Swimming Lessons DONE!

Hagen has been taking refresher lessons to his "drowning lessons" last year. He started last week and it wasn't very pretty...but this week it is like it clicked! Watch:

He did so well that the teacher asked him if he wanted to go down the slide. I was very curious as to what he would do after in the water. To my amazement he flipped over to take a breath and then swam to the steps! Wonderful! I highly recommend these swim classes.

Mama is so proud of you Hagen! AKA Bruce the Shark (from Nemo)

Love,

Mama

Big Brother Video!

More than likely a little lady...just like her Mama! OK, not really...

So, I went to the doctor on Tuesday and it was to check for abnormalities. I am of “Advanced Maternal Age” which is the nice way of saying I am a geriatric pregnant girl so the risks are higher for abnormalities. Ryan and I did this testing with Hagen just to be prepared if there was something different. I was stoked because this is the test that told me EARLY on that Hagen was more than likely a boy!

Ryan was sweet and said my Mom could come. So, Mom and I went to Patrizio’s for lunch beforehand. I got soup and salad and then screwed that healthy eating up and got a piece of flourless chocolate cake and ate the whole thing. I guess I forgot about the weigh-ins?! I told the nurse it was only fair to take 3 pounds off because that cake was big and probably 3 pounds…maybe 4.

Anyway, we get called in and I immediately tell the sono girl that I will not be leaving without an estimated guess…I know it is just a guess and if she is wrong I will not hold it against her.

That baby was moving all over the place! It was kicking, bouncing, just crazy…that’s what we like to see for sure! She did all of her measurements and all looks good so far…ok, let’s take a peek. That baby froze and had its legs straight up in the air (like Mama) and had them kinda closed (not like Mama). But, we thought we saw a white mushroom…which would mean boy! Yeah! It’s another boy! Wonderful news and we are so excited. She wasn’t sold on that…she didn’t feel comfortable with her decision. She was poking at my belly, doing everything she could to move the tadpole and then she said, wait I see 3 lines. I think it’s a girl. We said, yeah! It’s a girl! Wonderful news and we are so excited! We never did see the mushroom again…just kept seeing what looked like a pecan…or 3 lines.

She spent a lot of time scoping things out and finally said I am 80% sure it is a girl. I’m in shock. I just knew I was going to have 2 boys…I’ve never thought of myself with a girl. Plus, my older brother has a girl and two boys, my younger brother has a boy and a girl, and what were the odds of me having one of each too…slim to none in my opinion. We are so excited though! What a true blessing it is to have one of each. Most people that I know have one or the other…it is rare to have one of each.

We told Hagen that night that he was going to be a big brother. We want confirmation on what it is later before telling him that. He had a great idea! The baby can sleep in his old crib! Man, that is one sharp boy…AND…he said that it can take a bath in his bathtub with him! How generous…I hope he doesn’t try to drown her. When we told him he looked at me and squinched his nose and said, “Mama? You have a baby in your belly?!” He is now kissing my belly and his daddy’s belly before he leaves for school…Daddy needs to squat down a bit more because it is kinda disturbing me where Hagen’s aim is. It’s not RIGHT THERE but pretty close! I will post the “breaking the news to big brother” video when the laptop is healed…it is getting healed today.

Tata,
Carrie

P.S. My craving? Peperoncini’s…not just the peppers, the juice and all! It is not hurting my stomach AT.ALL. This morning while Hagen was eating his breakfast, I grabbed the jar out of the fridge, hid in the pantry and drank the juice…ALL OF IT. Down the hatch. I cannot get enough. Someone on facebook said I need to name her Pepper…not a bad idea.

Out of commission

SO much to post about...my little man swimming like a shark...that we are more than likely having a girl...breaking the news to Hagen becoming a big brother...just tons of stuff. BUT, our laptop has a virus...TERRIBLE timing! I am so busy at work which is always good but don't have time for an update. Just wanted to share that little bit of news!!

Carrie

Emily Grace and a sample of Pia's work

Is she not the sweetest thing? And the hat? This is what I am talking about when I say I HAVE to know if this baby is a girl. My Mom knits this crazy stuff! This hat? First attempt at this pattern and she whipped it up in about an hour...crazy. Now again, not saying that I will be upset if it is a boy...she can do these things in blue/brown/black/red/whatever color and leave off the flower and make something else! Can not wait...by the way, this is a 5 pound 10 ounce baby head...she is LITTLE so you can only imagine how tiny this hat is to fit her this good!

Smitten kitten,

Aunt Carrie

Following through

So Hagen is about to be 3 years old. I can sense that he is testing the water in some situations. I have not been very good about following through on “threats” if you will. I know he KNOWS right from wrong for the most part. So, here is a story of him “pushing it”…

Hagen is not a morning person…I’m not either…I sympathize with him on this. BUT, you know what? Tough…we gotta go to school/work so let’s just get it going!

Yesterday morning I went up to get him and he immediately sat up and said, “No school today?” I knew what was coming…but didn’t expect it to be as bad as it was. I said, “Yes, we do have school and Mama has to go to work”. He FLIPPED the hell out. Screaming crying kicking…the worst EVER!

I picked him up and he was going nuts. I grabbed his clothes off the chair and he was trying to rip them out of my hands. I finally pulled them away and told him that was ENOUGH! I also reminded him that if he continues to behave this way he will not be allowed to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse while eating breakfast. (This has never been done…just threatened…usually works with a threat). Well, not this morning.

I got down to our bathroom where I change him. He was still out of control. Asked him if he wanted to take his PJ’s off or me. He said me so I did and then he freaked out more because HE wanted to do it. THEN I attempted to put him on the potty and he stiffened up like a stick figure and WOULD NOT bend. I finally bent him to sit. He wouldn’t go. Fine…I asked him to put his clothes in the hamper and diaper in the trash…nope…so I did it and he freaked that HE wanted to.

We get breakfast…he doesn’t want anything so I pour him a bowl of Pops (good mother I know) and some milk and put him in his chair. He asks me to turn on Mickey Mouse. Uh, where the hell have you been the past 15 minutes son?! There will be NO Mickey Mouse this morning! I went to finish getting ready and he was howling the WHOLE.TIME. You see, Mickey Mouse is not just for him…it is for me. I can finish getting ready and he eats his breakfast. It is a win win. I was happy to figure this out because when he was in the 1 year old room they fed him breakfast...but not in the 2 year old room...it works for us.

I get ready and come out to eat something quickly and he asks me for a stamp on his hand (I give him one when he REMEMBERS that I give him one for putting away his dirty clothes). I said, uh…no…I put your things away this morning.

I took him to school, told the teachers that he is a total monster and beware, gave him a hug and kiss and left.

When I picked him up he was back to sweet Hagen. Even told me sorry for being ugly that morning. Today? TOTAL doll…kind of obnoxious really. I think he got it…

It is nice to find your kids currency…his is for sure Mickey Mouse Clubhouse at breakfast and Garfield when I put dinner together.

I just knew I was going to be that Mom that limits TV...not so much. But to be honest, I'm very thankful that he will watch a show while I get something done real quick. He learned his ABC's and sounds really quick from watching the leap frog video "Letter Factory". That started it all. I can also take him to a movie and he will sit through the entire thing! I love that because I love going to movies! His first movie was for his 2nd birthday. Ryan and I took him to see UP...recently we went to see how to train your dragon and he loved that one too!

Tata,
Carrie

Our Garden...my two loves at work.

So here is a post about our garden! Ryan built the frame weeks ago but since then we have not been able to put it together. He has been researching and researching this to make sure we have the best shot at it...we are not very "green thumby" if you know what I mean.
Ryan got a mix of Peat Moss, vermiculite, and compost and mixed it all up. Hagen used his Rake...which is the old pooper scooper rake for Dapper.

After it was all mixed up you had to soak it. That silvery stuff soaked up most of the water and would keep the garden hydrated. It looked like brownie batter when it was done! Hagen was so excited to be a big helper. Noah was napping and Hagen got to help Daddy instead of napping. He is kinda at that point of skipping naps anyway.

Then they had to take the mud and shovel it in. Check out Hagen's shovel...and the amount of mud on it. He took quite a few trips! It was pretty funny...by the way, this is my view from my lounge chair. I was on my stomach trying to get as much sun on my backside as possible. I got BURNED...I layed there all day. Not smart...and no sunscreen...I'm an idiot.

The final step was to smooth it all out and water it again. It was almost ready! Ryan actually went out and got more dirt. He wanted more in there and felt it wasn't deep enough.

Ta-da! The top left is tomatoes, the bottom left is cilantro, and then chives next to it. We have something for each plot...it is kinda an experiment to see what grows best and what we eat the most of. These were the only ones that were plants that we could find, but more of a shipment is coming on Thursday so we will get the rest then. I'm so proud of Ryan! He did a great job!!

Tata,

Carrie

P.S. The other night at dinner, Hagen told Noah that if he is not a good listener then the Easter Bunny will not come to visit him. I just so happened to be getting up because I remembered a package was on our doorstep. I came back and Hagen's eyes were wide open. He asked me who was at the door and I said the EB and he said he was just checking to see if Hagen and Noah were behaving...Hagen has been a doll ever since...well, almost.