Enlightenment by my 2-year old....

Since the beginning of the pregnancy, Genny has insisted that the new baby was a boy. She will tell anyone and everyone that it's a boy.

So, today she informed me that she is a boy. And that new baby will be a boy just like her. I reminded her that she's a girl, and she said "no Mommy, I think I am a princess. I am Genevieve Lee Poling."

There you go. Crystal clear!

The perfect pregnancy.

Wendy's version of the perfect pregnancy:

After about a year of perfectly healthy living in which you eat well, don't drink, don't take any prescriptions or herbal supplements or eat anything on the list of things forbidden to pregnant women and you take your prenatal vitamins every single day because you are just that healthy, you notice that although you look and feel terrific, either (a) your intestines have developed free will OR (b) something is kicking you from the inside.

You make a doctor appointment and go to it wearing your cute jeans. The doctor informs you that you are pregnant, does a sonogram, the baby is perfect, and you find out you are 8 months along.

Shocked but thrilled, you pull out the old maternity clothes (which suddenly fit perfectly, even though your cute jeans fit an hour ago). You are also surprised to find that scientists have finally figured out how to make maternity pants that do not fall off, and someone has replaced all your maternity pants with magic stay-on pants that you don't have to yank up every time you breathe. You get the baby stuff out, which is clean, easy to find, puts itself together and all has working batteries.

You enjoy a month of people telling you how cute you look in which your maternity clothes all still fit and you don't get sick to death of them. No one ever rubs your belly or asks how much weight you have gained. No one comments on the size of your rear end.

Then, you have the baby at the most convenient possible time. Because you and the baby are feeling so incredibly wonderful, you are sent home from the hospital before ever having to actually eat (or smell) hospital food.

Didn't say it was reality, kittens. But it's a nice thought, all the same. Who's with me?

Gymnastics Pictures

Today was observation day at gymnastics, and I was really excited about having some pictures to post of our little gymnast. The day did not go quite as well as I had hoped, as some days can go when you're 2. But we got a couple of cute shots of Genny stretching, and video of Robert doing a donkey kick with his little girl (in legwarmers!) is always blog-worthy....

Gen's thoughts on the new baby..... part II

So for a long time, Gen has NOT been thrilled about the prospect of the new baby. She's slowly coming around.

For the longest time, she refused to pray for "new baby" (yep, that's what we call it. creative, huh?). In fact, she would adamantly tell us, "I NOT pray for new baby!" But now, she volunteers to pray for him. (nope, we don't know what it is, but she is utterly convinced it's a boy, so it's easier to refer to the baby as "he" than to argue....)

She likes to hug and kiss new baby. Sometimes this involved pulling Mommy's shirt up in public, but I'll stand some public nudity and embarassment if she is interested in the baby.... really it's harder on observers than on me.

She talks to the baby. And puts stickers on it. And tries to feed it. And tickle it. And occasionally, she brings it her nenyah (her beloved green blankie).

A few days ago, she asked what new baby's name would be. Then she asked if he had arms. Both important questions, I guess.

Last night, she asked when new baby would show up. I told her 38 days. Then she asked (GULP!) how he was getting out. I told her that Mommy would go to the doctor, and the doctor would help the baby get out. Fortunately she accepted that. We'll be going with that answer until she's 13, I think....

Breakfast with Clifford

We went to breakfast with Clifford the Big Red Dog today. Genevieve LOVES (to watch) Clifford (when he's safely on TV).

She has been talking about going all week. She was so excited!

Here's her initial reaction to him coming in the door:

There were actual tears. She would not hug him, or give him five. She settled on giving him the stinkeye while waving. Patting the real dogs was ok, as long as she had a good grip on Mommy.

She was ok with making a Valentine, since it involved stickers.

She cried again when they dared to put a tattoo on her hand. (She asked for one. It had sparkly hearts on it.)

She didn't want her picture made with Clifford, but she did want to show him her balloon.

And there was a tiny Clifford in her goody bag that she loves.

Ready for 'Nastics

Here's our girl, ready to go to gymnastics class!

Got a little story for you.....

Yesterday in gymnastics, the teacher started the kids on the trampoline, learning to do a "seat drop"--land on your bottom and then back to your feet. Now, Gen is not thrilled with the idea of both feet leaving the solid ground at once, and doing this on the trampoline was a little much for her. So although the other kids dutifully did their seat drops, Genny sort of galloped around the trampoline.....

Trying to encourage her, the teacher told her to land on her bottom on 3 and started counting.... "1...."

This cheered Gen up immensely--something she likes!

She stopped moving and yelled "2.... 3..... 4..... 5....!"

The teacher let her off the trampoline after that.

The Cobra...

Rob updated his cobra blog, so I'm sending you over there for a look-see....
http://robertbuildsacobra.blogspot.com/

Bet you can't guess...

Bet you can't guess what's going on at our house today? Here's a hint: I made a flying trip to Wal-Mart as soon as Robert got home, and here's what I bought--

So... anybody want to take a guess?

Hello! My name is...

The onset of crazy....

Here's some information you probably need to know about pregnant women: near the end of the pregnancy, as we become more and more the science experiment each day, many pregnant women decide it's really important to make drastic and usually permanent changes. You know, sell the house, get a dog, etc....

It's a normal reaction to everything in the world being out of your control.... or something rational like that. For me, it manifests itself in an unquenchable desire to cut my hair and dye it black. Sort of like this:

Don't worry, I'm not actually going to do it.

But the funny thing is, when the "MUST-CUT-HAIR" vibe hit me, I thought, "Hey! That mean's baby's almost here!" But really, I think it just means that the crazy-time hit early.

Great. 8 more weeks of crazy..... and no new hairdo to show for it.

Gen's thoughts on new baby...

Today as we were waiting in the hall for gymnastics to start, Genny decided it was a good time for a heart-to-heart with the new baby. So she hugged my tummy and started hollering at it:
"Hi New Baby! Hi! Hello New BABY! I goin' to 'nastics, new baby! I goin' to 'NASTICS! Hi New Baby! Hiiiiiiiiiii!"
Then she stopped and looked at me and remarked, "New Baby doesn't talk much, Mommy."

Oh and this is Gen with a picture she made today using glue. Very little furniture was harmed in the making of this picture. She's getting to be a big girl!