Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Random

I am 33 weeks, 3 days pregnant and I have a lot on my mind. A LOT. And not just baby stuff – although assembling cribs, washing onesies and packing my hospital bag are at the top – all kinds of stuff weave in and out of my consciousness all, day, long. So this is my method of recording my current mental state, you know, for future reminiscing. In no particular order, here are my completely random thoughts: the good, the bad and the overwhelmingly negative. Effing weather.

**

I despise getting mail addressed to Mrs. Shawn DeBoer. If I ever find her, I'm going to hurt her.

Great quote I heard on the radio: "To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries." -Aldous Huxley

I am in love with my new chair from Pier One. And with Wells Fargo's Mobile Deposit.

154 spent casings were recovered from the scene of the Newtown shooting. It is estimated at under five minutes from the time the shooter entered the school to when he took his own life. I do not understand the need for high-capacity ammunition magazines.

Great question to ask yourself when in a marital dispute: "Would you rather be right or happy?" -Michelle Washington

My daughter is pushing 21 months and still only has four teeth. She is going to be a painfully late bloomer. Whew!

How to Have the Best Pregnancy Ever is the single greatest pregnancy-related article I have ever read.

I am in search of the world's best purse. Help.

Another great quote I heard on the radio: "Homosexuality is not a choice, but homophobia is." -unknown

If you have not seen this yet, you MUST watch. It's Dove's Real Beauty Sketches. It is brilliant and painfully accurate.

Jersey Mikes is coming to Woodbury!

Shawn and I are going to Italy in just under two years for our 10-year anniversary. That's less then 730 days!

Did you know you can now take used clothing into an H&M and they'll give you a coupon for 15% off your next purchase?

I miss Steven Tyler, especially 2:35 minutes into this clip.

I found out I was pregnant on September 30th. The first snow fell in Minnesota on October 4th. Today is April 17th and there is still snow on the ground … and I'm due in six weeks.

Addition:
I'm fond of the fact that now all my cleaning rituals and neurosis can be labeled as "nesting."

Update:
The Mae Monster just popped her fifth tooth last weekend. I fear more in the future as she is a professional, drooling fool.


Thursday, April 11, 2013

Packing

For some reason, still unbeknownst to me, I did not have a bag packed for the hospital when Maci came a callin'. I'm organized, I'm a planner, I'm type A. What went wrong? No idea but my best guess is, I just assumed I'd always have more time. I didn't. She came well before 40 weeks and Shawn and I ended up making the unexpected drive to the hospital on a Friday afternoon after he picked me up from work. At the time, I didn't care but now, I'm bound and determined to be packed and ready when Cletus comes a knockin'. And at almost 33 weeks, it's high time I dig out the luggage.

To that end, I'm soliciting the advice of all mothers. What did or would you pack in your hospital bag? What did you bring that maybe you could've done without? What didn't you bring that you wish you had? You get the idea.

Here's what BabyCenter suggests:
  • Change of clothes
  • Toothbrush
  • A photograph or object to focus on during labor
  • Snacks to keep your energy up and gum or mints for bad breath (Sidenote: Seriously? Who gives a shit about your breath when you're in labor?)
  • Cozy socks and slippers
  • Your favorite pillow
  • Some light reading material
  • A nursing nightie and nursing bra
  • A going-home outfit for your baby
  • A camera or camcorder, fresh batteries, and film (Sidenote: Film? Really? Hello 2013.), if necessary

Here's what I'm thinking:
  • My own clothes (for all stages of delivery)
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste
  • My own pillow (and possibly blanket)
  • Electronics (phones, iPods, laptop, camera, Flip – chargers for all)
  • Digs for Cletus
  • Toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, soap, mascara)
  • Snacks (Sidenote: Can you even have any while you're in labor? I didn't think you could because I was about to faint from low blood sugar mid-labor with Maci and Shawn had to politely demand they give me something. They kept telling me it was just fatigue from labor and I just needed rest. He knew better and after I downed some apple juice, I was back in business. LOVED him for that.)
  • Magazines (I won't have enough concentration for a book)

What say you? 

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Easter

Team DeBoer's Easter weekend went a little something … lika dees.

Friday: Nada. Probably went to bed early.

Saturday: While I finished painting her new room, Shawn took Mae Mo on a field trip to Cabela's in Rogers. Having never been there, he thought she'd get a kick out of the animals and fish.

Mmhmm.

Turns out, not only were they having a visit from the Easter Bunny himself (albeit a very freaky, wide-eyed, scary-looking Easter bunny), they were having an Easter egg hunt as well, with camo eggs and everything! I was pretty bummed to hear the report upon their return. Not because they stumbled onto unexpected fun without me, but because they stumbled onto unexpected fun while I was at home, painting trim, with my pregnant belly and achy appendages. At least I got the room done and got to enjoy some of the chocolate bounty Maci brought home. She's such a good sharer.

Sunday: The Mae Monster awoke and after some redirection, discovered the basket the Easter Bunny left her.


Immediately, she made a beeline straight for the Play-Doh! And that Easter Bunny was worried she wouldn't know what it was … ha!


With some coaxing, we got her to put the Play-Doh down and dig a little deeper … where she found some fake, fifty-cent grass. Score.


Upon further inspection, turns out she thought everything else (a purple sock monkey, a couple animal books and her very own fruity flavored chapsticks – because she's always swiping ours) was pretty cool too… 




…just not as cool as that Play-Doh.


After exploring her Easter basket, we sat down for a little Easter breakfast. We didn't prepare anything particularly special. In fact, Maci had the usual: a nana, a waffo (with hunee), yohgert and meelk. While the menu wasn't anything entertaining, Mae Mo sure was. As with what tends to happen at most meal times, (ahem) Shawn DeBoer's daughter turns into quite the little clown. Her and her father may or may not have been making silly faces at each other.







After the basket, after breakfast, after church and brunch and a nap, the Mae Mobile went on a little ol' egg pursuit. Turns out, I didn't get one single, solitary photo from the actual hunting process (because we were videotaping the whole extravaganza), but we did get some evidence of her enjoying the contents of her eggs: Mini Reese's Easter Peanut Butter Eggs. She knew how to get the foil wrapper off and ate the whole cake in one take! Apple of my eye that one.








Basket: discovered! Church: attended! Eggs: hunted! Chalk this Easter 2013 up as a sugary success!

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Dad

Three years, two pregnancies and one new job later, so much has changed since Dad passed. Still, my memories of him remain staunch: strict yet goofy, opinionated yet shy, neurotic yet artistic. (Wait … am I describing him or me?) He and his wardrobe were one of a kind and I miss them both dearly.

I was gliding through Easter weekend unscathed (with the exception of a few thoughtful texts from friends) when "Piano Man" came on Pandora while I was painting, and as soon as that damn harmonica started in, so did the tears. Try as I might to only think of the good, it's still painful to remember … that I have to remember. I don't want memories I want him here, telling me stories, making fun of Shawn and entertaining my kids. But if there's anything I've learned since he's been gone, what I want doesn't matter because I'm fastened in reality and such is life and loss. I hate it, I can't change it and it continues to suck. And the word suck doesn't even do it justice.

On the bright side (if there is one), one of the greatest gifts I received after he died was a slew of old photos from family and friends. Photos of him from high school, from my childhood and more, Polaroids even. Evidence of Dad…

…sleeping on the floor. Funny to see this was apparently a habit of his way prior to any of my memories of it. And of course, there's the infamous Kawaski shirt.  


…wearing hats. (Or would the kids these days call them skull caps?) I've seen him in many a stocking hat, sitting on the top of his head, never down far enough to cover his ears. He always told us the majority of your body heat escapes through the top of your head anyway. Apparently this was also a practice of his since well before my time. 



…looking like Ty. Or should I say Ty looking like Dad? I think the photo below is an eerily similar appearance of the two. They must be related. 


…hanging out with little ol' me. Rumor has it, I was a pretty happy and mellow baby, and I'm sure, always very well behaved.


…sneaking Mandi cake batter. And now we all know where that habit started!


…just as I remember him. Very frequently with long hair (sometimes tamed with a red bandanna), usually bearded, rarely smiling in photos, always sporting some individual flair.


"When tragedy befalls you, don't let them bring you down… Love can cure your problem, you're so lucky I'm (still) around"  

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