Sicko

Yuck. I knew that there was a terrible bug going around here lately (Jake even had it about two weeks ago) but I had been lucky enough to have escaped its path thus far. That is, until yesterday. Holy cow! This thing was BAD! I woke up at 2 am on Sunday morning with my stomach just churning. I thought it was something I ate because I had gorged myself on pizza the night before (there seems to be a recurring pizza theme here lately...) In my mind's eye I could see that last piece of cheese pizza just laughing at me as I lay in bed about to hurl. From that moment on, I couldn't keep a single thing in my stomach all day long, not even sips of water or ice chips. To make matters worse, during all of this stomach upheaval, I started having pretty bad braxton-hicks contractions. That evening it got to the point where I was just throwing up bile, and Joseph made me call my doctor to see if there was anything I should do. They said they wanted me to go into the hospital to make sure everything was OK with the baby and get some fluids in me through an IV.

When we got to the hospital they monitored the baby (everything was fine) and put me on an IV and expected me to stay for just a few short hours. However, after they took my blood and some other fluid samples, apparently I was worse off then they originally thought. That's when my 2-3 hour stay turned into an overnight with ten bags of fluids put into me! I thought I might end up swimming out of the hospital by the time I checked out! But really, I felt SO much better when I left. The anti-nausea medicine was amazing, and I was just more tired than anything else.

So today I've just been resting and laying low all day. The worst is definitely over. The doctor at the hospital said that this virus that has been going around has been hitting pregnant women especially hard because it causes you to deplete anything in your stomach, and then you can't eat, which then makes pregnant women even more nauseous, and makes you throw up even more, and it's just a cyclical effect. Thank goodness for friends that just knock on your door at 8:30 am and take your child so you can sleep all morning (you're a lifesaver Jess) and for a wonderful husband who comes home during lunch to take care of you (love you Joseph) and even for a 2 1/2 year old who is more than willing to watch movies all afternoon so you can rest some more. Hopefully by tomorrow this will all be a thing of the past!

A late birthday present

I can finally check this one off my bucket list! For my birthday back in August, my AMAZING husband bought us tickets to see The Lion King in Chicago this past weekend (I know, right? He's the best!) We stayed with my ever-so-gracious aunt and uncle who live outside Chicago and they even watched Jake for us while we spent the afternoon in Chi-town. Their girls, who are my youngest cousins, loved all over Jake, and he couldn't have been happier. In fact, when we came home for the evening, all he did was tell me that he was picking raspberries with my aunt. Not even a hello. I took that as a good sign.

The play itself was incredible. Of course, me being me, I forgot our camera, but these are a few pics of what we saw:

I didn't know what to expect, but the set and props really blew me away. In reality, the play itself is almost exactly like the movie, same script and everything. In fact, it was so similar that Joseph had a hard time because he wanted all the characters to have the exact same voice inflection as they do in the movie. Sorry, babe, it's called artistic license...at least I think it is.

After we got home, my aunt and uncle treated us to real Chicago style deep dish pizza at Giordano's. And yes, it really is as good as it looks! And, no, I didn't feel guilty at all because, after all, I am pregnant!

The rest of the weekend was spent watching movies, playing games, and talking and laughing until the wee hours of the morning with my aunt and uncle. A good time was had by all!! Thanks again, Galen and Janet, for everything, we had a blast!

And the awkwardness continues

Joseph has now jumped on the awkward train with me (braces and a growing belly are not a good combination) and has gotten braces of his own! He had braces when he was a teenager, but lost his retainer so now he has to get them again. We've known for a while that he was going to get them, but I think he secretly hoped that the day would never come. Well, it finally did, and I love that my husband and I can be in this somewhat bothersome stage together. We can share in each other's misery.

When Jake saw Joseph's braces he just stared at them then finally said, "Take that off." Joseph told him that they won't come off, to which Jake replied, "Yes, get scissors."

I still think Joseph is very handsome, but both of us are anxious for this awkwardness to be over. When it's all done we'll both have smiles fit for a dentist and his family. So cheers to that!

You need to get a job...

A friend's recent post on Facebook reminded me of this story, so I thought I'd share:

Over the summer we had our nieces visit us from Texas. We took a trip to the mall one day, and passed by Build-A-Bear. Five-year-old Madalyn looked at Joseph and started begging him to buy her one. Joseph told her that he wasn't going to buy one because he didn't have any money. Then, using her 5-year-old logic, she asked, "Why not? You have a job." He proceeded to tell her that he doesn't have a job because he's still in school. Then she looked up and him and incredulously exclaimed, "What?! You mean you're a grown man and you're still in school?? You need to get a job. That way you can have money."

Madalyn, I hear ya, girl!! I'm sure that to a 5-year-old, the prospect of a man who is still in school at the age of 27 is absolutely mind-boggling. Heck, it's mind-boggling to me as well! But I often think of the fact that even though Joseph has been in school for what seems like forever and we're poor and living off student loans, we are happy! Sure, we can't buy the latest and greatest in every gadget and we still share our laundry room with the guy downstairs, and nearly everything that we own are hand-me-downs that we've had to make due with, but we love where we're at right now. We have made some of the best friends here in Iowa City and we've made so many amazing memories with our family. Even though it will be wonderful when Joseph is done and gets a job, we feel so blessed.

Here is a picture of our nieces and Jake. We love them so much and loved seeing them over the summer. And, Madalyn, maybe when Joseph is finally done with school (after well over 20 years), we'll take you to Build-a-Bear. Just maybe. :)

Twinsies

Today Joseph and Jake wore matching Hawkeye suits to church. They were quite the pair!! Joseph, being an identical twin, is used to dressing the same as someone else, but Jake has never had that opportunity. Joseph used to tell me stories about how his Dad would insist that his boys wear the same thing until they were in 2nd grade (when Joseph says they figured out what was going on), and I completely understand why! For some reason, what is handsome on just one becomes extraordinarily adorable on two.

Those are a couple of good-looking boys!!

I spoke too soon

So, remember how I said that Jake was doing better with his toddler bed now that the novelty of being able to get in and out has worn off? Turns out, the novelty never did wear off. Apparently, since he wasn't able to get in and out of his bedroom at will, he figured he would just stay in bed. Well, that all changed when he learned how to open the child-proof doorknob! What?? Are you kidding me? Safety 1st, I have a little bone to pick with you...

Now that he's figured out how to open his doors again, naptime and bedtime have been a nightmare!! He just saunters out whenever he feels like it for a "drink" or just mostly to let me know that he is not, in fact, going to take a nap, and I can't make him, so there. Just a month ago I thought to myself as I put my wonderful, blissful, content toddler to sleep, "this is just too easy." I'm paying for it big time now. With interest. Three days in a row it's just been a battle of wills. And, as my own mother will attest to, I'm no push-over when it comes to a battle of wills. Apparently, neither is Jake. He has been fighting me tooth and nail during naptime especially. So, instead of getting things done (or, let's just be honest, taking a much needed nap myself) I spend two hours taking him back into his room over and over and over again. This super-nanny technique is becoming my go-to method for how to deal with this crazy stage, but I'm open to suggestions.

I know the kid is exhausted. So exhausted, in fact, that the other day while we were having one of our epic "battle of wills," I noticed it had been quiet for about half an hour so I decided to see what the heck was going on. This is what I found:

Yep, he fell asleep while on the floor playing with his firetruck. Exhausted. And he had a stinky diaper. Great.

This whole situation has been a nightmare (no pun intended). Joseph and I have both been wondering where our sweet, easy-going, good-natured child has gone, and when, OH WHEN, will he return??? I think I've finally met my match....

It's not water

Jake has been saying some pretty funny things lately, so I thought I should start documenting them. With that being said, and without further ado, I present to you Jake's first "ism." I'm sure there will be many more to come!!

When were eating dinner together the other night, Jake asked me for some more "yar-yar" (water). As I poured him his glass of water, I said, "Jake, it's not pronounced 'yar-yar' it's 'wa-ter'."

He caught me pretty off guard when he responded in perfect English, "Mommy, it's not 'wa-ter' it's yar-yar!!"

This is now one of his favorite things to say to me, but he continues to ask for "yar-yar!"