First Official Week of Summer

The house is completely quiet...it is 7:25 am. MSW is already off to work and I wish I was still in dream land but I am awake. I don't have the pictures ready to blog but doodle is still, and so I blog anyways. In a matter of time, he will awake and then it will be full on fun day...in which case no blogging will happen.

This is technically my 4th week of summer but this is the first week that doodle has been out of school. I really enjoyed my 3 weeks and I got so much accomplished- I cleaned, organized, shopped and did alot of volunteer work. However, I was ready for doodle to be out of school and home too.

After a busy weekend of shoots, end-of-year parties for doodle, and two trips to our neighborhood pool, I think we were both looking forward to a week at home. Monday brought an uneventful doctor's appointment for me- urine test- negative, bp- very good for me (have I ever mentioned I have pre-hypertension?) Second trimester always gives me the best blood pressure readings of preg. or non-preg days. It was 110/66- yeah for me. I hope it holds! During my 3rd trimester with doodle I had to go for heart testing b/c of high blood pressure- all was fine but I prefer not to go down that road again. Baby's heartbeat was 140 and baby was moving all around-dr. kept having to chase him/her with the doppler to get a hb count. More blood work- hoping these results don't show anemia. While I was at my appointment, Tia Korn (crystal) took doodle. They went on errands and ended with a trip to Target- how he always talks everyone into taking him to Target is beyond me- I fall for it too! They both returned unscathed, so it was a good visit for them.

One of the things that doodle and I really enjoy doing together is cooking. He likes to measure out everything, learn about all the spices/herbs and check on things in the oven. We have been a little restaurant this week whipping up- wheat bran muffins, king ranch chicken, homemade decorative sugar cookies for his tee-ball party, homemade lasagna and empanadas. I think all this cooking is making daddy a happy man. I am just now getting back into my nightly cooking- between morning sickness and the stomach bug I had, I have not been doing much cooking. MSW tentatively asks when he makes his daily "I'm on my way home" call- Should I pick something up for dinner? I can see his smile through the phone when I say, "nope, already have it taken care of." I keep hearing, you are the best cook, I missed your cooking and I have been receiving nightly foot massages- my favorite! Maybe the saying is true that a way to a man's heart is through his belly!

Sewing is another daily project we work on. I have made bibs, burp clothes, blankets and wipe box covers. I promised myself not to do anymore until we find out the sex (T-13 days). Doodle has been enjoying working on his own projects too. He has made two "blankets" though neither one is big enough to cover my big toe! However, each one is made with lots of love and concentration. He cuts and cuts and cuts and when he realizes they are way too small, he announces that we will just hang them on the wall. God love that little boy!

Yesterday we hit the town. Time for doodle's 5 year old check up! The boy did outstanding! 20/20 vision- my favorite was during the eye test when the nurse pointed to the moon- doodle's response, "that would be a crescent moon." My smarty pants! I knew he was tall but I thought he would be on the skinny side- but he still was at 75%. He does not have an ounce of chub on him so I don't get the 75%- maybe he just has really dense, solid bones??? He showed off his reading skills to Dr. Davis and proved some of his math skills to her. All in all, it was an awesome check-up! We *heart* our pediatrician but she has recently reduced her hours and we were worried that she would not take the baby on as a new patient- we were so happy to have her answer "yes, I would love that!" So, baby pumpkin seed has a pediatrician!

After the doctor,went and picked dad up for lunch. We lunched at La Fonda where we ran into my President, Dean and Vice President. While it was great to see them, I so like to clear my mind of work when I am on summer break. It is difficult to drop everything work related and walk away for 3 months but I would not have it any other way. When I am home, I am wife and mother. Period. I cannot keep one toe in the "work mode" or I know I will get dragged in.

After we deposited dad back at work, I offered to take doodle to the store of his choice to pick out a prize for doing so great at the doctor. His choice? Rainbow Gardens... which absolutely thrilled me! He picked out a new packet of seeds and we chose some more lavender, a pride of Barbados and a new plumeria for our garden. We have random things growing in our yard from the seeds he plants. I noticed a strange looking plant in my mint garden the other day and pulled it up thinking it was a weed to find a radish attached to the root end. Bewildered, I held it up and looked at doodle to which he replied, "hey, why did you pull up my rad?" Love it when he only remembers part of a name of something!

Another huge event that happened this week was the winning of an Instant Winner from the Buddy Buck machine. If you shop HEB and you have a child then you are probably familiar with Buddy Bucks and the Buddy Buck crane machine. I'll admit I kinda love it for doodle. He has sent in for several prizes and I see so much of myself in him when he anxiously waits for the mail to see if his prize has arrived. I love the idea of him having to "save" for a prize. Anyways, he has talent when it comes to the Buddy Buck machine. I should first mention that he has perfected his flirt with the cashiers so that they will give him several buddy bucks vs. the standard 2 or 3. There have been times where we have had 15+ in hand. That is not the talent I am referring too- the talent is with the machine. He usually always gets a 50 point. I have no idea how he even sees them- but there is usually one in his mix of points. A couple of weeks ago, we spotted an Instant Winner. The first we had ever seen but he could not get it because it was too close to the glass and the crane would not move that far back. Since that defeat, he has been determined to get one. There has not been another one spotted in our last couple of trips. We made a quick trip Tuesday evening to fill up my water jugs (are you proud of us mom? We filled up 3!) We had 2 Buddy Bucks left over from a previous trip I did without doodle (yes, I remember to get them for him when he is not with me) so while dad was filling up the water we went into the store. And there it was- an Instant Winner! There was no way he could get it with just two- it would take those two to move some other bubbles out of the way. He made his way to his favorite cashier, got some more buddy bucks, and on his last one got the Instant Winner! Now, this might sound like small town peanuts to you, but you should have seen the pride and happiness in that little boy's eyes! He was over the moon! He came home and locked it up into our locking file cabinet "to save for just the right prize."

So, it is only Thursday and we have had a marvelous week so far. I treasure these days! I know that as wonderful and amazing as it is going to be with a new baby, I also know that it is going to change the dynamics of our family. I also know that my days of cooking, gardening and playing buddy bucks with doodle are limited for in a blink of an eye he will be off with his friends, gag at the idea of hanging out with his mom and buddy bucks will be a distant memory. So while it may all seem mundane, for me it is extremely important to relish and record these times. And with that deep thought, I hear little feet coming my way....another Fun Day is on!