Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Kissing Cousins (now with more vomit!)

Analia spent the night last night. This is what happened at 6:35 this morning.

Jeana's bedroom door opens slowly with a loud creak.

Noah: Mom, it's light outside.
Jeana: Hmm? Okay, you guys can get up.
Noah: We already did. I'm just telling you.
Jeana: (yawning) Okay, I'm gonna sleep for a little while longer.
Analia: My mom does that, too sometimes.
Noah: My mom sometimes stays in her pajamas all day!
Analia: So does my mom!

(Warning to new parents: The children will always rat you out)

Analia: What do you wanna do now?
Noah: Let's get married!
Analia: Yeah! And then I will have two babies in my tummy!

Scurrying sounds and giggles for about 2 minutes.

Analia: Okay! You may kiss the bride!

Smooching sound and more giggles.

Noah: Let's cuddle!
Analia: Oooh, my tummy hurts! The babies are coming!
Noah: No, no, I think you drank too much chocolate milk. You are gonna throw up!
Analia: Yes! Oh, my babies are born! Now lets all throw up!
Noah: Okay! Bleeeeeeeeeeh!
Analia: Blaaaaaaaaaack!
Noah: Watch this! Blaaaaaaaaag!
Analia: (giggling) Blaaaarf! Bleeeeeeeck!

Sound of running to the living room. Analia spies the balloon she got last night at Red Robin.

Analia: This will be perfect for my baby tummy!

Screeching sound as the balloon is placed under her pajama top.

Noah: Whoa! You look just like my mom!
Analia: I know! Let's throw up again!

Precious little gifts from the Lord...

Monday, February 26, 2007

Quotable Noah

On a recent shopping trip that Noah didn't want to go to, we had a hard time finding a parking spot. Geary asked, "What should we do?" and Noah enthusiastically replied, "Let's give up!"

Later...

Geary: What do you want to do when we get home?
Jeana: Let's give up!
Geary: (chuckle)
Noah: No...Jesus wouldn't want us to give up.
Jeana: Who's Jesus?
Noah: Jesus is God.
Jeana: Who is God?
Noah: God. Is. In. Our. Life.
Jeana: What is God doing in our life?
Noah: Meh...just watching tv.

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Her husband's name is Flloyd

Remember Gladys? Well, Hutch has found two more clips of Ellen calling the worlds funniest lady. Check them out!

You know, I've been finding more and more "silver" hairs on my head--but I don't even care. I hope I can be as awesome as Gladys when I'm 88.

Saturday, February 24, 2007

We're goin' on a trip in our favorite rocket ship

Large Box? Check.
Knife? Check.
Markers? Check.

Yeah, it's easy to be the coolest mom ever if you can just scribble on a box and cut out some holes.



Blast off!


Take me to your leader!

Friday, February 23, 2007

The Kids' Room

I'm pretty much done transforming Noah's room into a room that two kids can share. We sold Noah's loft bed and bought this mate's style bed so we could have drawers underneath for extra storage. Noah loves the bookcase headboard and hides all his treasures behind his pillows. The drawers under the bed hold his clothes and most of his toys are in organized bins in the closet.



Here's the dresser I mentioned before. I bought it last year at Value Village (called Valley Bridges by Noah) for $20 and it was a lime green color. It's originally from Ikea and I think it retailed for $120. Pretty good deal, I'd say. I had tried painting it a deeper shade of green but it turned out to look like split pea soup. Not very attractive. Now it's "Victory Red" and I really like it. It's also the perfect height to use as a changing table. The drawers are now holding diapers, wipes, onesies, sleepers, and blankets.

Here's the baby's side of the room. "Nobody puts Baby in a corner!" Except me, I guess. We opted to go for a portable crib because of the space saving feature. But I can still adjust the mattress height and the weight limit is 50lbs. I think it's gonna work great for us. I found the cube shelf thingy at Target as well as the red bins (They have an online deal where you can get 6 bins for $30. Or you can pay $8 each in the store). They're currently holding crib sheets, receiving blankets, and baby toys. I'm thinking they'll work great as catch-alls for whatever baby stuff we're currently using.


All together I spent less than $200 and I feel really proud of myself. I think the lowest "room makeover" amount given on shows like Design on Dime and Trading Spaces is $500. Granted, we used a lot of stuff that we already had...but then again, so do those shows. I found a ton of great bargains at thrift and consignment stores and of course, Craig's List. I love how much storage we were able to fit into the room and I think it's going to be the perfect space for our kids. Let me know what you think!

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

34 Weeks

On Monday, the 12th I had that ultrasound to check on the baby's size and today I got to hear the results from my doctor. Everything looked fine and it looks like the baby is about a week and a half bigger than normal. So, I might be having a larger than average baby, but no big deal--been there, done that(Noah was 8lbs 6oz)! However, I've decided to not put much stock into baby size estimations by doctors. They predicted that Noah would be 10lbs and all my friends' babies were well under their estimated weights. Sometimes by as a much as 4lbs.

One cause for concern, though, is that at the ultrasound we could see that the baby was breach. I can sometimes feel his head so I know he's been rotating around quite a bit for the last few weeks. But for the last few days he's been head up and today at my appointment my doctor pointed out that he's gonna need to get in position fairly quickly. Pretty soon he won't have room to turn somersaults anymore. So, please pray that he gets into prime birthing position soon!

Other than that we're doing well. My parents generously purchased some big ticket items for us this last weekend. A car seat and a bassinet, as well as some smaller things like crib sheets. We're so grateful for their gifts and it's a huge relief to know that if I went into labor today there wouldn't be anything major that we're missing for the baby. I'm hoping to get a dresser painted in the next few weeks so that I can organize all the baby stuff and take pictures of the kids' room to show you! I'm really proud of how it's turning out.

Besides the dresser and final organizing, the only other big thing I have left to check off my list is getting the car seat installed. We like to take our car seats to our local police station to have a certified car seat checker install it for us. This way we know for sure that it's installed correctly and we get a visual lesson on how to do it ourselves later. They even provide noodles for making sure the car seats are at the correct angle for your car. I know, installing a car seat is not rocket science, and I also know how to read directions but 7 out 10 car seats are installed incorrectly and I don't want to take chances with the safety of my babies. With Noah's first carseat we followed all the directions perfectly and the police officer still made several adjustments to the angle of the seat as well as making the seat belt tighter for a safer fit. So here's your PSA for the day: If you are driving with children who need car seats or boosters, make an appointment to have your seat checked! You can find local seat checkers by calling 1-866-SEAT CHECK or by visiting their website http://www.seatcheck.org/.

Monday, February 19, 2007

Self Inflicted Wedgie

Upon returning from the bathroom:

"Mommy...can you fix my pants so my unders aren't stuck up my bum?"

Noah James Linhart, age 4

Best Date Ever

Saturday morning, Noah and I went shopping with my mom (a.k.a. Granny). When we were done I drove home but Noah got to stay behind and spend the night. Since we were kidless, I suggested going to see a movie. But Geary more than one-upped me. He took me on the best date ever.

First, he offered to take me to an Indian restaurant that I've been wanting to go to but haven't had to opportunity. We ended up going to a different restaurant because of time constraints, but just the offer of going to a place which serves food that I love but that Geary really doesn't enjoy was hugely romantic.

The restaurant we did go to was fun and we had great conversation. Great conversation! The way he was paying attention to me and asking thoughtful questions was also hugely romantic. And this is not saying that Geary doesn't usually pay attention to me. He's a great husband, but that night he was extra attentive and it made me feel really special.

After dinner, we saw the movie, Bridge to Terabithia. I had read the book several times and after seeing the previews was really curious about the movie. The previews made the movie look like a kind of Narnian adventure, but the fantasy parts of the movie are actually really brief and not really part of the main plot. I was glad to see that the movie was very true to the book and re-told the story in a beautiful way. I highly recommend it. I also recommend holding hands and sharing tender looks throughout the movie--hugely romantic!

After we got home, Geary gave me a wonderful foot rub and then...ha, as if I would share that part with you!

The next morning, the date continued! He went out and bought me breakfast and we had a lazy morning reading the paper and chatting. We decided to run some errands and get some lunch. We ended up finding the Central Market in Mill Creek and to our surprise a whole bunch of new shops had been built all around it. It was very Redmond Town Center/University Village fancy pants yuppie mall looking (and we did notice an unusual number of Jaguars parked in the parking lot). So we had salad from Central Market and ate outside on the tables at Starbucks.

After lunch we browsed in some of the chi-chi shops. One was a kid's clothing store called Lil' Lads and Lasses, but their logo made the L in Lasses kind of disappear (it blended in with the d at the end of and) so we had a good time making fun of Lads and Asses. We also made fun of their price tags. $60 for a white t-shirt with a line drawing of a giraffe on it! Crazy rich people.

They also had a UW bookstore where we wandered and browsed for a long time. Bookstores can be dangerous places for bibliophiles like us, but we managed to leave with only a small toy for Noah and a deck of card trick teaching cards that we found in the clearance bin.

Then, then, hugely romantic Geary treated me to ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery! We shared a cup of custom made by me ice cream and tried out some of the new card tricks. Oh, and there was more hand holding and thoughtful questions.

When we got home, Geary tucked me into bed for a relaxing nap before Noah came home. It was a really good weekend and I felt so pampered and loved by my husband. Even though everything we did was simple, just the time spent together and the constant message I got from my husband that he wanted to please me made me feel like a princess. Thank you, Geary, for being so self sacrificing, tender, thoughtful, and romantic. I love spending time with you and I'm so glad you gave me this weekend to bask in your love.

Thanks, too, to Granny, Grandpa, and Uncle Jared for keeping Noah overnight. He had a fantastic time with you and I'm sure he appreciated coming home to a relaxed and refreshed Mommy!

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Independence

Noah made his own peanut butter and jelly sandwich today.

"Just a little bit of peanut butter. And a lot a bit of jelly"

"I like to cook pbj's all by my own self!"

"Ta-dah!"

Monday, February 12, 2007

I was taking a nice Sunday afternoon nap when I heard Noah say quietly, from my bedside, "Dad. I threw a booger at you."

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Trike Day

Now that the weather has been getting nicer, Noah and I have started taking his tricycle to a nearby park with a huge asphalt area. A few days ago he had his first fall while riding down a little hill. But he handled it like a pro. He just got up, brushed off his hands and asked, "Mom? Do we have any Blue Clues bandaids at home?" (He didn't need any--no blood.)

Radio Flyer

Go, Speed Racer!

Beware of the Mushroom Head Bike Gang

License to ride


My favorite

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Personal Pregnancy FAQ

A friend and I were taking a walk around the lake and we ran into several people we know at different points on the path. Strangely, each person asked the same set of questions. My friend said, "You need to just pass out a Frequently Asked Questions sheet so the conversation can move on." We laughed about it, but I also kind of think it's a good idea. Plus, it will be fun to look back on this blog in a few years and remember what this pregnancy was like. Also, if you have asked these questions of me--don't feel bad! You're definitely in good company! And don't feel like you can't ask these questions anymore, either. I'm just amused by how often the questions are the same! And I'm sure I've asked the very same questions of other pregnant women.

1. How are you feeling?

I get asked this question so many times. Usually, I simply reply, "Pretty good," and sometimes add something about how the baby is moving so much, or how I accomplished something on my baby-to-do list. But the real truth is that I feel so different all the time. Really, how I'm feeling now could be totally different in five minutes.

Most of the time I'm glad people ask me how I'm feeling, especially when I know they really care about me. Other times it makes me want to punch myself in the nose because I don't know how I'm feeling and how I'm feeling might not be what I'm supposed to be feeling and what if I'm in the middle of a feeling shift and I have no idea which way these feelings are going to go and it just comes out as,"Pretty good...the baby's moving so much..."

2. When's your due date, again?

April 5th. It's coming up really quickly and I don't feel ready yet.

3. Have you had any cravings?

I think cravings are more of a first trimester thing, but I've been asked about cravings more in this third trimester. Maybe because now I look pregnant and people associate pregnancy with strange food desires. Anyway, I've only had a couple cravings where I felt like I absolutely had to have a certain food or else I would go crazy. One time it was for sausage links and pancakes and another time I really wanted an apple fritter. There have also been times where certain foods were the only foods that sounded good at all. Like when I was about 5 months pregnant and only wanted to eat Fruit Loops or Peanut Butter Captain Crunch. I also had a cottage cheese and peaches phase.

4. Have you picked out a name?

Yes. I think so.

5. Well? Are you gonna tell us?

*Sigh* Yes. But you're only allowed to respond positively. That means not saying, "Oh, I knew a kid with that name. He was a terror." Or, "Wow. That kid's gonna get teased..."

I'm pretty sure we've decided on Tobin. It is a variation of Tobias which means "God's goodness." God has certainly shown us his goodness throughout this pregnancy and just like when Noah was born and we needed "rest/comfort" this baby came at a time when I desperately needed to know that God is still good. Plus, Noah refers to his "baby brudder" as Toby, and it's so darn cute I can't stand to take that away from him. I think Tobin is a great name for all ages. Toby is cute for a baby or little kid. And I've known several really cool teenagers named Toby--they were all super nice and respectful. And then I can imagine him getting his diploma and the name being called out, "Tobin Joseph Linhart" sounds strong and sophisticated.

6. How are you going to spell that?

T-O-B-I-N. And no, we're not considering T-O-B-E-N.

7. What about T-O-B-Y-N?

*blink* ...and this is why I'm reluctant to share our chosen baby name. Moving on.

8. Are you having a baby shower?

I don't think so... I mean, do people have showers for second children? And even if they do, isn't it rude of me to plan my own? There isn't a lot that we need need. And for people who've asked us what we'd like because they really want to give us a gift we've put up the Baby Wishlist...but we've been buying a few things here and there so there's not really anything major that we're lacking.

9. Do you want to hear a horrible and completely inappropriate birth story that is sure to make you queasy and terrified about giving birth again?

No.

10. Should I give you unsolicited advice such as, "Make sure you get plenty of sleep now because you're not going to get any when the baby's here"?

No.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Called Out

Linhart living room at 8:30 pm: Geary and Jeana are vegging in front of the t.v. discussing the train wreck that used to be Gilmore Girls. Soft strains of childrens' voices singing "God is so good..." come from the open door of Noah's bedroom where he has been in bed for the past 30 minutes.

Noah: Aaaargh!

God is so good...

Noah: Grrrrr! Umph!

God is so good...

Noah: Gaaaaah!

He's so good to me.

Geary: Noah, what's wrong?

Noah: I can't open the straw on my water cup.

Jeana: Bring it here. I'll help you.

Noah: I can't. You come here.

Jeana: Why? Are your legs broken?

Noah: Are yours?

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

32 Weeks

Had another OB appointment today. I didn't mention this on the blog, but at my 30 week appointment my blood pressure was really high. So for the last two weeks I've been on modified bed-rest (because of the possibility of gestational hypertension). I was still allowed to get up and go to the bathroom, shower, and get my own food during the day but I was supposed to take it really easy. This time my blood pressure was normal so we're thinking that it was high before because my body was working hard at fighting off a cold.

The baby's heartbeat was 150bpm--finally in the old wives' tales boy range. And I am measuring a little big so I get to have another ultrasound! I'll call to schedule it tomorrow and it will probably happen in the next week or so. I really hope they give me pictures this time.

Lately Noah has liked to rest his head on my belly and listen to the baby. Last night he asked, "What's that squishy sound?" I said, "Oh, the baby's just swimming around in there..." His eyes lit up, "There's water in your belly??? So the baby is swimming around? Wait! Does he not have any clothes on?" It was the cutest little nakedness epiphany.

More updates soon!

Sunday, February 04, 2007

If you don't know the lyrics...

Just make them up!

Noah is running in circles around the living room singing this:

All around the mooberry bush
The monkey chased the weasels
Because he thought they were bananas
Pop goes the weasel!

Jokes

After my last post I got a couple of emails asking which jokes Noah knows. He currently has two that he can tell relatively well.

Q: What did the mama buffalo say when her baby went to school?
A: Bye, son! Get it?!?! Bison!!

and

Q: What did the mama frog say when her baby turned one year old?
A: Hoppy Birthday! Get it?!?!?! HOPPY birthday!

FYI, a pre-schooler adding "Get it?!?!" to the end of any joke is comedy gold.

We tried teaching him this one:

Q: How many tigers can you fit into an empty cage?
A: Just one! After that the cage isn't empty anymore!

However, Noah usually turns this into a series of jokes that are only funny to him. For example:

Q: How many big bad wolves blew down the little pigs' houses?
A: Two! Then they weren't empty anymore! Get it?!?!?! Hazmat!

Yeah, I don't know why he adds "hazmat" to the end. And once he gets going he adds other random or made up words after his "Get it?!?!" So the jokes end up being nonsensical with "bath jar!" or "piggy puff!" or " sneak bud!' or whatever after them. Until you politely say, "These jokes are giving me a headache." The he quits.

Right now we're working on this series of jokes:

A man walked into a bar and said, "Ouch!"

Three guys walked into a bar. The fourth one ducked.

Did you hear about the dyslexic who walked into a bra?

Friday, February 02, 2007

Knock, Knock

Noah: Mom, let's tell knock-knock jokes.

Jeana: Okay. Um...Knock, knock.

Noah: Who is it?

Jeana: Little old lady.

Noah: Little old lady, who?

Jeana: I didn't know you could yodel! (Yuk yuk yuk!)

Noah (totally deadpan): I can't.

Thursday, February 01, 2007

I cried...

...because I had no shoes. Until I met a man who had no feet.

Follow Lingling as She Gives Lymphoma a Beatdown

I don't know this family, but I am caught up in their story. Their words, expressing so much pain, so much hope, are enchanting. Like poetry. They don't mention God, or prayers...instead they ask for lovely thoughts, wishes, or even just a wink. It's a beautiful mess and when I engage myself in their story I feel like I am joining with the angels, looking down at this fragile group of humans, trying desperately to understand God's plan for them. And I don't want to experience this story alone. I don't want to treat them as a freak show, but I do want to be in awe with someone else, and to have the chance to process with someone else. Because...well, because maybe my own pain hasn't been completely processed. Maybe I need to be okay about the footless man's story in order to be okay with my own lack of shoes.

So, get a box of tissues and then click on the above link. Start with the first post and read through all the archives. (The blog was only started last month, so you'll get through them quickly.) Then read the letter to Lydia. And look at the pictures...and...well...you'll see.

Help Wanted

So...I'm gonna need a babysitter for a couple nights in July. They pay isn't that much, but the kids are real cute.

The dates and times are July 13th, probably for about 4 hours.

And July 21st--this one might be a little longer. Closer to 24 hours or so.

Let me know if you're interested!