So, I lied...

there weren't ten major happenings at the Shaw residence last month...just enough going on to keep us extremely busy. Stay tuned for more on Ann's many showers, her wedding (Henry is wearing a tux), Peanut's progress, and our many other adventures.

4) Wedding Showers...

...every freaking weekend! My little sister is getting married next month and everyone, I mean everyone, is thrilled for her. It seems that beginning in January, she's had a shower almost every weekend. Her roommate and I, along with the help of many friends, threw her a personal shower in Norman a couple of weeks ago. I'm still recovering. We played a very clever game that involved a video interview of the groom, ten questions, and Ann dancing for four minutes (she got four questions wrong) wearing the biggest pair of undies you've ever seen.

The interview


Still trying to figure out what she won for missing four questions...


I think they're a bit large? Maybe she could use them for dusting?

Happy Anniversary

6) Wade and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary. We celebrated with a sitter (for Henry, not us), dinner and a movie. It was only the second movie we had seen together since Henry was born. I think we'll be doing date nights more often...it was SO NICE. Wade also surprised me with one dozen roses. Made all the girls at work jealous. Such a stud, my husband.

5) Wade and I got a weekend off from parenting. Even better than a date night! Not that we don't LOVE our time with Henry, but the two days alone were much needed. I've been more tired with this pregnancy than with Henry. Probably because when I was pregnant with Henry, I was able to come home from work, make a nutritionally sound and scrumptious meal, put up my feet, and relax. Those days are long gone. With this pregnancy, as soon as I leave my 8 - 5 job, I come home to my second (and absolute favorite) job - Mom. Henry and I play, go to the library, go for a walk, build with our Lego's, and eat starch. The boy loves his peas and macaroni. At least he likes vegetables and fruit, which I always crave...pregnant or not. But there is no time for perfectly balanced meals, the putting up of feet, or relaxing. At least not until 9 PM, which has become bedtime for me. As soon as Henry's head hits his pillow...or mattress, no pillow yet...so does mine. And then of course I get up several times throughout the night. Apparently my bladder is Peanut's pillow.

All that to say, for much of our weekend off we slept. And when we weren't sleeping, we were working on putting together Henry's big boy room. Picking out a new ceiling fan, curtains, moving furniture (Wade did most of the heavy lifting), and hanging blinds. And when we weren't sleeping or working, we were catching up on LOST. We are addicts.

Bunk Beds

7) Henry got bunk beds! Wade and I debated on whether to invest in a second crib, or to promote Henry to a big boy bed. Big boy bed won. And bonus - we now have a bed for visitors. Deral and Becca - no more hotel room...unless you need an escape from two crazy kids.

We got full-on-full bunk beds, which will give Henry plenty of room to grow, and my mom a comfortable place to sleep while she's helping with Peanut those first few weeks. Notice I said first "few" weeks, Mom.

Henry LOVES his new bed(s). Instead of turning the third bedroom into a nursery and moving all of Henry's furniture, we decided to move Henry. Doing this allows Henry to migrate to his big boy bed when ready. No kicking him out of his crib when baby comes. We've spent lots of time in his new room already. Henry has enjoyed breaking in the matress (i.e. jumping on his bed) and moving his favorite animals from room to room.

Sitting like a king (w/ goldfish in hand) on top of his big boy bed


There's two, Momma! Look up!


Our growing cowboy


Howdy Partner


Anytime we ask Henry to say "cheese" this is the result

Peanut

8) Last month we had our 18-week ultrasound. Peanut is healthy and perfect in every way. Fortunately for Wade, who insists on being surprised, I was able to resist the urge and we won't know Peanut's sex until delivery day...sometime the week of June 14.


Face


Feet



(I attempted to post two ultrasound video clips here...clearly I am no blogging expert.)

Peanut is 21 weeks today and I'm feeling kicks periodically throughout the day. Like Henry, he/she is most active before bed. Aside from periodic dizziness, the pregnancy is going extremely well. It's getting more and more difficult to lug Henry around like I'm used to, but we're managing. Henry has become independent overnight and wants to walk everywhere on his own. The independent phase couldn't have come at a better time.

Deuteronomy

9) My wonderful cat, Deuteronomy, finally kicked the bucket. Deuter had been with me half as long as I've been alive. He was 18...his first 3 years were spent in Dumas. I "inherited" Deuter from my double cousins and have loved him ever since. For an 18-year-old Persian cat, Deuter was in excellent health...aside from the constant stress of Henry chasing after him. Then, one night last month Deuter had a stroke, or seizure...the doctor wasn't sure which, but she explained there was nothing we could do for him. The decision to put him down wasn't nearly as difficult as watching him suffer throughout the night. I'm thankful he didn't have to suffer long...and that we no longer have a litter box or hairballs to clean up (trying to focus on the positives). Wade was such a champ for putting up with Deuter for so long...I know he was never a Deuter fan, but I appreciate all that he did for my cat. I love you, Wade, and it means the world to me that you not only tolerated, but helped me take care of Deuter.

Head trauma

Number 10 in color...the experience was much worse than the gash. And Wade argues that Henry's scar will make him more manly. To quote the black knight from Monty Python, "It's just a flesh wound".


I might add this was taken only moments after discovering Henry had used his bath crayons to color the hallway.

This, that and the other

I've been poorly neglecting our blog. Family, forgive me? January was a fury of activity and there was little time for anything but chasing Henry, planning wedding showers, and catching much needed shut-eye on Peanut's behalf.

Top 10 January Happenings:

10) Henry had to have his head glued. And our first experience with glue was not a pleasant one. Little Bit was running at "school" and fell and hit his noggin on a door hinge. Henry runs everywhere he goes, so it was only a matter of time... When childcare FINALLY got in touch with me (they tried calling my office and cell for at least 45 minutes, but I was in meetings all afternoon...when I got to the phone I had a bazillion messages...talk about sending me into a panic) they explained what had happened, that Henry's head wouldn't stop bleeding, and that he may need stitches. I had my little man in my arms in less than 10 minutes. The cut wasn't nearly as bad as I had imagined (I have an overbalance of imagination), but I decided to take him to visit his pediatrician just for safe measure. Unfortunately, our pediatrician was out of the office that afternoon and we had to defer to the Walk-In...not my favorite place to be, but I'm glad it's there for emergencies. After looking at Henry's head, the default doctor decided glue would be more appropriate than stitches...thought it would leave less scaring and be less traumatic for Henry. Or so I was told. Little did we know the "trauma" room they transferred us to would be 101 degrees Fahrenheit (and on the day I wore my thickest maternity beast of a sweater), that I would have to hold Henry on my pregnant lap and restrain him, that he would have an allergic reaction to the numbing cream, which didn't numb a darn thing, or that we'd be there for umpteenth hours watching for any further signs of breakout, swelling, etc...all due to the numbing cream, not the battle wound. Wade flew in the door just as the doctor was leaving. I told him that he was taking us out for dinner that night.

Stay tuned for other top happenings...