Fan Fucking Tastic

Link's new favorite word.
Bryce and I were watching a documentary with lots of F-bombs.
I told Bryce he wouldn't pick it up unless it was emphasized.
What word was repeated three times in a row at one point? "Fan Fucking Tastic."
The worst part is we totally meant to ignore it, but when so happily said like that it is so hard not to laugh.
Let's hope it fade away quickly.

Link at the pool

I took link to the pool today and he had a blast.  We went to the kiddie pool first and I'm not sure if he had any memories of last year.  We headed straight for the deep end and he danced and played with a pool noodle for about an hour.  Then we went to the big pool and lots of his friends were there.  He walked all the way until he was neck deep.  He had a blast, minus 10 minutes of screaming when he received his first bee sting.  He was grabbing the gutter area to pull himself up and must have put his hand right on a bee.  He screamed and I saw a dead bee floating in the pool and a giant stinger still in his hand.  He cried about it for a while and then we went and got an ice cream taco and everything was again right in the world.

Under the moon

Today Bryce grilled out and Link suggested we eat outside. 

Afterwards we planted the almond tree, blueberry bush, and lavender bush that have been dying in our kitchen for a few weeks.  Here's hope that fresh wet dirt will help them out.

Link noticed lightning bugs for the first time and we taught him how to catch them.  He mostly just ran around yelling at them and laughing. 

All under the great big beautiful moon.

First Trimester Posts

Week 17:  Test.  That would be pregnancy test being positive.  I was sitting at the table with my husband and said "Man, my boobs really hurt, but I took a pregnancy test two days ago and it was negative.  So I went to the bathroom and shouted out "well, this one says positive."  So much for a surprise. 

Week 18: Stopped in to talk to my midwife Brenda and let her know I was pregnant.  She in the process thanked me for the referral.  I was surprised to find out however, it was someone who I did not refer because I did not know they were pregnant, but I have been talking to them a lot about home birth lately.  So excited to be birth buddies with Cheri and Jonathan!

Week 19: Lots of the same symptoms as Link's pregnancy.  Exhaustion, bloating, frequent urination.  Sore boobs is a new one for me.  I haven't felt any nausea yet, but food issues are starting.  I cooked myself some bacon for breakfast and ended up spitting it all out.  A lot of sweets are too sweet.  Feels like I have a piece of food stuck in the back of my throat at all times. 

Week 20: Bad week.  Bleeding began.  I assumed that I will lose the baby.  I went to the doctors for a rhogam shot and he was more positive about things.  Telling me since I had a miscarriage before I am on pins and needles, but blood doesn't always mean miscarriage.  Still, I am concerned.  I had an blood and Titers test as well and go in on Monday (my birthday, can't wait) to see if babe is still here.

Week 21: Lots of upset stomach and tiredness, but only had one sickness.  Craving seems to be apples.  I'm taking whole food prenatal vitamins which I like.  Celebrated mother's day and my birthday.

Week 22: Lots of graduation parties.  I'm exhausted.  I'm thinking of quitting a job or closing Whimsy Market.  I'm so confused, but I know I am working beyond what I can handle right now.

Week 23: Agnes' last week with us.  So sad.  We had her take photos of our feet for our birth announcement.  She was really good at keeping the secret even from her parents, who Link broke the news to when he drew a picture of a baby with an umbilical chord and said "This is the baby in mama's belly."

Week 24:  My birth team is now aware of the baby as I talked with Karin while our kids were at dance camp together.  And I talked with Trish at Sam's birthday party.

Week 25: Ahh, more spotting.  I had a nightmare I would lose the baby at 4-H camp so when I saw a pretty good amount while at camp I shot out of there.  I spent the rest of day in bed and talked with Brenda again.  She suggested a visit to Dr. Schwartz again.

Week 26:  Went to see Dr. Schwartz.  He found the heartbeat and said my favorite words "healthy pregnancy."  He talked about possible reasons for spotting that seemed reasonable.  He kept teasing about finding the second heartbeat though.  I felt confident enough after that appointment to announce.

Week 19 and 20

1. Graduations Parties.

2. Agnes' choir concert and awards ceremony: She received Art Student of the Year.

3. Mother's Day at my mom's with Amy's family, Linda, Grandma, etc.  I received a local artist print from my family.

 4. My birthday- Bryce got me a Mumford and Son's CD and took me to Cu for dinner.

5. Last two weeks of Farm to School Presentations: Asparagus

6.  Agnes at State Track.

7. Best of the Region in Prairie du Chien.

8. Garden planting.  On time this year.

9. Link and I have been drawing together a lot lately.  We drew frogs.  I made mine eating a fly.  His frog came and stole my fly.

10.  Adam and Leslie have been my rock these past two weeks.  They watched Link on Friday.  Here is how the kids put him down for an outdoor nap. 

Week 18- 2013

 (My lack of photos for the begining of the week make me realize how much I rely on Bryce to document our family life.)

Monday- Dropped Link off at Daycare early and spent the day in the office covering for Rita.

Tuesday- Link and I went to the Extension Office for a meeting and then to the library.  We ate at Simply.  Link told me when he grew up he wanted to be the road construction person holding the stop sign we passed on the way to Simply, but only after he is a teacher.  He also went to the desk at Simply and said "I'm in my extension office."  We went home, picked up Kayla Koether who was in town at court.  Then we went to Clayton Ridge to talk with Dana about the school garden.  When we got home Link (who was very cranky) fell asleep.  When he woke up a couple hours later he smiled, looked around, said "Where's Kayla" and went into a 15 min cry session that could not be calmed.  I sent her a text of my crying boy.  Agnes, Link and I went to the Burger Barn for dinner and Kayla ended up going there too, which made his day. 

Wednesday- Took Link to daycare way early so I could be in Monona by 7:30 to meet with Bert about the garden.  I also met with another teacher about Stem activities.  Then I worked at Whimsy Market, trying to rearrange some spaces.  I brought Link straight from day care to gymnastics.  He scraped his knee.  He had been loving to run lately, which I like, but with his defiant attitude, I get a little nervous that he won't stop at the end of the sidewalk.  He has had such an attitude lately.  A few times he has slammed the front door and started marching down the sidewalk to God knows where.  We always scoop him up before he gets to the neighbors.

Thursday- We had a regional retreat at Luther.  The biggest thing we did was color assesment, which was pretty stupid.  It categorized people into four groups.  It did help explain a few things to me, like the need my co-irker has for agendas for what I would consider monthly update meetings.  I was considered blue and while it fit mostly, but they are kind of like horoscopes, lots of things fit, but not all.  The facilitator kept wanting us in the blue group to say that we love to be touched and we were romantics, but it wasn't the case for all of us.  We had lunch from the Angry Pickle and I had capon for the first time.  Still not sure what the big deal is to have casterated chicken.  Bryce arrived home that evening and we took Link to his tap and gymnastics recital.  As ususal it took him forever to warm up.  He cried on my lap to an embarrassing level until Carmen took him on the floor and he did his dance really well (no smile though).  Then during gymnastics Carmen led him to the front and he did a great job demonstrating everything that she asked him to do.  By the end he was smiling and run/dancing back to his place and giving me a thumbs up after each run.



Friday- I worked at Whimsy Market.  Bridget Olrich Camp came in the store with her baby Erin.  She was a super happy baby. 

Saturday- I worked at Whimsy Market again.  Afterwards Bryce and I went to see Of God and Men at the Opera House.  There was a big Abd elKader event that day and it ended with the film, which was made using the book written by John Kiser who was in town.  He also wrote a book about Abd elKader.  One of the guests of honor at the event was an Algerian artist.  He had some large prints on display at the Opera House. 

Sunday- It was a busy and relaxing day on Sunday.  It started with Link asking to wear pants that come over the shoulder.  That is a first, he usually hates coveralls.  Then Bryce went to the cajun meal at  Peace Church and brought food back while I cooked a coconut pie and fruit salad for a potluck that night.  We took Link to Cia's and Agnes with us to Iron Man 3.  We picked Link back up from Cia's and went to a foreign exchange end of the year picnic.  After a busy day playing on the playground we all laid down for a long nap and got up around 7pm.  Then we played Hungry Hippos and called it a night.

Week 17- 2013

Sorry for the sloppy updates lately.  Lots on my plate and my mind lately.

Monday- Test.

First milk machine and strainer.

Tuesday- I learned how to present at Iowa's Dairy Story, which is a field trip to the state's diary center nearby.  It is part of my extension work.  I did the artifacts section, then sat in on making ice cream, dairy tour, and dairy quiz.

French manicure with sparkles on top

Wednesday- Skip Day.  Called Agnes in sick, then we headed to Cedar Rapids to buy shoes, jewelry, get her nails done, etc.  I also took her to Red Lobster for the first time.  It was very fun.

Thursday- I was in Decorah for a Food and Fitness Day.  There were several breakout sessions.  I went to Laughter Yoga with the fantastic Laura Gentry.  Then I went to Stretching with Matt.  Afterwards Kayla K and I hung out.  We planned out summer garden program, nominated leaders in the community for health and wellness leaders, then went to the co-op for dinner and looked at the raised beds for construction. 

Friday- We went to Drew's for dinner and taught Link how to play pinball.

Saturday- Bryce left early in the morning for NYC and Link and I spent the day at Whimsy Market.  Then we went to Agnes's prom promenade and finished with a bath together.  It's been a while and I realized how much it helps calm him down.    
 

Agnes and Ben Tschirgi.  Paint the Night Theme

Sunday- Agnes slept most of the day.  Link and I cleaned a bit and walked around down town.  Later that night we went to Prairie with Agnes.