy. Even the doctor and nurse commented on it, that and her ability to spit/raspberry. We did her official photoshoot with Jess on Saturday and it was the most difficult to date. She's learned this wonderful habit of throwing her head and arching her back to show unhappiness. This has caused a few head bumps on her end and frustration on mine AND I feel that we've just entered into mastery of this talent. I'm anxious to see what Jess was able to capture between the melt downs, the sadness, and the 7 seconds of stillness. We also took some family pics. Matt has been trying to arrange this for quite some time so I know it was important to him. Eleanor was much better for this shoot... obviously she didn't want to be in the starlight.

For the rest of the weekend we were busy. Matt and I car shopped, which was agony. We all went out for family supper that night. The next day, Matt and Eric took their parents to the sports show and we headed out to the farm. It was nice enough for Matt to take some video and pics with the drone. He was so excited to fly it. I wish he was as excited to hang pictures for me or vacuum the stairs, but I get it.

We also had Eleanor's first Valentine's Day. She celebrated by Mom making her sharing Valentines for school. Berry Cheerios for her classmates and teething biscuits for the little babies. They made her her own Valentine box too. She got Cheerios, squeeze pouches, applesauce... all the baby essentials.

Best meal: Matt and I had grilled fish tacos the other night... it wasn't perfect BUT the grill was going and the tacos were there. That's one of my favorite meals.

Driving

MJR: You know, we have a pretty good life.

ALR: I agree. But what made you say that now?

MJR: Not every family can just go out and buy a smoker.

ALR: That is your determinant of a good life?
p.s. He didn't buy the smoker... still shopping around

The one with the birthday supper and the baby gates

January is also a misleader to me. I'm busy but I can't tell you doing what... maybe just staying warm! We've actually had a temperature break with a little bit of needed melting occurring. We can actually see the driveway under the compacted snow now.

To catch up on two weekends, let's start with heading out to the farm to celebrate Grandma's birthday with the family. Mom put together a roast beef dinner and I supplied cake/dessert afterwards with personalized cheesecakes. Eleanor provided the dinner entertainment to the group by chowing on green beans, roast beef, and toast. She also provided a meal to the dog who enjoyed her scraps!

Some other things we've gotten done the past two weekends include cleaning the house, shampooing the carpet, and playing around. Matt and Eleanor got another baby gate up... with all the lock systems around the house we look like the Panama canal. But we need them because someone is so busy. I looked over at one point and she had decided it was time for her to go upstairs and had made it up 3 stairs before I got over to her.

We headed back out the farm this past weekend but they were very busy outside, instead Eleanor stole some of Grandma's blueberries and cheese and we had a snack while Matt worked on cameras.

We also surrendered Sam to the rescue this past weekend. It was a big decision for us to make but we weren't ready for a dog, especially a dog that required so much one-on-one training. We'd rather have him with a family that is looking for a companion and is good to play and be there for him. Someday in the distant future we may look at a puppy to train for hunting but we are in no hurry.

We had some company on Sunday. BettyJo and her finance, Wes, came for breakfast brunch. Was nice to catch up with her and her about Scentsy happenings and personal items.

Matt has been busy with legislative session this go around. I've been busy being irritated with them. I don't appreciate their rudeness (especially the house) and think they could handle being brought into the current century. He's been there to represent AAND and has been enjoying the "game" of it all and the planning. I told him I'm ready for session to be over. His response was that we haven't even been in it for a month yet. Other news on the workfront is that I had a take-your-mother-to-work event OR maybe it was the other way around. I attended the Energy Generation Conference to compare how they work the Event Center - which is where we too had our conference. I was more out of my element but she was familiar and has been a regular on a yearly basis.

In the meantime... the house just has to get healthy... we have all been sick lately. Matt said he was fine until Eleanor and I kissed him/licked his eyeball.

Best meal: tough one... food has been a blur lately. Matt did make me salmon this past weekend... and it continues to be a favorite.

Saturday morning.
ALR: What time did you come to bed last night?
MJR: 10:30 - when you shut the lights out on me.
ALR begins laughing: I put the lamp on a timer... it turns on at 7:00 and automatically turns off at 10:30.
MJR: oh.
ALR: So what did you think when it turned off?
MJR: Well, I said outloud: What does it matter if I come to bed late?
MJR: And then I was mad at you.
MJR: And then I said, Well maybe you wanted something.
ALR: And what did you think when you came upstairs and I was unconscious.
MJR: I was confused.
ALR: And now?
MJR: Now I get it.