D Day = Due Date

Today marks my due date and still no baby. I had an appointment with Dr. Block today and still no dilation or effacement going on, meaning no movement to delivery. Although, she also admits that means nothing. As with Mae looks like I am going to have to start with square one and go from zero to 10 at once. The good doc doesn't think this baby business is going to happen for awhile, not meaning months but days. Instead of soley focusing on this, I am going to go out and enjoy the much needed beautiful weather we have been having in Seattle with my number one gal, Mae.

Mayfair 2011

I know this is the second post today but I wanted to get these pictures off the camera and up. This past weekend we went to Mayfair. Mayfair is a community event put on by the businesses and families of Madrona. (Yes, we technically live in the Central District by one block but I consider myself a small part of the community). Anywho, the event is free for families with a parade, pony rides, a bouncy house, face painting, a clown and games. We went last year and Pearson commented, "how great it will be when Mae can walk."

Anyway, we headed up at around 10 am and the event was already packed with families and kids. When I say packed, it was so crowded that if you didn't pay attention to your kid you could easily lose them. Pearson talked up the pony rides all morning so when got there we decided to wait in line for one. I will point out, I made Pearson take Mae close to the ponies to make sure that she was comfortable with the ponies prior to committing to waiting in line. (Mom's inituition kicked in and I feared that we would wait in line and she wouldn't want to get on the pony). We waited and waited and waited. Mae kept talking about the ponies and seemed genuiely excited about them. It was FINALLY our turn after 35 minutes. As I go to put Mae on the pony, she screams, "off, off, off." The pony then takes a couple of steps. I was thinking she would eventually warm up. Nope. Again, "off, off, off." Needless to say, there was no pony ride this year.

Thank goodness she enjoyed the bouncy house and the beautiful weather.

Waiting for the pony ride.

Random Thoughts

I have been pretty neglectful about posting lately, however, chasing after a 20 month year old AND being 39 weeks and 6 days pregnant has left me with little brain power and energy to post on this. Here are some random thoughts and general observation for the last week of note.

• Mae is talking more and more. She is now putting together many words to form thoughts. For instance today we went to the zoo. Pearson came home and asked her what she saw. She said, "elephants." And then, "wash, soap." Mae translation. "We went to the zoo today and I saw an elephant. The elephant was getting washed with soap." Or when she goes to Grandma Cummings house I know that she listened to music about monkeys. Or that she napped with her lamb that is very soft by simply saying, "lamb, soft, nap." It is truly INSANE!



• As mentioned above, I am 39 weeks and 6 days pregnant today. Meaning tomorrow is my due date! I am really, really, really, really, really, really excited to have another baby. As I told my doctor, it took me about 38 and half weeks to get here but I am READY. I was want to say that I am excited not because I am uncomfortable (becasue I am not enough yet to want to stop being pregnant) but because I am excited to meet the newest member of our family, be a mom again, hold a newborn, and introduce the siblings.



• I have been on pins and needles. I noticed this the first time I was pregnant with Mae. I was always a little anxious near the end of my pregnant but for a long time I didn't know why. I finally realized it was because I was anxious about having a baby. I am feeling the same way. It is a good thing and a bad thing. Good because it feels like Christmas as a kid. Bad because you don't know when it is going to happen or how long it is going to be.

I will hopefully be having this baby in the next couple of days if not I might just be getting really uncomfortable. Ok, enough for tonight. My brain is fried.

I love thee

I have been meaning to write this post for some time. Since tomorrow is Mother's Day, I thought it was about time I got down to it. A friend came over dinner with her daugther a month or so ago. She brought a DVD that included classic poems narrated by famous actors that involved illustrations for children. She insisted we watch one of the poems, which she said made her cry earlier. I, of course, agreed to watch it and prior to watching thought to myself, this will be nice but probably not as impactful enough to make me cry (I mean come on that takes a lot). I did not cry but was blown away. (Thanks Erin for making me watch it).

I can say with certainity (this is no indication of how much I love Pearson) that the poem, How Do I Love Thee?, didn't resonate as deeply or purely with me until I had Mae. And I don't believe that I have heard it since having Mae. The poem has taken on an entirely new meaning after becoming a mom. I think there really are no words to explain it so I will just let the poem speak for itself.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
- Elizabeth Barrett Browning

38 Weeks

I got only one word for the day that marks my 38th week of gestation...BIG.

And yes, this is a photo of my belly.

My Dearest Mae

My Dearest Mae,

You are 20 months old today.

Just a note before I get underway here, I was delinquent and didn't write to you last month so although I might be telling you about something interesting and new you have done this past month, you might have started it in your 19 month. Hopefully you can forgive your mom. Also this might be more a brain dump than a letter but hopefully, if you are ever 8 and half months pregnant, you will know where I am at.

Again, the most significant thing that is happening is still your verbal and cognitive development. It is truly mind blowing to see you going from not talking to talking in the last year. Also from seemingly not comprehending the world around you, you understand everything. Pretty much everyday you say a new word and you have started putting together words to form statements. The other day your dad was pretty impressed that you said, "Elmo cup" when drinking from your cup that has Elmo on it. (Yes, despite trying to avoid commericialism I caved and bought you sippy cups with Elmo).

Along with knowing words for everyday things, you have started to know your friends and their parents. If I say that we are doing something with Lucy then you say, "Sarah" [Lucy's mom]. If your dad says we are going to see Nora, you then say, "Kate" and "Ash." The mind blowing thing is that we haven't really emphasized the parents names per se. You have picked it up on your own and you are able to match the right kid to the right parent name. I think of it as a real life memory game played out. You turn over the card of the child and you have to find the parent that matches correctly.

I don't think that I have yet to tell you this but instead of you calling me "mommy," you actually call me "Maudy." You have been doing it for the last five or so months. Why? I don't know. Your dad and I joke that maybe you will call me that forever. I guess then we would be one those really cool retro families where the kids call their parents something other than a traditional parent name. I don't think you giving me a special name is unique just to me. You call milk, milka and your grandma Cumming's dog isn't Misha but Masha. Time will only tell if I am officially Maudy but for now your dad and I love it.

You are a very determined child. If you want something you want something. And you want it NOW. This is good and bad. I thoroughly love your passion and determination for getting something done or getting your way. I joke that in 20 years this is going to be a trait that is extremely positive. Now, it makes parenting challenging at times, especially when you throw a full blown temper tantrum in public. Yes, you have already taken to throwing your body on the floor while crying and screaming to get your way. I try to have a good sense of humor about it all and hope that one day you are able to laugh about it all as well.

I joke with you that you are becoming a hoarder. You don't get it quite yet. Your crib has about 10 things in it at a time. It includes books, stuffed animals, babies and various blankets. Every time you get in it or are planning on getting in it, you request items to be placed in the crib. Everyday, I ended up taking things out so that you aren't covered in various items. "Froggie," your lovie, has to be in the crib. This a change since before you seemed to not care whether it was in there or not. Now, you request it and need it before going to bed.

You still love to read books, although, it has definitely taken a back seat to your obssession with "moogoose" [music]. You ask for pasta for every meal, regardless of time or day or whether it is a full meal or a snack. You can now hold on to the rings at the playground and I can let go and you will still hang there. You love your baby and feed her and tell her she needs to nap. You now ask for "hugs" and "kisses" when you want a little love. The cutest is right after putting you in your crib, you sit up and ask for multiple hugs and kisses. It is irrestible. Your hair has gotten long enough that we can finally put a barrett in it. I know that might not seem that significant but a lot of your peers have full heads of hair. You got three more teeth. You now have a total of 9. Hopefully this means you won't get many cavities in life.

This is your last couple of weeks as an only child (give or take). Without a doubt, you are going to be the best big sister ever. I can already hear you saying, "kiss" and "hug" to your new brother or sister. I can also say without a doubt the next couple of months might be difficult for all of us but hang in there. We promise we love you more than ever.

Well my love, I think that is all I got for you tonight. Happy 20 month and despite the next month bringing a whole lot of change, I know it will be pretty awesome for all of us.

Love You Always, Mom

Happy Mae Day

Today was a historical day news wise. At first I was going to skip over the detail and get right to the great day that we had in Seattle but thought that as I am reading this in 20 years or Mae is reading this it might be one of those moments of "where were you when____." The historical news today, the United States killed Osama Bin Laden, the mastermind of the September 11th attacks on the US. We found out this evening, way after Mae was in bed and Pearson and I were out for a date night (thanks to Johanna for babysitting). I think there are many things that I can say about all this but I guess the most significant and important is to thank the men and women who serve our country every day so that I and my family can live in the peace and safety that we do.


Prior to the news, we had an utterly fantastic day in Seattle with the most glorious weather. To be perfectly honest, the day didn't start off completely fantastic (Mae was whining, the dog was driving me crazy, and I was moody), however, it got turned around pretty quick with some much needed Vitamin D and some family time in the Arboretum. Here are photos from our day.

Walking up and down the stairs all on her own.

Eating the bread that a woman gave us to feed the ducks.

Mae said, "goose!"

Mae said, "Chicks!"

Trying to get Mae to smile for the camera. Here she is saying, "cheese." I was trying to get a photo for Mother's Day cards.

Smelling the flowers.

More smelling.

Going down the slide, which looks like she turned blue.