Cash -- 35 weeks

Hey there, Kiddo! The ultrasound tech was able to get some actual face pictures this time -- last time was only his leg. Here is a profile of his face and one of his arms. I find it easiest to locate his nose first and go from there -- it's pointing up and then you can see his mouth and eyes from there. Just to the left of his chin is one of his hands.
Back for another NST -- was there for +3 hours! Got back to the NST room late, was hooked up to it for almost 45 minutes, talked with physician assistant (PA) for my appointment while hooked up....then had to wait for quick ultrasound for fluid check. He was moving around a ton and had good accelerations of his heart rate when moving on the NST. We could see him moving on the ultrasound and all looked good except they couldn't find his stomach "bubble" -- stinker had probably just peed and flattened out, so I had to go in waiting room and wait for another 45 minutes to go check again! They had already seen his stomach before but needed to make sure it was still filling up properly to indicate he was eating and using his lungs fully. Fluid was up to 24cm!!! Big babies tend to have more because they need to inhale more and, thus, excrete more; and one of the quadrants was completely all fluid, he had crammed himself totally in the other 3 (HELLO, uncomfortable, child)!
The PA also explained to me the medical reasons for having a possible amniocentesis test run on Cash to determine if his lungs are mature enough to deliver him a bit earlier than scheduled. We've already seen that he's a larger baby (the ultrasound had me measuring almost 2 weeks ahead last time) and larger babies tend to: a) pass meconium (poop) earlier, which is not preferred by physicians because they inhale it and are likely candidates for pneumonia at birth (also a reason why a lot of people trying to go natural have to have c-sections) and b) tend to use up the life and nutrients of the placenta earlier (and Mom gets no indication that it is happening). So, with both of these situations being ones we'd like to avoid, and since they have to do a c-section anyway, we are scheduled for an amniocentesis on Aug 29th and if it's all cleared and goes as planned, Cash's birthday will be August 30th!!! Of course, he could always try to throw his own wrench in the plans, these kiddos don't come with contracts or manuals, ya know (which would be helpful sometimes) :-)

3rd of July Party

3rd of July Pool Party at Gma Chele's house :: all of the family members involved
Look at that belly! Holy cowboys, you'd think I was ready to pop -- NOPE! Only 30 weeks preggers here! Cash has made sitting for long periods of time extremely uncomfortable (I could barely make it to this party -- leaning waaaaay back in the car) -- all those crazy pregnancy hormones have relaxed my joints too much, so my hips/pelvis shift almost every time I try to change positions, etc (sleeping is also a real treat). We were supposed to go to my cousin, Mallory's, wedding in Cleveland over this weekend, but I wouldn't have been able to move for about 2 days probably. I was really sad to miss it, but have been really impressed with the pictures I've seen so far of my beautiful cousin! Congrats to Mal and Matt!!!

We are working on James asking for permission to get in the pool (don't need him just jumping in with no one watching to get a toy or something) but he's usually quite content with his bucket, shovel and paint brush. He did have a good time showing off his swimming skills on the noodle with Daddy :-)

Jamie, Laura and I

Our family of 3 (+1 cookin)

James was soooo excited for fireworks this year! Yeah, my favorite holiday, so I'm happy he enjoyed! We took his own chair out into the viewing area at Gma's so he had his own special place. He screeched/screamed for the first 5 minutes or so, trying to imitate the whistle of each and every firework (ended when I gave him my camera for entertainment).

Watching fireworks with Mommy -- we had to put on the long sleeves again this year, but it was awesome weather!

One of the pictures James got of a firework exploding -- not too bad, Bug!

The screeching I was talking about -- you can hear how excited he was about the show though!

Last Swim Lesson

James' first swimming lessons have ended :-( We are so proud of his progress! He went from screaming for the better part of his first lesson to pretty much swimming around by himself at the sixth and final lesson!!! It is so fun to watch his gross motor skills in action -- truly amazing!
James really loved his one-on-one pool time with Daddy

Look at our lil' fishie -- he swims like he runs, FAST!!! He told his teacher, Mr. John, "Look at me!" and was giggling the whole time :-) Now he screams when we make him get OUT of the water!

PS -- this is my 301st posting -- what a milestone! Thanks for reading :-)

Singing Happy Birthday

Swimming with Daddy
I caught video of him singing "Happy Birthday" to himself :-)

Celebrating Jim and John's Bdays

We visited Kampai Japanese Steakhouse to celebrate Jim and John's Birthdays. James loved (not so much love from Dad or Uncle John) when the men came to sing Happy Birthday to them!
James mastered using chop sticks within 30 seconds of getting the helpers -- such a fine and gross motor genius, haha! (I mean, he's been gallopping for over a year now and I had kids in Kindergarten PE who couldn't do that)

Dancing & Taking Pic of Elmo

James shaking his groove thang to "Stronger" by will.i.am on Sesame Street...then telling Elmo and Grover to say "cheese" for a picture :-D So Sweet (and demanding)!

Mommy's Sunshine

James is getting really good at finishing sentences from his books and songs that we sing. I finally got him on video singing "You Are My Sunshine" with me (we sing it every night before bed along with our own "You Are My JamesE" version). I don't know where he got "apple" from in the 2nd line but it's funny :-) And I love how he raises his voice to sing "dear" and "I love you." My favorite though is when he throws in the "whoosh" hand motion from his Dump Truck book at the end instead of saying "away." We love our Bug and love to watch him learn and show off his new skills!!!

Trying Gym Stars

James got to try Gym Stars again this week. It is the most timid I've ever seen him. Our adrenaline junkie must have been too overwhelmed to process it all in the first session. He came screaming down the hall when he saw me, eventually pulling himself a chair over to watch. He just observed for about the first 20 minutes.
Then he got a little brave, piece by piece of the obstacle. He bear crawled under the bridge and then practice donkey kicks (hee-haws) with his friend, P (who he misses so much in his room and can't wait to move up with her).

There was a 2nd session with much less kids in it and more kids his age. He was still apprehensive about getting on the mat, but it didn't take nearly as long. He loved to jump on the spring board and hop like a froggie on the mats and say "Oh NO!" when he fell on purpose. By the end of the session, one of the teachers got him to try swinging...then, of course, we couldn't get him to stop :-) Our silly monkey!

He was also a pro at the handstand station. He even reminded the teachers that the hands needed to go on the floor for the second session :-) James will try the class again next week to see if it goes any better before they fully enroll him -- I think he'll do great once he gets comfortable, then they're in for it! haha!

Reading with Mommy

James loves to read. He will read books, magazines, brochures, etc (which is really handy while walking around Lowe's, haha). We've just recently figured out that he can read parts of his books!!! I know we're partial, but we are pretty darn impressed with our baby genius :-) He is also starting to sing parts of songs with us...his go to is "Hap Birfffday" and he fills in someone's name but he also does "You are My Sunshine" (which I sing him every night and just found a book of it for his Easter basket, so excited).

Week of GG

Playing hide-n-seek with GG Raising his hand to show off the sa-weet shirt Ms. Nor got him when she went to Hawaii!!! She loves him so much!

More of "Mommy! Picture!" So this is what we got when I said, "be cute, James!"

GG sure got him giggling like crazy!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday, JamesE!!!

Our Bug is 2 years old already!
On his new tricycle -- he definitely had a temper tantrum as we tried to get him to go upstairs to bed -- wanted the bike to go with him
Homemade Elmo Birthday cake! Mommy did the decorating; GG & Daddy tried to make the icing colors; Uncle Larry picked the icing tips to use -- definitely a team effort, but not too bad for our first attempt!

Doing downward dog on his new mat to play with his cars on

Diggin in to his Elmo cake and eating the crayon cookies Laura brought

Baby Ainsley enjoyed herself some rice cereal to celebrate. James had a great time playing with her and practicing "gentle" touches so he didn't hurt her :-) He missed her when she left, all week he said "Shh, Baby Ains sleepin'." Casey and Jo came to help celebrate :-) James was so surprised!

Uncle John found a matching shirt for James to wear

Uncle Dom and Aunt Jen making James laugh

Birthday kisses from his grandmothers -- GG and Gma Chele attacked!

James always enjoys his time with Pops

Aunt Cassie and Uncle Brian's gifts have a record of being big hits: James mowing the house and carrying his Elmo balloon around --he continues to mow the house and "park the mower" before bed every night.

JAMES IS TWO!!!! How the heck did that happen already?!?!?! He finally got the concept that it was "James Birfday" the day before, so it was a lot of fun to talk to him about his big day. He also knows that he's "Two" (but will only answer that if you ask him "how many are you, James?"). He helped me make cupcakes and he took them in to enjoy with his friends and teachers :-) Yummy!

BIG slide

James is truly fearless! Last year we went to Pump It Up for Abby & Bella's birthdays and I had to climb up and ride down the slide with James. This year, he was SUPER excited to see it and joined right in with the big kids without hesitation....over and over and over again :-) Thrill seeker I tell ya!

Big Bang Theory

James loves the show "Big Bang Theory" -- well, more so, he loves the theme song by the Bare Naked Ladies...he now dances for most of the song, then waits on edge for the "BANG!!!" at the end so he can say it, and then asks for "More, More, More!?!"

Month 20

Month 20 brought a WORD EXPLOSION!!! James is now repeating a lot of words we say (and still laughing when they are ones that he doesn't think he can spit out, which cracks me up)...every day it seems I say something and he just busts it out (i.e. I asked him if he was going to walk up the stairs to go to bed...his response :: "walk"...didn't know he knew that word)! He knows a ton of body parts :: head, mouth, teeth, eyeballs, nose, ears, belly button, forearm, foot and toes. He can't really say "I love you" yet, but he definitely has his own sign-version of it -- sticks both hands out at us (video attached below) -- we just can't get enough of it :-) He is enjoying some independent reading time when he's not trying to beat me up (don't know why I'm the lucky one). He attended Lincoln Park Zoo lights for the first time -- he enjoyed the art project with Aunt MJ and Uncle Ed. He can help count -- almost always gets "one, two" and sometimes throws "three" in there and "five" if I say four...I've also heard "A,B,C". He loves to do art projects at school -- but freaks out if any of the glue gets on his hands, so he has to go wash them in between each part (I think it's just to play in the water more, hehe). James got all dressed up (took about 10 minutes) to go play in the snow (about 10 minutes) until he got upset about there being snow on his new boots -- I showed him how to "stomp" it off and he was relieved, but still ready to go back inside (it was also pretty darn chilly). He has added to some moves to his dance repertoire :: a wiggle and his version of the running man :-) If we put on the "Puddle Jumping Elmo" Sesame Street episode, we have to watch the puddle song at least 15 times before we can turn it off without tears! He's a dancing maniac!

The crew at Zoo lights

James was so bundled up that I couldn't get his stroller straps attached at first!















Dani and Jamie














Uncle Ed pretty much stole James for the night, which is cool because they get along so great :-)













Art project with Aunt MJ and Uncle Ed













Laura and James smiling pretty













James was OK w/ the gorillas until one yawned and showed all his big teeth















Pretty Lights












Family photo ops




























Slide show of Month 20





Signing "I love you"

Showing off his new "running man" move and the "spin-bounce" to a song from Glee -- we did "more" of the song for about 10 minutes before bed

Bailey's Birthday

We helped Bailey celebrate her 25th Birthday last weekend :-) James was very entertained by the dinosaur balloon -- we knew where he was at all times :-)

James' 1st Homework assignment. James did most of the coloring except when I wanted to play (I love to color) and he placed the stickers...our turkey at some feed, a tractor w/ a chicken in it and some hay :-)

James reading out loud...everything ends in "Hi Hi Jo Jo"

Randoms to help me catch up on blogging

Just being goofy!
First time eating toast -- YEAH TOAST!

Sporting his handknitted hat that one of GGs friends made for him when he was born -- it's pretty awesome and I would love one myself (reversible, too)!

Riding the see-saw on the playground with "Eeeeeevve" -- we sang "Row Row Row Your Boat" about 30 times that afternoon -- Eve knows a lot of the words, I was impressed! Hat + Colts gear = Happy Toddler

The weather was absolutely gorgeous this week (Oct. 7th) so we busted out the water table one last time. James had so much fun (and got soaking wet) while practicing drinking from a cup (we've been working on it in the bathtub w/ his Elmo cup -- that way none of his clothes get wet). He was giggling so much I was able to record it and make it my ring tone :-)

Reading me the pamphlet he insisted on taking from school -- until he realized he was being recorded and then he poses for the picture...what a ham! And that's the end of catching up for Month 18!!! James got teeth 10 and 11 this month...now has 3 out of 4 molars...and had his 2nd ear infection :-( Temper tantrums have become the norm in the evening when we have to come in from playing outside with the neighbors -- think it is a combo of not eating lunch well (so hungry and low blood sugar) and being over-tired since he usually doesn't nap well at school. James has been LOVING music time at school -- the kid definitely has a pretty good sense of rhythm -- his favorite is the drums and swizzle sticks. He also LOVES to laugh -- he can be crying and upset and will go straight into a laugh fest when I tickle him -- he has even started to try and tickle himself and Jim and I :-D