Sad September

Normally, I love the fall. I love the colors. I love the crisp cool air. I love making hot soups for dinner. I love wearing sweaters and my knee high boots. I love school supplies.


This year, I'm dreading fall. I want an endless summer. I dream of infinite days watching my boys play in the wading pool in the back yard, running naked through the grass with golden brown skin. Unnumbered days, rocking my baby girl on the porch swing. Countless trips to the library on Friday mornings. But alas, it all must come to an end.

For come the first of Fall, my maternity leave is over. I must return to the "real world". The world in which I don't get to be just a mom. I won't get to bake bread to go with dinner, or prepare meals that take longer than 30 minutes. No more late mornings cuddling with my kids.

I have about 2 1/2 weeks before I must return to work. I'm trying to enjoy every minute of it, but I find myself spending too much time dreading what is to come. So this is it. I'm crying about it here for a minute. I'm complaining, and I'm moping. I'd really like to spend the next two weeks cuddling with my kids and rocking my baby while she sleeps -- breathing in every moment. Savoring every sweet moment, enjoying the now.

Welcome, Ladybug

I'm a little embarrassed that it's been since April since I lasted posted.  I'm even more embarrassed that I still haven't finished the baby quilt I had been working on.  However, I did finish something -- this little ladybug joined our family on July 1, 2011. 

Turns out, she has something in common with her mama, she likes to procrastinate.  She took her sweet time getting here.  With gestational diabetes and chronic hypertension, I was pushing it, but the doctor gave me until 41 weeks and 1 day before we evicted her.  She was worth the wait.  She is a joy, and we are so glad to have her in our family.

Finish It Friday

I've done absolutely nothing with my baby quilt.  This is not going well...

On the plus side, I finished and filed my tax return this week.  At least I did that on time.

Glucose Screening Forfeit

I think that when you take your 1 hour glucose screening test on Thursday and the nurse tells you, "I'll have the results on Monday -- I'll only call you if there is a problem.  No news is good news." if she calls you on Tuesday at 4:45 pm, they should forfeit, and you should get an automatic pass.

Chocolate Mousse Crunch Cake

We had my in-laws over for my husband's birthday dinner last Sunday.  I made this cake from "Our Best Bites" . If you haven't checked out their blog, you really ought too.  I've never made any of their recipes that I didn't love.

This cake is so moist and rich and delicious.  The mousse is so good and so easy to make.  Next time, I think I'll use mint extract instead of vanilla, and use Keebler's Grasshopper Cookies instead of Heath Bar, for a minty variation.  Or use raspberries.  Hmmm...
Speaking of chocolate and raspberries, I've been eating the left over ganache over ice cream and frozen raspberries.  I really need to cut that out, but it tastes so good.

Finish It Friday: Baby Quilt Update

I'm making some progress.  Not as much as I'd like, but it is still progress.

I bought batting and yellow thread.  And I've washed and ironed the fabric, though it looks like it needs to be ironed again.

Something I finished this week?  It only took nine weeks and 3 trips to the the ultrasound clinic, but my little girl finally cooperated enough to be able to finish our 20 week anatomy scan!

More than Thumbs

We met with the hand specialist today, and I learned a few things. And not all of them had to do with tendons and pulleys.

First, I realized that I have an awesome husband, and more importantly, my boys have an awesome father. I mean, I knew I had an awesome husband, but I've been so impressed with him the last couple of weeks. He really is wonderful, but generally, he is a man. I have to schedule appointments, and fill out forms, and pay bills, and pay attention to details. But with Monkey's hand, he as taken the lead. We hadn't been in the door for two seconds last week, after our trip to the pediatrician, and he was calling the hand specialist and setting up Monkey's appointment. When we arrived at the hospital, I took Monkey to the drinking fountain, and expected to find B sitting in the reception area. Instead, I found him checking us in -- he had handed over his ID and insurance cards, and was about to fill out paperwork. When it came time to take Monkey to get X-Rays, B volunteered to assist, even before the nurse said that I couldn't help because I was pregnant. He even paid the co-pay before we left. He really made me smile today. It was a little hard for me, because I am a bit of a control freak, but I know that I can count on him.

Second, I learned that being a little neurotic can pay off. The doctor asked if Monkey hurt his thumb or if we just noticed it. "We just noticed it last week," I told him. And the doctor kinda nodded. "Do you have any idea how long it's been that way?" He asked. I told him, "I can't be sure, but I think it's been that way since at least November." He looked at me a little quizzically -- probably because I had just gotten done telling him that I had only noticed it last week. "Well, I have this picture..." I told him. He said that was unusual evidence, but actually very helpful in discussing treatment options. He said that sometimes trigger thumb can resolve itself, given a couple of months, but if it had been that way for several months, it wouldn't resolve on its own. Surgery really was the best option, and it's not necessary to "wait and see."

Since we are fairly confident of my photographic evidence, and now that Monkey notices that there is something wrong with his thumb, we're going with the surgery. It's scheduled for two weeks from now.