just a couple pictures

of who else? w1! Here he is helping us get ready for the new baby. Checking all the safety features on the bassinet, making sure it is comfortable...


And he is always ready to help me make cookies. His grandpa taught him that the dough is the best part:

finally ready?

So, two weeks ago this Monday, my doctor said I would have this baby in the next two weeks. Thank goodness nothing has happened yet, but that sure did galvanize me into action! I finally got serious about my "to do before the baby arrives list". And as of a couple of days ago, I have pretty much done everything necessary off that list (which means not everything, but enough!). So now, as r1 says, I just have to concentrate on keeping that baby inside. But, of course, my mind wanders to a few other things...

1. Ice cream in general, and this in particular:

Have you tried it? If not, I really think you should go get some. Right now. I don't care what time it is.

2. Warmer weather. I know we have a while to wait before we see this, but...

<-- Look at the short sleeves. Outside.

And swimming. That would be so nice.





3. Traveling. Anywhere but this frozen wasteland. Preferably international. With great food. And an ocean.

Here we are last year in Wales with my brother and sister-in-law. Beautiful.

Sunday happenings

Yesterday was w1's official first day in nursery, and it really didn't go too well. But, after all the screaming and crying and trauma, he did take a 3 hour nap (rather than his usual 1.5 hours). Is it bad that I was excited about that?

our endless name hunt

r1 and I apparently don't have the same taste in names (to say the least). So, picking out a name for our second child is proving to be... um, a challenge. I try asking w1 for his opinion, but I think he has wisely decided to stay neutral. We even have looked at our genealogy, desperate for inspiration. And, although Olaf does show up an awful lot on my side of the family, I don't think we will be using it! (sorry, Dad)

As we scour the baby name books, and this really cool website,

http://babynamewizard.com/namevoyager/lnv0105.html

I notice a lot of perfectly good boy names that are now also being used for girls. Here are some:

Blake
Hunter
Logan
Jordan
Ryan
Quinn
Riley
Taylor

Why? I met a girl in high school who was named Kevin. What were her parents thinking?

Anyway, wish us luck finding a first name and a middle name we agree on!

explain this to me

So, last week I was at Target to pick up some essentials, when I remembered that we really needed shaving cream. We had been all out for a while, and I kept forgetting to put it on the grocery list. r1 had been using mine towards the end there (raspberry is a gender neutral scent, right?), but don't tell him I told you.

Anyway, I remembered at Target and headed over to the aisle. Here is where I ran into trouble. There is Target brand women's shaving cream, and Target brand men's shaving cream. Same size, 7 oz. The women's is $1.89, and the men's is $1.59. Are women simply more willing to pay more for that sort of thing? And is this true of all brands and products? So if you see me in the future at Target in the health and beauty section furiously comparing prices, this is why.

Being the cheapskate that I am, I bought that men's shaving cream for both of us. I figure it works the same, but I might smell a little manly.

why w1's great-grandma is awesome

Because we received a surprise package in the mail from her on Tuesday. It contained w1's absolute favorite treat, freeze dried strawberries! And not just a little bit, 2 #10 cans. And apples, pineapple, and mandarin oranges. w1 was having a contest with himself to see how fast he could cram them in his mouth.

this weekend

Well, Saturday night we were going to go out for a fabulous night on the town, but w1 told us that he would rather stay in and... wash dishes. He let his preference be known by running over to me (who was slumming with my hugely pregnant self on the couch) and signaling me to push up his sleeves. Then he pulled a chair over to the sink, which was, admittedly, full of dirty dishes: We have a budding domestic god on our hands? (I haven't told you yet how much he likes to help me cook...)