Translation, please.

I’ve often asked Joseph if he is a kid or a baby. He used to switch back and forth, depending on his mood, which is cute because that’s how I feel about him, too. Sometimes he really is such a little boy, and sometimes he's still a baby. But lately, when I ask him if he is a kid, he consistently tells me, “no.” I was worried that he was nervous about the new baby arriving soon and that maybe he was needing more “baby-like” attention (not that he doesn’t get it anyway). Feeling sad that he was so upset about growing up, I would occasionally tell him all of the fun things that kids can do that babies can’t. It didn’t seem to be working; he still would say that he wasn’t a kid. Then yesterday, I put it together. When I asked him if he was a baby or a kid, he answered, “kid is potato head.” Ahhhh, yes. He has a potato head family, and we call the small one the “kid.” Now I get it. Who would want to be that kind of kid even if you could do all of those special things that babies can’t? Maybe his thought process wasn’t as profound as I had imagined, but it sure was a relief. We are now working on baby vs. toddler instead.

Knitting for babies

My favorite knitter is coming to visit me on Sunday (I'm talking about Tamara, of course). She is really good. How good is she, you ask. Well, go check it out for yourself. I receive a lot (the most?) of her knitted goods. I'm pretty excited for the things she will be bringing on Sunday. I really hope that my ultrasound was correct. Because if it wasn't, this boy is going to be wearing a lot of girl clothes. There is absolutely no way that I'm giving this stuff up.

Wish us luck

If all goes according to plan, Joseph will no longer be an only child in a little over three weeks. I'm scheduled for a c-section on July 10 at 10:15 a.m. It is very strange to know the date and time, and I wonder every second if I am making the correct choice in having a repeat c-section. Sometimes I wish I didn't have so much "information" at my fingertips. The Internet can sure be a stressful resource sometimes. Anyway, keep us in your thoughts on the 10th!

Oh- and for those of you who keep asking, we still do not have any names picked out. Sorry. I guess you'll have to wait a little longer.

Anniversaries

Tony and I celebrated our 5th anniversary last month. We actually went out to dinner and saw a movie. The dinner was really good (Montague Inn); the movie was okay (The Da Vinci Code). I was hoping to see this movie, or this one. But apparently our choices are somewhat limited here. We will now enter our next movie theater hibernation. Hopefully this one won’t last as long.


Last month also marks another anniversary. It has been one year since we moved back from New Orleans. We’ve now been here as long as we were there. As most people know, I had a hard time adjusting, but I ended up really liking it there. I’ve surely romanticized many things, but I have this nostalgia for the place where Joseph was born, the place where we could walk almost everywhere, the place where shop owners were starting to get to know us, and the place where I could get some of the best food I’ve ever had. I can remember the last couple of weeks, looking carefully at everything, trying as hard as I could to memorize the details, knowing how my visual memory always ends up failing me. On my walks with Joseph, I tried to take pictures, but there really can’t be enough pictures. Joseph and I walked A LOT. I tried to show him everything, wishing he’d be able to remember something, but knowing there was know way that he would.


Tony and I talked about how we would visit often, maybe within a few years so that Joseph could see where he was born and enjoy some of the things we also enjoyed. Who knows, perhaps it will still happen, maybe just not as soon as we imagined. The hospital where Joseph was born does not exist in the way that it did a year and a half ago, and although there was some positive talk about rebuilding, it still won’t be the same. Our doctors seem to be gone. I wonder if the shop owners that got to know us from the time I was pregnant are still around.


Immediately after the hurricane, I became somewhat depressed. I only felt worse for feeling so upset, because we only lived there for such a short time. I didn’t have the right to be as sad as people who actually lived there and lost everything. When people would find out that we had recently moved from New Orleans, they would almost always say, “You got out of there just in time, didn’t you?” Or, “I bet you’re glad you got out of there, huh?” I’d say, “sure.” But the truth was that I wanted to be there. I wanted New Orleans—the hurricanes, the humidity, the bugs, the drunks, and all. I felt like a tourist. I feel like a tourist. That’s really all I can be now.


Many people around here have now even forgotten about the hurricane (My doctor was confused about why I was having trouble getting my medical records from Joseph’s birth). And those that haven’t forgotten about it are extremely opinionated about New Orleans politics. All of a sudden everyone feels they are experts on how to run a city with problems much deeper than a hurricane. They all want to vote for a mayor in a city where they don’t (and won’t) live only after hearing a few news clips.


So now here we are, back in Michigan. This could be the place where Joseph grows up. It’s not New Orleans, but it may end up being great in other ways. I’m not sure that I’d rather be anywhere else really. Where else would we have been able to see a movie and go out to dinner for our fifth anniversary? And who knows, maybe we’ll be able to do it again for our tenth.

News from an Ikea Diehard

Tony and I went to our “preview” shopping day at Ikea yesterday (a big thanks to all of you who helped by signing up for me). We made it out of there without making any MAJOR furniture purchases, but I have several ideas for the near future. Since we found out that we are having a girl, we have to think about which of our extra rooms we are going to give up, and that means we need to make some changes. You would think that after living with Joseph in a one-bedroom apartment we would have no problem sharing one of our extra bedrooms (we live in a four-bedroom house) with our new daughter. But somehow we’ve already grown into this house.

Shopping at the new Michigan Ikea yesterday had its ups and downs. Here’s my list.

Bad Things:
•It was not just “Tokig” and “Diehard” day. It was also friends and family day. Which meant that every person who works there was able to invite people. How many people, you ask? Who knows. Maybe five million. It was really crowded.

•We had to wait in a very long line to eat as well as to check out.

•We spent a lot of money and can do so again relatively easily.

•Now that there is an Ikea somewhat close by, it’s not so much a novelty. People will have the same stuff!!!!

•The store needs a better parking lot (or was it just the five million family and friends).


Good Things:
•Even though we had to wait, the cafeteria was open (we thought it wouldn’t be). Daim tortes, oh boy!!!

•The food in the cafeteria was on sale for this special event.

•We discovered the “as is” section for the first time really and found out sometimes you can get a really good bargain.

•We got an easel for Joseph.

•Daims.

•Oh my!!! There is an Ikea in Michigan!

So it's not decided then

WARNING!!! Spoiler alert!!! If you don't want to know if we are having a girl or boy, stop reading now.


Previously, I posted that we wouldn't know the sex of the baby because my doctor only did early ultrasounds unless there was some sort of problem. I had the option of paying for one, but we decided not to do that. I had been told by many people who go to the same practice that almost every person ends up having another ultrasound at some point, but until last week it seemed as though I was not going to get that chance. As it turns out, at my last appointment, my doctor said that I was measuring small, so even though it's pretty late in my pregnancy, I was scheduled for an ultrasound. The baby seems to be developing fine and is healthy, so that was a great relief. And as an added bonus, we found out that we will be having a little girl. I had a feeling that this baby was a girl, but now I know for sure (well, unless the ultrasound tech was wrong...)