Father's Day and Other Happenings

I feel badly lumping Father's Day in with other things that have been going on, but it's just easier. Is that awful? Probably. In my defense though, I can't even really remember the order of events on non-holiday days :) It's summer and the days just kind of meld together. It's been so nice. I really was getting anxious about not having a schedule, not having school ... but really? I've kind of enjoyed not having a schedule. James wants to go out? To the beach? On his tricycle? To go jump in the fountain? Great, let's go. James wants to do chalk on the balcony for an hour? Fantastic. Let's randomly make weird food Mom found recipes for online during nap time? Sounds wonderful.

This is kind of ending though ... tomorrow we have an art class. Well, a make-up. The class is actually today on Tuesdays but I had my 34 week appt today. More on that later :) But, we'll have art class on T with James' friend Kate from school and then music on Friday with Mr. Dave. It's a class called "Learn about the Instruments." Each week the kids (only 7) will learn a new instrument - the piano, the drums, banjo, guitar, ukulele, and I can't remember what else but the class goes on for 8 weeks. James and I both are pretty excited for this class - Dave is such a great guy and James just loves him. I'm so excited to see which instruments James gravitates towards. He is such a music lover!

Back to the big events though ... Father's Day was a lot of fun. I told James what we got for Doug about a week ago and he kept the secret the WHOLE time! He tried to tell Doug a few times but I think it was more to get a rise out of me than anything else. We got Doug these pancake plates that have a reservoir for syrup in them. The plates themselves are slanted and it was so much fun using them.

He also got this salt grilling block from Sur La Table that is just so cool and I cannot wait for him to cook something on it. It's going to be salty and delicious. I made pancakes for us all at lunch to use the plates and then homemade enchiladas for dinner. Overall, it was a nice and relaxing day.

And look at these two - I know this photo is blurry but it's just so Doug and James. The best of friends. There is no one who comes CLOSE to Doug. No one. You should see the hugs and kisses he gets when he comes home from work. Sometimes I just watch the two of them together and my eyes start tearing up. Could be the pregnancy hormones. But it could also be that they are just so close and such great pals. I love it. It makes me so proud.

Now ... James is a 3 year old. James is a boy. I'm not sure which one of these or if both of these applies to the situation in which we found ourselves. Girl mamas will have to let me know. The topic is not so pleasant so I apologize. If James has a cut, he'll pick it. If there is a scab - it's picked. It's like he can't help himself. It's almost automatic. Well, for a while he's had a cut on his leg. Two actually and they almost heal and then he'll pick at them and then they'll get worse and it's just a cycle. This past weekend, one got worse, we covered both of the cuts with waterproof band aids so he couldn't pick and then the one just didn't look right. Now, this whole situation does not fall on James alone. Doug and I learned a very important lesson - we can't just keep the cut covered either. We were doing that to keep James from picking but it contributed to the wound getting worse.

I called the doctor's office first thing on Monday morning and left a message for an appt on the message machine. I said that my son has had a cut on his leg for a while, it gets better, it gets worse, he picks it, we covered it and now something's just not right - it doesn't look good. I think it's infected. Within minutes of the office opening, I got a call back and the first appt available with the nurse practitioner. She walked in to see us and within a minute said, I'll be right back. You're getting an oral and a topical antibiotic - his cut is infected.

I'm so glad we went. She told us about a bandage that sticks to itself and not skin, we learned to just cover it while James is sleeping and other times keep it open to the air and to watch James like a hawk to make sure he's not picking it. Most importantly though, James got the message that if he doesn't stop picking, we will go to the doctor. I think he thought I was bluffing. He's only been on the antibiotic for one full day but I will tell you, the sore looks like night and day - so much better - thank God.

Today we went to another doctor's office - mine for the 34 weeker. Heart rate of the baby was upper 150s when the baby was moving around and then settled in the 140s. Baby is measuring 34.5 weeks and we're right on schedule for things. My belly is big. Bending over is hard. Squatting down is also hard. I may or may not be asking James to pick things off the floor for me ... like laundry...

Next time is 36 weeks - the labor talk. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand we get another look at Chips! My doctor likes to do a growth ultrasound to estimate the weight of the baby and to check the baby's positioning. I cannot believe how quickly this pregnancy has gone by. Oh and it is HOT. Like the South and like Texas hot in Chicago. It's been above 95 the last few days and I mean, it's hot. And in the city, the heat just sits. Thank goodness for air conditioning. I mean it. We went up to the roof the other night to hang out after dinner and Doug took his shirt off. Within seconds James came over to me and said, "Daddy took off his shirt. I want mine off like Daddy." Just like Daddy. James has been doing everything just like Daddy lately.

I was looking for "freezes beautifully" recipes so I can prepare some meals for post-baby and I found this one for frozen yogurt dots. In the world of Pinterest, I'm sure most of you have seen this, but I hadn't and I thought it was just such a great idea. Here's the original link. I loved this for LOTS of reasons. One, it's hot outside and anything cold like this sounds delicious to me. Two, James can totally help me make this and he did - he basically made them. Three, James is on a serious antibiotic and I wanted to make sure he had lots of yogurt to help his tummy and this was a great way to get him to eat it. Not that he has an issue with yogurt - he loves himself some yogurt, it's just a new way for him to eat it. He thinks they're ice cream :) Fine by me!

take yogurt

put it in a ziploc, cut the end off

pipe it, freeze it and ...

a happy toddler, and a bowl that was previously full of frozen yogurt dots

I hope art class tomorrow is fun :) It's up by James' school out of the city - the places in the city only did art classes for kids 5 and older. Don't they know that kids that are 3 can do art???? I mean seriously :) I'm secretly excited to go and make a huge art related mess somewhere and not have to clean it up! Paint everywhere? Totally okay! Glitter all over the floor? Not my floor! Glue on everything? It's totally fine! Yay!!!!! Can't wait!