Nick and I have a date tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes...I think I really like him. ;) We're going to the matinee of Surrogates and a nice restaurant for lunch while Alex and Beth look after Emma. Sounds like 3-4 hours of bliss to me!
I made a huge chocolate cake today. Just trying out a new recipe, but it's three 8" layers with my favorite fudgy frosting. You know how some people say, "Oh, that was the alcohol talking."? Well, this was my uterus baking. It was obscene. I'll see if I can get a picture up. I also made a yummy lamb curry.
I'm working on a chest of drawers for the baby. I bought one from the Salvation Army for cheap and thought I could fix it up. Little more involved than I originally thought... I bought a palm sander, which is wonderful, and I don't know how I lived without it. To sand out some of the damaged or discolored areas brings that area down to a lighter color than the rest, so I'm trying to get it even. There may be no wood left at the end of this project! The bottom was water damaged, so I took off the decorative front, and we'll cut off the bottom inch of feet. Diane's husband, Joe, made a replacement for the facade. Nick's going to attach moulding for the decorative bevel edge. Then I'll stain it all to match. The chippendale-style bail pulls left an impression, so, in the end, whatever pulls I use will have to cover the original hardware area. Hardware is more expensive than I could have imagined, so, all in all, I figure I could have saved a lot of work and bought a really nice dresser from the antique store I love for the price of re-doing this one. Oh well, this is one lesson I keep learning over and over again. I'm such a cheapskate that I nickel and dime myself! And there is no reward in the project itself. This isn't a hobby for me, so the flaws of the finished project will shout at me. But, it will do, and it won't be in my life forever. We hope to finish up tomorrow.
Emma did the cutest thing at bedtime tonight. When I'm calming her in her crib I rock her side to side palming her bottom and work my way up and down her back. Like patting, but more rocking and light rubbing. So tonight I put her in and turn her onto her belly and she started rocking her bottom back and forth! And she said ni-ni, for night-night, with my exact inflection. It was unbelievably cute. Plus, I don't know if I mentioned this before, but she can give kisses now. When she kisses Nick she giggles because of his stubble. It's the best. Nick said when she was upstairs with him in her one-piece jammies, she was trying to put on shorts that were on the floor up there. He asked her if she needed help and she nodded emphatically like she does these days. So when they found me for bedtime she was wearing jean shorts over her red-striped long johns. Another priceless moment. Lately I've been enforcing that bath time is Daddy time, and she gets really upset right up until the bubbles and her new doll go in the tub. Then she's all smiles washing baby and playing with the bubbles. We love the Burt's Bees kind that smells just like the lotion, milk and honey.
Plans for Hobbs at Thanksgiving are now in the works. Thurs: Cloudcroft; Fri night, Saturday and Sunday morning: Hobbs; Sunday afternoon and Monday morning: Carlsbad Caverns; Monday night: Silver City; Tuesday morning: Gila Cliff Dwellings; Tuesday night: Home again! This will be our biggest RV trip yet. (Les and Doris have a really nice one and they are travelling right now up the CA coast!) If anyone has advice on our destinations or things along the way please write. I'm thrilled that Nick can take some time off and hit the road for parts unknown (to us).

Rough Day for Emma

Saturday was a day-long celebration of Civano, as I mentioned, and Emma was participating in the festivities. Well, mostly she was eating the pastries. Anyway, she fell and scraped the nail of her ring finger on the right hand. Part of the nail peeled off and took skin with it. That's very painful to anyone, but especially so to a toddler who has little experience with pain. Nick carried her all the way home and we bandaged her up. Distraction is the best remedy. She learned to hold that hand fisted up to protect it. So smart, my little girl. After her nap she was back in the game. We went down again to hear the band play and let her run around and dance. While playing on the grass she tripped just close enough to the concrete border to raise a nice lump on her head. Poor dear. We were looking for signs of head trauma as we headed home in the stroller. Kept an eye on her for a few hours: dizziness, balance, lethargy, nausea, no appetite, eye movement, etc. But she had no symptoms and no change in her usual self. Back again for the dinner show; she had a great time dancing with the other toddlers and no injuries!

Nick and I both woke up with colds today. He's on the Sudafed and I'm waterboarding myself with sinus cleansing. Emma woke up an hour early so off they went with the wagon. I scrubbed the kitchen floor. Just can't get it looking good. Concrete stains; who knew? Doris and Les just left for a month of travelling the west coast in the RV. Should be good for them to get away. What will we do without them? What will Emma think happened to them? In a couple of years she can join them...Gram and Pappy camp in Monroe, roadtrips with Nana and Pops.

Blogging is kind of addicting, like you're all in my head! Have a great day :)

Happenings

Let me get you all caught up with our newsy items and happenings. I am 24 weeks pregnant with our second child, a boy. He needs a name and we are open to all suggestions, so please comment with those. I have gained 18 # and the doc says I'm looking good. Belly length is on target, heartbeat is strong. "He who shall not be named" is perfect according to the sonogram from a few weeks ago. I feel good and am in the "good" trimester. Nausea and fatigue are behind me. Rib crushing and the inability to lace my shoes are still far ahead. If Emma's noticed my belly, she has the good manners not to mention it.
Nick is at a talk and reception in the town center for Civano's 10th anniversary. There is a full day of activities planned tomorrow to celebrate our special neighborhood. I've never heard of any other development that is so involved. Always something cool going on here. I would've liked to go, but it started too late for Emma. As I often brag, Nick was here salvaging the trees from this land 12 years ago. So he needs to go and schmooze with the folk. People often tell me that he's the only Shipley they haven't met. Nick, man of mystery.
Emma has a few new tricks. Last two nights she was playing quietly in her room before bedtime (7pm) as we always do, when she walked over to her crib and waved goodnight at us. Basically saying, "Put me in bed, I'm done for the day." Love it! She also says bubble and ball very clearly. Today in the car she pointed out an old gas station sign (something 76, you know) and said "ball". Plain as day, and correct, of course. In the afternoons we have a new routine to catch all the family's homecoming action in our circle. I bring out a couple of toys and chairs, a snack, and traffic cones. We set them up at the perimeter to let incoming cars know that kids are in the street. The only people driving in there are neighbors coming to garages, if you remember how it's set up, and no one comes in fast. But it makes them make eye contact with me so I can let them know that I have Emma and it's safe. Plus, she's learning that those are her boundaries. Emma runs around and gets dirty, the neighbor's kid comes out, all guys come home. When Les comes home, Emma wants to sit in the driver's seat of his truck and pretend. That's his special time with her. Then Nick comes in and takes over for me and gets to visit with everybody. The weather has gotten so nice now that it's a great time to be outside.
I think I've reached my computer limit! I'm going to get a brownie (new recipe, easy and the only scratch brownie I've made that tastes better than box mix) and veg out on my reclining couch. mmm, aaahh is what that sounds like if you're wondering!
With love,
Katie

Jumping In

I have enjoyed reading the blogs of family so much. I like the details of their daily lives as much as the big news. It reminds me that everyone's life is made of details; knowing those details make me feel closer. My life isn't very exciting as a stay-at-home mom (or SAHM), but the details may be a mystery to those who haven't lived it. So, I thought I'd join the club and blog to expose my everyday routine. (Is this why people twitter?) Also, Emma does something new and funny everyday. Not necessarily something to write home about, but this is the good stuff, and it passes too quickly. I want you to know about her news, too.
My siblings' blogs are a joy to read if only for the beauty of their writing. Funny, poignant, perfect in composition...This blog will not sound like that. I will probably end more than one post, "Emma's up, gotta go." But I hope it sounds like a phone call from me, that my voice comes through and you feel like you're here. Because that's why I'm doing it.