A Potty Breakthrough!

I bought Mason a little potty before he even turned two just so he could get used to the idea. I haven't really pushed him to use it, but he has peed on it several times starting back in April. Lately, he's been refusing to even go near it, even though I try to encourage him several times a day. But today, my little guy pooped on the potty! I've never been so proud of a poop in my life. I had a quick thought that I should take a picture of his work (like Kate from John & Kate + 8), but decided that was a little bit much. I figured that wasn't anything anyone but me would want to see anyway.

Now I just need to figure out how to make the clean up process a little more organized (if you have some tips, please feel free to share) and decide whether I should encourage this more vigorously right now just as the baby is due to arrive.

Backyard Fun

This summer we've been slowly but surely fixing up our yard. We've recently installed a replacement fence, cleaned out and leveled the natural area in the back half of the backyard, added some stone stairs, and are working on a stone path from the stairs to the natural area. Our most recent addition is our new swing set!My hope is that this will provide some much needed entertainment for Mason when we're sure to be housebound a bit more often with Baby Lauren. He loves going outside, and now that it's cooler and I'm not sweltering in 100 degree heat, that's fine with me. We still have additional plans for the yard (an irrigation system and new grass and landscaping to come) but we already love all the changes we've made.

Beach Boys

We just returned from a nice trip to North Myrtle Beach. My shag dancing parents make a twice-a-year visit there, and we can never pass up the opportunity to visit them when they're nearby and take advantage of a free stay at a condo on the beach. It was our last vacation as a family of three.

Mason loves going to the beach about as much as his Daddy. He had fun playing in the sand and chasing after birds. Here are a couple pictures of my beach boys...

Mason was definitely tired on our way home. Here he is with his new Tigger (his current obsession) which generous Daddy bought for him at the Disney outlet store.

36 Weeks - Baby Update

I had another appointment with my midwife a few days ago. This time, I had to take Mason with me. It's always an adventure taking Mason to the doctor's office. When I had to give a urine sample, he had to go into the bathroom with me of course, and it's always hard to keep him out of the garbage cans. When my task was done, he tried to take the cup out of my hand saying "Juice, please". Then while we were waiting in the little exam room for the midwife to come in, he was opening garbage cans and drawers, playing with the belly tape measure, and spinning the rolling chair. The worst part was he pooped while we were waiting, and of course I didn't have anything with me to change him. And even if I did, there were signs everywhere telling me not to leave dirty diapers in the exam room. I debated whether I should just wait until my appointment was over or go out to change him in the car and risk missing the midwife altogether. I finally decided to wait, but ended up waiting about 25 minutes before the midwife came.

I found out at this last appointment that I tested positive as a carrier for Group Beta Strep, something I didn't have to worry about with Mason. I know this is common, treatable, and can be handled well with rounds of intravenous antibiotics during labor, but it's still very distressing to me. I don't like the idea of my baby getting antibiotics in her system before she's even born (Mason's never even had antibiotics), and I don't like the idea of having to come into the hospital as soon as labor begins to get an IV. (I'm planning for a 2nd drug-free childbirth, and any intervention makes that all the more difficult.) Mostly, I'm concerned about Lauren's health of course. I'm just doing some reaseach and praying everything turns out okay.

Where Were You?

I remember exactly where I was on that tragic morning seven years ago today, as I'm sure most people do. It's funny how you remember just what you were doing when you get any big news or some major event happens. It's as if that moment is frozen in time. I remember where I was during the Challenger shuttle disaster (watching it on TV in my 3rd grade class), when I heard the news of the Oklahoma City Bombing (on a cruise with my high school senior class), when the OJ Simpson verdict came through (Chemistry Lab, freshman year at Georgia Tech), and for the news of Princess Dianna's death (house sitting for my boss).

On September 11, 2001, I was 24 years old and living on my own in an apartment off Tryon Street near the Coliseum in Charlotte. I'd been working for what was then First Union as a data analyst in the Charlotte Plaza building uptown for a little over a year - my first job out of college. Dave and I were dating (long distance since he had been transferred to Houston with his job), and still about a month away from getting engaged.

That morning I was in a SQL training class at work which started at 9:00. Shortly after it began, a man from our department came up to the 6th floor where our class was located, and said some news had come through that a plane had hit one of the World Trade Center towers. We were shocked that some pilot could have been so careless. We all talked about how awful it must have been for that pilot (who certainly couldn't have had more than one or two passengers) and any one in the building who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Since we were all sitting at computers, we tried getting online to see if we could read some news about it, but none of the news Web sites were coming up. At first we chalked that up to some sort of Internet glitch in the building. Several minutes later, we did finally get a glimpse of a picture of the plane entering the first building from ABC.com. It was an awful image. We tried figuring out what kind of airplane it was.

Almost immediately, we got news from someone else on our floor who was watching the news on TV in the break room - a second plane had hit the other building. We all knew at that moment, it wasn't an accident. Not long later, word came from our manager that we were all to go home. Uptown Charlotte, the second largest banking center in the country after NYC, was being evacuated. The tragedy started feeling like reality at that moment. As we were leaving, I heard a man say, "This is all thanks to Osama bin Laden". I remember thinking "How could he possibly know that".

Driving home to my apartment, I tried calling Dave and my parents, but the cell phone lines were all tied up. All the way home, I listened to the radio news. I heard the news about the Pentagon. I arrived home and turned the TV to Fox News, just in time to see the first building collapse, then learn the news of the downed plane in Pennsylvania, and see the second building go down. I was glued to the TV, and the rest of the day was a blur. I don't even remember eating that day.

With marriage, moves, and children, there have been many life changes in the past seven years have put a lot of distance between then and now, but I hope I never forget that day. There are too many innocent people that need never be forgotten.

Baby Update

I'm on weekly appointments with the midwife now, and at today's appointment, I found out I am 1.5-2cm dialated and Lauren's head is in my pelvis. Of course I was assured this doesn't mean the baby is coming early, but it's a start. I would prefer she stay put for at least 3-4 more weeks, but the midwife said they probably wouldn't try to stop labor at this point.

I also learned I gained 3 pounds since my last appointment 12 days ago. I can definitely believe that. (Just take a look at the picture from my last post.) I think most of that gain happened in the last three days. I've been having some pain in my sides which I believe is due to my waist not being able to keep up with the rate Lauren is growing. (Or it could be due to all the cake I've been eating this week.)

34 Weeks and Counting

Here's Baby Roszak at 34 weeks. Since we only have about a month to go until we're officially a Party of Four, it's probably time to officially announce her name... Lauren Reese Roszak is due to arrive October 17. My gut feeling is she will be a little early - especially if she's anything like her Mama. (I hate being late.)

Her brother woke up at 3:45 last night and baby Lauren decided she (and me too as a result) needed to wake up and join the party. Of course Mason pooped out only minutes later, but that didn't phase her. We stayed up and had our own little party on the couch while the two guys in the house slept.

First Day of Preschool

Well, I did it... I sent my first born off to his first day of school. (Play "First Day of School" by the Imagination Movers.)

Since Mason goes to the same school room during church on Sunday morning, I thought he'd run in there and not look back like he usually does, but he knew it was something different, so he was a little clingy at first. I showed him the colors on the wall and got him interested in his favorite truck, gave him a quick hug and a kiss and slipped out. I didn't hear him complain, so I guess he was fine.

I however was not. When I got back to the car, I just sat there for a minute thinking, "What do I do now?". I hadn't really thought about what I would do while he was at school. Sure, I figured I'd schedule my final prenatal appointments when he was in school, maybe I would do the grocery shopping, or go pick up a prescription, but what about today? I didn't need to do any of that. So I decided to go to Starbucks (something I rarely do) order a decaf coffee (something I never do) and just sit by myself and relax (something I can't remember doing since Mason was born). When I was on my way there, I started crying thinking about my baby growing up too fast. I wasn't expecting that at all. I'm not really the mushy type, so I'm going to blame that on the pregnancy hormones.

I go back to pick up Mason at noon today, and I think I'll treat us both to a Chick-fil-a lunch. We both deserve some french fries. Hopefully, he will love school.

It's 4:39 in the Morning...

...and here I am on the computer. In fact, I've been awake since 2:35 when Mason woke up calling for me to get him some water. He went back to sleep quickly, but I didn't have the same luck. It seems this happens about twice a week lately, and I'm not sure why. Is my body trying to remind me what it's like to be sleep deprived before the baby comes? Am I subconsciously making lists in my head of what I need to take care of before preschool starts? Is my bladder telling me "You're going to have to go pee in a couple hours anyway, so you might as well just stay awake"? Whatever it is, it's not fair! I've got 7 more weeks to pack in sleep before the baby comes, and by gosh I want it!

I've always been someone who's needed sleep. Even in college, I rarely stayed up past 1:00 even during finals week. I don't remember ever pulling an all-nighter. I just couldn't have functioned the next day. I think Dave can attest that if I don't get at least 7 hours, I'm a grumpy girl. We'll, look out sweetie... I'll be trying to function on about 4 hours today.

Oh well, I guess I better get used to it. I'll soon have not one but two kids to wake me up in the middle of the night. Off to drink a glass of milk and see if I can will myself to go back to sleep for a few minutes more.