halfway

I am currently in the 20th week of this pregnancy, and it's become visibly obvious that we're adding another to our crew:

People often ask me how I'm feeling, and my usual reply is "mostly fine." Which is completely true. The nausea of the first trimester seems a thing of the distant past, I'm still sleeping relatively well (thank you, Memory Foam), and even though I tire out more easily, I can still summon enough energy to function on a daily basis.

But even so, I'm starting to sense that the second trimester "honeymoon" will be coming to an end soon. My middle has grown enough to shove my stomach and lungs out of the way, making eating and breathing more of a challenge than a pleasure; I often get thrown off guard by searing sciatica nerve pain and obnoxious ligament pain; and the Braxton-Hicks contractions I'm so prone to have begun, though, thankfully, not yet in earnest. Oh, and let's not forget the early stages of Not Being Able to Bend Over. That's probably my favorite.

I fully plan to make the most of these next several weeks of "mostly fine" before they start to make themselves scarce. And besides, this baby's movements tickle me in the most intimately charming way, and what's not to enjoy about that?

Last week I went in for the 20 week anatomy ultrasound scan. The whole family came because historically this has been the appointment with the best images, including a few in 3D. Unfortunately the baby was a little uncooperative, and the tech was unable to take some critical measurements of both his heart and face. Which on the one hand means we didn't get to see much, but on the other means we get to go back for a follow-up in a few weeks, so that's another thing to look forward to.

Overall, this pregnancy has been racing by, likely because, with so many other little ones in my life to think about and care for, I haven't been able to sit down for much of it. But seeing as one of those little ones is napping and the other two are outside "scootering" with their dad, I think I will go take advantage of this unusually quiet moment by curling up on my bed.

handmade christmas

Christmas was magical at our house this year, as the holiday tends to be with young children around to enjoy it -- even despite the few Christmas Eve episodes of upset stomach that Garrett was dealing with that disrupted our annual Walk Around Dinner. (I must say, though, that a vomiting child isn't nearly so bad if they're able to make it to the bathroom unassisted.)

Santa was able to make a few dreams come true for everyone. Blake scored a book he's been wanting, as well as a nice pair of slippers. I think I won Best Gift, though, with the most amazing memory foam mattress topper. I have never slept so comfortably in all my life. After only one night on it (Blake gave it to me early), I can already assure you that it is a pregnant woman's dream come true.

Garrett had a scientific Christmas, with a few space related items and a kid's chemistry set. Caleb got the yo-yo he desperately wanted, but I think his favorite gift is the plush Linus doll from the Kohl's Cares line. Both bigger boys were also introduced to the world of real "little" Legos. Matthew, meanwhile, spent most of the day with his new Castleworks Marble Run as well as his new Snoopy doll.

After the excitement of the morning, we spent the day playing with and then trying to find homes for new toys amongst the old. We also fed a ham dinner to a companionship of elders, and spoke to my family via video call. It's been a good day.

But my original intent for this post was to share some of the gifts I made this year for loved ones. First up are the NYC subway tree ornaments that I gave to my parents and in-laws. I also made a set for our tree. I'd been wanting to make these for a few years now, and I really like how they turned out.

I've always felt a little guilty that the baby blanket I made for Garrett was mostly sewn before I knew I was pregnant and was therefore a little too floral and girly. When I found a space-themed panel at City Quilter a few months ago, I knew it would make for an awesome blanket for my first not-so-much-a-baby-anymore little boy. So that's what I made for Garrett. He's snuggling with it in his bed right now, and told me when I tucked him in that it was one of his favorite gifts. Score!

Caleb is all about imaginative play these days, and has been asking for an apron like Garrett's that was just for him. I made him one out of a tea towel.

When we were in Lancaster County, PA this summer, I found a panel of fabric to make a cloth book version of the Saggy Baggy Elephant. It didn't turn out quite as well as I'd hoped, but it's cute enough.

And that, in addition to a simple tree skirt I made from an old round red gingham tablecloth (and which I have no photo of; you'll see it, I imagine, in pictures of next year's tree) was my handmade Christmas. Not as DIY as some people shoot for, but it was almost more than I could handle. But I do so love making things for the people I love, especially when they love them in return.

our year in song: the 2013 playlist

I know I've mentioned before that Blake and I like to make a playlist each December that signifies, through song titles, lyrics, or just because it's a number we fell in love with sometime during the last twelve months, the events and emotions we experienced during the year. We recently finished this year's playlist. Here is what made the cut. (Feel free to click the links for YouTube versions of each song, however, please know that I am not responsible for any weird videos.)

Our Year in Song: The 2013 Playlist

1. On Top of the World -- Imagine Dragons
2. Homecoming Heroes -- The Head and the Heart
3. Amish Paradise -- Weird Al Yankovic
4. The Way It Goes -- Gillian Welch
5. Radioactive -- Imagine Dragons
6. Despicable Me -- Pharrell
7. Reflektor -- Arcade Fire
8. Harold T. Wilkins, Or How to Wait for a Very Long Time -- Fanfarlo
9. Turn the Page -- Bob Seger
10. The Mountains Win Again -- Blues Traveler
11. Shake It Out -- Florence and the Machine
12. The Beat Goes On -- Beady Eye
13. Baby Elephant Walk -- Henry Mancini
14. All the Pretty Little Horses -- Laura Veirs
15. Homecoming King -- Guster
16. No Light, No Light -- Florence and the Machine
17. Eat for Two -- 10,000 Maniacs
18. Happy Together -- The Turtles

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas

We got the tree,

and the first real snow.

We traveled through Santaland....

...so we could sit/freak out on Santa's lap.

And while we were there, we admired the Macy's holiday windows,

as well as the beautiful truth that we were across the street from "where Buddy's dad works."

It also wouldn't be December without a round of pink eye (Garrett) and heavy congestion that two trips (an initial and a follow-up) to the pediatrician (the second of which took 3 miserably long hours) confirmed is not croup, RSV, or bronchiolitis but rather a really ugly cold (Matthew). (Caleb has so far been happily spared, a fact I'm going to attribute to how seriously he takes washing his hands.)

So we missed our ward Christmas party last night, and today, while everyone else is at church, we'll be hunkering down at home making gingerbread cookies.

Since, well, Christmas comes but once a year, so we might as well make the most of it.

family photos 2013

Back in October, our friend Adam snapped family photos for us. Considering the personalities involved, I think he captured us, and our Brooklyn surroundings, very well. The first batch were taken in the industrial section of Sunset Park, while the second set were taken at the actual Sunset Park.

I have high hopes every year of finally mailing a family Christmas card, but each year either the budget doesn't allow it or I just don't get my act together (and sometimes both!). I suppose there's still a bit of time this year to do something, but in the (let's face it: likely) event that I don't, here are the photos I'd be choosing from to include in the card.

So, Merry Christmas to all of our loved ones!

 

Love, Us

what's in a name?

Having now received some pretty solid evidence that we'll be welcoming another boy (he was not shy during the ultrasound!), we've spent the last few days consumed with name brainstorming. In the process, we looked up the meanings of our other boys' names, and were surprised at how well they actually do fit the three who wear them.

Garrett Blake
Garrett means "powerful with a spear," which doesn't translate the best to his personality, except perhaps in that he occasionally takes his position as the oldest child very seriously. Blake, however, means "pale" or "white," which fits him very well indeed!

Caleb David
According to one site, Caleb means "dog," and on another it means "devoted and whole-hearted." Both work well together, as dogs are often very devoted creatures, and both fit Caleb incredibly well. Not only is he quite attached to his stuffed toy dogs, but he is devoted to every endeavor he attempts (he's the only one in our family, with the exception of his father, who will patiently stick with a difficult puzzle or challenge until he's seen it through), and he sincerely and thoughtfully shares his whole heart with others by observing and acting on the needs of those around him. David means "beloved," which, despite his quick temper, accurately describes this not-forgotten middle child of mine.

Matthew Wiest
Matthew means "gift of God," and he is truly just that. His sweet, mellow, and easy-going personality have made him the ideal third child, and he is an absolute joy to be with. Wiest is a family surname, and one website gave its meaning as "a habitational name for a place named Wiest or Wieste, near Meppen, in northeast Germany." I'm not sure if that's the region of Germany my ancestors hail from, though I suppose it's likely that at least one branch did at one time in history. At any rate, though, with his fair complexion and hair, he most definitely looks like he descends from that part of the world!


Baby Boy #4 is as yet still officially unnamed, though I think we may have settled on one we really like. Which is a relief, seeing as our well of beloved boy names, while never very full, was running particularly dry this time around. Watch for an announcement of his name in the spring once he's born.

anothuh brothuh

A few nights ago, our Chinese takeout provided us with the following puzzling fortune:

  

 "The rubber bands are heading in the right direction."

I posted it on Facebook and everyone tried to divine what it could possibly mean (aside from the obvious mistranslation).

Today I learned that those rubber bands are continuing to head in the direction of rubber band guns and sling shots.

Meaning, of course, that our boyz are gettin' anothuh brothuh (because apparently we only make one kind of baby).

The next big question is: Will he be blond?

thankful

A few things I found myself thankful for this Thanksgiving:

1. Feasts

Obviously we, like the rest of the country, gobbled up traditional fare at our Thanksgiving table, but first I feasted on multicultural foods at Caleb's classroom Thanksgiving party. Meat pies, pierogis, bruschetta, homeade hummus and pita bread, some sort of delicious Egyptian dessert, rice prepared in a variety of ways, Mexican spiced guacamole.... the list -- and buffet -- seemed never-ending. This is the kind of thing that results when your child's classmates, many of whom are first-generation Americans, hail from a wide variety of countries, and one of the things I love about Brooklyn.

2. Friends

We weren't blessed to get to spend the holiday with family, but we were able to finagle a fabulous dinner with a incredible group of friends. Just as we did a few years ago, we again organized a Thanksgiving potluck for anyone in the ward who had no other special plans and didn't necessarily want to spend the holiday eating alone. It was well attended, with 8 families who joined us, and, because none of have room in our homes for that kind of crowd, it was held at the church. Everyone prepared a few dishes to share, and we ended up cooking the turkey. We did our best to make things cozy and more home-like, and even moved the foyer couches into the Primary room for lounging/movie watching while we let our dinner settle enough for dessert. I can't speak for everyone, but I know that we had a great time.

Another addition to this year's dinner was the kid's table. Matthew did remarkably well eating all on his own.

3. The New York Hall of Science

Thanks to an Amazon Local deal, we had discounted tickets to visit the New York Hall of Science. So instead of dealing with the hassle of Black Friday insanity, we enjoyed a bit of scientific serenity at the museum. The boys were in heaven. Garrett loved the space clouds exhibit as well as watching paramecium move around on slides under a microscope; Caleb loved the wind tunnel demonstration; and Matthew took to stacking blocks wherever he could find them. Blake loved that they had an entire section devoted to the science of perception, and I found particular pleasure in the fact that Garrett and Caleb were so fascinated with the science behind human births. (Garrett: "That's how a baby comes out of your tummy?!" Ha! But before you cry inappropriate, know that it was for an display on the evolutionary development of a narrow pelvis in upright-walking humans, and it was about as non-graphic as you can make a demonstration on that topic be.)

Rockets at the entrance were a promising sign that they'd have a great day.

 Fun with the hall of mirrors.

Mesmerized by space clouds.

 Stuffing lightweight scarves into the wind tunnel tubes.

 Demonstrating the science of stacking.

 "So that's how a baby comes out of your tummy?!"

 They spent the longest at this exhibit, and had to come back one more time before we went home.

4. A Cleaner House

All the other spare moments of the weekend were spent rediscovering lost surfaces in our home, thanks to some blessed decluttering. I tackled the front entryway closet while Blake worked on our bedroom. (Meanwhile, the boys made lots of messes in the rest of the house.) We tossed a lot of unused stuff, and I'm already feeling a little lighter because of it.


Overall it was a great weekend -- a much needed break from normal life, and a chance to all be together without being weighed down by so much stress. And now we're feeling thankful that the Christmas season is finally upon us. (Garrett was convinced that December 1st was both Christmas Day and the first day of 2014.) Everyone around here are pretty excited for what's coming in the next few weeks.