9 Quick Things

1. So endeth another wedding weekend, this one in Austin, and, for the first time in many years, one that JP and I got to attend together! My parents drove in Friday evening to two excited kids and a yummy dinner I had ready. I got to hang out with them Saturday morning (3 mile walk followed by lots of swimming) while JP coached and then we threw a few things in a duffel bag and headed south on I-35 to Austin. It was weird to be alone in the car, and weird again when we checked into the hotel room together- the car was weird because we ALWAYS have the kids along for the ride (there is almost nothing that makes JP happier than piling the kids in the car and driving somewhere- his dream is to one day fill up the car with children and snacks and drive non-stop to the Grand Canyon), and the hotel was weird because I ALWAYS check into hotels alone. I've traveled so much more for work than for anything involving fun or family that I started to correct the clerk when she tried to hand me two keys. We quickly got ready and headed to the historic mansion where the wedding and reception were taking place. I was so excited to see the bride- Meg has been one of my best friends since 2nd grade. We played house, rode our bikes for miles around Kingwood, spent at least 200 hours playing in our local pool, and giggled and chatted and snacked our way through endless slumber parties. The wedding was like being back in high school, except everyone could handle their liquor and no one thought it was scandalous that I was pregnant (particularly with my 3rd child). It was a lovely happy evening and I was very excited to finally bring my date to a wedding, even if my belly got in the way of any slow dancing.

2. And speaking of weddings, it's funny to attend them now and see them nearly as much from the parent's perspective as the bride's. When the groom was dancing with his mother for the official mother-son dance, I found myself thinking about the fact that I'll do that with Landon one day. But before I could share that thought with JP, he turned to me, clearly fresh from his own musings during the father-bride dance, and declared quite fiercely, "I'm going to need at LEAST two dances with Claire." And he took a large drink of his bourbon and glared into space at Claire's future husband. Poor guy, he is going to have a very hard time when his little Bear starts dating.

3. And speaking of Claire- we've discovered a new thing she's afraid of (her list so far consists of thunder/storms, bugs, and fireworks)- car washes! I ran through one the other day because my car was so covered in sap my windows could barely go up and down and my fierce little girl started sobbing the second we pulled in. I undid her car seat straps and told her she could crawl into the front seat for the rest of the wash. I meant for her to sit by me in the passenger seat, but next thing I knew, she was curled into a tight ball in my lap staring suspiciously and fearfully at the big wiper things that were attacking her car.

 

We all made it through unscathed, but now she asks every day if we're going to go through a car wash, just like she asks every night if there's going to be a storm, if there's going to be fireworks, and if there are any bugs in her room. I should note that there has NEVER been a bug in her room, but the other day JP thought he heard a cricket and even though it turned out to be a sound coming from outside, Claire is CONVINCED evil crickets are lurking under her bed and we've had several deep discussions about what she should do if she sees one. She even went as far as to temporarily solve the cricket invasion problem by sleeping on the bathroom floor last Thursday night after Landon kicked her out of his bed after she kicked him in the face while she was sleeping (yeah, I don't know). I don't think Claire has ever even seen a cricket and I've tried google images of tiny innocuous looking ones to show her there's nothing to be afraid of, but she still asks every night if there's one in her bed.

4. The kids remain best friends and I keep snapping random iPhone pictures trying to capture the magic that is the two kids playing together. They never do the situation justice, but I did love these "houses" that sprung up in our living room the other night while I was making dinner. Landon is home next week while the camps are closed and he is going to be lost without her.

 

They also continue to love the baby gear. I've put it all away in closets and the garage to ensure it all makes it until baby girl 2's arrival.

 

5. I love this photo from Wednesday night before bed. Tex looks jealous.

 

6. I took Claire to TJ Maxx with me on Friday in a futile effort to find curtains for the new nursery/guest room and she became transfixed with a display of Buddhas. I tried to get her to continue walking, but she pointed a finger at one of the Buddhas and declared in a voice that sounded equally concerned and accusing, "Mommy. That fat baby is SAD." And then she marched off to join me, leaving at least two laughing shoppers behind her.

7. Breaking Bad is SO FREAKING GOOD right now. It's the only show on TV that I look forward to all week and I will be so excited and so devastated at the airing of the finale.

8. I thought it was the sleeping alone that made nights in hotels so generally awful for me, but I found out last night that it's just hotels themselves. Even with a sleeping pill, 27 weeks of pregnancy, and JP's comforting, comatose presence beside me, I think I only managed about 4 hours of sleep all patched together. So I need to go to bed now.

9. But first (and last), this week's menu:
Sun: Giant salads with lots of veggies, some hard boiled egg, and balsamic dressing; fresh bread; cheese; leftover pea soup, cookie cake (I texted JP while he was at the store to ask for chocolate chips so I could make cookies, but deleted that text halfway through and asked for a cookie cake from the bakery instead. For the baby.)
Mon: King ranch chicken casserole, corn, fruit
Tues: I'm in DC, so JP's very favorite meal to make for himself and the kids- pasta with tomato cream sauce, maybe veggies if he remembers to cook them
Wed: Greek chicken pitas, oven fries, fruit
Thurs: Quiche, fruit
Fri: Homemade pizza