Belly Progression...

I wanted to do this post so I could group all my belly shots in order. These photos are saved all over the place b/c some are from the cell phone camera. (And because I am supposed to be studying for my Spanish competency exam which I need to graduate, but this is much more fun...) Anyway...here is Van baking!

May 19th, 13 weeks

(I think I am sticking out my belly in this one--in efforts to look pregnant...)

June 27th, 19 weeks

July 19th, 22 weeks

August 13th, 25 weeks

August 25th, 27 weeks

September 11th, 30 weeks

September 20th, 31 weeks

October 1st, 33 weeks

(don't have to "try" to look pregnant anymore...)

October 10th, 35 weeks...getting verrrry uncomfortable...

SURPRISE!

October 19th!

Rice, no heat, and a sad Auntie Em.

Today I am a little sad. I started my morning off with a starbucks, and a sweet little Van Lackey, but I viewed my brother-in-law's photos of my 10-month-old niece, Frasier, and just miss her and her family so much.

We have a "Vermont album" that I go through often with Van to make sure he knows his "northern" family. We get to webcam, but scheduling  time between two infants' schedules is not an easy undertaking.  We are going to spend a weekend all together in Beaufort the first week in March, with Granny Rhombus and Grandpa--and I am seriously counting down the days!

Rice.

Van had his first bowl of rice cereal yesterday. It was really funny.  At first he wasn't sure what to think (and I tasted a bite--boy is this stuff nasty...) and as the majority oozed out of his mouth, he would still smack his little lips and swallow. Towards the end of the bowl, he was opening his mouth for more. That is a good sign!   We will slowly introduce veggies (the dr. said fruits are much tastier--so introduce the veggies first so he gets used to eating them).

No heat.

Saturday evening we had some company for dinner and by the time we got to bed, I noticed our house was much chillier than usual. I am always cold so I just ignored it and went to bed.  Around midnight, I realized the heat was definitely not on, walked back to Van's nursery and it was frigid! So I went to turn up the heat and no response. Completely dead.

So I woke up Evans and we realized we had a home warranty for 1 year from the date we closed on our house. Which happened to be February twenty-something...  We searched through all our papers and discovered our warranty expires in FIVE DAYS! whewww. So hopefully our heater will be completely fried and we can get them to install a brand new one...

Meanwhile, the Lackey clan is camping out in our den which happens to have old-timey baseboard heating. It gets pretty toasty in here. We'll probably continue alternating between g-parent's houses until we can have a normal cozy night at home again. Speaking of rice...I am going to heat up my rice bag in the microwave!

HALFPIPE

Attempting the halfpipe is definitely going on my to-do list. It looks like so much fun!!

USA Gold Medalist, Shaun White

Darby's blogpost this morning started my day off right. It made me consider that its not necesarily the tasks I do each day, but why I do them.  While it may sound like a mere justification of the mundane (diaper changes, feedings, spit ups, diaper changes, feedings... etc etc) it assures me of the 14-pound, healthy, happy reason I am blessed with each day. :)

First night away from home

If you saw me at all this weekend, you probably know Van's first night away from home was Saturday! He did much better than I... considering I made it until about midnight until deciding to drive to my parents house and crash on the couch.

What is the deal? Why is it so difficult to be away from this little fella? We dropped him off around 1 in the afternoon Saturday, ran some errands, then went to an engagement party for one of my friends. I even called my mom around 11pm to confirm that I was having a great time, and probably not coming over to spend the night with them afterall. 

About 5 minutes after I hung up the phone, I changed my mind.

As soon as I got to my parent's house, I checked on Van... he looked so peaceful and was sleeping so soundly.  I just needed to see him to actually believe that he was going to be okay without me.  This overnight stay was prep for our trip to California at the end of next month.  (I will need some major encouragement to get through that weekend so if you talk to me around that time, don't mind my anxiety)...

We feel like bad parents to our dog, Sophie. She was clearly neglected the first couple of months just because we were so busy figuring out Van. But recently she started scratching at her ears so badly and just looked really uncomfortable. So after a trip to the vet, they confirmed she has major ear infections in both ears :(  {and probably has had them for a while}. We have some meds now to help her out (and got lectured for not keeping her teeth clean...is it normal to brush your dog's teeth??)

Valentine's day was nice and cozy--one of my oldest friends came to visit and meet Van. Lackey g-parents delivered some DELICIOUS snickerdoodle cookies. Evans (the chef of the family) cooked a wonderful pot roast (my favorite meal) and we went to bed around 8:30. 

(Pot roast must be Van's fave too...ironically, that was our dinner the evening I went into labor. Evans and I had a fire going and had cooked alllll day and we actually discussed how calm and cozy our life was... not knowing we would have a baby the next morning!!) So strange I actually have a picture on my cell of our fire from that night.

Sing this lullaby to yourself

"Lullaby"

Jack Johnson

(feat. Matt Costa)

When you're so lonely lying in bed
Night's closed it's eyes but you can't rest your head

Everyone's sleeping all through the house

You wish you could dream but forgot to somehow

Sing this lullaby to yourself
Sing this lullaby to yourself
And if you are waiting, waiting for me
Know I'll be home soon darling I guarantee
I'll be home Sunday just in one week
Dry up your tears if you start to weep
And sing this lullaby to yourself
Sing this lullaby to yourself
Lullaby, I'm not nearby
Sing this lullaby to yourself
Don't you cry, no don't you cry
Sing this lullaby to yourself
Cause when I arrive dear it won't be that long
No it won't seem like anytime that I've been gone
It ain't the first time it won't be the last
Won't you remember these words to help the time pass?
So when you're so lonely lying in bed
Night's closed it's eyes but you can't rest your head
Everyone's sleeping all through the house
You wish you could dream but forgot to somehow
Sing this lullaby to yourself
Sing this lullaby to yourself
Sing this lullaby, sing this lullaby
Sing this lullaby to yourself

Naturally...the night I have a couple glasses of wine, (even though Van has been sleeping like a charm for the past few weeks) he decides to wake up bright-eyed at 3:30 AM. It was bittersweet because I was sleepy and he was just smiling away at his tired mommy.  Anyway, this song is on Sarah's lullaby mix for Van and I just love singing along to it to Van. The lyrics are so sweet and he always smiles at the chorus.

We finally took the infant sling out of the tub and he loves having his bath. (Don't mind the fingernail wound on his forehead! I promise I cut them all the time!!) I have a cute video but want to spare him the embarrassment of being fully naked on the internet.

Nursery Before and Afters

One of the best parts about being pregnant is getting to decorate the nursery! It was my favorite room to decorate in the entire house.

                                 

BEFORE:  

                                                                                                    

AFTER:

                                                                    

We were lucky to have lots of help from our parents decorating and furnishing!

It is funny how I spent so much time making sure every last detail was perfect (even arranging all of his clothes by color, type and size) then how quickly everything began running with a mind of its own. No longer are the drawers organized or cloth diapers folded. You just do what you gotta do.

I can only hope  Van learns to be as handy as LEL's II and III (his dad and G-Diddy)... They upfitted his nursery by adding crown molding, paint, and a ceiling fan (which included removing a light fixture from another century full of fiberglass insulation)... And G-Diddy built the bedside table.  G-Mommy sewed the curtains, bedskirt, and his lovely bookends:

 

Our second Kroger trip went down smoothly today. It is really windy though! Van got to rock his Patagonia fleece. (Still a little large but so cute!)

 

And in case you are wondering, he still adores his daddy.  These moments are priceless and I am so happy I am actually getting them on camera!

 

Gotta love Kroger...

Van before Kroger:

Van after Kroger:

I feel like I have exposed Van to the real world after our first joint trip to the grocery store.  (Yes I have managed to bypass this scenario for almost 4 months...) I'll be the first to admit Kroger can be a scary place...lots of interesting people/things going on there. But their prices are cheap and it ends up being worth the tolerance. 

I knew something freakish would happen, but we made it almost out the door before I was proven to be correct.  A nice employee offered to help me unload groceries from the cart onto the conveyor belt. I noticed she was missing some teeth and really wanted to get up in Van's face (he was in the bjorn and I could use the help!) so I welcomed her efforts. 

The lady asked what his name was, displaying a slightly frightening grin, and when I replied "Van"...she completely lit up with excitement...yanked her ENTIRE ARM out of her Kroger smock and shirt...revealing a little too much....in order to show me a not-too-pretty tatoo of "Van" on a banner across her bicep.

She proceeded to grin and shout "See Van!! I knew my love would arrive one day!!"

Then she looked at me, grimaced, and explained "Don't worry--I'm kiddin'--its for my ex". 

Wow Van--what a relief.