Happy 3rd Birthday!

Oh Beatrice, I can't believe you're a big three year old girl! Daddy and I just have the best time with you. Given it's your big day, I thought I'd attempt to summarize some of your 'things' for posterity. It's impossible to capture your spirit, but I'll try. I think the photo Tom took of you on the swing out back does a very good job, but even that isn't close to capturing all of you. So here goes:

* Your latest 'thing' is nursery rhymes. "Black sheep, black sheep, have you any [mumble], yes sir, yes sir, three bags full, [you can't remember the words, so you mumble some more] some for the little boy that lives down lane." Today you informed Daddy that the little boy lives down the FAST lane, not the slow lane. Good to know.

* You also love books. And we love that you love to 'read' on your own. For a good 25-30 minutes. Love it. Though every now and then you insist that we read to you non-stop. I will admit to threatening you with TV if we didn't stop after one particularly long session. Your Daddy loves reminding me about that one.

* You are still very much a people person. Though now you have to at least know the person first. Still at your party you ran and jumped up to kiss everyone as they arrived at your party.

* While you don't yet actually care what you wear, you have put your foot down about hairstyles. No more ponytails. Barretts only.

* You have an absolutely amazing sense of direction. We were driving near Aurora and Amalia's house (you call her "Tamalia") the other day and you pointed out the rough direction of their house. It was incredibly impressive given we hadn't been there since a party there the previous December!

* You, like your Daddy, love maps. Any and all maps, but especially ones with England included so we can point out where you were born. It still slightly freaks me out how many of the 50 states you can name by shape / location on the US map.

* You really enjoy school. Your teachers, Betsy, Sheila and Lorena, tell us the ~5 month age gap with the other kids really isn't noticeable. And that your fine motor skills are amazing (thanks Sarah B and all those stickers!) Every morning you rush to get there to be first on the swings. I think you must swing at least an hour a day.

* Sharing is still not your favorite activity. But you're getting much better at it. When Anna and Eleanor came over recently you decided the only way you could share was if you just watched them play with your new toys. Joining in with them was too tough. It was adorable and hard to watch, all at the same time.

* Daily routine: Wake up, call out for Mommy or Daddy depending on the day (Mommy on weekdays and Daddy on weekends). If a weekday, we cuddle together for a few minutes and then I begin the long drawn out process of getting you dressed and ready for school. While you love school, getting you dressed takes a battle of wills. Still not sure why. Eventually I get showered while you read books in the bathroom, and then I find some sneaky way of getting you dressed. Then we go downstairs, you get the paper from the front porch and we have breakfast (usually cereal) together and check the weather and the funnies. Your favorite is Family Circus and Garfield. Then we aim to get to school between 8:30 and 9, though you try to be first to be sure and get one of the swings. Weekends are much slower and we all go downstairs in our PJs for a bit.

Weekdays you get picked up from school at 12 by Jessica. Then it's lunch and nap and playtime. You and Jessica go to the library LOTS. Jessica leaves at 5:30 most days and then you and I hang out till Daddy gets home. The more pregnant I get, the more we've been watching Sesame Street on the couch together. Then it's dinner, Daddy home, reading, bath time, battle over going to the bathroom, and Daddy puts you to bed at 7:45 or 8.

Weekends are a toss up. Anything can happen. But whatever we do, you are very involved - asking questions and wanting to help plan. And trying to sneak in a trip to Babies R Us. "Daddy, where we go next? After that then we go to Babies R Us, ok? Ok Daddy?"

And in between all of our daily activities we have some of the most wonderful, joyful moments. Along with moments that make us all want to tear out hair out in frustration.

Now we're all getting ready for you to become a big sister.
Happy Birthday Beatrice! Mommy & Daddy love you!

Happy Thanksgiving

We spent a lovely day with family and friends. Absolutely perfect day, except for the fact that I am still 9+ months pregnant. So ready...

Beatrice, Anna & Eleanor were adorable. Both clothed and not.

Luckily Tom shared his photos, as I've given up taking photos!

Happy Mommy!

My card from Beatrice this year says:

"Happy Mommy!

I love you.

Beatrice"

Doesn't get much better than that. Oh, perhaps NOT being 9 months pregnant on my birthday. I could handle that.

I did tell Zach the other day that I finally felt like my face looked pregnant - puffy cheeks, nose, etc. He just looked at me for a minute and then said with a grin, "Um...Sarah, I'm pretty sure people aren't looking at your face to figure that out." I laughed for about 10 minutes.

37 Weeks

My favorite part about this picture is that we're wearing matching striped outfits. This was absolutely intentional, of course. Too bad I don't have sparkly house shoes to match Bea's.

We're all very ready for the baby. And a thousand house guests by the look of our bathroom closet...seems I have been nesting for a while now, I just didn't realize how bad it was until I decided to organize the bathroom closet. Everything is getting rearranged and made just so. I can't help myself. Nesting! The other photo is of me 37 weeks with Beatrice. I can't tell if I'm bigger or not, certainly just as ready.

Now, I just have to get through tomorrow. So do not want to give birth on my birthday!

Birthday cake for breakfast

One of the best traditions ever

3rd Birthday Party

We had a very small gathering (for us) over on Saturday to celebrate Beatrice's birthday. We hadn't planned on having a real party, but she really wanted a chocolate cake with pink frosting. So, we had cake from 4-5pm. Zach made chocolate cake the night before, and he and Beatrice made the pink frosting on Saturday. I decorated the cake.

We decorated the dining room with streamers and balloons and B's artwork from school. To prep for the party, Beatrice also spent time swinging out back and at least an hour 'reading' her new library books. The girl loves to 'read'.

The party itself went off without a hitch. We had cake, Beatrice opened presents, and I did not go into labor.

After the party Beatrice had another piece of cake and decided to skip clean-up and go read in the living room. So adorable.

I'm glad we had a party. Especially glad we had it with chocolate cake and pink frosting. When Beatrice told us she wanted a party (by asking people to come to it and telling us what kind of cake she wanted), I was reminded of the story Mama told me about when she was 8 and invited friends over for her birthday (it was the Depression and she wasn't allowed to have a party, as they didn't have enough extra to make a cake). But she wanted a party and presents. I think she said she told her mother about an hour or so before her friends were due to arrive, just in time for her mother to whip up a cake. Pretty sure Mama got a spanking after the party, but she also got a birthday party out of it. I could see Beatrice resorting to something similar had we outright banned a party.

Hey Diddle Diddle

Beatrice loves this nursery rhyme. She says it over and over and over - in the bathtub, running down the street, swinging in the backyard. I finally managed to catch it on video when we were out back. Unfortunately I find my photo taking and video making are in direct inverse proportion to my ability to get up from a seated position unaided...happening less and less often these days!

Dr Seuss

There are times I feel like I'm living in a Dr Seuss book. Beatrice has picked up a few interesting things from school. One of our least favorite of these is "Poo-poo head", which she picked up from one of the kids with older siblings. Every now and then I'm also reminded that she is the youngest in her class by about 5 months, save one other kid. Anyway, here's a recent dinnertime conversation with Beatrice:

B: "Poo-poo head!"

Daddy: "Beatrice...that's not nice, you know that..."

B: "Sorry Daddy, sorry Mommy. I no say Poo-poo head again. (pause)

I no say Poo-poo head at school.

I no say Poo-poo head at home.

I no say Poo-poo head in the car.

I no say Poo-poo head on the swings.

I no say..."

Mommy: "Ok, ok, we get it. Not at school, not at home, not in the car, not on the swings, not anywhere."

B: "No, I no say Poo-poo head anywhere.... (then very softly under her breath) Banana head."

Farmer Bea

Today a neighbor rang the doorbell to see if Beatrice would like her old rocking chair. We said sure, especially as Beatrice has been asking for "three things" for her birthday:

1) a "'mall baby cradle" (small baby cradle)

2) a "rocking chair for me"

3) a bike

We have the first in the attic, and I was going to go find some cheap plastic rocker (as you can never find good wooden kids furniture that isn't pink or blue anyway). #3 will probably be for Christmas. Anyway, we said yes and our neighbor went back home and returned with this. Wow. I'm pretty sure it's nicer than most of our other furniture!

Visit from KMB and Karen

Karen and Karen trekked over to the East Bay to take me to brunch today. While Beatrice was very happy to spend time with her Daddy, she was less pleased to miss out on time with visitors. She insisted on a photo.

In other news, we've just been getting ready for the new baby. Beatrice has taken to carrying around Cabbage Baby, dressing him in our new baby's clothes, putting him ni-night in our new baby's crib(s). Lots of work.

During the week, we had a nice visit with Megan, Colby, Eleanor and Anna too. Veteran's day...no school for Beatrice or Eleanor!

Hot water

Anyone who's ever tried to take a shower or run a bath upstairs at our house will appreciate this picture. This is just the HOT water. Our landlord fixed the water pressure upstairs, so now when we run Beatrice a bath we don't have to start 10 minutes early. And, as Andreja put it, the taking a shower is "ah...America", which I believe translates into luxurious, over-the-top, bliss. Zach said he sang the Team America song to himself the first time he took a shower with the new water pressure. I think I just moaned the whole time.

Bye Ziva!

Ziva, Andreja and Urban had to go home today. We don't envy them the flights back to Slovenia. Or trying to fit half of Target back into their flat.

We're so glad you came to California. Next time Slovenia!

35 Weeks

I can't believe I'm posting these pictures.

Me at 35 weeks. The one with the tape measure is of me at 36 weeks pregnant with Beatrice. The tape says 43.5 inches. For comparison Zach and I had ...fun?...taking my measurements this time. 41-46!-42. I should look like a (very large) column! Instead I don't have one straight line on my body. Ok, maybe the bridge of my nose, but that's it. Everything else is ROUND.

I did realize recently that it could be worse. I could be this pregnant in Georgia:

Random stranger on the street: "Whoa girl, you look like you gonna pop tomorrow!"

Me: "Yeah, so I hear. Only 5 more weeks to go."

Stranger with the accent from GA: "FIVE? Good Lord! You must have twins in there."

Me: Sigh.

Stranger: "No, seriously, you are big, girl!"

Best part of this interchange? He was yelling from across the street. Nice. Makes me miss London, where at least everyone waited until I was 36 weeks pregnant to whisper, "Wow, luv how far overdue are you now?"

Duck songs

Lots of baby time recently. It's tough, especially when you have so many babies to diaper and put down for their naps.

There's also cooking and reading to be done too, so Beatrice is quite busy these days.

She also is learning new songs at school. This one, as far as I can tell, is about ducks. There's another 4 minutes of the song. I tried to post, but I think the multiple error messages mean it's just too long to put up. Probably for the best, as not even Grandma Wibbs and Granddaddy Bill could stand it for that long (too many memories of me doing something similar at that age!)