Happy Halloween!!

I'm sure that you are all out buying candy, making your costume, or trick-or-treating. I'm going insane without my camera. My wine bottle deposit fund has $32 in it. Not enough for a camera, I'm afraid. I'll have to figure something out before we go to see Mr. J in Colorado.

Looks like tree-chopping is in Randy's future. It's windy as all get-out, and I can already see at least two trees laying across the driveway. Ginger is inspecting for squirrels.....out of concern and compassion, for sure.

We figured out why the cats have been driving me insane with their food-begging for the past month. It seems that the battery was dead on Sasha's kitty-kat door....the one that lets her into her food. Soooooooo, she has been eating Princess' food. Then, both Sasha and Princess would harass me all day and ALL NIGHT because they were hungry!!! Not fun. Now, I have to re-train Sasha to use her cat door.

Next life, no pets.

Marshall's Happy Birthday Montage!!

Turn up your volume...there's music with this one!!!

I know that there are more pictures out there, but this is what I have scanned into my computer at this time.

Happy Birthday, Uncle Marshall!!!!

And here he is.......

The birthday boy and his family minus 3.

Happy Birthday, Marshall!!!!

Someone is having a Birthday!!!

Tomorrow is a big day for someone. Can you guess who it is??
It's not me, that's for sure. I'll tell you tomorrow on October 26.

wiediger medical update

The Dr thinks Craig may have Lymes disease...why the other 2 doctor's didn't think of that when they saw the enormous bullseye rash we'll never know.

He had a bunch of bloodwork done for Lymes and a couple of other tick borne illnesses. Also had an EKG and the ticker looks great. He started an antibiotic for Lymes and should feel better in 36 hours...if it is Lymes. We hope they caught it in time and I hope he starts to feel better soon. It's hard to see him so tired all the time.

Mason is sleeping at my parents tonight. We thought Craig was going to be admitted, so they took Mason. I called to say "goodnight" and the first thing he said was "What time do I go to bed?" and he was all revved up. Had a dilly bar with Nana and Pop after 7:00pm....they will all be up until at least 10:00 now. He told Nana he "always goes to bed at 10:30". He was sooooo excited to go. He loves his Nana and Pop!

Mason's room is all back together now. And he loves it and so do I!! His curtains and comforter go well with the color. Of course last night he was cranky and overly tired and said "I want a yellow room not a green room". It will be nice to have him back in his room.

How did they do it during the "Little House on the Praire "days? Living in one room homes or 2 room homes? God knew what He was doing by letting me be around in the 20 th and 21st Century. Caroline I am not!!!

At the grocery store they had some scary witch figures out..the kind with the really wrinkled faces (look like the dried apples) and Mason said if he ever saw one in real life he would "cut it's head off". Ahhh, I didn't know what to say to that one, so I changed the subject. But then, the empathetic and compassionate side of him came out and he said "Mom, those people shouldn't use those decorations. A baby might see it and be scared and have nightmares." He is always thinking of others who are younger than him. My little sweetie.

While we were working on his costume yesterday he said "Mom! What if a 2 year old takes these glasses off of my face?!?!" He isn't too thrilled with 2 year olds!! We had a couple in the house this summer who were very confident, adventurous, and physically bossy, so he is always scheming against the 2 year olds. Any important "document" or "artifact" has to go up high or in a secret place so a "2 year old doesn't get it". We'll see what happens when his brother is 2 years old.

Mason is also into jokes right now. It is so fun. And he is into the gag jokes. He has this gag that looks like a spilled shake and he has had so much fun with it. What a hoot!!

Must be having a hormonal minute because I want to go on and on about how much I love the little guy and just how incredible he is. I get worried about the baby coming sometimes, because I will miss all this alone time with Mason, and I worry that I won't be able to love the new little guy as much as I love Mason...because that seems almost impossible..even though friends reassure me it isn't. Well, this is getting sappy. I'll journal the rest here at home.

Move baby move

OK, although the baby to the left of this post probably looks like the child I am carrying, I am wondering why the virtual baby is not kicking, or punching, or wiggling, or pinching, etc...How I wish this little guy was just floating serenely (spelling?) around with an occasional "bump" into the walls. Of course I am reassured by the baby's movements...but you moms out there know what I mean :)

Ok, enough for tonight.
(I decided to break up the posts instead of having one incredibly long boring one. This way you get the ramblings and incoherent stories in short bursts.)

I LOVE this blogging thing. I feel like I have a captive audience and I can go on and on and on and on and on without having to stop...even if no-one is reading this.

Thank you Alyssa!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alyssa came and played with Mason today while I ran errands. It was GLORIOUS!!!! Mason was so excited she was coming he made her two pictures the night before. This morning he woke me up with "MOM!!!! When will Alyssa be here?!?!?!?!"

I think she played with the jungle animals for 2 hours straight with him...bless her heart!! He was in his GLORY. Could have cared less when I left, and didn't care when Craig got home. Craig was even able to take a nap until I got home because Alyssa was here. So, we are ever grateful for Alyssa's time and care of Mason!!! It is so nice to have someone you can fully trust with your child!! I just left without any reservations or hesitation.

Mason is spending his last night in our room tonight. His room is still a little fumy. Lots of intense family time lately that's for sure!!

Cathy is coming over on Wed to make Mason's costume. We are all very excited about this!!! And Mason is especially thrilled that she is spending the night!! Cathy, Mason and I have worked out some stuff for the anntenae and eyes. I would love your opinion before I glue it all together permanently.

Craig sees the Dr tomorrow afternoon. I am wondering if it's Lymes Disease. The rash he had looks exactly like the Lymes Disease rash. He has another new one on his leg, so he can show the Dr that. I hope they figure this out. His energy level is getting worse. I've never seen him so fatigued before, especially for so long.

well, nothing more to note. No mice in the traps. I think they are all gone and I do LOVE my closet now. Just need to get Mason back in his room, re-wash the baby stuff and dust our room and the upstairs will be ready. OK, i am just rambling random thoughts in my brain now.

Oh, Aunt Janis you were right (again) about Derek's show. He found out today that the show has been canceled. And he needed to be evacuated from the job location because of the wildfires. I hope he can find some new work soon.

Oh, Educational Pregnancy Fact of the Day: The uterus expands 500 times it's normal size during pregnancy. I think mine has expanded 800 times.

We're Different

At snack time today, Mason commented:"Mom, we're different. You have a sweatshirt on, I don't. You have bigger nipples, I don't. You are eating a popsicle, I'm eating icecream."

Glad that's been cleared up.

Time to call in Haz-Mat

OK, so my closet has been really STINKY!!! This afternoon, Mason and I went on a dead mouse hunt and started pulling everything out of my closet. And there, in the middle of the room, under a folder, just INCHES away from the baby's car seat was the dead mouse.
DISGUSTING!!!! Craig came up and removed the mouse and we took everything out of this closet. Thankfully we didn't find anymore, although there were plenty of mouse droppings, but no nests. I used bleach water on everything in there and on the walls and floors.

(I think Mason was hoping we would find more dead mice, he even thought this one looked "cute" even though it was dead.)

It was a big project, and one I had hoped to do in stages, not all at once. Now I need to rewash all the baby items that were in the room because I am so grossed out. I know the mouse just died a few days ago, because I had just moved the folders around that he was lying under. Gross. We have set a ton of sticky traps and regular traps in there. Aunt Janis...I will listen to you from now on. But I have a wonderful closet now!!! Not perfect, but at least it doesn't look like a junk room and I can move around in there.

My mom sprained her ankle at work today. I picked her up and brought her home...talk about the "lame" leading the "lame". (I can barely move because my stomach is so big and everything is so sore. It's time for physical therapy again for my back. Siatic stuff acting up again.) My mom hopes to return to work on Wed. Her ankle is pretty sore and she sprained the good one. They x-rayed it, so she is sure it isn't broken. At least it happened at work and she can get paid for it, but too bad it didn't happen on her midnight shifts which start up again next weekend.

Tomorrow night Mason can finally sleep in his own room (I hope). The paint fumes really weren't all that bad, but I want to be sure there aren't any before he goes back in there. Today I
remembered I have a tin lizard I can hang on his wall. I have been trying to figure out where to hang this lizard, and now I know!! I can't wait to show him tomorrow!!!

Mason has been sleeping at the foot of our bed on an airmattress, so there is no room to walk at the foot of the bed. I have to crawl into the bed and across the bed to get to my side. Last night Craig slept in the room too, so whenever i had to get out of bed in the middle of the night, I had to crawl across the bed, over Craig in the pitch black and then do the reverse to get back into bed. That was a feat in itself. Dragging this ol' large belly around like that. I should have switched sides with him...wasn't thinking. He is sleeping downstairs tonight because he has to get up early for work.

And last night I went to bed at 9:30 because I had a couple of very, very strong contractions, and wouldn't you know it, little Mason was up until 11:30!!! So I was up until 11:30, then he decided to get up before 7:00 this a.m. Crazy night and day!!! I can't wait until our house is back in order. Alyssa is coming over tomorrow, so I am going to use some of that time to nap and to straighten up. And I am pretty sure that I will not make it until my due date. It is just a gut feeling...but I was sure I was having a girl too...so we will see. But having contractions this strong at 35 weeks must mean something. I am shooting for the 16th of November.

Aunt Janis...when I started this incredibly loooong post, you were dressed as a witch...or is that called "goth?", and now you are a man with short blonde hair. How fun!!

Yes, it's snowing in Colorado

Just so you know, it is now snowing in Colorado.
Yesterday is was 70 degrees (F... that's 21 C for all you Canadians) and today I woke up to a little bit of snow (you might have to look hard to see it...)

Colorado/Denver drivers are now officially the worst drivers I have ever seen. There was exactly zero accumulation, and everybody was driving ~20 mph under the speed limit. But everyone wants to at least feel like they're going fast, so they stay within 5 feet of the car/semi in front of them. I expect my blood pressure to double before the end of winter, and I'll probably earn the title of 'Angriest driver this side of the Mississippi'.

On a related note, I had a squirrel try and come into my apartment, today - he slammed into my sliding glass door with a large *thud*. After this he stared me down for the next 30 minutes, as if to say "C'mon, now - open the door. It's cold outside, and now my head hurts."

PU!!!!!

Well, Aunt Janis, I should have listened to you about the D-Con. My closet REEKS!!!!! It's a walk-in and full everything right now as we get ready for the baby. I knew I was going to have to clean it out before this little guy arrived, and now I definitely have an incentive to get a move on it. I hope they are not in the walls, although the thought of dead mice somewhere in my closet isn't a pleseant thought. But, hopefully they are all dead now.

Craig is painting Mason's room green as i type this. I am so excited!!! My dad is going to call this afternoon to see if Craig needs some help. I hope he can help Craig because Craig still isn't feeling the greatest...not a whole lot of energy. Last night Mason asked if Craig could paint "swirlys" on his walls. I told him no, probably not. Then Mason asked if it was because swirlys were for girls. I told him "no, we just don't have time right now to paint extra things". Maybe this summer I can add a little pizzazz to his walls.

Mason has a full blown cold now. Started yesterday. He is pretty miserable, but still his cheerful self. Just a little less energetic. Craig still has a low grade fever. He has an appt for Tuesday. I need some healthy people in this house. I am still praying I don't come down with anything. Hopefully the pregnancy will give me some protection. Alyssa is coming on Monday afternoon, so that will be helpful. I have been disinfecting the house daily, and Mason should be done with this cold by then.

The visit with my mother-in-law went well. The mice didn't show up while she was here....thank goodness!!! That would have been mortifying!!!! You know Cathy, I would love for you to stay here next week, but I can't promise a germ free or rodent free home at this point.

The baby is doing well. Very active and still feels enormous. I figure afterNov 9th, the baby can come anytime and then we can finally refer to him by name!! I can't wait to finally hold him and see him and snuggle him. And watch Mason with him. Well, not much else happening around here. Just getting ready for Halloween and Mason's party (which is in 2 weeks...yikes!) and trying to get Christmas and birthday shopping done before the baby comes. Kind of a crazy time of year!!!

Yesterday

If you want to see what happened yesterday, go here. I didn't want to post the same thing on two different blogs. So, there you go!!

Rain

I'm telling you, there had better be a place in heaven for people (me) who take their dogs for a walk in the absolute, pouring rain.

There is a routine to our morning, and, it seems, that it cannot be deviated from. Shower. Pilates or Bowflex. Nordictrak. Dogwalk. That's it. Well, today it is raining and blowing. I've been taking Gingie for a walk in the rain.....but, you know, it was sprinkling rain. Not torrential rain. Today, I even took an umbrella. To say the least, our walk was the abbreviated version. Ginger's response: insufficient exercise. When we got back------she got a case of 'the naughties'. Now, we compare 'the naughties' to winding up the propeller on one of those balsa wood airplanes. When the rubber band gets as twisted as it can get, you have 'the naughties', and the propeller has to spin. I think it's like that in Ginger's brain. Sometimes if I give her something to chew on, it expends the energy and all is well. Not today. She took the dental chew and started throwing it around the house. In the first picture, you can see the look in her eyes that says 'naughty'. I'm such and excellent (sarc.) photographer, that I even got a picture of the treat flying thru the air. Also, please note the droplets of rain on her back.

Pre-Lupus Ginger has returned!

Be Sure to Watch !!!!!

Tonight Viva Laughlin is on. This is the show that Derek is connected with, I think. It's on at 9PM tonight and according to M&M his name should be in the credits. Laughlin, AZ is a familiar name around here. A lot of Tomahawk Snowbirds flock there for the winter. Now I'll be able to see why they go.
Sounds like the "bug" is going around the house, Jolee. Maybe you should wear a mask and gloves. I'm hoping that the baby will arrive in time for hunting season. What do you think??
Love the new Weather Pixie!!! I never know who I'll be. I think I'm black today but at least my middle isn't showing.

Tums anyone?

Acid Reflux is no laughing matter. I knew it was bad thing, but I didn't realize how bad. If anyone has this problem, my heart goes out to you.

Tomorrow we are supposed to have winds 35-40 miles per hour with 60 mph gusts. Please pray the tree next to our house does not fall onto our home or our neighbors. we are waiting for the tree people to come and prune it way back. Hey, I wonder how the weather pixies will show those high winds?

My mother-in-law is supposed to come tomorrow to spend the night, please pray about that too. But, she might not be able to drive in the weather, so we'll see. With those winds there may be trees down on the roads..she is coming from Hoyt Lakes up on "da range".

Mason's croup hasn't turned into anything, so that is good. Hope it stays that way.

And still no mice or any signs of them!! We haven't seen any when we are up late at night either, so that is promising. My luck, a whole ton of them will come out while my mother-in-law is here, or one will end up in her bed or something.

I think the baby has really grown. He feels ENORMOUS. I hope he isn't too big, for obvious reasons that I won't go into detail about. Mason was 8# 9 1/2 oz. and that was plenty big. His head didn't even get into a cone shape, even with 3 hours of pushing and a vaccum. (He's had a hard head since day 1 :) )

I hope everyone is doing well. Does anyone have big plans for the weekend? Craig is going to paint Mason's room!! Yay. The last big thing that needs to be done before we meet our little son. Of course Mason wants me to paint Cyberchase pictures on his walls. It's nice that he thinks I can do anything; I feel like a "supermom". But, an artist I am not. The walls will remain plain.

Esneezyastees

Mason was practicing his verse for Awanas found in Ecclesiasties (I think I butchered the spelling) and calls the book "Esneezyastees"...which is fitting for this household.

Craig's wierd thing turned into a cold, Mason woke up at 6 am all croupy and needing to use the nebulizer. He couldn't fall back to sleep, but I did convince him to nap later in the a.m. Anytime he gets even just a little cold, he needs the nebulizer. I feel so bad for him and it's frustrating, but at least it isn't as severe as it was when he was younger. i hope he outgrows this.

Craig is now having back troubles, which keeps him up all night, and me all night. Last night he was thrashing all over and I was elbowed in the side several times. Things are not pretty over here. Tonight I am disinfecting the entire house. I would LOVE to wash it all down with bleach water...but won't, because I would want to sniff it the entire time. Wierd thing about this pregnancy and cleaning products.

I called Alyssa and canceled so she doesn't get whatever is going through the house. Mason was tearful, but we rescheduled for Monday, so he perked up a bit.

Cathy, the measuring has been a blast, and now Mason is all into adding and subtracting. It is crazy what children can do on their own. The children I work with can't do that though. There isn't much incidental learning. I wish I could figure out what the missing loop or link was for them.

Well, pretty boring post. Sorry. Thought I was leaking fluid last night, but it turned out to be nothing...was a little stressful. 40 more days to go!!! And I am hoping to go 2 weeks early. That would be...36!!! OK this post is full of babble more than usual.

Steve's Body Double

Well, maybe not 'body', but, is it just me, or does CTV's Steve Murphy look like our own Steve Nelson?


There, Steve, I edited the post and took the 'copy&pasted' picture out, so that you don't have to go all 'Dad' on me in the comments section......

No Worries Mate

My mom took Mason this am and it has been a nice reprieve. The house is so quiet though. I have been worried that the baby hasn't been moving enough the last few days, but with Mason gone and the house so quiet, the baby is moving a ton. A little kickboxer in there today. i think he misses Mason and is usually quiet because he is listening to Mason. Earlier in the summer when Mason would talk to my belly, the baby would become very still and as soon as Mason stopped talking, he would just moving around again. I think it's neat that there is some kind of relationship between them already and that Mason's little brother is responding to him. Seriously though, I can't remember the last time I felt the baby move this much, and Mason being out of the house for an extended period is the only change. It will be interesting to see what happens when Mason comes home.

I thought I would see a mouse for sure with all the quiet, but nothing so far. Maybe it was a rogue. One afternoon (before we saw the mouse) the back door had been left open while we were outside, it may have snuck in then. (I am hoping).

Mason has been doing well as we purchase items for the baby and hasn't seemed bothered by it. So the other day when we were out I asked him if he wanted to pick out a stuffed animal for his brother to which he replied "Yes, but I will get to play with it until he is born" and "Well, i want to pick one out for me". That seemed to bother him. Maybe he can pick one out for his brother and himself.

Does anyone have any ideas for a big brother gift for Mason? We are thinking of getting him a little camera. He has been asking for one and I think he'll be pretty resposible with it when given some guidelines. oh, Mason is home now. bye for now

Yep, I'm 40

The following phrases heard can only mean one thing: "slip this on", "cough", "this might feel a little cold at first", "I'll try to make this quick", and finally "you might feel some pressure". . . For the men in the audience they will know that these are the lyrics from the "40 Years Old Physical Exam" album. I got my copy today. Good news is things went great and I don't have to listen to it again. This is my "week off" and what better way to start it out. I thought I'd throw this out there to balance out wonderful (and descriptive) account of pregnancy that Jolee is providing. Thanks, Jolee for such a wonderful education. I didn't learn this much even when Cathy was pregnant.

I was gone this past weekend to my annual silent retreat in DePere, Wi. It was a wonderfully refreshing time for body, soul & spirit. I took my buddy Steve (left) and Joseph (right) this year. Nice to hear that the Packers won. This week I have to make some serious progress on my kitchen. Here is a before photo. Cabinet doors are removed for upgrades.

I-AM-MERLIN

Mason's favorite new toy right now is Merlin. Remember the red talking toy with buttons back in the 70's or 80's? My dad got me one for Christmas and Mason loves it. Each night he plays a few rounds of Tic Tac Toe or Blackjack before drifting off to sleep. In the morning I am often awakened with the sound of "I-AM-MERLIN.-SELECT-GAME". He's getting pretty good at Tic Tac Toe and he seems to win most of the time on BlackJack.

i think Mason is getting ready for this whole big brother thing. The other day he swaddled up his two teddy bears....he just figured out how to do that on his own, and now the bears wear diapers that he changes throughout the day. They also take naps during the day and come shopping with us. He sings to them and rocks them. It is very sweet. Maybe he'll be a diaper-changing pro by the time the baby arrives?

We have signs posted around the house with animals drawn in circles with lines through them. Mason said it means that those animals are not in the house. So, we can be confident that we do not have tortises in our bedroom, and giraffes and rhinos are not in the dining room or on the dining room table.

In 3 days I can increase my activity, but I don't really know how that can work. When I do have contractions they are getting more intense and painful. I can only hope that will mean I will have a short labor.

On Wed, Alyssa is coming over to hang out with Mason. I can hardly wait!!! I'm not sure what I am going to do with myself. It is really windy and cold here and cloudy. They look like snow clouds, but they aren't really. I wonder what you will be wearing Aunt Janis when it starts snowing? the same little outfit on your weather pixie?

And what happened to Justin and Steve?

Conversations with a 4 year old

On the way home from Cub when we only purchased noodles

Mason: "Mom, did we buy a newspaper?"
Me: "No"
Mason":"We got a newspaper at Cub?"
Me: "No, we didn't get a newspaper."
Mason:" Is that a newspaper in the bag?"
Me:"No honey. There is not a newspaper in the bag?"
Mason:"What is in the bag?"
Me:"Just noodles."
Mason:" What did we buy at Cub?"
Me:"Just noodles."
Mason:"We didn't buy anything else?"
Me:"No Sweethart, just noodles"
Mason:"We didn't buy a newspaper?"
Me: "Nope. We just went into Cub and bought noodles"
Mason:"Oh, I thought we bought a newspaper too."
Me:"Nope, no newspaper, just noodles"
Mason:"Oh"

I am assuming this is something developmental, because we have about 100 of these types of conversations a day. I think he is having a hard time really telling me what he wants to tell me, because when we got home it looked like the plastic bag was wrapped around a newspaper. So maybe he was trying to say that it looked like there was a newspaper in the bag. I hope I can make it through this phase with him with love and patience. Being tired and laid up and bored and having that be the majority of human interaction throughout my day does wear on me. But only5 more days until I can add more activity!!!

We had a beautiful fall day here today! Mason and I went to the park for 2 hours and when we got home Craig was home, so he took Mason for a hike on a new trail near our home. He should sleep tonight. I met a woman at the park pregnant with her 2nd and due on Nov 25th. We are delivering at the same hospital so we might see each other! Although she looked like she could be due in Jan or Feb. She was very tiny and I felt even bigger than i usually do!!!

I hope everyone is having a good weekend!! No sign of mice so far!

Ooops

I was wrong about the food meme. After closer inspection, I realized you are supposed to use fun food facts with each letter of your name. That will require more thinking on my part, because the only thing I know about food is eating it!!

Last night I had a bizarre dream. i went to the hospital to deliver and patients from the mental health ward were staying on the maternity ward because they ran out of room. So i was concerned about that. Then Craig and I delivered the babies...yep, i had twins in my dream. But we just wrapped them up in blankets and put them on the floor. We didn't even know if they were girls or boys. My family showed up and started asking what we had and Craig and I said "i don't know. let's check!" So we unwrapped them and one was a boy and one was a girl. The boy was tiny with a fuzzy head of hair and the girl was enormous, with long dark hair and dark eyes. And we were so excited and loved them to death and couldn't get over how wonderful they were. Pregnancy dreams are always wierd. I also dreamed i was on a submarine, but I can't remember the rest.

Craig went to work today. He feels a little better now that he has been on Prednisone and the chills and shakes have stopped. But......he SNORES now. I think I woke him up at least 10 times last night. Then he must have been dreaming because he kept telling me he gave the "foot stool" I asked for. It was pretty funny, because he never talks in his sleep or dreams.

In honor of the mice, Mason and I made a mouse house today and clay mice. Our theme is Animal Homes, so it went perfect. Then at lunch he was trying to understand the whole Trinity thing and asking all sorts of questions about it. A friend of his told him Jesus is God. I barely understand the Trinity, and explaining it to a 4 year old is almost impossible. Finally he said "Mom, it's hard to explain." Yep.

A Food meme

My friend tagged me with her blog. It is a food meme. I am supposed to come up with a food I like to eat with each letter of my name. I am supposed to tag 8 other people. I only know 2 others who are blogging....that is you Cathy and Aunt Janis. so, tag you are it!!

J is for: Jellybeans and jelly toast

O is for: Omelets..any kind, but especially cheesy ones (Oxiclean granules...I still want to try them, butI haven't)

L is for: Lots of cheesecake

E is for: Eggs, Eggs, Eggs....any which way as long as it is an egg!!

E is for: Everything chocolate

OK, my letters aren't the best for choosing foods.

Apparently I need to cut back on some of my favorite foods, because I gained 4 pounds in 5 days!!!!!!! The nurses said it was because I was weighed in the afternoon vs. the morning and had just eaten lunch, but come on!!! I still have 46 days to go!! Can you imagine if I gained 40 more pounds by the end of this?!? I'll look like a swollen woodtick!! not to mention explode!!!! OR what if the baby is gaining the weight? He would be about 8 pounds by now. That is a terrifying thought.

No mice sightings so far tonight. We are getting the tree next to our house pruned soon, so that may help. The branches are leaning onto the roof, so the mice may be climbing the tree and getting in through the facia or vents. DISGUSTING!!! I feel so grossed out!!! I'll keep everyone posted though...because I know everyone is dying to know how this turns out :)

All Creatures Great and Small

OK. So Mason is at a friend's house until 6:30 tonight!! I was just relaxing in the silence, turned on the computer so I could blog a post (or post a blog?), turned on the news and just enjoying a quiet moment, when I see a MOUSE creeping along in the living room!!!!!!! a BABY mouse!!! I am guessing where there is one there are more?! Where did it come from?!?

So Craig and I spend about 20 minutes trying to catch it, and Craig did and took care of it. I just wish I knew where it came from. i am thinking upstairs...Lovely. The D-con is out again. The baby ones are too small to set off the traps though. Uggh!! Now I want to go through the house and completely clean it out, organize and sanitize, but I can't.

Although....I had a great Dr appt yesterday. In 7 days I can start adding activity to my day, and I asked if that meant I could start scrubbing my home, and she said YES!!! I have never been more excited to clean in my life!!!! i am also hoping to be able to take Mason to the Aquarium and other fun places. It will be great to get out of the house!! It has been a loooong 21/2 months :)

I brought Mason with me to a hair cut and brow wax, and was explaining how the brow wax worked and he kept saying "They use real wax?? Real wax mom?!? That's what they use?!" and I said "yeah", so Mason looks at me with this wierd look on his face and yells "They put ear wax on your eyebrows?!!!?!!" hahaha i cleared that one up for him.

Craig is still ill. He went to urgent care today and that Dr thinks he may be getting shingles. The Dr at our clinic does not. Sooooo, he is on prednisone, claritin and some other cocktail of drugs, but he says he has a little more energy. He is going to try to work tomorrow. It has been some pretty intense "family time" around here since Sunday. Craig has been home all week and unable to do much, I am laid up on the couch a lot of the time, and Mason continues to be his lovable, energetic self.

So that's all that is happening at the Wiediger household. More mice. We better get them all before this baby is born, or I am moving out! ;-) (hey, I made a face)

Oh, and now that I know men are reading the post, I'll stop the cervix talk and lady business talk. But....if I don't see any posts from you then I will assume you are not reading the blog and I will start up again :)

Carboard is a lifesaver

not much to update on. Craig is still ill. He has missed 2 days of work...very unusual for that man. I'm trying to take it easy (whatever that really means :) ) and Mason remains as chipper and positive as ever.
I was frustrated this am because my hair straightner died on me and Mason came in the bathroom and was commenting on my hair (it did look ridiculous) and then he said "But I still love you mom!!!!" and gave me a huge hug. what a sweetie!!

We have found a way to help him burn energy in the house....Cardboard!! He has a huge piece he uses to slide down the stairs with!! It is hilarious! He FLIES down the stairs. And if someone holds the cardboard for him he can use it like a slide instead of a sled. Who needs a playground?
It finally stopped raining, so I brought him outside to run some laps in the backyard. The ground is too wet to play in. Hopefully he'll sleep well tonight.

There is a new bakery in Superior that makes gluten-free foods. I had Sundried Tomato Feta bread yesterday...It was fabulous!! I also bought a pizza crust and we had pizza last night that tasted like REGULAR pizza!!! I felt so normal and felt like I died and went to heaven!!!

So, that is all that is happening here. Anything new anywhere else? How is the car running Steve?
Cathy any ideas about that costume for Mason? I am stumped.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

I just have to complain obout the Tomahawk Weather Pixie! It says 46 degrees and I'm dressed in a shirt with my middle showing. Everyone else has a coat and I'm dressed for Florida. What's up? Love the guy pixies tho!!!

Finally a new car

So after driving my Chrysler minivan for about 7 years a new day has dawned. Last week I took ownership of my "new" used set of wheels. In a matter of hours I rocketed my cool points off the chart from where I was. It is a 2005 Acura TSX. It is AWESOME! Best of all it gets great gas mileage (approx 34 on hwy). Since I've been putting on 800 miles per week, that should help. To give some perspective lets draw some comparisons: 7 years of no A/C - now full A/C with dual climate control and heated seats. 1 year of AM radio and sometimes FM - now AM/FM/XM 6disc CD. 1 year of drivers window that needed lots of help closing - now one word - moonroof. 185,000 miles on the van - 35,000 on the new car. Let's just say a much needed upgrade. Play your cards right and you could get a ride.

Geritol Anyone?

OK, so I am on more "rest time" and more limited in what I can do. Craig has a fever, chills and severe lower back pain. Dr gave him high dose of Ibuprofen and Loritab. Poor Mason, his "old" parents are falling apart already!! We are in saaad shape over here. Is this the life we are going to have for our children? I can hear us now "Mason have you seen my dentures?" "Mason, can you get my walker please?"

Yep. I would recommend to anyone to have children before the age of 35 if possible. I understand sometimes it just doesn't work out that way. Craig will be 60 years old when this baby turns 18 and I will be 55. WHOA!!! We'll be the parents at graduation that everyone thinks are the grandparents!!

The Unisom is still working!!! Hooray!! We set up the stroller today which makes me feel better. Just a million more things to get done now before number 2 arrives! Craig has quite a few days off this month, so I told him as soon as he's feeling better it's whip crackin' time!!:)

The Weather Pixies are off again in Duluth. It is HOT and MUGGY, but overcast and rainy. Maybe a little bit of sun peeking through now, but not much. At least my character is wearing a cute dress. That was nice to see:) (Cathy I don't know how you make all those cute faces when typing)

Mr Unisom brought some sleep

Thank you Lord for Unisom!!!!! And that is safe to take when pregnant!!!
I talked to the Nurse Practioner yesterday evening and she said I could take Unisom to help me sleep. And I did!!! I slept right through the crazy leg thing!! Only had to get up for the restroom breaks, but then fell right back to sleep!! I slept from 9:00-8:30.

(I did lie to Mason when he woke up at 7:30. He asked me if it was still nighttime and I said "yes". He went back to sleep until 8:30) Thankfully it was dark enough outside with the weather so he bought the lie:)

So i'm trying to lie down on the couch and rest, but these high school graduates keep knocking on the door trying to sell magazines!! How annoying!! I would ignore them, but I think they can see me and Mason gets so excited when someone knocks on the door they can hear him. When I declined, this one young man was very angry and wanted to know why. I almost popped him one...but refrained. a little practice in self-control:)

oh, why do the people in Tomahawk and Thunder Bay get to wear the nice dresses? I'm not sure I've seen me wearing one in Duluth on the weather pixies. Not that I wear them in real life though :)

Not much happening here. We did leave the house to get Hoppy some crickets. Mason loves looking at all the animals in the pet store...it's just as much as fun as the zoo and free!!

No Early Birds Please

Had the appt. My cervix is starting to change, so I need to take it easy even more. I guess that means not leaving the house or doing anything. I saw the Nurse Practioner and she wasn't postive the cervix wasn't starting to open. But I had the protein test, and I am not going to deliver in the next 2 weeks. So that is great news! I really, really want to make it until Nov.

The appt was uneventful with Mason. He sat by my head and I brought fun snacks for him to dig and find in my purse. He didn't even notice what was going on. Thank Goodness!!!

The appt freaked me out so I forgot to ask about the Restless Leg thing. I'll call Monday. A co-worker who is 2 1/2 weeks ahead of me takes Ambien to help her sleep through the night prescribed by her OB. Monday I am definitely calling about that!!! I am getting about 3-4 hours of sleep a night and unable to nap because of this stupid leg thing. And now Craig is having some hip problems and isn't sleeping...should be a fun household by this weekend.

Oh, Cathy, yesterday Mason was getting a pair of socks for his friend to wear and he joyfully exclaimed: "Miss Cathy is going to make me lizard socks!!!!!!" I did remind him you were going to try.

I may call Alyssa to see if she wants to make a few bucks some afternoons or Sat days so I can try and get some sleep and/or try to run a few errands. I really need to get Mason's birthday stuff in order and I need to get some shut eye in a serious way.

Aunt Janis, I forgot to drop the CD again. Next week I will bring it in and I will get the pictures posted on here. this little guy looks a lot like Mason in them. Has Craig's nose.
Well, Craig just took Mason to Cub with him, so I am going to try and sleep, after I beat up my leg:)

Cathy, has Justin had his MRI yet? Just wondering how that went for him and if they found out what is going on? I hope he has answers.

PS it is NOT partly sunny in duluth. It has been overcast and raining all day and is going to do so until at least next Sat. Should be interesting since I am supposed to take it easy and not do much. Me and Mason in the house all day together with no chance of escape:)

He's glad he's not a lady

Well, Mason saw me get out of the shower today. His eyes were enormous and I said "Yeah, my tummy is getting really big huh?" as I'm quickly covering up. Mason responds: "THOSE are getting bigger" pointing to my chest. "Why are those bigger?!" he asked with a look of disgust on his face. So I talked about why a little bit to which Mason replied :"I'm glad I'm not a lady!!!"

He is also asking about how the baby comes out and I needed to address it finally today because he was convinced it was going to explode out of my belly button. Hopefully the questions will stop now, because that disgusted him as well...and I really didn't go into any detail at all. Can't wait till I start nursing.

Tomorrow I need to bring him to my OB appt and I am sure they will check my cervix, so I'm not sure how this is going to work. That may be another post!

Well, Nana and Pop bought the baby's stroller and car seat system. I think we are ready now, just need to get the little things..diapers, wet wipes, etc... I just can't wait to see this little guy!! I want to know what he looks like and I can't wait to hold him!!! It's unbelievable that he is due at the end of NEXT MONTH!!!!

I've noticed that my contractions are getting more intense and do feel different. Not sure if that is related to the fact that the baby dropped or not. I hope he stays in here until Nov.

So I'm up with the restless leg thing, and my fatigue is out of control. I am hoping it is just low iron. I'll find out tomorrow. I am also buying the compression socks tomorrow. I was doing fine, but now it is acting up again. i think I may get more sleep once the baby is here.

Well, going to try and sleep. That Craig Fergusen late night show is pretty funny, but maybe that's just because I am so tired?

Oh, last night Mason had his Awana's and he finally had his vest to wear. He has been waiting 3 weeks for this vest and he was so proud to wear it finally to his class. He also did a great job picking out clothing without holes to wear. So he leaves with Craig with his little chest puffed out, vest buttoned up and Cubbies book in his hand. All of sudden they are coming back and the poor guy had a bloody nose. It was everywhere! All over his face, arms, vest, shirt and pants. He was so scared and my heart just broke. It didn't take long to stop, but he was terrified and so upset that everything was dirty now and so afraid the bloody nose would come back. He ended up changing and still going to his class, but I felt so bad for him. It was hard not to cry along with him. It was his first bloody nose and had to happen on the first night he was able to wear his vest. Thank goodness for Oxiclean. I was able to save the vest (and the other clothing), but the vest was the 1st priority!

By the way, I would LOVE to chew on some Oxiclean granules. I don't know what is wrong with me. I'll be bringing it up with my Dr tomorrow. I haven't eaten it and I think I will remain sane enough to not eat it, as long as I have the Flav-o-Ice to chew on!

Well, going to try and fall asleep. Have an early appt in the am.