BEFORE AND AFTER

Today I got bored and decided to take Trailbaby with me to get my hair cut. I get bored with hair very easily. If you look back at all the random hair styles I've had over my lifetime ... you'll see I've had a lot.

I have spent the last two years growing out my hair and my hair color ... it was time for a change or rather a return to an old look. Some might say I look very "mom-like" now but I just like to think I look more Trailmomma-ish.

First the "before" look (keep in mind I am on diminished sleep here ... )

The front

The Back

Now the "AFTER" cut ...

The back

Ta-Da!

This is what women who have had children do when they come home realizing their clothes won't fit ... they cut their hair instead. :-)

Trailbaby was a gem the entire time in the salon too ... and I have come up with a nickname for her but am not quite ready to share. It came to me one day and seems to have stuck.

In other exciting news, the Peanut had a play date with her best friend from her old daycare. They were in heaven playing together again.

Best friends since 3 months old

two little monkeys

and one BIG fish! :-)

ARTIST IN THE FAMILY

The Peanut, although sometimes annoyed by her little sister ... is loving the gifts people bring. Luckily most of our friends/family have realized that when you bring a gift for the "new baby" it is equally important to provide something for the much annoyed big sister.

Yesterday we had our first pool party for friends and most of them arrived meeting Trailbaby for the first time and also brought presents. The Peanut is already enjoying the present she received.

She's always loved coloring but lately her artwork has progressed to a new level. Both Vans and I have no artistic ability what so ever so to see her creations is really impressive to us.

Here are some of her latest creations ...

She drew this all by herself (she's 3!)

This morning's project

My favorite: The Peanut "wrote" me a letter. She didn't tell me what it says but something tells me she has a lot to say about her little sister's arrival and my time being taken away.

Finally ... just because ... some recent photos of our two week old Trailbaby!

Suspiciously looks like a poop face no?

Just precious

Okay, this Trailmomma is off to take a walk! Wahooo for the small things!

SPECIAL TIMES

Time has been flying by lately. Trailbaby will be two weeks on Sunday. Everything is going very well although next week Van's returns to work and it will be Trailbaby and myself all alone in the house. The Peanut goes to summer school 3 days a week so it will be up to Trailbaby and myself to pick her up each day.

The Peanut is still struggling with summer school. Basically she hates it and I cannot say I blame her. I even miss her old preschool but luckily this is just a temporary thing and she'll be back with her old friends come fall. We've been trying to get together for play dates with some of her old preschool friends which really makes the Peanut happy but also makes her sad at the same time.

Thursday when the Peanut was home Vans took her out for some daddy time aka do daddy errands yet make it sound like fun to a 3 year old.

The big task at hand was to fill Van's truck with "play ground bark" for the play structure we have in our back yard.

Success. Truck full of bark . . .

and smiles.

Of course the Peanut is too smart to just go pick up bark and not convince Vans to do something "fun" for her. So after a quick cupcake from a local gluten free bakery these two headed to a new park.

  

Where she picked "flowers"

Sold some "cupcakes"

And climbed like a monkey!

While Vans and the Peanut were off doing that, Trailbaby and I were off running errands of our own. Trailbaby is finally letting me have a few hours of sleep at night which is nice but she's also battling some tummy troubles right now which seem to keep her uncomfortable at times. It is hard being 12 days old I guess.

During the week we have had many adventures. Trailbaby and I ventured out on our first walk. Just a few blocks to mail some letters but it was nice to be out. I hope to be back walking and running within the next week or so.

Unlike her sister, Trailbaby seems to enjoy walks in the stroller

Hydrating

On Wednesday, the Peanut and I ventured out into the 102 heat to cheer Vans on during his final mountain bike race of the season. Trailbaby stayed home with Jersey Girl and succeeded in taking her first ever bottle! That means this momma gets a little more freedom! Sweet! Next week is Van's awards party. He took fourth place this year missing third by a small margin. He's bummed but he still maintains his perfect attendance having never missed a race in 3 years!

post bath

The final adventure this week was a bath for Trailbaby. I personally hate the first bath. It is shock to them. The water, no matter how warm, is cold to their fresh newborn skin and Trailbaby cried and cried which caused this momma to cry and cry. Vans is a trooper and handled the bath well. Afterwards, Trailbaby was content to be bundled up in momma's arms.

In terms of exercise ... I've been slowly working on some crunches and core exercises as well as some weights just to get some form of exercise in. I hope to be running sometime in the next two weeks. I will probably start out walking and then ease into running. Starting from scratch is so hard mentally as well as physically.

This Trailmomma is working her way back. Slowly but surely.

ADJUSTING

Trailbaby was born on Sunday afternoon and we both were home by 1:00 pm Monday. Talk about a quick turn around or being thrown out of the hospital. Life at home has been an adjustment. Trailbaby is the total opposite of the Peanut at this age. She hardly cries or fusses. Sleeps a ton (ahem, during the day) and eats and poops like a trooper. In fact, my only "complaint" if you will call it that is that if she is awake, she's eating. Constantly. The Peanut ate about every 3 hours or so ... not Trailbaby. The Peanut took 5 minutes to eat and was done. Not Trailbaby. This will eventually change as she gets older and isn't forever. I have to remind myself of this. She is after all, only five days old.

The Peanut is slowly adjusting too. She was super excited when Trailbaby was in my belly but now that she is here and taking away from her personal time with mommy ... she isn't handling it as well. She's still very admiring of her sister and mentions how cute she is daily but she also says things like "Mommy, I don't want to eat dinner" and when I ask her why, she says "because I don't want to get bigger. I want to be a little sister." Broke my heart. Everyone makes a big deal to her about being a "big sister" that I think she honestly feels pressure of sorts. Pressure for a three year old?!

Vans and I try really hard to have our time with the Peanut and keep any semblance of our old routine as much as we can but some nights it is hard. A newborn is unpredictable and honestly, boring to a three year old.

However, summer is here, finally. The weather is warm enough to swim in our pool. The Peanut's swim lessons are over and it is so amazing to watch what she has learned. Last summer the girl would not go knee deep in water let alone put her face in and now, she's swimming under the water and diving for rings! I absolutely beam with pride watching her.

snack before pool time

So we're all adjusting in this house. Summer and my maternity leave has just begun. I look forward to regaining my fitness. I have lofty goals of going for a walk outside some time next week depending on how I feel. Oddly, recovery after #2 is much harder for me than #1. After the Peanut I was up and about rather quickly. For some reason (maybe age) I am moving a bit slower after Trailbaby.

Coach Nikon also thinks Trailbaby needs a better nickname for the blog. The Peanut was named the Peanut since I found out I was pregnant with her. She's always just been the Peanut. Trailbaby was called K2 while in my belly (or squirmy) but Coach Nikon thinks Trailbaby needs a Peanut like nickname. What do you all think? Should she remain Trailbaby until something natural comes along or should I go searching for that perfect nickname?

Just chillin

3 years old vs 3 days old

The Peanut holding her sister for the first time

WELCOME TRAILBABY!

Trailbaby arrived today!

SHE was 7 lbs 13 ounces 20 inches

The Peanut was 7 lbs 14 ounces and 19 inches

Trailbaby arrived 2 days late at 1:17 pm

The Peanut arrived 3 days late at 12:58 pm

Pretty close as sisters go!

Welcome to this crazy world TRAILBABY!!








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FINAL DAYS

No sign of Trailbaby yet so life is moving onward. The Peanut only attends the new "summer school" Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday which leaves Thursdays and Fridays home with me.

Today we had the pleasure of being invited to Fairy Tale Town with the REI Family and Scrapbook and her two lovely kids. Vans thought I was nuts traveling the 45 minutes to an hour downtown to Land Park to see them all with a 3 year old in tow. He was especially concerned since I am due any day now but life must go on and the Peanut would have been bored out of her mind staying home with me.

Besides, I thought seeing some familiar faces would brighten her day and it totally did. She had a blast. I also noticed (and Mr. REI counted) 20 other pregnant ladies all at Fairy Tale Town. Did I miss the memo? Was there some preggo convention I was supposed to attend? I have to say, I feel quite fine these days. No contractions, no nothing. The evenings get tough, things I think pile on and I am semi-useless to Vans but that's okay too, he is doing great taking up the slack. These other women however did not look so great. One woman I spoke with who is also due tomorrow looked down right miserable. Me? I was going down the Jack and the Bean Stalk slide with the Peanut. Okay, I only did that once since getting off the slide was challenging but overall I feel fine.

I am also happy to have these last few days with my Peanut. She is super excited and constantly rubs my belly telling the baby to come on out because she wants to meet it. We'll see how thing change once the baby does gets here or starts playing with the Peanut's toys but until then...we're just enjoying our time.

SUPER excited to hit the Jack and the Bean Stalk slide

Coming down the slide

(yes I fit in there)

Driving the tractor

A quick picnic lunch

A trip down the Yellow Brick Road

to see the Lion

The Tin Man

and the Scarecrow

WAITING GAME

I keep getting texts, emails and daily phone calls. Yes, I am still here. Yes, I am still pregnant. Yes, my official due date is Friday. No baby yet and I am not so confident it will make its appearance anytime soon despite some scheduling problems on the horizon.

Today is the Peanuts first semi-full day at her "summer camp." We call it "summer camp" because we don't want to confuse her with her previous pre-school where she will hopefully return come the end of my maternity leave. Also, "summer camp" is an adequate name for this place since it lacks a lot of what I would consider to be a real pre-school/daycare. Yet, the Peanut is well cared for and has more stimulation than she would if she stayed home with her slow moving no baby having momma. However, my heart breaks each day when I have to pick her up and I see how she clings to the teachers instead of the kids in her class. She tells me they are "not her friends" and that "they are not in her heart" and that she "misses her friends Joy and Oliver" ... quite sad coming from a 3 year old. She knows how to pull on my heart strings. I can't say I blame her though. She was at her previous place with the aforementioned Joy and Oliver since she was 3 months old. Change is a tough thing for a 3 year old. Heck, it is a tough thing for Vans to master sometimes.

I think right now, I am the only one hoping for some change. Change in the form of a baby so that I can stop keeping myself up from 3 am to 6 am worrying about what we are going to do now when the baby does decide to make its arrival. Basically I need change to happen asap as in tonight perhaps? Too bad babies  in-utero can't read yet because I haven't had a single sign, contraction or twinge that things are going to be moving anytime soon. Sigh. It is just a worrying waiting game from here on out.

Patience is a virtue right? Good things come to those who wait right? It'll all work out in the end right? I think I've had my quota of fortune cookie fortunes for one person. Back to the waiting game ...

The BFF's Oliver & Joy

Even at 3, friends are forever.