Back to School

This year marks the second year that I won't be welcoming a group of students into my classroom. Even though I am SOOO grateful to be able to stay at home with Charlie, I do miss my former life as a teacher. This time of year always gets to me as I think about all of my friends setting up there rooms and preparing for a new year.

Well, this year, I was able to "play school" for a while. My dear friend and former co-worker, Jeanne, had surgery over the summer and had enlisted my help for pre-planning a few months ago. I have eagerly looked forward to being back at school all summer. This week, I spent four days helping Jeanne get her room ready for the kids. I had a blast! I got to do all of the fun stuff like put up bulletin boards and get things looking pretty for Open House. Oh, how I love to organize!!! I made copies, laminated, and wrote children's names on a few hundred things. The best part about the week was reconnecting with my former co-workers. Leaving them was one of the hardest things about deciding to stay at home. My Big Creek friends were truly a second family to me for six years, and I miss them dearly.

I know that a post without pictures is boring, but I wasn't sure if anyone would care to see my bulletin boards :o)

It's a GIRL!!!

Click on the pictures below to enlarge.

Charlie's cousin is going to be a girl! Dani and Walker are pretty sure her name will be Rileigh. Isn't that beautiful? We can't wait to meet her in December!

Mommy and Daddy in Bean Town

A GREAT group of girls!!!

The official Boston Terrier

Don't we clean up well?


Cheerleading moves at the bar. Don't ask.

Nick posing in front of one of the coolest trees we have ever seen.

The wedding party

Nick and I headed to Boston last Friday for our friend JP's wedding. It was the first time we have been away from Charlie and the first weekend we have spent together as a couple since before he was born. I was sad to say goodbye, but I was really looking forward to a grown up weekend with Nick and all of our college friends. Plus, I knew Charlie would be in great hands over at Grandma and Grandpa's.

The weather on Friday was horrible and we had heard that flights might be delayed. Nick and I were sure we would be unlucky and get delayed. We were so fortunate that our flight was right on time, and we made it to the hotel in time to relax for a bit before we headed to the rehearsal dinner. We ate great food and caught up with our good friends who had traveled for the wedding as well. After dinner, everyone headed to the local bar for some drinks and dancing. Not wanting to be the party pooper, I dragged my pregnant behind out with everyone else. It's safe to say that I can't hang like I used to. Sure, I shook my booty like the other girls while sipping my water, but at 1:00 am, I had to get out of there.

The next morning was the best. Nick and I LOVE to sleep, and a dark hotel room is the perfect place for that. We slept until 10:30, and it was blissful! After we got up, we decided to hit the town and look for a local restaurant for some good old Boston cooking. Our cab driver recommended a place called Grassfield's, so we decided to head that way. We walked in and quickly realized that we were the only people in the restaurant who did not collect social security checks. We never did figure out why we were the only young people, but after we got our food, we did not care. Lunch was delicious, and it was so nice to have a lazy meal with the hubby. We talked a lot about Charlie and the new baby, but it was just nice to have the chance to have an uninterrupted conversation.

After lunch, we had to start getting ready for JP and Lauren's wedding which was at 4:00. They had a perfect day for their wedding. The weather had been really hot and then rainy all week, but Saturday was gorgeous. The wedding was held in the same church that Lauren's parents had been married in thirty years ago. Once JP and Lauren said, "I do!", we made our way over to the reception at a beautiful antebellum house. The inside of the house was great, but the grounds outside were breathtaking. Again, it was another night filled with dancing and spending quality time with our friends. JP and Lauren had such a wonderful wedding, and Nick and I are so happy that we were able to be a part of their celebration.

Our weekend had been so nice, but by Sunday we were ready to get home and smooch on our baby. Our flight was not until 1:30 pm, so we were able to take our time getting ready to leave. Everything was looking so good until our flight took off. I do not fly a lot, so I still get nervous every time. Sunday, however, I was relaxed and in a good mood. That did not last long. We had turbulence the entire ride. I don't mind a little turbulence, but bumping up and down the whole way home was more than my preggo stomach could handle. Nick was not even phased by it, so I decided to do my deep breathing and attempt to stay calm. The flight would not last much longer, right? Wrong! As we started to descend upon Atlanta, I reassured myself that I was NOT going to throw up on an airplane - no way, no how!!! Suddenly, the plane hit a particularly bad patch of turbulence and jerked quickly upwards. Everyone in the cabin began looking around anxiously. Not a good sign. Then the click of the intercom and the pilot's voice. He said something about a wind advisory and that the airfield was closed. The last thing I heard was that we were low on fuel and would have to land in Augusta if the field did not open soon. Maybe it was nerves, maybe hormones, maybe my churning stomach, but when I heard that I burst into tears. Poor Nick did not know what to do with the sobbing mess next to him, and I am pretty sure the guy to my left was a little taken aback as well. I just lost it! Thank goodness nature was on our side, and and hour later we were safely on the ground in Atlanta. It is the first time I have ever been on a flight where everyone broke out in a round of applause as soon as the wheels hit the ground. I think I will need a good long while before I fly again.

Once we collected ourselves, we made our way to my parents' house to pick up Charlie. He looked a little shocked to see us, and it took him a while to come to me. On the ride home, he just kept grinning at me. It was great to get away but even better to see his smiling face again!

Play Time

Hey, Parker!

Puffs are YUMMY!

Charlie had two friends over to play today. Parker came with his mommy, Erika, and Sawyer came with her mommy, Nicole. Today was the first time that Charlie and Parker have ever played together. His mommy and I love to read each other's blogs, and we decided it was high time for a play date. Charlie took and immediate liking to Erika and backed right up to sit in her lap. He never does that with a stranger, especially not a female. He seems to be more comfortable with guys than he is with girls. Erika must have magic baby powers, because I have never seen Charlie go to someone new that quickly! The boys did very well together as well, and Charlie really liked the fact that Parker brought some Puffs along with him to share. At one point, Parker got the lid off and dumped the entire container of Puffs on the kitchen floor. You would have thought Christmas had come early. Those boys were thrilled to gobble up almost every puff that hit the floor. While the boys played and ate puffs, Sawyer slept most of the time. Lucky me got to hold her for a long time while she snoozed. She is only three weeks old, so it will be a while before she can keep up with her boyfriends. That's okay, Sawyer. Rest up! You will need your energy to keep up with Charlie and Parker when they are both running around like wild men!

It was so nice to have the girls over, too. I DO LOVE spending time with my mommy friends! There is nothing like some adult conversation after spending the majority of your day with someone who only says three words. You ladies and your kiddos are welcome back anytime for another play date. We had a great time!

Busy Bees

Sorry, but there are no pictures to go along with this post. I just thought I would check in so that you know we haven't forgotten about the blog. We have been so busy around here, but we are having a lot of fun.

This weekend we had a yard sale for charity, went to a baby shower for our friends' Caitlin and Clay, and Charlie got to meet his Great-uncle Brian from Wisconsin. I brought my camera with me to all of these events and just forgot to snap pictures. It's too bad, because Charlie looked pretty darn cute this weekend.

Here are the highlights from our adventures this weekend:

Yard Sale - We raised $124 for the Atlanta 2-Day Breast Cancer Walk that I will be participating in this fall. My goal is to raise $1,000, and thanks to the help of my friends and family, I am almost half-way to meeting my goal. Charlie loved helping out at the yard sale. He is such a people watcher and really enjoyed all of the new faces that showed up to shop.

Baby Shower - We can't wait to meet Miss Cayla Belle in about a month. Charlie was very well behaved at the couple's shower and even gave Cayla her first kiss. He was sitting with Caitlin (the mommy-to-be) and leaned right in to give her big baby belly a kiss. It was just about the sweetest thing and an image that will forever be in my head. It just makes me even more excited about seeing him with his new baby brother/sister!

Uncle Brian - My uncle was in town for the weekend for a work convention. Charlie has never met Uncle Brian, and I have not seen him since my wedding in 2005. So, this morning we hitched a ride with Grandma and Grandpa and headed down to the Omni Hotel in Atlanta for brunch. It was so great to introduce Charlie to his great-uncle and to catch up. It was a quick visit but a very nice one.

Self Sufficient

Look at how pleased he is with himself. My big boy wants to do it all by himself...most of the time.

Pooh and Al

We just had a fantastic visit with Auntie Pooh and Alex. They came into town from LA a few weeks ago before their annual family trip to Hilton Head, and then they were back for a few more days to play after that. It had been eight whole months since we saw them last, and I can't tell you how much Ali has grown and changed since then. She is like a little person. Ali talks non-stop and is so funny. Lisa has done such an amazing job raising her. She is polite, thoughtful, and just the sweetest little girl. I LOVE YOU, AL!!!!

We spent a lot of time at Grandma and Grandpa Pomerantz's house playing, singing, and eating the most delicious meals. The Pomerantz's have managed to hold onto a lot of the toys that their children loved, so it is always fun to go over there to play. It's like going back in time when you see the old-school Little People and Transformers. Charlie loved playing with Al, but he took a special liking to Grandpa Michael and insisted on being with him at all times. It was pretty cute!

It was especially nice to see Lisa (Pooh) because she and I got to compare baby bumps. We are due only four days apart next January. I am beyond excited to be pregnant with my best friend. I only wish she did not live clear across the county. It's a good thing her family lives here, and I can always count on her coming back to visit. It was really hard to say goodbye this time. I always cry, but this time I couldn't help but wonder just how long it would be until we see each other next. Lisa has been encouraging me to get Skype, and I think it is about time. Now that Charlie is a little older, I really think he will appreciate talking to and seeing Pooh and Al on the computer.

I did not get a ton of pictures from our visit, but Grandpa Michael can always be counted on to snap a bunch of great shots. Click here to see pictures from one of our playdates.

Charlie and his buddy, Grandpa Michael

Charlie patting Ali on the head
(BTW - Do you recognize that cash register from your childhood???)

LA Woman

Meet Miss Sawyer

We had a great time meeting Sawyer the other week. She is so beautiful and very loved. She has had a lot of visitors, and Charlie and I are lucky that she could fit us into her busy schedule!

Auntie Stef (Chachi) holding Sawyer

Doesn't this new momma look great???

Baby Girl

Charlie LOVED touching Sawyer. Won't he be a great big bro?

Getting my newborn practice

THANK YOU!!!

Nick and I were so excited to see all of the great comments about our newest addition to the family. It is so wonderful to be surrounded by such a terrific group of friends and family. We appreciate all of your kind words and cannot wait to share more news about baby # 2 as we go along.

For now, I thought I might answer some of the FAQ that I have gotten recently. So, here we go:

FAQ #1 - How far along are you?
Today, I am 12 weeks. As most of my mommy friends know, this marks a very special time in pregnancy. I am done with my 1st trimester, and the risk of miscarriage goes down significantly at this point. Nick and I waited until 12 weeks to tell everyone that we were pregnant with Charlie, but we just got too antsy this time. Still, 11 weeks is a long time for me to keep a secret :o)

FAQ #2 - What is your due date?
Baby Shaw should be here some time around January 28, 2010.

FAQ #3 - How do you feel?
I feel like poop! With Charlie, I sailed through the first trimester without morning sickness and all of the other yucky side effects of early pregnancy. I was really tired, but that was all. Actually, my whole pregnancy was a cake walk with the Little Guy. I was definitely one of those obnoxious people who LOVED every second of being pregnant.

This time around has been a different story. I am exhausted, light-headed, dizzy, have headaches, and if there is an issue to be had with a stomach, I am having it! My midwife prescribed a drug to help with my morning sickness, and it works very well. Unfortunately, the side effects are not the greatest. So, every day I have to decide which is the lesser of two evils.

I do have hope that I will feel better in the 2nd trimester. So, that means that I will wake up feeling fantastic tomorrow and be ready to take on the world! (If you laugh, we are no longer friends)

FAQ #4 - What do you think the sex is/What do you want the sex to be?
Oh, goodness. Like ALL moms, I really, truly just want a healthy baby. I can see the positive aspects of a girl and a boy.

If it is a boy, Charlie will have a brother close in age, and I would hope that they would be best buddies. Nick and I don't have same-sex siblings, and we think it would be a great experience for our children. Plus, I have everything that I would need for a boy, and I have 16 months experience raising a boy under my belt. It seems like the easier option.

But, if it a girl, I get to unleash my totally girly side. There will be bows, dresses, tutus, and pink as far as the eye can see. I will get to see Nick get wrapped around her little finger, and I will have a daughter. My mom and I have had our ups and downs (downs between 15-21 years old), but we are so close, and I would love to experience the special mother-daughter bond.

Now, what do I think we are having? A boy. I had a strong feeling as soon as I found out that I was pregnant. Plus, the Chinese calendar (if you buy into that) says that we are having a boy. Not to mention the fact that the ultrasound tech told us that our ultrasound picture was "suspicious of a boy". Let's just say we aren't spending a lot of time looking for girl's names.

We will find out some time around September 10th, and we will definitely keep you posted!

FAQ #5 - Are you excited?
Yes, we are very excited! Our love for Charlie is so strong, and we know that a new baby will only multiply the love in our hearts. Nick and I have enjoyed being parents so much, and we cannot wait to add to our family. But, we are nervous at the same time. With Charlie, it seemed like it was all excitement because we were ready to have a baby, and we could just day dream about starting our little family. This time around, we are thinking about how this new baby will affect Charlie. We are worried that he won't understand or will feel like he isn't getting as much love or attention. Already, he has had to deal with Mommy laying on the couch not able to play. He has watched more TV in the past few weeks than he has in his entire life. My mom is always here to help, but I just feel like a bad mom for not being able to do the things that we normally do together. Mommy guilt is pretty powerful stuff, and it has me awake at night thinking about all of the ways that life will change for Charlie. From what I understand, this is pretty normal when you are expecting your second child. I know that as soon as I hold my new baby, some of the guilt will fall off of my shoulders because I will want to provide for him/her as much as I do for Charlie now.

Charlie's New Shirt

Charlie got a cool shirt a few weeks ago, and he really loves it. In fact, he loves it so much that we wanted to share it with everyone. Let us know what you think.

Charlie, stand up so that everyone can see your shirt!

No, silly boy, not the back of your shirt.

Move your book so that we can get a better look, please.

Oh, wait! We're getting closer. Does that say, "Big"?

Perfect! What a great shirt!!!

That's right, folks. Charlie is happy to announce that he will be a BIG BROTHER in January!!!