3 CM!

So I went to the Dr yesterday. I am dilated at 3 CM! Holy cow... I feel like a cow actually. I am so ready and so not ready to have this baby! I am uncomfortable and I want him out. I am scared of labor so I think I will just keep him in. I think I am tired now from not being able to sleep but I have done this a time or two and I know that once this little human is here (sucking out my life force) I will be exhausted. I already have 2 little creatures that make me tired. One is in my arms as I type this. His arms tight around my neck. :) Lincoln!

Lincoln has a pediatrician appt in 2 hours. I was contracting last night, Taylor was working the night shift and Nolan talked me into letting him sleep in my bed. I decided to take my medicine (for contractions) since the Dr. said it wouldn't stop real labor but would stop the annoying "could this be it????" contractions. The meds worked. Contractions slowed and I was able to finally fall asleep with Nono in my bed. As I finally drift off I hear Lincoln crying in his room. "MAMA! BABA! MAAAAaaaa MAAAA!" Half asleep I go get him, change him, give him a sippy cup of milk (bad idea) and tuck him between Nolan and I. Right as I am drifting off I hear the faint sound any mom would know means "WAKE UP YOUR KID IS ABOUT TO PUKE". Poor Link barfed all over himself, me and the bed. Seriously!?!? Gosh... Okay. I was expecting that if I was up at 2am it would be cause I was in labor but no... I was up doing laundry with a sick toddler in my arms. :) I would have put Lincoln down but he looked so sad and so cozy in my arms.

So anyway it was a long night but Lincoln woke up this morning fine. Full of boogers but fine. I am kinda suspecting he may have an ear infection since we all had colds and he is the only one who doesn't seem to be getting better. Either way he is going to see Dr Hurwitz at 2 today.

We are thinking about getting a Christmas tree today.

FULL TERM... DYLAN... come out!

I am finally full term. I can't wait to go into labor. I got through November (almost done) and now it's go time! I am nervous and excited. I want to know what this baby will look like and how it will all go down. Maybe I will occupy my time decorating for Christmas today because when I just relax... my mind just won't stop thinking of the unknown. Will it hurt ( OF COURSE IT WILL... DUH). Will he be cute (duh again). Who the heck is going to watch Nolan and Lincoln. Will it be during the day... Night??!?! Will my water break.. BURST?!??! OHHHHH my gosh. Let's get this over with... I can't take it anymore! :)

37 weeks 1 day. Not that I am counting.

Allie and Taylor on the tennis courts Thanksgiving morning

The annual "cousin picture" on Thanksgiving

With my mom and sister's at Dylan's baby shower


My Step-Dad's 50th birthday! Surprise! Staples Center Suite!

The George family has been busy busy this November! It's been a lot of fun. Some of the highlights include my baby shower, Lincoln's ENT appt, Nolan being out of school for break, visit from my father in law, Thanksgiving and my step dad's surprise 50th birthday party!

My baby shower was fun. We had it at Mimi's cafe. It was small and I was happy to see all of our family come to celebrate with us! Dylan is a spoiled little guy! Lots of cool baby things await his arrival. :)

Lincoln's ENT (Ear Nose and Throat Specialist) appt went as well as can be expected. The swollen lymph nodes have grown and instead of surgically removing the nodes over 2 cm we are opting to surgically put tubes in his ears to drain fluid the ENT found. We are hoping that clearing the infections in his ears will help the nodes to go away! Stay tuned for surgery details... I am nervous to have my baby put under but I can't wait to see if this helps not only his poor little neck but his ears and speech as well.

Nolan on break is interesting... he is kinda like a puppy that needs exercise or he starts going crazy and tearing the house apart. When does baseball season start?!?

We had my Father in Law down for Thanksgiving. It was fun having him jump into all our crazy family traditions and hang with the boys. Thanksgiving was fun. Breakfast in the morning at the Hairabedian's followed by Tennis in Meadow View, Dinner and Gingerbread House contest at the Fadden's. It was a GREAT fun day.

Last but not least my Step dad's 50th surprise birthday party! My mom got a suite at the Staple's Center and filled it with family and friend's to surprise Tim. It was really fun! The kid's had a blast cheering (Nolan with his shirt off "GO KINGS" written across his chest). Tim looked SHOCKED to see everyone in there and yell "SURPRISE!" Good times. :) The King's lost but everyone had so much fun nobody seemed to care!

Just feel like blogging.

As I type this... Lincoln is sitting behind me enjoying a strawberry yogurt. That means that I have to type quickly and look over my shoulder every 5 seconds. For some reason yogurt in this house turns to finger paint in the blink of an eye. At least it's not ketchup. Strawberry yogurt isn't so bad to clean up but ketchup makes me want to puke.

Anyway. 34 weeks. Family baby shower this Saturday. It seemed so far away and now... it's right around the corner. What is it about a 3rd baby that you don't seem to have to wait. The time FLIES. With Nolan and Lincoln time seemed to stand still. I was due around the same time with Nolan and the holidays did not keep my occupied enough to take my mind off my due date. This time I feel like it's creeping up so quickly and I have so much to do! I have been washing baby clothes every chance I get. I had bags and bags of clothes in the garage. It makes me smile tearing those trash bags open and finding little outfits that Lincoln used to wear. I gave them away thinking I would never need them or see them again. Who knew? They all ended up handed back down to Dylan. :) I had a baby in the beginning of 2009 and here I am about to have another little baby at the end of 2010! WOW.
I can't wait to meet this little baby. They are so much more fun on the outside than in my tummy. I am so over being pregnant! I can't sleep and now that Dylan's head in down I am rushing off to the bathroom every 5 minutes. I have still been having a lot of contractions. Some days Labor and Delivery will have me double up my meds to get the contractions to stop. It seems to be working. I hate how the medicine makes me feel. It's amazing that a pill that makes you shaky and makes your heart pound out of your chest can actually relax your uterus. So I get to sit there feeling like I drank 20 Redbulls and try to relax. HA... and that is hard when all you want to do is nest! I know I should be relaxing but I have such an urge to get everything in order before Dylan is here. I guess it really doesn't matter. He's not going to care if all the door frames in the house have been scrubbed. I am getting tired again. Not as tired as I was in the beginning of pregnancy. Just tired I think from carrying all this extra weight. Everything is achy and hurts. I was watching the boys wrestle around and was envious at how quickly they get around. I can't move fast or I will get a shock of sciatic shooting down my butt and leg. I can't wait until the baby is out and that nerve will stop doing that! Rolling over in bed is getting fun too... It's like a whole production of pillow arranging to find a comfortable position (and as soon as I'm comfortable it's time to pee). I swear I should be hired to speak to groups of young girls about "the joys of pregnancy". I would have them all so scared! LOL
Anyway it's almost over. Poor Taylor has to deal with me fine one second and then crying the next because of a million reasons I seem to think are worth crying over... I feel like I can't breathe because Dylan moved and was squishing my air out, I can't find the remote, My feet hurt, I'm having a bad hair day... who knows why I just cry sometimes lately and I know what I am doing but can't stop myself! ha.. I wish I could video tape myself. I am sure that would be fun to watch. :)

Okay that's enough of me complaining. The good news is that Lincoln ate his yogurt without smearing it all over the entire kitchen. :)

Halloween 2010

My kids

I just can't get enough of them!

Nolan is starting the "scary costume" phase. Makes me a little sad but it was still fun to see him so excited about his costume. We made his jacket and dirtied up his mask.

Linky was too cute. Watching him go door to door with his little UPS box just cracked me up. Everyone thought he was cute and told him to take as much candy as he wanted!

My silly boys dancing to the music at the pumkin patch. They make me laugh!

We had a great time. Nolan picked the perfect pumpkin to carve.

Cream Puff Eyeballs!

Look what we made!

Daddy and Nolan hard at work!

Lincoln sneaking cream puffs!

LINKY WE SEE YOU LITTLE STINKER!

Third Trimester!

Wowza... I forget how being pregnant sure can kick your booty. My hips are clicking, my bladder is squished, my pelvis is grinding. Heartburn, LEG CRAMPS in the middle of the night... you name it. And then there is the neat stuff like feeling his little hiccups and watching him roll around inside my tummy. I am starting to get tired again. Lincoln makes sure I get my fair share of exercise. Right when he sees me try to relax he jumps the baby gate or starts filling the refridgerator with his toys. I wonder how he will be with a little brother.

Nolan on the other hand just got back from Target. We had a great time just him and I scanning away. We went to add items to Dylan's Baby Registry. The give you this scanner and you scan all the items you would like to add. Nolan LOVED being the "scanner". It was fun to let Nolan pick out what he thought Dylan needed. "Mommy he needs this! Mommy, Dylan would LOVE this!". He did try and sneak baby bedding that I said "no" to, a nerf gun and candy bars but hey... can't blame the kid for trying. He is such a great kid and such a great brother.

Did Dad invent the game handball?

Taylor and the boys are playing handball against the wall in the playroom.

I hear Taylor and Nolan arguing over the "rules".

Taylor- "Nolan I think I know the rules of handball. I made the game up. Ask your mom."

Nolan (yelling from downstairs)- "MOM!? DID DAD INVENT HANDBALL?"

Me (playing along from the kitchen)- "Uh huh... yes he did."

Nolan- "Yeah right! I am going to have to look that up on the computer."

Darn you google. How are we supposed to tease our kids?!

Sleep Training a Co-Sleeper

My little loves sleeping <3>

Is there anything more exhausting than sleep training a toddler? I am sure there is but right now it sure doesn't feel like it. Lincoln is having a hard time falling asleep on his own. (Naps and Night time). What do you expect when for 13 months the little guy got to fall asleep nursing, listening to mommy's heartbeat and suckling away? Since weaning Lincoln 5 months ago it sure has been hard. I have listened to advice from many moms. I have googled. I have done my research. I still have not found the magic solution.

"Put him in his crib and let him scream." My experience & thoughts on that approach- After letting him "CIO" (cry it out) I have realized that it takes 1 to 3+ hours for this to finally work. In that time period Lincoln would manage to dirty his diaper, throw up on himself and now not be able to sleep because 1.)he is hungry from puking up his dinner 2.)awake from the commotion of me cleaning up his puke. I'm not letting my baby go to sleep hungry or a mess so... If you start this process around 7:30 or so you should have your kid clean, fed and asleep making horribly sad little whimpering sounds by midnight.
Nobody that gave me advice had to actually sit in my home and listen to this drama unfold so yes... they will tell you "keep on going and it gets easier every night."
Eventually after many nights your sleep deprived mini-me will stop puking in the crib. I just didn't realize it would be because he will soon realize how to escape from the "cage". Now you will find throw up in new places to clean such as the carpet, the bedroom and anything else your poor little kiddo has touched. :(

Oh... don't forget the reactions of the rest of the household! Unless you happen to have a sound proof room this will take a toll on the entire household. From the 2nd grader who can't sleep through the crying to the tired daddy that just pulled a double shift at work. My goodness.

You rub your kids head to soothe him... 2 steps forward 1 step back.

Pick him up because his crying is making you want to cry... 2 steps forward 1 step back.

Consistency I must say is helping.

Scheduling wake up time, nap time and bedtime (and everything in between). I do believe this is huge. What are you supposed to do if you have a life though? Do you miss your older son's Tball game because it's nap time? Skip out on a family member's birthday because 7:30 is bath and bed time? What if your like me and you just can't follow a schedule very well? Okay really who can blame me? Last minute (decaf though regular is needed) coffee meet ups are fun! Ya know, sometimes the 10 minutes I planned to spend in TJmaxx somehow turned into 2 hours.

Life happens.

I will admit that there has been nights where my pregnant body just can't stay awake to listen to him cry himself to sleep safely. Those nights I will rub his little head or cuddle with him until he finally falls asleep. One step forward... 10 steps back. I really hope he doesn't cry himself to sleep in his college dorm. :/

I keep thinking that with my next baby I will nurse sitting up and then tuck my groggy little love in so he can learn to be a self soother and fall asleep without a problem. However... I nursed Lincoln while I was asleep and I don't know how some of you mommas wake up to do that.
Anyway, in a perfect world my kids will all sleep through the night. The funny thing about when that finally happens, the quiet will probably wake me up and I will have to check them all to make sure they are all okay.

sigh... :)

Super Pee Man... and his sidekick Super Pee Man Jr.

I knew before I went to bed last night that today was going to be a day of laundry. It wasn't until I woke up that I realized just how much laundry I would be doing.

I awoke to being sprayed by Super Pee Man Jr. who decided to take his diaper off and (while sleeping diagonally across my bed) created a rainbow off showers all over himself, me and my just washed bedding. In my good morning call to Taylor he informs me that last night while Super Pee Man Jr. was sleeping he peed through his diaper soaking his own bed. Good job Lincoln- you managed to pee in 2 of the 4 beds in our house last night. Don't worry little buddy, your big brother SUPER PEE MAN managed to help you in your quest and also wet his own bed. 3 out of 4 my little Super Heroes... not bad. I am thinking that once your little brother arrives you just might be able to fulfill your life's mission and make me wash EVERY piece of bedding in the house... and hopefully by then I have a laundry room the size of the Duggar family.

When the Dr tells a pregnant mom to rest...

The prescription they send you home with should be a nanny and a maid.

Vegas!

Our Vegas trip was sure interesting! Dr. Anderson pretty much told me I should be doing nothing but resting however I was able to slowly make it down to the pool and for a short walk right outside our hotel in "Old Town Las Vegas" as Nolan would call it.

I usually take TONS of pictures but I didn't really get a chance this trip.

Here is Nolan with "Dale Earnhardt" in Downtown Vegas. We had to take this picture for Papa Tim.

Lincoln playing at Stateline. Mom had to stop to use the bathroom and Daddy won $100 playing WHEEL OF FORTUNE! Great way to start our trip.

Linky downtown so happy to have a Las Vegas sucker!


I made it out of the room!!!!

This is how Lincoln and I spent most of our time in Vegas.

It was fun! Can't wait to go back some day when my kids are older and I can actually gamble and have a drink! :)

Lincoln's Shadow

Look who found his shadow today!

I thought we were going to be late getting Nolan from school because Lincoln could not get enough of his shadow! He would take a step... and stop. Run... and stop.

He looked up at me a few times to make sure I knew I had a shadow too. He'd say "Momma" and he'd point to my shadow. He's so cute.

Viva Las Vegas!

The Georges are headed to Vegas soon. My poor boys are having Bossy Mom tell them what to do to get ready for the trip. I can't do very much so I just sit there shouting orders. :( It is nice to have help with everything but I can tell Nolan isn't having very much fun putting away dishes and laundry. I am excited for this trip even though I know I will have to take it easy so I don't bring on any contractions. No pool, no gambling, no clubbin' ha... not that I do that anyway. I think I am going to take our portable DVD player so Linky and I can watch Finding Nemo 50 times. Even though it won't feel much like Vegas to me I am still happy to get out and spend some time with family.

We will be celebrating my little cousin Vanessa's 21st birthday, My Uncle Chris' 4oth and my Great Grandma Minnie's 95th birthday!

I WILL MAKE THE BUFFET BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!

Clouds.

I got the boys (little boys) the cutest wall decals for their room. I will post a picture when the room is done but for $10 bucks I couldn't believe how easy and cute wall decals can make a room.

HA...

I love this... reminds me of my Nolan.

(Sorry for the bad word.)

:)

Door hanger for the babies room

Wooden door hanger $1.99 @ Joann's.

Painted and Mod Podged (to seal the paint) to match the Jungle Room!

"Here's the Deal"

"Here's the deal"

Ha... That is one thing I always used to tell my mom before I attempted to talk myself out of trouble "Here's the Deal." She would always respond with "THERE IS NO DEAL!" However if I learned anything from my mom it was how to spot a bargain. The other day I went to Target to kill some time before one of Lincoln's Dr. appts. That's when I spotted these. I wasn't sure what exactly I was going to do with them but for the price I couldn't pass them up.

$12.99 each

Now 3.24!!

Made my day. :)

More Nursery Art for Under $5 each!

I took the swatches from the 4 nursery fabrics that I got at Joann's for 40% off (came out to about $4 a yard!!!) Ironed them. Hot glued them to the paper that orignally came in the frame and...

2 pieces of art for around $9.00.

Nursery Art

Since the clock is ticking until Baby #3 will be here I have decided that my mission in life is to decorate the nursery. The challenge is to do it without spending a lot. That means LOTS of DIY projects and what nursery is complete without art?

Here is my rough sketch in pencil on canvas.

The canvas is from Big Lots and was under $5 each but I already owned them.

Lincoln's monkey picture finished and ready to hang.

We are naming our new little man DYLAN!

Playing school w Nolan. Me"Why am I the only 1st grader who's pregnant?" Nolan-"you're not pregnant little girl just awfully fat."

Ohhhh Nolan...

For fear that this person may one day read my blog names have been changed.***

Finally met a cool parent at Nolan's new school.

After I had a chance to talk to her I ask Nolan... "Hey do you ever hang out with Jon***?"

He responds loudly "MOM! DO YOU WANT ME TO HANG OUT WITH A KID THAT PICKS HIS NOSE?!"

Oh MY GAWD... Seriously I hope the kids mom did not hear Nolan say that.

Eating spiders.

Uncle Matt- "Nolan did you know that a person eats about 200 spiders in a lifetime?"

Nolan- "Where did you learn that!?"

Uncle Matt- "I read in a book."

Nolan- "Well Uncle Matt that book was lyin' to ya."

Magic 8 Ball

At target 8 weeks pregnant with baby number 3. In the toy aisle Magic 8 Ball in hand. "Will this baby be a girl?" OUTLOOK NOT SO GOOD I figured maybe it's wrong. I shake it and ask again and it responds VERY DOUBTFUL. HA...

I want...

I want to do nothing today. I want to sit and read.

But we are having company over and the house is a mess. I have so many loads of laundry to fold. Lincoln PEED in our bed tonight so that's a whole load of laundry in itself. SOMEHOW I will get all 3 levels of this place clean by 12:00. Nolan has early day at school today and gets out at 12:40. I have 3 house calls tonight and will be doing a total of 5 clients. I am tired just thinking about it. Up to drink a bunch of water so I can have a cup of coffee without feeling guilty.

Latest DIY Project.

Wall Art Above Couch

It was about time I did something to the blank space above my couch. I was done looking at it. I had a few ideas. After hanging a "trial picture" up I realized that whatever is going to be above the couch needed to be baby proof. Lincoln stacked the couch pillows, climed his pillow tower and tried to pull down anything and everything he could. He even tried to climb up to pull the nail out of the wall after I took the picture frame down. After doing a Google search on DIY art I found an idea that I adapted and made work for what I wanted.

Using a plastic door mat as a stencil I came up with this...

taping and measuring

painted the boxes blue (left over from the boys room and kitchen)

Then I hammered the doormat to the wall using it as a stencil and spray painted over it. I removed the mat and it left this design.

Perfectly baby proof. Nothing heavy to fall and hurt my curious boys. I can paint over it when I get bored of it. Cost me 19.99 since I had everything but the door mat. I ended up purchasing it at Target after searching all over Temecula.

I am thinking it needs to be framed somehow. I think to keep it cheap I may use some left over chocolate brown paint that I have in the garage vs. purchasing molding. Whatcha think?

Phew...

Checking my bank account this morning started the day off with a crazy start. I deposited some checks and took out $20 for gas. As I am driving to the nearest gas station I decide I should roll down my windows and turn off the AC so that I don't waste gas that I don't have. Now it's hotter than balls in my car and Lincoln is screaming. I have the $20 bill sitting with my bank card on the middle console of the car. Sure enough as I am sitting at a red light praying to God that I make it to the gas station a strong gust of wind comes through my window and sends the $20 flying. I swear my car turned into a cash machine that you get into to collect money only mine was flying out.. I caught it right as it was flying past my face and out the driver's side window... then in true pregnancy fashion... I cried. Cried cause I was so proud of myself for catching it. Sometimes I wish I could film my day.

Dining Area

Dining Area Before

I hear these window covers are very expensive. It was the first thing I wanted out of the house. I couldn't stand the green and yellow paint and I still despise the light fixture but... it's coming along. :)

Dining Area After

I traded in the "expensive" window cover for a cheap Walmart curtain rod, Walmart bamboo blinds an $6 Ikea curtains. Hung 2 Ikea shelves. White Ikea frames. Pottery Barn zebra rug. Potted plant from The Alley. Table and bench from Easy Life. Place mats under the plant are from Goodwill.

I googled images that I liked and that I thought would add color to the shelves, printed them and inserted them into cheap Ikea frames. I painted the "g" on canvas. Cups and plate came from a set of dishes that we got at Burlington Coat Factory. Plate holder from Homegoods.

Kitchen Stripes

Before

Measured the entire space and then divided it by the number of stripes I wanted PLUS ONE. Measured all the way across. Taped it off. What I learned from this is that you need to pull the tape off the SECOND you are done painting. If you wait for it to dry you it will stick to the tape and paint will peel off... :(

After

Our Kitchen Before and After

Kitchen Before

Kitchen After

Dipping the Sponge Bob Friendship Trophies

My friend got me 2 really cool pieces of coral art as a housewarming gift. I moved them around the house daily trying to find them a spot to live. They just were not the right color. However they were way too cool to not display.

I didn't take a before picture but this is exactly what they looked like. Shiny silver on top and black on the bottom.

So... I primed them... and dipped them in a bucket of white paint. Then I painted the base blue (left over touch up paint from the kitchen and Nolan's room.)

Drying.


FINISHED!
I was a little worried about painting them but I am SO glad I did. Now they are on display in the entry way.

Entry Way

Entry Way Before

Green paint, broken door frame leading to garage. Door to the Left is our down stairs Half Bathroom.

Entry Way After

YEAH FOR PAINT & Do it yourself art! :)

Sign I made with some left over canvas and shells. Still debating on spraying the Willow House hooks white!

I LOVE Ikea frames. I made the boys profiles by taking shots and turning them into negatives in photoshop. Then printed, cut and framed. The photo strips are from my Uncle's birthday party.

Art going up the stairs in background- More Ikea frames with DIY art that I made in photo shop.

Tree picture from Target (got with a gift card). Spray painted old silver mirror. Hooks from Ikea. Photo of Nolan throwing rocks into the ocean. Coral was a gift that was given to me as a housewarming gift (Was originally Silver and Black) Nothing a little paint couldn't fix. A quick dip in a white paint bucket and it now perfectly fits the color scheme. Cubby and baskets from Target. (I quickly realized this is where the shoes & jackets come flying off so we had to have some sort of storage here). Rug from TJMaxx.

Lincoln... the diaperless toddler.

Lincoln decided to pee in the refrigerator today.

Our Condo BEFORE pictures

Here are a few shots of our condo when we purchased it. Just a few to give you an idea of the horrible paint choices that had been picked out. Since living in the A's Locker Room was not my idea of relaxing it needed a little paint before we could move in.