Countdown

I'm not sure where to start this blog. I've done all i can do to prepare for Cooper's arrival. The huge "to-do" list is all crossed off. Everything is washed, I went to the grocery store, the car seat has been sanitized but not installed (ok, i guess i still have a few things to do) but i don't know if it has totally sunk in that i'm having another baby this weekend. Maybe because it is on the weekend it seems like just another errand - like go to Sam's Club, go have a baby, etc. I feel entirely too relaxed about the whole thing. Maybe it is because i don't remember everything that comes with having a baby. Or maybe because i've done it before. I am a little stressed about Cash's reaction to the whole thing but i keep that pretty repressed because i don't like to imprint my stress and fear on him - i know he can sense it. He's actually been very cool and even started bringing me Cooper's blankie and laying it on my belly. Every now and again he still runs into his old room to get something but then comes right out and goes into the big boy room. But that's no big deal because Cooper wont be in there for 3 more months. He helped me clean up the car seat and thoroughly enjoyed sitting in it and buckling his baby in there - then he sat on top of his baby (hopefully that wont happen when there is a real baby). I guess the biggest thing i have going right now is work - how sad. I'm trying to wrap up as much as possible but even that is under control. Christmas could pose a problem but i've done a bit of shopping and ordered other things online so not really.
I guess i'll just enjoy this feeling...but if you think of anything I may need to do send me an email!

Cash really loves Christmas lights. He especially loves our blow up Santa Clause in the front yard. tonight we took him to the park where they have a few miles of a drive through Christmas light display. He loved it and the best part was the North Pole Fire Station where we saw fire trucks, ladders and firefighters all made out of Christmas lights.

Cash is starting to tell me when he has to poop. That's pretty cool. Up until now it has been after the fact but he has actually been saying poop or pee before he's actually dirty or wet. I try to praise him a lot when he tells me so he'll get warm fuzzies about starting to potty train.

Today I caught Cash reading. it was really cool. we read a book this morning about a duck and a goose trying to find their pumpkin. It goes, is the pumpkin under the water duck? No. Is the pumpkin in the tree goose. No. etc, etc. After we finished reading i went on and folded laundry and a i hear Cash talking so i go to see what's going on. He was saying, "in the water? No., in the tree? No." it was pretty amazing.

He's doing great in his bed. Naps and bedtime are both falling into a great routine and an added bonus has come with it. Each night we go through the entire family tree and say Night, Night to everyone. Now at the end he says, love you mommy, love you daddy - its really cute.

The only problem we're having with Cash right now is that he hates to take a bath. Really he hates to get his bottom wet. He'll get in the bathtub but he will stand the whole time and asks to put his diaper back on. I can't figure out what is wrong because he doesn't have a rash. I wonder if his bottom is just really sensitive for some reason. I'll start using some different lotion on his butt and see if that makes any difference. Meanwhile he is getting really dirty!

dreams

my dreams are so strange and i should have been writing them down because they would make for some interesting interpretations but the last week has been beyond strange.
Among others...
I had a dream (my first dream about actually having Cooper) that i gave birth to Cooper and he was a little plastic baby doll.
I had a dream that my work was getting shot up by the Columbine shooters and everyone was hiding in a stairwell which seemed like a terrible idea when we had 5 million square feet to hide in.
And strangest of all, last night i had probably 4 or 5 different dream cycles - each broken up by a potty break - and in each one i was riding around on a donkey. It didn't matter if i was at the park playing or at the mall shopping or at work, each time i was sitting on a donkey. I wonder if i was headed to the Inn?

37 weeks

This is farther than i got with Cash so its all unchartered territory at this point! I feel enormous and pretty sure i look that way too. my pelvic region hurts really bad and I can even hear it cracking when i walk which is pretty gross. My cervix is really soft and I only have a little bit left. Everything is good though. Now i just have to get things wrapped up at work which is impossible because its more dysfunctional than ever around here. But i'm leaving regardless so i hope they have a plan! I am now thinking of the grocery list that i need to prepare for my family while i'm unable to run around. It is so different having a new baby when you already have one. The things you worry about are so different. Its basically with the first you worried about nothing and with the 2nd you worry about the 1st.
Don't forget to pick up yogurt and juice or it will be an unpleasent couple of days!

last one

ok, this is the last post i'll make about Cash's sleeping but i want to document this for the future - don't read further if you are annoyed. He slept again for a full night and woke up so happy. We went into his room about 7:15 and he was sitting in his bed and said to us "BIG BOY BED" when we entered. He is obviously pretty proud of himself. He also talks about sleeping in his big boy bed from the second Chandler picks him up in the evenings.

Ahhhhhh

Cash did a great job last night. He slept in his bed from 7:30pm - 7:00am. We are all well rested now.