And the winner of the Guess the Date contest is...

nobody!

Seriously?! Nobody?

Oh well - since you were ALL wrong (and I can prove it), then you can all lose together. Enjoy your joint bragging rights. ;-)

So, I am here to announce, the winning date is: (drumroll please....)


December 13!

"Wait, wait...isn't that...*gasp*..that's TODAY!" (Bet you didn't know i could read minds, did you?)


Yes, dear friends - Baby Siu-Jeun has graced us with his presence a full 5 days early. If you like gory details, please leave a comment and I'll give you a more full account. (Don't worry - I won't get TOO gory...I'll just give you boring details like times, lengths of time...basically a lot of numbers. :-))

If you're just here for the important stats, here you go:

Siu-Jeun was born around 4:30 in the afternoon and weighed in at a whopping 7 lbs 14 0z. (His sister was 8 lbs, 7 oz.) He was 21" long. He's a dream come true, and we're all in love!

On the Day You Were Born...

Little man, I think this is it. After a few days of on again, off again contractions (and a lot of whining on your mama's part), I think you may be preparing to make your grand entrance. It is 7 am - the sun is just rising. There was a HUGE rainstorm on Thursday, and the lake water rose and rose and rose on Friday, covering at least 12' of our yard. The edge of the lake is frozen now, blotting out part of our lawn with white.



I have been up since 3:30, when your contractions roused me from my slumber. (Let's hope, for both our sakes, this isn't a sign of things to come, alright?) Did you know, if you live on the East Coast and all your family is on the West cost....and your friends on the East Coast keep normal, human hours...there are a few hours of the day where you will feel, if you are up, that you are the only. soul. awake. Those hours happen to be between 3 am and 8 am.



Your sister is asleep down the hall - I really don't think she understands what's going on. Daddy's asleep upstairs - if he woke up and found me gone, it wouldn't be the first time this week. He thinks it's a game. He goes to sleep, and I'm there. He wakes up, and I'm gone! He goes back to sleep...when he wakes up again, I'm there again! (You and I have had a few magical mornings together already. First I couldn't sleep until three, then you woke me up at three, a few times.)



It's 7:20 now. The house is still chilly - just how we like it at night. I can hear the water heater firing up, and all the baseboards creaking as they fill with their hot water to warm us up for the morning.



I hope you come soon!



Love,

Mom

Countdown to Delivery and a Special Prize!

Alright, y'all. I know I've fallen off my game a little bit - I've given myself a bit too MUCH leeway since the end of November (and the end of NaBloPoMo). So sorry! Trust me when I say I've been filling my spare time with equally unneccessary tasks and to-do lists. (Just today I baked six loaves of pumpkin bread to give to friends for the holidays...and served my family a stew of tough meat, delicious broth and half-cooked potato slices. Yummy! It's all in the priorities, right?)

So, today is December 8. That would mean that there are ten days until December 18. (You following me here?) That pretty much means this little man could make his Grand Entrance any time between now and, oh...New Years Day!

So, here's the deal: When is my baby going to be born? I'm taking guesses (because I figure yours is as good as mine!).

Here's some hints:
1) BBJ was born 6 days early, after a teeny bit of "help" from my friendly OB.
2) BBJ was 8.7 oz...and six days early. (Please let this kid either be equally early...or significantly smaller!)

That's it! That's really all the help I can give you. Oh, but trust me - you want to guess on this one. The winner gets (are you ready for this?!): to be on the "first wave" e-mail list when he DOES arrive! You'll get it all - pics, stats, and bragging rights!

So, are you in? Just leave a comment of shoot me an e-mail and let me know - When is this kid gonna come? (Dad, I already have your guess. ;-) No worries! I'll do my best to hold off until then.)

What the...?!

Can I just point out, please, that the little Baby Ticker on the side of my blog just informed me that I have 18 days until my due date?

Excuse me? 18 days?!

Girls - spill. I want birth stories. Specifically, I want to know the TRUTH of this Mommy Myth:

"If your first was early, all the rest will be early, and their labor and delivery times will be quicker and quicker."

From Bubba Bubbles

BBJ was born on a beautiful Friday morning approximately 38 hours after I felt my first contraction. I have no idea when the "real labor" started. All I know is I checked myself into the hospital after 12 hours of contractions, and was sent home three hours later for "lack of progress" and told to return when the contractions were so bad I could neither see nor speak during one. (That's the point when I started to cry and the nurse could NOT figure out why!) That point finally came that evening, after another 14 hours at home. My epidural was administered four hours LATER, I was declared "ready to push" another four hours after THAT...and within seconds, everyone in the room knew that BBJ was the proud owner of a head of black hair. (She crowned on the first push.) The next hour was a series of push...and wait...push...and wait, trying to get the doctor to the hospital. She was born at about 5 am on a Friday, a full six days before her due date.

From Bubba Bubbles

So, you tell me - am I looking at D-Day in about 12 days? 'Cause if I AM, there are some things I need to do first! I'm not exactly sure WHAT....but there are definitely some THINGS I need to do. (Alright, fine- what do I need to do to get ready, mamas? I don't care HOW you came by your children - blood, sweat, tears, airplanes, trains or boats...tell me what YOU did to get ready to bring them home!)

What do I need to do to get ready to bring this second one home? And was the Mommy Myth true for you, if you delivered your children? (I had my second "check" last week - I'm still at only 1 cm. Next check is on Wednesday - I'll let you know. :-))

From Bubba Bubbles

I'm not sayin'...

Now, I'm not saying our squirrels need exercise. I'm not saying they ate all the apples, plums and chestnuts in my yard and left none for me.

I'm not saying they're fat, bless their hearts.

I'm not saying that this bum could be a sign of a much colder winter than I dreamed of.

And I'm DEFINITELY not going to draw any conclusions about the similarity of our shapes.



I'm just saying...maybe I should have timed this pregnancy a little better. That squirrel gets to keep his warm coat until March - I've got to give mine up in four short weeks!

*Pregnancy update - had a dr's appointment this morning. I'm not going to bother y'all with the circumference or weight gain anymore. Sufficeth to say, I've gained about 33 lbs. I think I'll probably gain another few pounds in the next four weeks, but....I'm right about where I thought I would be. My stomach seems like it's dropped a little bit - I can't rest it on the counter now when I do the dishes. After my appointment this morning, I had contractions and cramping for the next few hours - that many more that I don't have to have later, as my mother would say! For anyone that wants to keep track with me, remember these numbers: 1 cm and 40%. Let's see what happens next week!

Just a Prego Update

Sorry, guys - it was a REALLY long day. I went to New York City with Mama, YehYeh and BBJ. We are bushed. I'll tell you all about it later.

So, without further ado -

Weeks: 28
Weight: +22 lbs


Way to keep me honest, y'all! I had to drink my "glucola" on Thursday (for my diabetes blood draw) and I'm just glad that is over. Drinking concentrated KoolAid at 6:30 in the morning is not my idea of a good time.

Washcloths, Revisited

Alright, so...I couldn't leave y'all hanging. Since my Washcloth Kite Debacle, I have managed to finish off a few decent looking cloths. I couldn't possibly tell you what they're for, 'cause then I might have to kill you. Well, at the very least, it would ruin the surprise!

Oh, and I've entered the scary realm of The Third Trimester, and I'm looking for some advice. When you were in your third trimester, and you already felt like a cow, and you knew it was only going to get worse...what did you do? I'm suddenly hungry, all of the time. I know part of it is just feeling sorry for myself. I got some new jeans that are really comfy...but they look like I'm wearing a pair of my Daddy's jeans. Help! What did you do to get yourselves through the Third Trimester while still feeling attractice, energetic...without overtaxing yourself. (Yesterday was my Get It Done Day, and this morning my entire back felt like I'd been pounding railroad spikes all day, instead of just snuggling with my toddler, vacuuming and mopping!)

Stats: 27 Weeks

Weight: +21 lbs

Size: 43"

Prego Update and BBJ the Rabbit

*I know that today is 9/11..and I know that there is very little I can say to adequately memorialize what happened 7 years ago. Instead of spending today in silent reverie, BBJ and I spent our morning playing with friends, and we're spending our afternoon just enjoying each other's company. I invite you all to do the same, and to say a prayer of gratitude tonight for the heroes, and miracles, of that day.*

Ok, I know y'all are DYING for this, so I'll get it out of the way first:

Stats: 26 Weeks

Measurement: 44"

Weight: +18 lbs (yes, down from last week - I think I'm still evening out after a fabulously salty and hot vacation!)

Oh, and BBJ wanted me to let y'all know that her waist comes in at a whopping 22". She's fitting into shirts that she outgrew MONTHS ago - I think she's lost INCHES off of her belly. She's growing up so fast!

In Other News, I shared a quiet dinner at home with my toddler last night. Lo Gung was "whooping it up" with co-workers (read: networking), leaving BBJ and I to spend some quality time together! I whipped up a VERY toddler-friendly meal - LoLo's One Pot Pasta- and served it with a green salad. Did you know that with enough ranch dressing, a toddler will eat nearly anything?!

The Princess and the Jelly Donut

Before we start, I just have to make my little Thursday spiel:

Stats: 25 weeks


Measurement: 41"


Weight: +21 lbs (Oops. The doctor says I'm not allowed to go on vacation any more. ;-))

Alright...now for the good stuff - MESSES.

Oh....sorry. I forgot. This story isn't about a Mess, it's about a Glorious Experiment, and this story isn't about BBJ, but Princess BBJ.

(You all thought I'd forgotten, hadn't you? Let's just say, the closer my sweet princess gets to 2, the harder it is to remember that she's a princess.)

Once upon a time there was a princess. Princess BBJ was sweet, kind and good (when she wanted to be) and loved by all who met her.

One fine morning, Princess BBJ's nearest neighbor, and close friend, was invited for breakfast. Knowing how much the Princess enjoyed sweets, and wanting to curry favor, Aunt SheShe arrived bearing a Treat.

This was not just any Treat, but a Treat she was sure the Princess would particularly enjoy. (Indeed, who does not enjoy a fresh jelly-filled donut?) Imagine Aunt SheShe's surprise and pleasure when she discovered that the Princess had never before tasted the spendor that is a jelly-filled donut! Aunt SheShe carefully cut a section of the donut away, and presented it to the Princess. Alas, the princess was not in an adventurous mood and declined the treat, going so far as to remove the offending morsel from her mouth.

Aunt SheShe was understanding, but the Queen was mortified. How could the Princess be so rude to one of her dearest friends? Aunt SheShe, however, had wisdom beyond that of the Queen and knew it was better not to force the mouthful on the Princess.

Eventually, Aunt SheShe was called away on business, the offending donut still glistening on the Princess' plate. The Queen decided to ignore the donut, and set about to prepare a breakfast that the three of them were sure to enjoy - spiced and fluffy pancakes.

The Queen finished her preparations, served a small helping to the Princess, and sat down to break her own fast. When the Princess had finished playing with her food, the Queen decided to introduce the donut one more time, as she was nearly certain the Princess would enjoy it. The Queen dabbed a finger in the jelly-filled center and touched it neatly to the Princess' lips. The Princess, surprised, stuck out her tongue to clean off the offending dab, only to discover that it was delicious.

The Princess' eyes lit up and the Queen turned away, satisfied. As the Princess rarely deigned to eat for an audience, the Queen did not turn around again to consider the Princess until the Princess had declared that she was done.

When the Queen turned around, she was shocked to find the donut still intact on the plate, not a bite missing. However, upon closer inspection, she did discover that one very important change had taken place - the donut was now empty.

Where once had been a glimmering pile of Red Dye #40, now was a vaguely pink cavern, mangled by tiny slippery fingers. The stain of the filling had already begun to set into the Princess' fingers and cheeks. The Queen removed the breakfast tray and cleaned the Princess' sticky hands and cheeks (not before taking a few pictures for the blog).

In the end, the Queen was satisfied with the Princess' acceptance of the Treat, Aune SheShe was thrilled that her gift had been received so well, and the Princess was happier knowing that she was full of jelly, and knowing that there were splendors undiscovered, just waiting for another breakfast.

The stain remained for the remainder of the day, a reminder of the Delicious Treat and the enjoyment that a dab of jelly could bring to the life of a young Princess.

(For those of you who are new to this blog, go check out my past Princess Stories, for more of my literary nonsense.)

I have NEWS

BBJ and I spent a morning this week going through BBJ's old baby clothes - specifically, the 0-3 month clothes. (Boy, that chick had some CUTE clothes!)

We made a pile of the blue, yellow, green, white (read: BOY) clothes.

We also made a pile of the blue, pink and green (read: GIRL) dresses.
BBJ really just enjoyed playing with the box.

Can you guess which pile we're keeping, and which pile will go to Auntie W for her first baby? (See how sneaky I am? I didn't tell you if she's having a GIRL or a boy! Because if I told you if it was boy or a GIRL then you'd know which (BOY) pile I was keeping, and that would just ruin the surprise!) I will tell you this - Auntie W and I are having babies that could be brother and sister.

Hehehe...we're so excited. Oh, and we might have to come up with a new name for this blog. It's not just about Bubba's bubbles anymore!

Oh, and by the way (since it's been SO long since I've "kept it real" about this pregnancy) here are my latest stats.

Stats: 22 weeks

Measurement: 41"

Weight: +13 lbs

This afternoon, one of the girls at church asked me I was pregnant. Granted, we were on the phone and I haven't spoken face-to-face with her in several weeks...but, still! I'm still not sure if that's flattering (I still look that small?!) or if I'm vaguely insulted (you think I'm naturally shaped like the Pillsbury Doughboy?!)

Prego update

Still keepin' it real, y'all. Since my waist hasn't changed, I'm not posting any profile shots today. (That, and I got back into my PJs after my shower - it's cleaning day!)

So, here you go:

Stats: 13 weeks
Measurement: 38"
Weight: +5 lbs

BBJ watches me measure myself every week, and has decided to get in on the action!

Stats: 20 months
Waist measurement: 19"
Height: 32"
Weight: 27 lbs. (We just moved into the size 5 diapers...they're huge on her, but the 4s were getting just a smidge snug!)

Off I go to clean. Have you any idea how fast dust bunnies can breed in a house with no carpet??!

12 Weeks

Just keepin' myself honest, follks.
Stats: 12 weeks
Measurement: 38"
Weight: +2 lbs (down a pound from last week!)

I'm officially over the "first trimester"...and I woke up feeling morning sick for the first time in weeks. Go figure!

In other news:

Heard in Aunt LoLo's house this week.

1)
Mama - BBJ, can you say Baby?
BBJ - Baghbandhg
M - Can you say BiBi?
B - Brudduh!

There you have it. BBJ's got a "brudduh"!

2)
Lo Gung - (rummaging through his drawer) Honey, have you seen my belt?
Mama - (trying to open her eyes because it wasn't 7 am yet) No, honey...I haven't seen it.
L - (flipping back covers on the bed to look) Well, I guess I could wear an old one...
M - That would be fine.
L - Oh, never mind. I'm already wearing it. That's classic!
M - It would only be classic if it was me. For you, it's just weird. You've been hanging around me too long!

11 weeks...and counting

Umm...could someone pleaes tell me who hid my stomach? I mean, it was here a few months ago...I just don't know where it went! Or why it left me so FAST! (Tummy, don't you love me anymore?) I mean, I know...I'm pregnant...and my stomach is going to move towards the rotund side very quickly (I was always kind of shaped like that, anyhow!) but...come on! I'm not even into my 2nd trimester yet!

Stats: 11 weeks
Measurement: 37"
Weight: +3 lbs.

You know, we got the Wii Fit last Wednesday, and it's got the funniest little "help" on there. You are supposed to get on and do a Body Check every day, to check your BMI and balance, to see how you're improving. You can also set goals every two weeks, presumably to lose weight. Well, see...I'm pregnant. So, in order to make myself feel better, I set a goal to gain 10 pounds in 6 weeks. So far, I'm "approaching my goal at a steady pace." Doesn't that make me feel better? Oh, it gets even BETTER than that - it uses your BMI to tell you if you're normal or overweight. I'm already "overweight." I have a feeling, by December, I'm going to be in the "grossly obese" category. Wish me luck!

In other news, BBJ looks ABFAB in some little round pigtails. You go, girl.