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slip-and-slide

I love this look, originally uploaded by amy_and_kevin.

Despite the somewhat alarmed look on Peter's face, he loves going down the slide by himself.

He especially likes it if he's been running through the sprinklers and is wet.

Peter's usually the youngest kid at the playground. Where are all of the under-18-month-olds? Is our kid the only one who likes to run around and swing and climb and play in the sand? I can't believe this is true, but the evidence suggests otherwise.

At any rate, Peter doesn't seem to mind very much. He really likes watching the older kids as play. Sometimes he will run around in imitation of their play; other times, he'll stare at them dumbfoundedly, as if trying to figure out their secret languages.

Peter, you need some friends. I'll work on it. Until then, how about a gurgling newborn?

chicken-watching

chicken-watching, originally uploaded by amy_and_kevin.

I'm apparently on a crusade to visit new parks every day.

Today's new park was Bol Park, in Palo Alto. It was a pretty typical park with the pretty typical play structures and swings.

And goats and chickens.

Well, they weren't at the park, but in the backyards of homes adjacent to the park. Well-worn paths showed us the way. Unfortunately, prickly weeds kept us from getting too close to the goats (although Peter was totally willing to navigate the itchy stickers to get a closer look).

We were able to get a pretty close look at some chickens, though. (See?) Peter really seemed to enjoy them.

Rumor has it that there are donkeys nearby, too, and the donkey rides at the park would suggest this to be the case. Perhaps on a less sunny day we'll take a look.

oh, so that was Putin's problem

or: time to go to sleep, crazy pregnant lady

don't worry - you can procrastinate too!

caution! giant baby crossing!

, originally uploaded by amy_and_kevin.

For those of you keeping track of these sorts of things, we discovered that Peter was going to be a Big Baby when I had a 36-week ultrasound with Peter.

At the time, he checked in at over 7 pounds with four more weeks of "cookin'" to go. Of course, we promptly named him "Gigantor!" and dreamed of 10-pound babies.

It turns out that Peter came a week early* and was just 8 pounds, 10 ounces.** Large, yes. Gigantor, hardly.

Well, it turns out that LT Smash is headed in that direction as well. I had an ultrasound today to check her size and position, and we learned that LT is at least 7 pounds now and head down. And not dropped.***

As Dr. Shin said, "it's another Peter." Which is to say big, and healthy, and probably a boy.

Since the pregnancy has gone so complication-free, I'm allowed to come back in two weeks instead of the standard one week. Which means that my next appointment is after August 1, the "due date" I proclaimed last week.

But, the more I think about it, I'm going back to August 8. So, re-mark your calendars: August 8 it is!

As for BDR1.0, he was not a happy camper at today's check-up. He freaked out when my blood pressure was taken and REALLY freaked out when it came time for the ultrasound, even though Dr. Shin was so helpful in explaining to him what she was doing and even offered to give him some of his own "goop" to play with. She seemed a little hurt that he was so upset, reminding Peter that she was the first one to ever hold him. Peter remained unimpressed and continued wailing.

* Peter probably came just on time; there was some disagreement on his due date from the start, and it's very likely he was just a week older than we thought.

** I absolutely maintain that if he hadn't had a gigantic bowel movement on his way out into the world he would have cracked 9 pounds.

*** Big surprise. I'm a little eager to get LT out, I guess.

struttin' his stuff, yo

crazy kid!, originally uploaded by amy_and_kevin.

So we didn't go anywhere fancy or fun this weekend, despite my every intention of doing so.

Instead, we enjoyed some cotton candy Blizzards (oh, momma, is it too late to develop gestational diabetes?), ate our way through the fruit samples at the supermarket, ran amok in the toy department at Target, participated loudly and often during Father Bob's homily, avoided being kicked out of the library (again), and strutted our stuff.

I think every day Peter gets a little cuter and a little happier. Who couldn't love this kid?

Relatedly: do you think this shirt is too pink? (Another view here.) The box of dye said "scarlet," but it came out salmon. I otherwise love the shirt and am pleased with how it turned out.

Kevin thinks it's too girly, and the only unsolicited comment we've received suggested that Peter was "que bonita." I'm guessing little-mister-head-of-blond-ringlets might be to pretty for an ambiguous shirt.

LT Smash @ 37 weeks

LT Smash @ 37 weeks, originally uploaded by amy_and_kevin.

Conversation from today:

Kevin: I think my cuteness peaked when I was Peter's age.
Amy: I think my cuteness peaked when I was --
Kevin (interrupting): 24.* Now look at you! Who is the woman I married? She's been replaced by this
woman with a big butt.**

So, yeah, I guess I'm ready to have this baby. Tomorrow, if possible. Did you hear me, LT Smash?

* Kevin and I were married when I was 25. We were engaged when I was 23, though, so I guess he got me before my expiration date.
** True fact, though. I think 85 percent of my weight gain is in my abdomen, 5 percent is distributed throughout my body, and the remaining 10 percent has landed on my ba-dunk-a-dunk. My theory is that it acts as a counterbalance to the bulging belly.***

*** That, and the Cheetos. It might just be the Cheetos.

hits! and misses

originally uploaded by amy_and_kevin.

Mitchell Park was, as I suspected it would be, a big hit. A big, wet, fun hit. You know your kid is having a good time when two different parents come up to tell you that he's really enjoying himself.

Whenever Peter gets really excited, he runs around half-laughing, half-shrieking. It's the Happy Shriek, and, as I've mentioned, it's perfect. Today, it was in full effect.

We also visited the Children's Library, which wasn't the success I hoped it would be. On the other hand, if Peter were 5 to 12 years old, it would be so amazingly perfect.

And, since I'm posting about today in reverse order, we started the day with a visit to our favorite bagel store for lunch. (I'm trying to teach Peter to say "bagel." He's very close.) We've visited the shop a few times in the past weeks, so the owners know Peter pretty well. He always makes sure to wave good-bye to the owners, who always make sure to slip him a free bagel. One hand washes the other.

Finally: Now that the end is near, I'm getting exponentially more comments about LT Smash and the closeness in age of the children. Usually the comments are along the lines of, "your first year will be very tough and then it will be so easy!"

Today, I had this conversation with a friendly and toothless homeless person outside Blockbuster:

Lady: How old is your baby?
Amy: 14 months.
Lady: And you're going to have another one so soon? That's too bad.
Amy: (Brief moment of shock, while Peter is blowing Lady kisses and flirting.) Um. Well, at least we have two babies instead of not having any and wanting them.

I prefer this conversation, outside of the pharmacy:

Teenage girl: Wow! You're about to pop! How much longer do you have?
Amy: Two weeks.

So there you have it, blogfriends. Expect LT Smash to enter the world on August 1. You heard it here first.

This weekend promises to be a fun one. Kevin's on his way out to pick up some take-out Thai right now, which always signals the start of something great.

you're getting very sleepy...

, originally uploaded by amy_and_kevin.

(Sorry, no new photos from today!)

I realized today that my energy level is inversely related to Peter's. His attitude is, "why walk anywhere when you can run?" And my attitude is, "doesn't that bench look like a great place to sit?"

To compromise, we spend a lot of time inside, playing with some of his more attention-demanding toys. Sorting blocks are a big hit. We also read many books and spend at least an hour a day looking out the window at the passing traffic. (Peter's a little Jimmy Stewart in training, I fear.)

I also like to take him places, because the new environment usually slows him down a bit as he takes everything in. Unfortunately, our repertoire of cheap and close haunts is getting a little thin. Can you visit the library too much? Here's one Book Nerd Mama who says, "yes, yes you can."

Tomorrow, I think we might try a new park and a new library in Palo Alto. It's a drive, but it might be worth it for a change of scenery. Plus, there will be new old women for Peter to hug.*

I'm tired of being tired, and I vow to not mention fatigue again until I have a colicky infant on my lap.

* True fact from today: Peter spontaneously reached out and gave two strange women full-on cuddle hugs today. Methinks I have to keep my eyes on this one.

mr. social

puppy peeks out, too, originally uploaded by amy_and_kevin.

Peter is 10 times more outgoing than Kevin and I put together.

He always waves "hello" and "goodbye" to everyone he sees.

He often picks presents of leaves to give to you to show you that he cares.

He will give his stuffed animals to passers-by to hug - as long as they return them.

ETA: He also loves to give hugs, and will sometimes run to people (people he doesn't know that well) just to give them big, slobbery hugs.

It's like he's running for mayor of Mountain View or something. Or at least of our apartment complex.

(He's also really, really nosy. Here, he's checking out what the complex manager is doing. I sometimes feel like I should apologize for him when he starts to stare, or when he walks into other people's apartments. He's just so curious!)

duck pond = endless toddler entertainment

, originally uploaded by amy_and_kevin.

Today we visited one of our favorite Palo Alto adventures, the Duck Pond.

I always enjoy going to the Duck Pond (located in the Palo Alto Baylands Preserve), even though (a) the pond is full of recycled water and is a little...foamy...and (b) the Baylands is built on a landfill and abuts a landfill and is on the bay and is, well, smelly. Not like garbage, but funky. Methane-y. Like someone just let one go. Yeah. Like that.

If you can get over the smell (and what toddler can't?), then the Duck Pond is The Place to Be.

Today, the pond was inhabited mostly by geese and pigeons, but there were several ducks to keep Peter interested.

Since feeding the ducks is prohibited, we like to chase the birds around and run along the edge of the pond, swinging on the chain. Then, at some point, Peter realizes that the pond is water, and he wants to get in, and that's when we have to walk somewhere else in the preserve.

The boardwalk is another great destination.

The Duck Pond has the added bonus of being literally right next to the Palo Alto Municipal Airport, which means that landing planes constantly are flying overhead. The ducks themselves would be very thrilling, but adding the planes in the mix just takes it over the edge. This might be Toddler Nirvana, people.

I dropped the baby! on his head!

Relax, relax. It's a bad joke, people.

I'm pretty sure the baby dropped yesterday. I feel like the baby's head* is resting on my cervix, knocking on the door, asking to be let out.

I never really noticed Peter dropping, mostly because he did so around 39 weeks, and mostly because he weighed 14 pounds at birth.** There just wasn't anywhere for him to "drop" to - he took up my entire midsection, half of my legs, and an eighth of my arms.

This time, it's more noticeable. Unless I'm hallucinating and hoping for an early delivery.***

* I hope it's his head. I do not want to entertain ideas of a c-section.
** More gross exaggeration.
*** Very possible.

mistakes were made

Yesterday, Peter dropped our 12-inch saucepan on the nail bed on my second toe. He dropped it while I was holding him, to make matters worse. If I were much of a swear-er, many blue words would have come from my lips. Instead, I hobbled over to Kevin and proceeded to cry like a baby. Phrases like, "my toe still is oozing blood" were heard throughout the day. Obviously, I took Kevin's orders to "stay off your feet" to mean "take a nap," and I did just that.

I managed to convince myself that I hit the magical 37 week mark. (For those non-reproducers: a fetus is considered full-term at 37 weeks. Which meant that LT Smash could come at any time.) Unfortunately, I'm only 36 weeks. I would like these next weeks to pass quickly, but I suspect they might linger.

Now that my physical mobility is increasingly limited (see 36 weeks pregnant and semi-amputated toe, above), I am relying on Peter to do a lot more work around the apartment. His official job is to pick up things from the floor that I need. If I could train him to run to the store for ice cream, I might have a stroke from happiness.

I've been trying to knock off items from my Just Do It July list, but find myself increasingly stressed out/overwhelmed/exhausted at the end of each day. The problem is that there are literally dozens of things I need/ought/want to do, and I have a pretty clear deadline as to when I have to accomplish them. A conversation from a few days ago:

Kevin: What are you doing?
Amy: I'm in the middle of about 19 projects. Because I have about 19 days left to do them, or they won't get done.

----------------------------------------------

In non-complaining news, have I mentioned how awesome Kevin is? Because he really is. He's taking such great care of me, of Peter, and of LT, all while sludging through parts of his job that he really doesn't enjoy as much.

So, I'm going to have some ice cream and see what's on the DVR and count my lucky stars that I have a husband as wonderful as Kevin.

lions, tigers, and bears (oh my!)

cute tiger cub, originally uploaded by amy_and_kevin.

Today we went to the San Francisco Zoo, and, since we now are members, I suspect you'll hear much more from the Zoo in the next 364 days.

All in all, it was a fun trip without the pressure of "getting our money's worth." It was nice to be able to say, "you know what? I know that there are several exhibits we haven't visited, but I'm 8 months pregnant and my feet hurt and I just want to go home now." And so we did.

Peter seemed to enjoy himself as well. He was interested in the animals that seemed interesting - that is, animals that were moving or that were very close.* Some favorites included the giraffes and the gorillas.

But, this is a tiger who doesn't change his stripes. Even in the midst of rare and unusual wildlife (including a runaway peacock!), Peter found fascination in his typical haunts: holes in the ground, bees, sticks, rope fences, water fountains, and our legs.

Unlike our last trip to the Zoo, Peter was able to run around a bit. This, also, is a favorite activity.

Finally, a shout-out to San Francisco summers and their thick fog cover: you make it possible to skip the sunscreen and ensure that we won't be roasted alive. I thank you oh-so-much.

* Ahem. Some animals were moving a little too close. Peter remained a little skittish around the goats and lambs at the petting zoo, and I don't blame him. A pair of rowdy goats almost ate my hand off.**

** Gross exaggeration.

this about sums him up

Peter likes:

to read
to (try to) talk
to knock things over, especially with balls
to act like a wild man

I can't decide which is my favorite. I suspect it is the reading video. Early this morning, while we were getting things ready to leave for the day, I realized Peter was being unusually quiet and not-in-the-way. This typically means he's found something dangerous and/or destructive (or both!) to occupy himself. Warily, I went into his room...only to find that he'd climbed up onto his chair and had started reading one of these books. He loves these books. Of course, his Book Nerd mother couldn't have been any prouder.

A close second? The tricks he can do on his tricycle. The kid is fearless!

Sorry, no new photos to post. Today was busy in an uninteresting, uneventful way. To wit: Peter had not one but TWO babysitters today. While I thought about dashing out for an luxurious coffee break and/or movie during the babysitting, I instead had an OB check and went to a baptismal prep class with Kevin. See? Uninteresting.

But, a few thoughts:

(1) I'll probably end up being about the same weight with LT Smash as I was with Peter. This surprises me because I think I might have lost exactly 5 pounds after giving birth to Peter.

(2) Signs point to LT being in a helpful position; that is, she's not breech. This is good, because a c-section would be disaster.

(3) Is The Baby Borrowers the best show on TV? It might be. It certainly has very little competition. Kevin and I were (dorkily) excited for the new Car Talk show on PBS, but, as I reported to Kevin tonight, "it's very PBS." And we watch a lot of PBS around here.

(4) Peter's talking up a storm, although it's hard to know what he's saying since he can only make about half of the alphabet sounds. Today we had a pretty clear "airplane" and "apple," both of which sounded exactly the same. Sadly, he also can say "Elmo," mostly because Elmo figures prominently on 93 percent of the diapers he wears. And on his bubble bath. And Elmo "magically appears" on TV on those super-fussy mornings when only a talking red monster can help.

(5) Sleeping at the dinner table remains the funniest thing I've seen in the past five years, although the more I watch it, the more it reminds me of heroin addicts drifting off to sleep on Intervention. So, there's that.

It's so hot. I think I'm melting...melting. I was under the (obviously misguided) impression that a summer pregnancy in the Bay Area wouldn't be that bad. It turns out, Al Gore was right.

neurons and synapses

A recurring topic of conversation between Kevin and me is our seemingly rapid decline in mental skills. We both remember (wistfully, to be truthful) our high school and college days, in which we needed to read something or be told something once and BLAMO! It was stuck in our memory. We remembered EVERYTHING. Now? Not only do we not remember things we read or hear, we don't remember kind of important events.

I understand that this is part of the process of aging, and that our brains are just so primed for learning while we're younger. I trust that we'll continue to learn and remember (and, more importantly, not forget), but seeing Peter's development from day to day just reminds me of how plastic his brain is and how rigid my own is.

He just learns so much every day, things that we teach him and things that we don't. I'm always shocked by the things that he just picks up by observing the world around him. A new fascination? Knocking on doors. We've caught him a few times knocking on our neighbor's door, hoping to go inside and play. He loves to shut doors in the house and then knock on them to be let out. (Here's an example from his bedroom. He also loves to do this in the bathroom, with all the lights off. He's not afraid of the dark, apparently.)

He also remembers things in a way that surprises me. For example, two weeks ago I watched our neighbor for a few hours, and one of the things she did to occupy herself was to line up some of Kevin's Simpsons figures along the edge of Kevin's glockenspiel case.* A few days ago, Peter did the same thing, remembering how Lea had arranged the figures to stand up.

Is it wrong that I'm so jealous of all of the learning that Peter has ahead of him? All of the fun, uncomplicated, exciting things to find out and discover and understand? Probably. Some parents live vicariously through their children's participation in football or ballet; I'll do it through third-grade science class.

* Well, not technically a glockenspiel. I think it's called a "tabletop bell set." But it looks an awful lot like a glockenspiel.

the perils of nap-skipping

So, this video certainly will be a New Classic around here. I can't even begin to describe how hilarious it is, or how many times Kevin and I watched it after Peter went to sleep for real.

Peter's transitioned to taking one nap a day, oddly enough around 10 a.m. Unfortunately, if this nap is sub-par (say, less than an hour), the day becomes rough. Today's nap might have been 45 minutes if you generously round up. So, you get this: falling asleep during dinner. While eating dinner. I'd like to say that I'm shocked this even is possible, but I've been known to fall asleep while knitting.

He must have been so exhausted, because Peter really doesn't fall asleep anywhere other than his crib, his carseat, or our arms, very easily. Until today, I would have said this was impossible. Tomorrow, I'll be scanning the skies for pigs.

P.S. Midway through the video? That shaking? That's not an earthquake, just my hand-seizures from laughing at my son.

happy, busy weekend

happy, originally uploaded by amy_and_kevin.

After all of the adventure on Friday, we had a pretty low-key weekend. I've been busy furiously knocking items off of my do-it list, while Kevin's been keeping this little guy entertained. Have I mentioned how Kevin is Peter's Most Favorite Person, Ever? Because Kevin is. I'm hoping LT Smash (a.k.a. "the new baby") will like me half as much as Peter loves Kevin.

We spent the weekend doing some of our favorite family activities: walking to the library to pick up books and CDs and play with puppets and puzzles, stuffing our faces with the free samples at the supermarket, dipping our feet and diapered bottoms into the pool, and enjoying the outside while hunting for motorcycles, airplanes, squirrels, fire trucks, bees, and dogs.

Anyway. Things really are shaping up around the apartment. It's beginning to look a lot like a baby might arrive in a few weeks. I'm getting really excited to meet the little bugger who's been taking up increasing real estate in my midsection. I've entered my least favorite part of pregnancy, in which the baby's size means one of several things: I have to go to the restroom every seven minutes; my knees feel like they're being poked with dull knitting needles when I walk from the extra weight; I can't breathe; rolling over is not dissimilar to making a three-point-turn in your car; and ninety percent of the moves the baby makes are painful, because there's just not much room to move around.

Oh, and my very least favorite: because of the increased pressure on important veins and arteries, most sitting/lying/resting positions that otherwise would be comfortable because of lower-back strain now cut off circulation to vital organs in my body, like my brain.

So there's that. Luckily, it's for just a few more weeks, and it really only is bothersome when I'm not running around trying to accomplish the 900 items on my to-do list.

Some of those items? Needed things, like digging out all of the car seat parts and baby toys that were put away a year ago. Helpful things, like finally purchasing a carpet sweeper. Useful things, like purchasing a few more organizing tools. Aesthetic things, like working on redecorating the kids' room. Hygienic things, like cleaning out the increasingly grimy under-the-kitchen-sink cabinet. Crafty things, like constructing as much of LT Smash's birth announcements as I can ahead of time.

And completely unnecessary things, like suddenly thinking, "hey, I wonder how well Kool Aid really would dye things," sending Kevin to the store to by some Kool Aid, and attempting to dye a half-dozen or so burp cloths pink. Because, you know, we're so sure we're having a girl.

fourth of july

originally uploaded by amy_and_kevin.

Today we took Peter to his first parade. We took the Caltrain to Redwood City, the closest parade that wasn't of the "get-your-tricycle-and-join-us-on-Main-Street" variety.

Peter enjoyed the train ride there and back, but was especially delighted to see that our spot on the parade route faced the Caltrain tracks and afforded him several views of passing trains during the parade itself.

Surprisingly, Peter sat reasonably still for most of the parade. Just before the parade started, and while it was still getting "warmed up," Peter would dart into the road, run a few yards away, and then run back to where Kevin and I were sitting. This was great fun for Peter, made all the more so by the dozen or so people who were there to watch him do it. This kid loves an audience. He also loves the ladies: at some point during the parade, he managed to end up leaning against the six or seven year old girl sitting next to us.

He particularly liked the marching bands and the horses, but the fire trucks were a big hit as well. He didn't seem to be phased by anything that passed him - not the Scientologists with a "Puttin' on the Ritz" themed float, not the ACLU dressed as Statues of Liberty, not the many rainbow flags of the PFLAG group. Oh, and not the loud marching bands, the sirens, or the clowns. 

The fire truck was a big hit; much clapping followed.

Oh, like his shirt? This is the problem with just-do-it July: yesterday, while walking home from the office, it suddenly occurred to me that I HAD to make a shirt for Peter for the parade. I came up with this design while walking home and put it together during Peter's nap. Unfortunately, the only white onesies we had out were long-sleeved, so, per Kevin's suggestions, I cut the sleeves off to make it a muscle shirt. (Unfortunately, too, the weather called for this type of clothing.)

As we were leaving, the older woman sitting next to us wished us a happy Fourth of July, and then said that we have a "very nice family." Earlier, she'd said that Peter was "really well adjusted" after learning he was 14 months, not 2.5 years, old.

But then, as we were changing Peter's diaper, a well-intentioned family with a toddler and an infant gave us the unsolicited advice that "having two is easier than one," which lead Kevin to ask if we seemed particularly frazzled as parents to warrant such advice.

Which reminds me: a question I've gotten several times in the past few weeks is whether Peter "was a surprise too." Hmm.

Watching the scenery pass, on the Caltrain

showers

Yesterday, as a semi-surprise, our neighbors gave me a baby shower for LT Smash.

I want to preface this entry by saying that the shower was COMPLETELY sweet, very generous, and a real surprise. Plus, it featured some delicious food, including black-bean tamales!

It was just...awkward. Because I was the only non-Spanish speaker in a room of mostly-only-Spanish-speakers. My Spanish comprehension isn't so bad, except for the verbs: I usually know the "what" that is being done, but I'm generally foggy on "who" does it, and "when" it is done.

According to the baby games we played, LT Smash will be a girl or a boy. But, most of the gifts were boy-themed, and I've already detagged them and thrown them into the laundry bin, so I guess I'm counting on a boy.

Two salient memories from the day: first, Peter went kind of crazy for the two dolls that were brought out for baby shower games. He seemed to really enjoy hugging and holding on to the dolls. Helpful for LT Smash? Perhaps. He did show an interest in jabbing the doll in the eyes again, though.

Second, our neighbor (also expecting a baby any day) told a really sad story about her first child, a son, born with muscular dystrophy, who lived only a year. In the story she told, she said that she always hoped and prayed for a boy, but she never prayed for a healthy child. And she was given a boy, - not a healthy child. So now, she hopes and prays for a healthy child, and doesn't care about the gender.

So there's that. I'll go back to the standard line Kevin and I give when people ask us if we're "hoping" for a specific gender: no. We just want a healthy child.

office space

saying hello to Mary, originally uploaded by amy_and_kevin.

Peter and I have a routine that works well for us. Every day, we walk the mile-and-a-half to the school, so that I can do about 30 minutes of work in the office.

While I'm working, Peter entertains himself in a variety of ways: eating animal crackers from a GIANT container that someone donated to my son's obesity fund; throwing around paper from the recycling bin; emptying the contents of the trash can; taking unused textbooks off the shelf; and playing with all of the accessible contents of one particular cabinet, which includes candles, plastic forks and knives, and a classroom set of rosaries. As you can see, the office is well baby proofed.

After Peter's reached his limit for destruction, he runs to the door and says "all done," which is my cue to start getting things ready for our return walk home.

As we leave the school, we always do the following:
- give all of the penguins in the bin by the principal's door a hug;
- say "hello" to the statue of Mary (as in photo above);
- say "goodbye" to the school secretary;
- touch the statue of Baby Jesus's toes;
- run into the auditorium to say "goodbye" to the picture of the Pope;
- use the restroom.

I take very little credit for this routine. Peter's made it up himself, after several visits to the school. I think I might have encouraged him to touch Baby Jesus's toes, and I alway remind him that we have to wash our hands after going to the restroom. But that's about it: the rest is all Peter.

free exploring

mixed messages, originally uploaded by amy_and_kevin.

Today we took advantage of the free admissions day at the Exploratorium. For those of you who haven't been (which I am assuming is the greater proportion of our blog readership), this is one of the best museums I've ever been to. It's a science museum along the "please touch!" lines, and most of the exhibits look like something my crazy engineer dad would put together if he had the spare parts sitting around.

Even though it was crazy crowded inside the museum, we had a great time. Peter seemed to genuinely like several of the exhibits - especially any that involved lights or water. I wasn't sure how much he would like the museum, since it is a science museum, but I forgot how much of it is kinesthetic/visual. So, even though he had no idea that the balls bouncing in the tube represented gas molecules, he still liked watching them.

In fact, the only complaint I have with the Exploratorium isn't with the museum itself, but rather with the parents who let their kids either (1) monopolize exhibits, to the point of grabbing blocks out of other people's hands or (2) jump in front of you and take things from your hands. I try to keep in mind that it is technically a children's museum, but still: your child really needs to learn to wait his turn and to share. And if he doesn't, I'm not blaming him, I'm blaming you, Bad Parent.

Peter's favorite exhibit might have been the toddler play area, full of Ikea toys and small chairs. His favorite activity in this exhibit might have been pulling a chair out from under another little girl, a la Toddler Three Stooges. I watched it all happen in slow motion, as if powerless to stop the girl from falling on her bottom. Luckily, little ones bounce pretty well.

After we reached our capacity for science and crowds, we headed across the street to Crissy Field, to check out foggy views of the bridge and to see birds and other wildlife. The winds help give life to something else pretty wild: Peter's hair.

just-do-it july

, originally uploaded by amy_and_kevin.

(Completely gratuitous and unrelated picture of Peter here, but I feel naked blogging without a photo. This is from our adventures at the park today, when he wasn't playing in the water fountain.)

July's theme is "just do it," will all apologies to Nike. The subtitle to July is, "because if it's not getting done now, it's not getting done ever." These are my final weeks to accomplish all of those silly projects that get started and then don't get finished or need to get done but never get started to begin with.

So far, it's been crazy productive. The kids' room (that's right, I used the plural possessive: the room now is ready for two children to inhabit!) is freakishly clean and organized.* The bassinet is full of newborn-sized diapers, receiving blankets, swaddles, the best breastfeeding pillow on the market, and LT's own cuddle bear.**

The toys are significantly cleaner and slightly more organized than before. Peter's outgrown clothes are put inside the "Outgrown Clothes Bin" rather than piled on top of it. I cleaned, reassembled, and put away the yard-sale booster seat find. I replaced several photos with updated versions, and hung two new frames as well. And, I hung curtains in the kids' room. (This didn't go so well; the curtains came down right away. I suspect that we'll forgo the curtains and I'll reuse them for some future sewing project.) I even managed to temper some of the craft mess that's threatening to take over any flat space in the house.

Tomorrow, I think I'll pack some bags for the hospital. This is important, since Kevin and I didn't exactly do the best job the first time around, and I'm really, really, really looking forward to staying in the hospital.***

* it's days like today that make me happy to have switched over to vinegar-and-water for my cleaning solution. I think Peter, LT Smash and I might have asphyxiated if we'd used something more caustic. As it is, I think we're slightly pickled.

** Peter doesn't realize this is his brother or sister's bear. It could cause problems.

*** Not a joke! It's like a little holiday...

cute, and bad

Cute:

Peter can do the hand motions for the Itsy Bitsy Spider, and will "request" it if you ask what song he wants to sing. He also kind of sings along. He's working on Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star as well.

Bad:

Today, after his swimming lesson, Peter found a doll on a park bench. His first instinct? Poke the doll in the eyes. His second instinct? Throw it in the trash.

Poor LT Smash. We'll get you some goggles and hide all of the trashcans.

sigh...he's a toddler

pretty pretty princess, originally uploaded by amy_and_kevin.

Lately, thwarting King Peter's wishes results in one of two reactions from His Royal Highness:

- a banshee-like cry of protest, so loud and shrill as to temporarily stun you into submission or;
- a profound and sudden wailing as if he had just been seriously injured, ruined slightly by the very fake nose-scrunching and the checking-to-see-if-you're-paying-attention.

He's still fun and adorable and full of life and personality. See the photo above? This is one of his favorite games: having me put my barrette in his hair so that he can rip it out. Rinse, repeat. (He usually looks MUCH more like a girl; in this photo, he's looking a little bloated and butch.)

But...he's also becoming a little more challenging. Especially when the things he wants to do are Not Very Safe or Hygienic: to play in the parking lot, to play in the toilet, to dig through the trash, to play under the sink where the chemicals and garbage is kept.

I'm trying to keep my reaction to this new exhibition of strong will consistent. Crying should NOT be an avenue toward getting what he wants. At the same time, I'm trying to be reasonable in saying "no" to him - to not just say "no" just because I have other plans. And it certainly could be worse. I just suspect our days of toting him along with minimal complaint as we go about our daily lives might quickly be coming to an end.

pilot Peter

driving the 747, originally uploaded by amy_and_kevin.

Last Saturday we visited the Hiller Aviation Museum, just a few miles up the freeway from us. We suspected Peter would love it, since airplanes are a Very Favorite Thing.

We were correct: Peter did love it. He especially liked all of the cockpits and simulators which featured many, many buttons to push and flip. He really liked flipping buttons in the 747 cockpit (photo above).

He also enjoyed watching the planes and helicopters take off from the regional airport just behind the museum.

found: leftover valentine's day candy

found: leftover valentine's day candy, originally uploaded by amy_and_kevin.

How does he know? Seriously, while Peter is hourly surprising me with the things he knows, I'm always the most amazed when he's able to find (the least healthy and most dangerous) food and know exactly what it is.

Here, while going through my bag (another favorite pastime), Peter found some leftover Valentine's Day candy. One of those delicious cherry lollipops, to be specific. He honed in on the candy like Antonin Scalia on the Second Amendment, and promptly took it away to eat. When he discovered that the cellophane wrap would pose a problem, he took it to Kevin to be opened.

For his part, Kevin refused to give Peter the lollipop, partly because it would be a serious choking hazard, partly because Peter had no need for the sugar, but mostly because it was 7:30 a.m.

the home stretch

Things have been quiet here at the FDR household. We're not on fire, although our days are increasingly hazy and the air is getting a little more toxic. Sometimes, we can smell "campfire smells" depending on how the wind blows, but usually it's just dismal looking outside.

We're slowly but surely getting ready for LT Smash's arrival. This week finds me at 34 weeks pregnant, which means that in as few as three weeks I could give birth to a full-term baby. Now that we have a few essentials down (like diapers and a babysitting grandmother to visit), I find myself excited, not anxious, for the weeks ahead.

The things we still need for LT are pretty superficial. Socks and a mobile are at the top of the list.*

Like my pregnancy with Peter, it's been really easy. No morning sickness, very few food aversions, no odd food cravings, easy sleep, and no physical discomfort other than from carrying extra weight. I'm very lucky, and I know it, and I'm not bragging - just thankful.

Clearly, the most difficult part of the next few weeks is trying to continue on with our lives while planning to have our lives turned upside down. We're lining up child care for Peter for labor/delivery; we're trying to get as much planning done before August rolls around; and we're trying to pack in as much pre-newborn fun as we can afford.

Planning for Peter's care is the most difficult aspect, and it makes me realize just how protective I am of him and his routine. I've told Kevin that, depending on how labor/delivery goes, he's free to go home and put Peter to bed. This isn't our default plan, of course, but it certainly is my preferred plan if I happen to give birth anytime before 6 p.m. and the baby is fine.

As the end nears, I find myself becoming a little more paranoid about LT Smash and his health. I check myself almost hourly for signs of preeclampsia and suddenly develop a fear that the fetus hasn't moved in days. So far, thankfully, both fears are unfounded.

So, yes. An uninteresting check in on my uninteresting pregnancy. Check back in three to six weeks for some real news.

* Actually, a crib is at the top of the list, but since we have a bassinet we're not in any kind of hurry. Plus, I don't think we're going to be able to fit a crib in the car without taking out the carseats, so we'll have to work around that one.

spin city

spin city
Originally uploaded by amy_and_kevin

Here's something to keep your toddler happy.

I also think it mimics the effect of heroin on the nervous system. It really makes him seem stoned when he's done.