Day 189 - July 7

Sometimes, I really wonder how Michaela's mind works. Then I stop trying to figure it out because it takes too much work to go there.

Apparently, before I got up this morning, M and Daddy were playing trains. Jason lined up three of the trains next to the tracks like they were parked off the side of the tracks or something.

Michaela saw that and decided, for some reason, that they were lined up to watch a parade. So she lined up everyone else, and then started talking about Moon Pies and peanuts. Apparently our Alaska girl has enough Alabama in her now to associate any parade with Mardi Gras.

There was another parade later, and we got all Moon Pies to eat, in their imaginary form. Like I said, there's no figuring out this kid's mind, but I love it!

Day 188 - July 6

First of all, I'd like to acknowledge the fact that I actually made it halfway through yet another year of this - 5 days ago. I'm so wrapped up in just trying to keep up, that I missed the milestone! Go figure!

Keeping up is just not that difficult when you live with Michaela, though. She provides endless fodder for pictures. I should call this 366 days of Michaela. Maybe that's what I'll do next year - just the kids. Just kidding... no one would like that but the grandparents.

When I came out to the living room to check on the kid after taking my shower this morning, I was greeted by the words, "Look, Mommy! This isn't a kit-tar (guitar) anymore. It's my violin!"And then I had to grab the camera and take pictures, complete with toothbrush hanging out of my mouth. Because you can't let a moment like this pass you by.

Had I known I would be treated to a "Mariachi show" later in the afternoon, I might have skipped the morning pictures. But who knew?

So now, along with all of our cartoon character personas (we get assigned different ones every day, based on who Michaela decides she wants to be), we also have Mariachi performer personas, complete with assigned instruments. All because the "kit-tar" is now a violin.

Oh, and I think the closed eyes come from a very soothing melody Kiki plays in a Fresh Beat Band episode called "The Wizard of Song." I guess that's how you play a violin, even if you're a Mariachi.

Day 187 - July 5

Know what makes a ginormously pregnant woman happy?

A GIANT bowl of popcorn.

Which might end up being followed up by some ice cream. Time will tell.

Day 186 - July 4

This one (these 2, I should say) is for my Coho Circle friends.

What would a July 4th be without some redneck-style fireworks somewhere near the Dorval household?

This year, we were not to blame. We had some friends over, and they were the ones who brought the fireworks. It was simple stuff - bottle rockets, some roman candles, some snakes - but it was enough to get Jason all excited about his launching set up.

You'll note in the first picture, Jason is actually wetting the grass down with the hose. Yep... redneck style. Oh, and bare feet. Don't forget that. At least the bottle isn't a beer bottle... it's a soda bottle. So we've got that going for us.

Day 185 - July 3

I asked on FB - kid pic or giant belly pic - and got, "Both!" for 2 out of 3 replies, so there are two pictures tonight. I'll put the belly one on the FlyingFish blog, too, just to keep them in one place.

Both pics are about baby stuff, so there's even a connection.

So I'm just about 37 weeks now. That means that the baby is considered full-term-ish (most doctors are comfy with a baby coming at 36 weeks, though more is obviously better), and can come anytime it feels like it. Of course, I've been very clear that I want it to wait until after Michaela's birthday, so hopefully Yellow will cooperate and wait until at least July 18th (we're having M's party on the 17th).

Because I'm so close to the end, we're actually finally getting baby things out and ready. We haven't been able to do it up to this point because we have to keep getting rid of other clutter first. But Jason brought the carseat in from the garage today to put the cover back on it and get it all cleaned up and ready.

Michaela was immediately fascinated. And a doll immediately found its way into the seat. And then a blanket went over the doll. And then a blanket went over the whole seat because the baby was sleeping and we had to be quiet. Then she tried to "wake up" the baby by grabbing it by the head and shaking.

We have some teaching to do.

Anyway... the first picture is M getting her baby all situated in the seat. And the second picture is me in my 36weeks, 5 day glory. The baby has dropped, which is probably why I was measuring at only 35 weeks at my midwife appointment today (the first time she did a fundal height measurement... funny to wait so long!), but I'm also crossing my fingers that it just means this kid isn't as ginormous as its sibling was at birth, which is what my midwife seems to think. Time will tell!

Day 184 - July 2

While cleaning up from dinner tonight (which consisted of Jason doing cleaning and me sitting at the table, keeping him company), it all of a sudden got very quiet in the living room, where I knew Michaela was playing. 

That's never good. Usually it means she's disappeared somewhere, and is getting ready to pull out every toy she owns. Given that this happened less than 45 minutes before bedtime (and only a few minutes before bath time), I was a little worried about what was going on.

Lo and behold, she was just playing quietly with some toys that were already out - some stickers meant for decorating Easter eggs that she found in my office today - and not doing too much more damage. It made me shake my head that she was sitting in the middle of an enormous mess (can I get you some Mardi Gras beads?) and happily finding little tiny stickers, patiently peeling the backs off of them, and then sticking them onto some foam boards I'd given her (the plastic egg that was with the stickers apparently didn't have enough space). 

It would drive me crazy to try to do what she was doing with all the chaos of the beads, the coloring books, the linkies rings, markers, and paint pens around her! But she just blocked it out and focused very intently (and quietly) on the task at hand. 

Maybe that dress-up dress gives her super powers.

Day 183 - July 1

This kid is really too much.

After reading a book to her a couple of times, she will pretty much memorize it. Often, she'll just remember bits and pieces, but with at least three of her books (26 Princesses, The Napping House, and now Chipmunk's ABCs), she's got them pretty much down from start to finish. They all have short sentences, follow somewhat of a pattern, or, in the case of The Napping House, are repetitive, so they're easy ones to memorize, but still....

Anyway, after church yesterday (yes, I'm a day behind), Michaela told me we were having story time so I had to sit on the chair in front of her and she "read" me Chipmunk's ABCs. She's such a mimic and it cracks me up every time! In the case of story time (and the pretend stamping project we did last week), she's being a little Miss Cindy, her Mom's Day Out teacher. TOO much!!