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Mama and her little nail biter

Mama is...

Happy about the fact that we finally know the gender of the baby. We weren't supposed to find out until Aug. 29, but my second round of bloodwork for genetic testing came back abnormal, meaning there is a greater chance that my child could be born with Down Syndrome.  So they told me if I wanted more information to come in for an ultrasound to look for "markers" that would help them in their detection. We went yesterday, and while we were there, the awesome ultrasound tech ( who did all of my ultrasounds when Cole was in utero) told us what I had already suspected - there's a baby girl growing inside of me! The ultrasound helped the doctor determine that the risk is a lot lower than the bloodwork indicated. He told me flat out that he was not concerned. However, I am neurotic about this and just feel like I have to know definitively. So I took a new high tech blood test called Maternity 21 and will know the results in about two weeks. This test can actually read the DNA of the baby through my blood (don't ask me how) and it's almost as accurate as an amniocentesis, but obviously not invasive.

Searching for the eulogy I read at my grandmother's burial, which I think I threw away without realizing it. I went through my kitchen garbage pail twice looking for it. I really wanted to write a post in which I included it, and now since I lost this one piece of paper, I feel completely lost and don't know where to begin. Less importantly, I am searching for my Calvin Klein strapless bra that would go perfectly with a strapless dress I want to wear this weekend, another Anne Taylor LOFT dress I brought to my father's house but never wore, and my sanity because I keep losing things that are important to me. I feel so disorganized and overwhelmed by everything that has happened in the past week that it brings me to tears that I can't find these things. I know it's silly that I should be upset about "things" but I wonder at my absentmindedness that I would just let these things disappear without even realizing it until days or weeks later.

Making a ton of food ahead of time for our Cape Cod camping trip. I made a macaroni salad with a recipe I've used and loved. I made a quinoa salad without a recipe and strictly from memory. It is based on a delicious quinoa salad I once bought from the co-op. I made it last year for our camping trip with Allishawn and they loved it, so I thought it would be nice to have it again. I also hardboiled some eggs for breakfast for Cole (and as a snack for me) since that seems to be the only thing he will eat in the morning besides an ice pop.

Feeling many things at the moment. I go from sad that my grandmother is gone from this earth to excited that this new life growing inside of me is a girl. I'm going to have a daughter, people! After raising a boy for two years, this idea seems almost surreal to me.

Going to the beach finally! I love the ocean and although I've enjoyed our camping trips this summer in the woods, I have longed for the beach for about a month now. Hoping for some sunshine and dry days.

Cole riding his strider at the local BMX track

Cole is...

Happy about the ice pops I recently bought for him. I finally broke down and bought a set of Tovolo ice pops and made the long awaited kale and assorted fruit recipe borrowed from a friend. I gave one to him this morning after he ate some breakfast and managed to give Kiwi a treat without scaring her away. He followed my directions and walked over to her slowly and quietly, an amazing feat for him.

Searching for anything I'm looking for. If I mention I lose something, he's on the case, walking around the house repeating least a dozen times: "We have to find ______" or "Where is _______?"

Making strides in the Montessori activities I engage him in. We do pouring and transferring using beans or lentils. And I borrowed an activity from Randalin and bought some sand and a funnel for Cole. He has gone to town a bunch of times and had a ton of fun with the sand pouring and transferring activity. The only problem I come across is when he eats the dried beans or lentils. How can I explain to him that it's not food, when it really is? In truth, I have explained that it's not cooked so it's not edible but he doesn't care and eats it anyway. That's usually when I have to end the activity or we end up with explosive poops within hours.

Feeling excited to spend the weekend with Juni. We've been talking to him about this trip since the beginning of the summer and he is so happy right now that he requested we leave immediately.

Going to the BMX track to ride his Strider balance bike. We discovered through a friend that they have a toddler hour there on Tuesday nights specifically for toddlers to ride their striders. We went last Tuesday (totally forgot this Tuesday), and Cole and his friend Ellie had a blast. They rode, they fell, they walked the track. It was a blast.

Transferring sand

Toddlers on balance bikes. Who knew they could have their very own track?

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