Is he not the sweetest ever?! AND his hair isn't sticking up!

I went to the stupid doctor today and my stupid cervix is closed up and so that one centimeter I was at last week was just a stupid gimmie to shut by trap.

I whined and complained like the best of them, but to no avail. Not sure what I was expecting...I guess just hoping Hagen was right and she was coming today.

I really should not be complaining because everything is going well.

Blah...
Carrie

I swear I was in labor last night (not really) but she was going to come up out of my throat. I had acid reflux SO bad that I almost got sick!

Hazel is so like the Loch Ness Monster...you just see her poke out of my stomach and move...let's call her "ole Nessie" shall we?

For the record, Hagen started taking naps at school with his bear in his shirt right before we found out we were pregnant. He said it was his baby sister and that I have a baby girl in my belly...sure enough 2 days later I found out I was pregnant.

So, why am I telling you this? The other day I said, "Hagen, Hazo will be here in 9 days!"

Hagen immediately said, "Nope, she is going to be here in 4 days Mama!"...which is tomorrow (Friday).

I have to document this just in case he is right and then I can put him to work and make us some money being a psychic...how freaky would that be?!

Don't be jealous ladies...I let Hagen decorate a pumpkin with....(drumroll)...a Sharpie! Wow, I am busting with creativity. BUT now I have a sharpie mark on my stone table on the porch. Mr. Clean Magic Eraser let me down...I have NO clue how to get it out! It's not a big mark, but it is a light stone table so it is noticeable.

I went to look at the pictures Hagen had done at Janie and Jack and damn...he's one cute kiddo! He did SO well! I narrowed it down to a head shot. I'm trying to see if I can have her send it to me so I can post it here, but with copyright stuff she may not be able to...totally understand.

I'm off to have lunch with my Mom's friends today! These ladies have known me since I was about 2 so it is always nice to see them...I know that if anything happens to my parents they will be the first I call and will be there like my own...such a nice feeling.

Tata,
Carrie

P.S. I'm not sure what to do about this night time potty training. He is having little accidents that are pretty much dried by the morning time. I walk in and it smells like a pee factory. Should I put him back in a diaper at night? Or just keep on keeping on?

SO, I had so much fun going out with the ladies! We went to Mi Cocina for dinner and stayed for about 2 1/2 hours. I didn't get home until 10...that's late ladies!

Below is the picture of the pregos...we are all Carrie/Kerry/Kari's. I'm 37 weeks, Kerry in the middle is 8 weeks (the one I'm giving shots to), and then Kari is due in January...with her 3rd...she has a 2 year old boy and a 1 year old boy and not finding out the 3rd!!

Here is my sista from another Mama...Mer. Love her...we go way back. I got to see her 3 times while she was in town. We met my Mom at La Madeline for Lunch on Thursday, Mi Cocina on Thursday night, and then on Friday night Mer and I went to the Plano Homecoming game with the rug rats...until the rain came and my pony tail was getting wet so we had to leave.

I went to the doctor and I am 1 centimeter dilated! Which means....a whole lotta nothing. I remember being like "Oh my gosh! He'll be here any day now!" when I was 1 with Hagen...that was about 4-5 weeks before he was born. But the doctor says things are going well, guessed that she is about 6 pounds, and we are all set to go on November 4th!

I went to pre-register at the hospital, looked into big brother classes for Hagen, and came home and worked the rest of the afternoon from the couch. It seems the only comfortable position for me lately is on my side. I get out of breath easily like she is back on an artery or something that takes my breath away. BUT, that is my only complaint...things are going great!

Hagen is doing OK with night training. LITTLE accidents that don't even get on the bath mat...so we are trudging forward.

He has a girlfriend...Hannah. She is in the class above him, she TOWERS over him, but is an absolute doll. Still holding out hope for Juliette...

I had a blast at girls night last night! I'll do a separate post on that one...

Later!
Carrie

So we started doing the nighttime training. We are going to give it a week and if it isn't working then that's is OK and we'll try again later!

He puts his unnerware on and then PJ's and then after books and brushing teeth he goes potty. I have a bath mat that is a bit thick that I put under him in case of an accident in the night so that I don't have to change the sheets. Ryan and I got him out of bed at 10:00 before we went to bed to go again. Sweet baby was still asleep...but he went quite a bit!

So this morning it was like Christmas morning...what are we gonna get...

He had pottied a little bit in his sleep...not that much. We told him he did good. We said if he wakes up and has to go potty that he can get bacon (the pig night light) and put him on the step stool in his bathroom and go potty when he wants.

He went potty in his sleep so it may not be time. We are going to give it a few more days and then if it isn't working then fine.

I do have a little Hagen story for you:
Last night Hagen was just being a pest...talking back (got some vinegar in his mouth for that), just not listening, testing our patience for sure. Well Ryan took him up to get him in the bath and Hagen was just out of control. At one point Hagen calmly walked over to Ryan and Ryan thought he was going to give him a hug and say sorry. BUT Hagen just took Ryan's hand, led him to his bedroom door and out of his room, and then slammed the door shut! Ryan was calling for me over the banister asking what he should do while we were both laughing! So funny but SO WRONG! Now that I think about it, I don't know how Ryan handled it...hmm...

Merrilee is in town so a bunch of us from school are going to Mi Cocina tonight to eat...I can not wait to get some Mexican food...sounds fabulous!!!

Tata,
Carrie

Time is FLYING by! I have nothing really to talk about but wanted to highlight some things we have been up to!

• I have 8 more full days of work and then I'm off for maternity leave. I'm so excited it is during the holidays, but am having a difficult time on finding a stopping place in work...I need to start pulling away, but there is just no end really.

• Hagen had a 102.8 fever on Thursday night and it didn't go down from 102 until yesterday...Ryan stayed home with him so that I could go to work which was a nice change. He was fever free this morning, but now his cough sounds worse. Could it be allergies? I took him to the doctor on Friday and it wasn't strep, flu, or anything like that...she said it could be a cold.

• On Friday night we HAD to get out of the house, but we usually don't take a sick kiddo out in public that much. We ventured out to our niece's high school's football game. It happened to be homecoming so we got to see the mum's etc. Do you know that they now use a ribbon tied around their neck (not tight) to hang mums from?! I remember my "NON" boobs would not stay in my ITTY BITTY bra because the mum was pinned through my shirt onto my bra strap to keep it up...I was loved and had an ENORMOUS mum. Anyway, the weather was perfect, we spent a small fortune on food, and had a GREAT time! AND our sweet niece hung out with us during 1/2 time instead of her friends...that's love people.

• We were going to keep Noah on Saturday night for a slumber party and Gattitown! Hagen just now realized he has a bed UNDER his bed...whoa. I told him it was for when Noah spends the night. Since Hagen was icky sicky we couldn't keep Noah...may do a rain check this Saturday night!

• On Sunday it was my work's annual family picnic. Sadly I went by myself because he was still fevery (is that a word?). I love the people I work with...it is nice to get to know their families also. I was so bummed that Hagen and Ryan couldn't go. There was fishing, bounce house, mechanical bull (I refrained), horseshoes, crafts, pumpkin patch, you name it! Face painting..BBQ dinner. It was so fun! Wish my boys were there though :(

• Hagen doesn't get out of bed for the most part. BUT last night before getting comfy in bed to watch Dr. Phil I turned on his video monitor and he was not in bed. I told Ryan he escaped and Ryan went up the stairs and saw a tuft of hair peeking out his bedroom door and then disappear. Ryan went in and in his Dad voice said, "you do not get out of bed Hagen". Hagen got the quiver lip and said "But I just needed to tell you something..." When Ryan asked him what he needed to tell him Hagen responded, "I'm So sleepy daddy...I'm really sleepy" in his shaken wet bird voice. Scared the crap out of him! Hagen laid down and didn't move an inch...

• Ryan has moved up to the guest room...he did the same thing when I was pregnant with Hagen. I'm to the point of flipping back and forth all night long...my limbs and hips feel like they are falling asleep and I have restless leg syndrome. I'm sure I am pure joy to sleep next to!

• My friend that just got pregnant with IVF just texted me and she heard the heartbeat...hubby was out of town but she had him on the phone to hear...choking back tears...

• Hagen told me my "unnerware" is big...thanks

• My Dad is in Oil and Gas Exploration. Basically he researches where Oil and Gas could be, draws up all the fancy maps, sells his thoughts to big oil companies, is out there when they drill them, and makes a living. He does it all...self employed. Well he has been gone for 10 days on a shallow well and it HIT...and it is BIG! Dad rocks...it makes him being gone for so long so worth it! These life cycles for wells are years in the making so when they hit it is big! But when they don't it is a low blow for sure.

• I just got an ingrown eyebrow out that has been there for about a week...can I even tell you the relief I feel? I know it is nothing to most, but it has been bugging the crap out of me!

• Hagen wants to be a fireman for Halloween...that is what he was last year but he forgot! SCORE!!! Expensive outfit being used again and it fits!!

• Halloween outfit fits again this year because little bitty boy only weighs 26.4 pounds...he's 3 1/2 years old. BUT it is great this winter because he is in 2T pants that have the elastic pully thingie that I can tighten on his waist! Man, this is going to be way better than last year with highwater pants on!!

I think that is it. Sorry so boring.

Tata,

Carrie

Something to think about…

So Ryan has a project starting up in the middle of November (remember, Hazo as Hagen calls her, is coming November 4th…) that will last until next August. It is a different project in that it will require him to be out of town QUITE a bit.

I know some of you ladies are use to having your hubby's travel. Me? Not so much. The longest he is gone is a week here and there. THIS project will require him to be gone for 12 days and then home for 5…something like that. It is not set in stone…

He had a meeting about it yesterday and they told him to talk it over with me and see what he can do. Here are my thoughts in bullets:
· Should be fine…a bit crazy at times, but it’s OK.
· This COULD be something that is brought up later on how flexible he and his family are for future promotions?!?
· I do have a lot of help…not that I will ask for it, but it is there if I need some
· I have maternity leave during the holidays which is my FAVORITE time of year and will put me in a good mood!
· Once I start working I will have that time to myself (OK, so I will be working…but you know what I mean).

On a negative note:
· HOLY CRAP! My husband is going to leave me with a 3 ½ year old and a newborn FOREVER! He is going to see how life as a bachelor is and not want to come home! Especially to a wife that has boobs that now point DOWN, a kangaroo patch on her belly with no opening, and bigger boobs on her back than her front!
· Man, after the holidays is the most depressing time of year…you know, January, February, and March.
· There could be some long stretches of time where he is not home for the weekends!
· I will have to take over paying bills
· The lawn? Will I have to ride the damn riding mower with a baby on my hip and a 4 year old in a playpen?
· Dapper…love that dog, but do NOT love taking him to the vet or scooping piles of poop
· Dinner? Ya right…I will totally let myself go because why should I make a nice homemade meal for myself…Hagen eats little bites here and there.
BUT overall I think this is a good thing…I keep thinking that this could be a great move in his career…maybe not, but if they see how flexible his wife is then maybe that will be good?!? Probably not. Also, Ryan works his behind off…I don’t want to hold him back…

OK, thoughts ladies…I would like to hear some opinions…Mer, yours especially since Darin use to travel a lot.

Tata,
Carrie

What a wonderful weekend! The big outing was the pumpkin patch so I will scatter a few photos of that throughout! We met my Brother Adam and his family at the patch...it is so fun and we have gone the past 4 years! Petting Zoo, hot dog picnic, hay ride, barrel train ride, pumpkin picking (up), and BEAUTIFUL weather! Here Hagen is picking out a pumpkin from the display...we were waiting in line to get in...he was SUPER excited!!

We did have a slow start though...you see Captain "I can dress myself" was bound and determined to wear a short sleeve...over my dead body...you will wear a cute fall outfit and like it...sweating and all..."Well, Noah better be wearing long sleeves then!"
When we got there Noah was in long sleeves...in fact Noah was sweating profusely because he had a sweater on! They too wanted fallish pictures, but pulled out the big guns with winter attire...

Mr. Man announcing our arrival...loud as always!

Today has been a day of fabulous news! There is a guy that I work with and he and his wife adopted a beautiful little boy about 3 years ago. He and Hagen are about the same age. Well, they put their stuff in to adopt another precious baby and they found out yesterday they are getting a baby girl on November 10th!!! We always share our war stories with each other and swap advice on different things...it will be nice to do the same with our little ladies!!!

ALSO, just got a text from my friend that went through IVF...the one that comes over every night with a smile on her face and a bag of shot stuff. I give her the painful Progesterone shot while her hubby is out of town which he is alot. Well, she had her first sonogram (remember they put in 3 eggs) and there is a definite one and a possible one more! I HOPE and PRAY that she keeps this/these babies. Her past includes getting pregnant but not being able to keep pregnant. She is under a microscope so hopefully this is the one/two!!

Wonderful day...fabulous...SO full of excitement for these two families!!!

Carrie

So I'm working from home today...waiting for the plumber that has YET to show up...it's 4:15...
I just called and they put me on Wednesday instead of today. Fabulous. So now "Bill" will show up on Saturday after 2:00. There is a moth ball smell under our kitchen sink and the dishwasher leaked all over the floor the other night. Ryan opened the dishwasher mid cycle and said I put too much soap in (which is funny because I use the pre-measured little dudes). I asked him how he know I over soaped and he said there is soapy water at the bottom. Hmm...soapy water in a dishwasher mid cycle? Man that sounds terrible! OR MAYBE it is because that is what it is SUPPOSED to do moron...who knows what it looks like in there mid cycle you dork! Shut the damn thing and put some towels out and shut it! Gah!

Hagen had a free photo shoot with a free 8X10 portrait with a professional photographer because my mom spent a fortune on his fall clothes at Janie and Jack. It was this morning and it wasn't looking like it was going to be a good one (crabby McCrabberson was in the house)...in comes a big bribe...a rainbow lollypop he has been talking about forever! Sure Hagen! Want a pony too? Anything you want honey because I get a free 8X10 and Nana needs a Christmas present!

Guess who was a perfect gem...I told the lady taking the pictures that I would be in the store but will stay away from them...told her to let me know if she needed me. I think she was appreciative of me giving her room to talk to him and become friends...she had him eating out of her palm by the time it was over!

We actually went to the candy store beforehand for him to pick out this obnoxious sucker...during the photo shoot I dropped it and it shattered. There was another Mom in there waiting and I asked her if she would tell him I'll be right back if he notices to exchange it. The lady at the candy store told me to just grab another one for free! Score!

So, the chair in Hazel's room. This has been in our family for a long time. Below is me sleeping on it. Yes, I said sleeping. I would just sleep anywhere. This was a popular place and so was over the arms of chairs and couches. I can sleep in any position, any where, any level of noise, you name it! Check out my cute potty training under ware...
And here it is the same...no refinishing...just new "clothes". I'm so glad to have it back! It's actually quite comfortable.

Here it is! We still have to get the lamp shades covered by the ubber talented Allison. They are going to be covered in the pink silk that is on the top tabs of the curtain and the tie backs. Then they will have a band of the black and white gingham.

This first photo is of a side table that I swiped from Mom's house. It is Hazel Grace Adams as a baby and her bronzed shoe.
This next photo shows the chair that was hers by the table. The open doorway goes to her vanity area and the closed door is her closet. You can see her coming home outfit hanging by an old doorknob. I have a few bows to choose from...

My brother and sister in law came to the rescue again…they braved the State Fair of Texas with the boys on Friday! I got to keep my sweet niece who is now 5 months old!!

Emily went to my doctor appointment with me and was really good. Hazel Grace now weighs 5 pounds, is head down, and has a heartbeat of 140. She has a little bit if hair, but not near as much as Hagen did…so, we’ll see…may have to put her bow in the back at the mullet part! I will be induced on November 4th…wow! That’s like 4 ½ weeks away! Yippee!!! SO excited to have maternity leave during the holidays. How cool is that?!

Hagen and Noah had a blast at the fair! They left around 1:30 and didn’t come home till 9:30!! Ryan and I took Emily to Saltgrass for a date. You know how to get a lot of stares? Walk in 8 ½ months pregnant with a little one in a baby carrier by yourself. I got lots of “What are you thinking” looks and felt the need to tell everyone it was my niece and I’m watching her for the day. Was relieved when Ryan showed up.

Ryan hung things in Hazel’s room, Hagen and I did a little shopping, we grilled out, I made Coco’s spaghetti sauce (SO yummy), and cleaned out the garage. It was SUCH a nice weekend! Hagen has been so good lately. Just sweet and listening well. He has perfected the art of stalling especially at bedtime, but who doesn’t.

Not much to report on…things are going great, but just no news. Can’t wait to get my paws on this baby! I’m SO ready and can’t wait to see her. Hagen said that when he comes to the hospital he will help me count her fingers and toes…

I will say that carnie food does not sit well with Hagen...no accidents but I'm SHOCKED...bad tummy. Poor baby...

Tata,
Carrie