Sunny 9 for 2007 May

Fri May 04 2007 15:50 Girl's Overnighter: Tuesday and Wednesday I was lucky enough to get away on a day tripper and overnighter to College Station with my mom, Lorna, and Julie who just arrived in town. We went to see Michelle for her 20th birthday. And I took along Gunnar of course. I got a friend to watch Lily Tues afternoon until Aaron got home and then Jenni and Erin to watch Lily Wed until Aaron got home.

Mom had to make a stop at the outlet malls at Talbots and I did some shopping in a couple stores right by Talbots as well. When we got into town we went to dinner with Michelle at Cheddars. IT's kinda like Chili's. Then we came home and hung out and talked until about 12:30 am. Gunnar did pretty well considering he was not in his usual surroundings. He pretty much slept like he normally does, waking up a couple times at night. The next day we went to Jamba Juice to grab breakfast and then we finished up getting ready and then went to lunch at the University Club where Michelle works. It is like the Sky Room in the Wilk except this place is only open to faculty. Afterward we stopped by Old Navy and Bed Bath and Beyond to get a present for Michelle.

We then headed home stopping at Freebird's for dinner. It was fun to hang out with my sisters (but we missed Aly) and Gunnar did well for the most part. He loved being fought over who gets to hold him next with his aunts. Who wouldn't? I came home to Aaron and Lily-who missed me very much. The next morning she screamed outside the room even after Aaron assured her that I was still home until she got to come into the room and investigate for herself that I was indeed still home. I love living close to family so we can do these types of things last minute. I was happy to be back home though again with my routine. My kids and I thrive on our routine; I would die without some sort of structure.

Aaron and I are excited to have Julie around since she has happily volunteered to baby-sit for us so we can have date nights. Plus, Julie is so funny, she can make me laugh all day. Tomorrow we plan on going to Spiderman 3 at the IMAX. Can't wait!

Sat May 05 2007 08:11: Right about this time last year I fell off the face of the earth from morning sickness. Ahh, it's good to be back.

(4) Mon May 07 2007 15:16 On the rise: I can't believe that I just spent $39.94 on gas today. Gas prices are so ridiculous. And the price of stamps went up this month.

And when am I going to get a son or daughter that looks like me? Gunnar is looking more and more like his dad everyday. Which isn't so much a bad thing since his dad is hot. While observing him today I realized that he does have Aaron's ears. At first I didn't think so but now they are starting to stick out. And his head shape is all Aaron. His hair is starting to come in nice too. It is so soft and fuzzy. It is definitely staying dark unlike Lily. Their hair is pretty different. Gunnar's all fell out on the sides and on top, but didn't get the bald spot too bad on the back of his head. Lily kept the top, lost the sides, but had a bald spot on the back forever. Speaking of Lily, someone told me at church yesterday too that the older Lily gets the more and more she looks like Aaron. I can't complain much though. At least my kids are cute.

A fun thing happened today...Gunnar found his toes.

(2) Wed May 09 2007 22:11 Like mother like son: Lately while I go and check on Gunnar during his naps I will see him in this position. I couldn't believe it at first so I would lay him back on his tummy. It didn't look comfortable teetering on his side but he loves it apparently because he would just squirm and get back on his side right after. How cute is that? He must get it from me because I love sleeping just like that...slightly on the stomach but mostly on the side. He's my cute little tank chunk.

(1) Tue May 15 2007 14:29 Sleepwalker: So the good news first. Gunnar is making progress with sleeping through the night. Every third night or so he wakes up only once for a feeding instead of twice. Last night it happened to be 5:15. After I put him back in his crib I noticed a glow under the door. Lily had gotten out of her bed and turned on the TV and was watching Rugrats on Nick Jr. This is not the first time I have found her in the family room at random times at night. When she was sick last week she was out there twice in one night. I guess she was restless or something. Usually she goes back down right after I take her back to bed.

This makes me wonder how often she does this. How long is she out there before I do catch her? Usually she is up and about before Aaron leaves for school around 7:00 so that means she is probably getting up around 6:45 AM every morning at the latest. This takes me to my gripe. Where did my late sleepers go? Well, Gunnar has never really slept in. He is usually up around 7:00 anyway and then I feed him and emerge from the bedroom to fix Lily breakfast around 7:30. I remember when Lily used to sleep in till 8 or 9. These early mornings are killing me. And lately Gunnar has been waking up around 5:00 wanting to play and coo and giggle and gurgle. I can't sleep with that going on. And there is no way in heck I am letting him think he can wake up that early. No sir, 7:00 is already pushing it.

He is getting old enough where he knows we are in the room with him. His crib is at the foot of our bed and he pushes his chest up with his arms and cranes his head and looks at us in bed. The other day after I got out of the shower while he was napping I came out of the bathroom to find him looking back at me staring. Scared me half to death to see him looking at me practically up on all fours because I was expecting a sleeping baby.

So I am thinking it is about time we finish up his room already and get him out of ours. For reals this time. I sound like a broken record but I think it is time. Even though I will dread the longer walk from my bed to his for night time feedings. I prefer it when I am on automatic pilot and I just know I woke up but not for how long or any of that.

(2) Wed May 16 2007 22:43 Poor Aaron: It was his birthday this Sunday. On MOTHER'S day. Not Aaron's day. A day for mother's. I know he feels bummed this year because he doesn't feel like he even had a birthday. I got an idea to have this elaborate getaway entailing a babysitter, hotel room, and shopping. Alas, it never came to pass. At first I thought since Julie was in town I could provide her with the best birth control around- babysitting children. She is getting married June 16th by the way for those who don't know. It worked for me at least. I would get a little baby hungry and then I would go and watch Alyson's boy(s) and then my cup would be filled for awhile longer.

So I had asked Julie to watch the kids overnight while Aaron and I went away to Austin to spend some QT together. The more I thought about it though, the more I didn't want Julie to hate me. I mean seriously, Gunnar won't even take a bottle hardly let alone a bottle in the middle of the night. He would freak. And it takes a mother's love to wake up in the middle of the night once or twice. I just didn't think it would go over well. Then I thought about taking Gunnar with us to a hotel. Then I woke up. What fun is that? What's the point? So we can be really quite and not even get to watch TV in our room for fear that Gunnar would wake up?

So then my big fun plan turned into Julie just watching the kiddies while we went to IKEA and the outlet mall in north Austin. It was fun. We got a new desk to go into our room after we get Gunnar's room done and some other random things at IKEA. I got a couple pairs of workout shorts and Lily some new Crocs (her fav) and Gunnar an outfit at Gymboree and Lily and Gunnar outfits at Children's Place at the outlets. But Aaron could not find anything he wanted. That was the whole point of going shopping. Was for him to pick out what he wanted for his birthday. I usually can come up with something for him but this year I just can't think of anything.

I did however come up with doing something for him, but I doubt he considers it a birthday gift. I do anyway. I mowed the front lawn for him. It was my first time really mowing a yard ever. I did do a couple rows in Utah once, but I mowed the entire front yard for him, and it was tall grass. It was actually kinda fun and satisfying mowing down those long blades of grass. It is like vacuuming and hearing tons of dirt being sucked up and feeling good like you just popped a zit or flossed your teeth and got a popcorn kernel out or cleaned out someone's ear that had really bad wax (Gunnar). It feels like you just lost 10 pounds or something when you do those things. So anyway, that was my birthday gift for him. He's got another one coming his way if he or I can just think of something. I don't really feel so bad about his birthday because he didn't really do anything for me for Mother's Day, which is fine. It was like a trade off. They canceled each other out. Happy 27th Belated Birthday to you, Aaron!

(4) Fri May 25 2007 21:09 It was the best of times, it was the worst of times: This month has won the award for busiest month of the year so far. Aaron survived finals: We are officially third years! That's the happy news. Josh graduated; also good news and Aaron's parents came in town for Josh's graduation as did Aaron's cousin Tyler and fiancé Andrea. Upon arriving in San Antonio, Sherry found out shortly after that her sister and her husband were involved in a fatal car accident for both. Unfortunately Aaron's parents had to cut the trip short and went back to AZ to be with Sherry's mother and family. It was fun while it lasted. We went to dinner altogether one last time at Pappasitos and saw Shrek 3. Then Sunday after the graduation we had a family dinner and birthday party for the twins and an early birthday celebration for Austin and Luke (they turn one in June!) while everyone was together. The babies did not dig into the cakes like I thought they would have...it had been a long day.

As the week began Aaron and I kept busy getting some cleaning done here and there. We also tried to squeeze as much time in with Josh and Jenni and the kids before they had to leave. Wed early morning Aaron left for his brothers' annual Memorial Day backpacking/fishing trip. They made it to Utah just in time for their Aunt Ardy and Uncle Dick's funeral. Jenni and the kids spent their last day with me since she turned in her key to the house to the new owners. Lily and Caden made sure to live it up. They wildly played Wed and Thurs until Jenni left for the airport around 1:30pm. Things are going to be so different without them here. I miss you guys already!!! So sad. I wish they didn't have to leave us so soon.

I can't believe dental school is halfway over for us. It feels like just yesterday we arrived back in San Antonio green and ready to begin. We thought Josh was so far in advance being a third year. Now Aaron is going to be starting third year and it feels like the previous 2 years have flown by. That's good news though, when it goes by fast it means we had fun and there were good times to be had.

Now I am all alone with the kids. After Jenni left yesterday afternoon it felt so lonely. Now I remember why I don't like Aaron going on these trips. I have a hard time being apart from him. Even little things like the Mother-Daughter campout I can't fully enjoy because Aaron is not there to share the fun with me. At least Aly is coming into town Sat night to keep me company. I have been looking forward to their visit especially since she will be staying with me and will be all mine...sort of. And Julie is in town so we have been spending a lot of time together.

Another happy/sad thing that has happened this month is my step sister Meg had her baby boy Brennan. She has chosen to place the baby with a family that's wonderful I hear. This has been the hardest decision of her life as anyone can imagine. I went to see her with Julie at the hospital. It was tearful to watch Meg love her baby so much and not want to waste any time and to hold him every second. No one had the heart to ask to hold the baby the whole time she was in the hospital. I think she slept 5 hours total the 2 days she was in there. She said something that struck me so true. She said she would work 3 jobs and stay fat and ugly her whole life if it meant she could keep him, but that it wouldn't be enough. Her life is nothing; she needed to give him his own life, a good one with a family that can care for him better. She wanted nothing less than the best for her baby boy. She knew it was going to be hard, but she didn't know it would be this hard, that she could love somebody so much. She had no idea. I admire and respect Meg so much for making that decision. One of the hardest things to do in this life I imagine. That's true love right there that I witnessed. Hopefully things won't be dark and dreadful too long her. All these harrowing events this month…life is too short.

Lately, I don't think it is possible for me to write a post that isn't 2 pages long. Sorry for being so long winded!