no longer alone with da secret

The Husband arrived home at 1:30 this morning. I was ever so glad to see him! It was another long night, then I ended up waking early again, so I had to rely on the interwebs to amuse me. Lydia eventually got up and her commotion with breakfast and gabbing eventually got The Husband out of bed.

I listened while The Husband told me about his week and all the stuff he learned. He had a great time. Eventually Lydia’s demands for the Ending of Breakfast became pretty loud so I passed along her ‘note’ to him. “Here,” I said, “Lydia got you a card.”

“Aww, how sweet,” he replied, and began to read.

I watched his face as he read Lydia’s words:

Daddy,

I am so glad you are home. I missed you very much.
Mommy told me a secret and to not tell anyone but you. She said I am going to be a big sister. I don’t know what that means, but I think I get to be the boss.

Love, Lydia

The Husband blinked, then looked at me. “Seriously?” he asked.

I nodded.

“Oh my God. Wow, another baby.” Then he grinned real big and gave me a hug.

“You want to know the funny part?” I asked. “I’m due June 23rd.” Then I started laughing.

____________________

The Husband is very excited indeed. I am just glad I am not the only one that knows anymore. That is quite a big secret to carry around for five days. The initial idea is to announce to family at Thanksgiving again, though we might do it before, I dunno.

Yay, I have someone to talk to about this! Ha ha ha ha ha!

anticipation

It’s the eve before The Husband gets back from his week-long trip. I am so nervous. This weekend is going to be a fun-filled shebang of birthday celebrations and a zoo visit with my sister and her flock, so I haven’t yet decided if I will let him know before or after. I’m leaning towards before, mainly because I’m tired of knowing all by my lonesome. It’s been a long week.

At least I’ve figured out how to let him know. Lydia will write him a note, with my help. She wants to know if she will be able to be the boss.

Surprisingly, I’ve already noticed the in-comings of that horrible pregnancy nausea feeling. I won’t feel hungry forever, then I’ll get that hollow-in-the-pit-of-my-stomach feeling that is quite strong and practically unbearable, but the moment I start eating food I feel full to the point of nauseated again. What gives? I thought I had a few more weeks before this started!

october surprise

The Husband is out of town this week, off to a rare conference and filling his head with all sorts of knowledge and awesomeness. Should be a quiet week here at the abode? Sure. Except something just doesn’t feel right . . .

So this morning, before Lydia woke up, I conducted a little science experiment involving a few months-expired pregnancy test and, of course, pee.

The test was totally positive.

So there I am, still half-asleep (hence no picture) staring at these two lines. This is BIG NEWS, and I have no one to talk to for almost a week. There’s no way I can tell The Husband this over the phone, though a brief mind experiment involving texting a picture of the test to him and imagining his reaction while sitting in a roomful of others trying to listen to the expensive speaker at the front of the room gave me a light chuckle.

I don’t think it’s hit me yet, this other child that is coming. I did have sense enough to pick up another, unexpired test and re-confirm the two lines.

Some quick calculations reveal that the due date is June 23rd, 2010 YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME, but I will bet you right now it’ll be June 14th. Write it down.

I feel fine now, but this time, I know what’s coming . . . the nausea, the extreme tiredness, the HUGENESS, night feedings and crying for no reason.

But also . . .

The cooing, the first smile, the cuddling, that baby-fresh smell, the first laugh, rolling over for the first time, sitting up, crawling, walking, realizing mashed potatoes are manna from Heaven!

Two years apart. Buddy, I got it.

*point*

The other weekend we visited the zoo with our friends and their son, Syon. This was Lydia’s third trip to the zoo and her most enjoyable time there yet.

The moment we arrived she began pointing out all the interesting things to us.

Now that she’s walking she was much less willing to sit in her stroller — we probably shouldn’t have bothered to bring it — and was more satisfied to wander around the area, checking out all that was worth checking out. Sometimes she forgot we were around.

Any kind of bird (except the flamingos) were her favorite. She is still a people-watcher, though, and other kids especially caught her attention. Oh, to be able to run around so fast!

Lydia even pointed out the big, scary animals, though she was glad her Daddy was there to back her up on that.

After lunch, the kids checked out the nifty water-shooting area.

Though Syon turned out to be a brave soul . . .

. . . Lydia wasn’t feeling quite so daring.

After all that running around, pointing, and a big meal, both kids were starting to look tuckered out.

We packed up and made our way home — Lydia began what was to be a three hour nap of excellence.

renton’s malaise

Well, it’s the end of September. It’s time for an unannounced vet visit for Renton! This September’s visit brought to you by copious amounts of barfing.

The barfing has been going on for a while. In fact, I would announce some sort of complaint about it every now and again on Twitter. However, he has built up to his current level at a slow rate of progression. Recently, I looked at Steven, he looked at me, and we both looked at Renton, the carpet, and the large amount of our budget that goes to paper towels and Spot Shot (buy some, it’s awesome). Despite the MediBulk and his specifically-branded, specifically-flavored, highly-priced cat food, Mr. Renton is blowing chunks once daily.

His favorite spot is in the middle of our master bedroom. The second favorite spot is on top of the couch with all its crevices and close proximity to the wall.

On Monday Steven happened to be working from home when Renton had five retching episodes, all before lunch. No more waiting — vet time.

Renton put on yet another good show at the vet’s office. It was time for his annual shots as well. The vet and vet techs were all impressed by Renton’s temper, despite all his warnings and voodoo curses written on his medical file. The vet told him, “Wow, you’re vicious! You belong in Africa — I’ve seen tigers there tamer than you!”

Unfortunately, the vet couldn’t really examine Renton because of said viciousness — they couldn’t even get a weight on him. The vet decided to rule out the easiest thing to treat — worms — by treating for that. If that doesn’t work, he’ll have to come back in for sedation and more testing.

When Steven told me they treated for worms, I knew that couldn’t be it. Hermione had worms once, and I still remember the horrible diarrhea. Renton, though pooping, still is dropping turds that are the weight of a thousand suns. He would probably appreciate some worms.

This morning as we’re getting ready for work, Renton’s belly gushed forth with more of the same. Thankfully I reacted in time to get him on the hardwood. Time for sedation!

Today was my turn to take the Vet Hunter to the clinic. As I walk in, a quiet Renton with Buddy Otter in tow is hailed with a shower of compliments: “Ooh, he’s so pretty!” “He’s so cute with his otter!” “Look at his eyes! Gorgeous!”

He’ll bite your head off, old man.

So into the exam room we go, where we meet a dew-eyed lab tech who apparently wasn’t present on Monday. “Bad cat.” I say. “Real bad cat.”

“Hey, cutie,” she says to Renton, apparently deaf. Renton waits. She reaches across and STICKS HER FINGER IN THE CAGE. Are you mad?! BAD CAT!!!

“Umm, I wouldn’t do that. Do you have some don’t-eat-me gloves that come up to your elbows?” I motion how high the gloves should go on your arm. “You’re gonna need those.”

She yanks her finger out and goes to find the gloves.

The vet comes in with a now well-armed tech and we go back over the history. A more thorough examination is needed, one that Renton will only allow if he’s oblivious, carefree, and totally unconscious. There’s a waiting period while discussions and logistics are carried out. After all, you have to give a very awake, very pissed off cat a shot first before you can poke him even more.

One of the vets that actually was present on Monday walked by and saw Renton. “Hey, I remember you!” Then he begins to regale the other people within earshot about Renton and how this cat ‘got’ him and a tech on Monday (and it was totally just a scratch — this guy has never pulled one of Renton’s calling cards out of his arm before).

We got Renton juiced up with happy drugs, thankfully, without any incident. Towels are excellent things.

Not long after the doc calls back and though Renton’s labs and x-ray are good, he found a lot of little mini-blisters all in the back of his throat and mouth. There’s a name for these things but the word escapes me now. Whatever they are, they can be treated with steroids. Unfortunately, they can come back (it can be a chronic thing) and it wouldn’t necessarily be a cause of the barfing.

Steven had the pleasure of picking up both Renton and the vet bill this evening. Once he got home, Steven said he’s going to start calling Renton the Money Pit.

update: growing taco

Lydia hits the big 15-monther next week, if you can believe it. She’s way past toddling now, she’s practically running sometimes. She is going light-speed through time; I can’t keep up mentally, physically, or with clothes that fit. Thank goodness for Grandma!

Over the past few weeks, Lydia is starting to find her voice can shape syllables, and syllables can maybe sometimes sorta refer to objects among us. When prompted, she can say “burr” (bird), “baaah” (ball), “fffff!” (off), and “daaah!” (anything positive, like ‘on,’ ‘daddy,’ or ‘yay’). Now The Husband and I are REALLY having to watch our language. I completely failed at this during a round of Super Mario Bros 3 yesterday. I forget how frustrating that game is. Give me the Wii and multiple save points any day.

She is still my morning girl, always has been since she was a itty bitty thing. Once the sun is up she is ready to play and you’re guaranteed giggles and some good pictures. As the evening wears on she is more apt to be ornery, especially if a nap was interrupted.

It’s just nutty that a year ago Miss Lydia was three months old and we were eagerly awaiting the arrival of her cousin. Now we are just eagerly awaiting Miss Elizabeth’s first birthday party. It shall be a wondrous hoot.

Earlier today Lydia reached out for my hand. I gave it to her and then she proceeded to lead me around the house. Having never done this before, she didn’t seem to have an end goal in mind. I suppose she just felt ready to lead me around the same way I have led her from one room to the next. Someday Lydia will see how she has led me to so many places already.

I will never put ‘Wake Up’ on repeat again

A few weeks ago Steven and I both got hit with a horrible virus. It was horrendous. I was going to write all about it, but I later realized it would basically be a rehash of what Steven had last February, except I had it as well, and it was worse than before. So that’s about all you need to know. We’re finally better, and though we love the album, neither of us want to listen to Arcade Fire’s Funeral for a VERY long time.

bust a mutt

hey . . . HEY!!!

Gettin’ close to GAMEDAY!

Though I’m gearing up for Auburn’s Gameday (of course) I ran across this shirt and I would have so totally bought it but they quit selling it already.

Not sure if they sold out or if they got in trouble.

Heh.