Drumroll Please....

May I Have The Envelope Please...

So I lied... Something else did happen in April and I do have a picture.  It just wasn't on my camera.

Here's the first picture of Cubby... aka... The Cub.  Only 10 weeks old and trying so very hard to get his/her short arm to his/her mouth.  Do we have another thumb sucker on our hands?

And here's The Cub today at 18 weeks.

Wow!!!  They grow so fast and look where that hand is hanging out.  Cubby's appointment took twice as long as River's, because he/she was literally doing somersaults and getting clear pictures for measurements was quite the task.  Everything was normal and the gender is.....

It's a surprise!  We won't know till Saturday.

One of these cards was placed in the mystery envelope by the ultrasound technician and the other one was probably thrown out like yesterday's pizza.  It does kind of suck that an envelope gets to know the gender of my baby before I do, but I am doing awesome at not peeking.  Talk about Lil Power... it's like will power... get it??? Anyway...  Any guesses before Saturday evening?

Time Line

I am starting to feel almost human again.  Washing the dishes, or showering aren't such a drain anymore and I have a little energy left at the end of the night to catch up on some blogging.  Unfortunately between River's later bed time (he still goes to bed at 8:30, but then we fight him for an hour as we try to keep in bed, now that he's not in a crib) and my earlier bed time (5:30 am alarm for work), I don't have a lot of time.  So here is a super speedy update of things I missed while in the land of the half dead and vomiting.

Easter Weekend (April 7th and 8th)

On the Saturday before Easter we went to a little Egg Hunt at my friends' town homes.  It was the perfect size and most of the kids were little, so no crazy competitions.  We were supposed to go looking for houses that day, but the realtor canceled at the last second.  This is why River has an orange short on and a Halloween basket.  Just mark it up as another episode of A Ghetto Mom Tries.

(I just love River's hair in this pic.  Does anyone else think 90210?)

On Easter Sunday we had a beautiful time at church and then spent the afternoon at at a dinner with friends. We had an Easter Egg Hunt just for the three kids and this time River looked a little more Eastery.  After he stopped and ate all the candy from the first egg he found, he did great for the rest of the hunt.  All of the kids were pretty good at sharing eggs they found too.

Getting ready for the hunt.




Looking for eggs and airplanes.




April 9th Tragedy Strikes-River Gets A Hair Cut

Okay, maybe that is a little dramatic, but it was tragic to me.  I was living vicariously through all the compliments I got daily on my sons curls... it was almost as if I had beautiful curly hair, that was gorgeous even if it was messy, but my husband (who has long, curly hair btw) said it needed to be cut.

Before

 (Unsuspectingly sitting in his airplane.)

During

Who knew life could be so hard with a succor in each hand and riding in an airplane, with a tv playing cartoons in front of you???  This was his first haircut with scissors... guess we'll be going back to the flowbee.

After

Semi recovered thanks to a balloon and some extra succors.  One reason I hate cutting River's hair is that he always looks so much older.  Seriously, I feel like I need to buy him a back pack and enroll him in school, but he does look so handsome.

The rest of April-???

I honestly don't remember another thing about April.  I don't have any more pictures or videos of the month either.  It's all been lost to the morning sickness vacuum.  Well on to May in the next couple days.

Have You Heard?

All the rumors, assumptions, ponderings, queries, questions and guesses are absolutely true!

Here's a second look in case you couldn't read his tee shirt.

I really did have a sinus infection and ear ache, but the reoccurring death flu was actually morning sickness... though I think death flu is a more appropriate description.  We are all just as happy about it as I am sick, so believe me, that is pretty darn happy.  I will celebrate once my food options don't all sound like puke or snot and I actually enjoy eating again.  With so many people battling weight problems, I think we forget that appetites and cravings are a blessing too.  I'm hoping mine is on the way back soon.

I found out I was pregnant March 8th.  The same day I was hired at my new job.  They didn't have me start for a couple weeks, just long enough to let the morning sickness kick into full gear.  I have prayed my way through every work day since and made it to the parking lot before puking.  I also made it through with my secret in tact... not an easy task... especially while wearing sea band bracelets to combat nausea and claiming it was because I get motion sickness from the office chairs swiveling... Really people?  You bought that?

So having done it both ways, keeping it secret for almost 15 weeks this time and putting it on my blog an hour after I found out last time, I can officially say I will never keep it secret again.  You have to lie way too much when you get as sick as me, plus it made me way more paranoid about miscarriage.  I would tell everyone if I miscarried anyway, so they may as well get the good news before the bad news.  The first time around, the congratulations and good cheer helped me through the sickness, plus wiped out any fears.  Keeping it secret left me with little to do besides worry.

So why didn't I cave in and let the cat out of the bag?  I realized I hadn't told a single soul in person last time... besides Bear.  As luck would have it, my cousin was getting married in May and my sister in-law was having a baby the first week of May as well.  We had perfect reasons to meet up with both sides of the family and tell them in person.  The closer the time came, the more that kept happening to ruin the surprise, including a trip to the emergency room 24 hours before my plane left to Florida.  However, the universe cannot mess with my stubborn streak and we pulled it off!

Surprising my family on Mother's Day... i.e. Best present ever!




Surprising Bear's family later that week.



Thanks for reading everyone and indulging me in my sickness complaints... they've been busting to get loose for months now, but I'll try to keep them to a minimum.  The Cub is due November 15th and should he/she choose to cooperate, we'll find out the gender in three weeks.  Can't Wait!!!

Alternative titles to this post...

Oops... We Did It Again.

The Plus Sign Heard Round The World

and

The Boobs Are Back In Town

Our Furrrst Baby

I have to take a break from being too "busy" (tired, rundown, sick) to blog and give a Golden Birthday shout out to our first little babe Noodle Battlecat Bear.  He turned seven on the seventh today and was treated with extra food, treats and attention... or as he puts it... finally almost enough food, treats and attention.

He gave us a run for our money before we had a kid and now there are days where he almost pushes us over the limit.  A typical night is finally getting River down and then right on cue Noodle starts to howl non-stop for.... not sure what... if only we could figure that out.  I guess he just thinks it is his turn.  But that's what family does... constantly stretch our hearts out bigger and bigger, making us more loving, kind and patient than we ever could have become on our own.  I had two friends lose their fur-babies this week.  My heart breaks for them.  I will always hold my neurotic vampire/snap-dragon/rattlesnake/kitty close to my heart, but not close to my face, because it freakin hurts getting bit on the face.  We love you Noodle and thanks for being so good to the little man who is adding years onto your life faster each day.