Been busy

Sorry this post is so tardy. We've been a little busy at our house. We added Lauren Noelle Weiler to our clan on Feb 18. She has been a total joy. I can't believe she turned 4 months old last Friday. She is mommy's little princess. I am loving having a daughter. I'm pretty sure Rob is loving having a little girl too:) We are so blessed to have one of each. Jackson is the best big brother and has been since day 1. He has helped so much. I am so glad we waited this long to have our second child. He just loves her and loves taking care of her. They had their first official bath together the other night. She sat in her little tub seat and he sat in the tub next to her.

Rob has started a new job on May 17 for Slocum. Its a smaller private equity firm in Minneapolis by the river. He is now focusing on global equities instead of restaurants and bevvies. He just came home from a trip to Boston for work so he will still be doing some traveling but his hours are better.

Before he started @ Slocum we jetted off to Hawaii to see uncle T for a couple of weeks vacation after his last day at Piper. The kids had a great time. Jackson has renewed his love affair with all things ocean and sand. Lauren can now add Hawaii to her list of places she has been to.

We've been spending a few weekends at the cabin so far this May and June. Hopefully the weather will turn less rainforest-like so we can get outside more to play during the week. Its getting kinda boring inside. At least I have a little while longer before anyone has to see this body in a swimsuit!

The Name Game

We are in the final couple of weeks before our newest member arrives. I know I wont go early naturally so I can't get too excited about a shorter period of time. I have been nesting like crazy for the past few weeks. Rob, of course, thinks this is a great thing. He won't be so happy when I donate half of his t-shirt collection to the garbage or salvation army. Im into purging this past week. Ive washed and readied the baby's stuff. The only thing we haven't readied is a name. We have offered Jackson a couple of names to give his opinion on and he says in return..." how 'bout James" as in the train from the Thomas shows. I think Rob and I will finally decide in the hospital. For some reason it still seems too permanent a choice to make with this much time left. I know it is not that much time really.
We have been offered the choice of an induction about a week before she's due that we might go with if it all looks good and ready since she is measuring ahead like Jackson did and he was a big baby for me. It sounds good to me from a planning standpoint for Jackson (and our critters). I want his life to be as routine as possible. Its a little anticlimactic but Im worrying about how it will all work out so I think that could be one less thing to fret about. There will be plenty of things to worry about when the baby comes.
Im wanting to buy all sorts of stuff for this little girl and am working hard on not buying. Its hard to remember how much stuff you used last time and I have no idea how big she'll be so I dont want to waste money.
As for the rest of the family, Rob has either been traveling or had earnings so lots of late nights so we've not seen him a ton this month. I think he told work that he's not traveling at all in Feb so that is good. At least with this kid he wont leave for a week 6 days after the baby is born;) Rob is working out again since we finally rejoined a health club and Im really happy for him. I am trying to be supportive of him spending some of his evening free time there since he needs this so much as a release of stress even if it means we see a bit less of him too. It makes him feel good about himself and I cant wait to hop on board when I get the DRs okay after the baby. I just received my new running shoes, they are ready to go.
Jackson is giving us a run for our money in discipline these days. His plan is simple-divide and conquor. Whether it is delaying at bed/naptime or brushing teeth or whatever he is being totally 3. Rob and I have never really had to have a frank discussion and plan for how we will discipline and I think now is the time. We are finding out we are sort of on the same page but not entirely. This is not good enough, kids figure it out. We are being pushed to get our act together and be intentional in our methods

Happy third birthday

Yesterday was Jackson's 3rd birthday. Its chiche', but, he is growing up so fast. He is by far God's biggest blessing in our lives this far. We had a nice family party last night with grandmas and grandpas, aunts, uncles, and his bff cousin Hannah. I think this was his kind of party with people and toys to play with, no getting dressed up to go somewhere, just chillin' with the people that love him. He had pure delight in his eyes upon opening each gift-no greed but just those squinty smiling eyes. I made a Thomas the train cake. I have to brag, it was amazing. What a fun night. To cap it off, Jackson badly wanted to take a bath with a couple of his new toys. I'm sure that's a far cry from how he'll spend his birthday in 10-15 years from now. Jackson, we love you more than we every knew we could love somebody. We can't wait to see what this year has in store and hope God blesses us with a hundred more years with you.

The end of 2009

I have to say that like many people, I'm saying good riddance to 2009, hoping 2010 is better. I'm not saying that 2009 was all bad. We started the year on a good stretch and are ending the year on a good stretch. There was just a lot of crap in the middle that sucked for us and for our families.
We had a good christmas this year even though our plans got messed up a bit due to the storm timing. Jackson was sad the Santa came and he didn't even say goodbye. Jackson turns 3 on Thursday and we a having a small party for him. I think we'll do a bigger friend party next year when he really gets it. Its easy to get swept away in planning kids parties...they can cost a lot of $$$.
On the baby front, I'm getting anxious to be done. I just want to be normal sized again. I have been tempted a few time to buy cute little girl stuff but haven't been able to pull the trigger. Im feeling kinda sad for this little one as "she" is being made to fit into Jackson's world. She is getting only hand-me-downs from him as we dont need to buy anything new really. She even has to sleep in his crib in his room with his sheet set. Someday they will have their own rooms.
We are on the hunt for the perfect double stroller to suit all of our needs and thus far are still not sold-Rob still thinks we don't need one at all-I laugh at this idea, Ill never leave the house again.

Im getting anxious to get running again too. I'm already trying to plan my first race-probably in the fall if I'm realistic. How the running will happen is yet TBD with 2 kids, I heard double joggers are tough to push and little girl wont be able to run until at least July or so. Looks like exercising in shifts is in the future.

the home stretch

Well, this last week marked a few special occassions: Rob's 34th birthday(its funny but Rob and I have been together for half his life!), wonderful Thanksgiving, and the beginning of my 3rd trimester. All are reasons to celebrate. I cant believe its already less than 3 months til we will be saying happy 3rd birthday to Jackson and happy birth-day to our second child. If you would have asked me in July or August how I was doing, I would have said-terrible, I dont know how I will make it through this. I am so thankful this season that God has held me in his arm and walked with our family through the difficult first 4+ months. I am getting really excited to meet this little person and to see Jackson with him/her. He is going to be a phenomenal big brother. We have so much to be thankful for this holiday season, it sounds generic but health, job, family and friends, and a home. Even though every wish we had for this year for our family has not come to fruition we know we are being taken care of and are right where we are supposed to be right now and will have to wait be patient and content and see what God has planned for us.

Breathing easy

I am adding an addendum to the previous Las Vegas posting. I just want to make a shout out to Hennipen County! I have forgotten how lucky we are to live in a city/place where smoking is prohibited indoors and in some other outdoor facilities-like swimming pools. As a pregnant woman going to Las Vegas, I felt like I was getting lung cancer every time I stepped out of my hotel room. Smoking is allowed pretty much everywhere. Its hard to get away from it. I couldn't even lay out at the pool without being fumigated. The Ballagio does a pretty good job of filtering their casino air but the pregnant nose knows. Here's to being thankful for the little things:)

Viva Las Vegas

We got back yesterday afternoon from our trip to "Vegas". Jackson stayed at the Weiler's for his vacation. We had a great trip. I think the last time Rob and I had at least a weekend away ALONE (not counting this summer's weddings) was last year around this time. I was a little apprehensive about going but everything worked out fine. It seems like it gets a little harder to leave toddlers/preschoolers than it is leaving a baby because they know too much. Rob worked for some of the time and hung out with me in the evenings. I learned quickly how to be a lady of leisure at the 5 star Bellagio hotel. I guess I'm adaptable:) I enjoyed afternoons at the pool after a nice breakfast, maybe a mid afternoon gelatto and then dinner with Rob and crazy nights on the strip. Okay maybe that last part is an exaggeration. We pretty much walked the length of the entire strip seeing most of the hotels. Las Vegas is excess defined. I dont know how soon I will need to get back there, but, everyone is right when they say its a place you have to see once. We saw the Lion King-amazingly done show. It had been 10 years since Rob had seen it so we decided to see it. Its funny to see a broadway show that you have watched hundreds of time on your tv at home with your kid. I knew all the lines and noticed the ones that were not in the movie. On a more sordid note I got to see my first men with hookers! It was yesterday morning as we were getting our cab to the airport at 7am. Two drunk men-drinks still in hand- with three "ladies"that were severely mismatched and hopping into a cab to go back to some hotel. EW! Rob conceded that it was a good thing I was pregnant this trip, the fruity drinks can get expensive!
Its wonderful to discover that when you get away with your husband after having kids that you still like being with each other and that you have fun together. You can forget what you both were like before the kids came and why you decided to marry them. Thanks Rob for convincing me to come with you. I had a fabulous time with you. I love you for thinking of me and treating me like a queen this trip.