35 Week Update

How far along:  35 weeks

Total weight gain/loss:  At some point...I'm not going to admit this anymore, but its around 30 I think.  When I go to the doc now they measure me in kilos, so I don't have a good mental image of X kilos.  

Maternity clothes?  Not only am I in maternity clothes, I'm outgrowing a lot of the shirts.  There's only one place for the belly to grow, and that's out!

Stretch marks?  I saw the slightest hints of some and managed to rub some lotion on the belly.  Since Tim's been home, I've also been able to give my feet more of a rest, which helps.

Sleep:  MUCH better since Tim came home, but I still managed to wake up at 2:30 this morning and stay awake.  Hard to get comfortable these days.

Best moment this week:  We were able to see her face in an ultrasound, confirm that she's currently head down, and she has some hair!  Its amazing what they can see in a 2 D scan.

Movement:  We can make guesses about which body parts are moving...they're visible from the belly!

Food cravings:  Cold things...its warming up around here!

Gender:  We reconfirmed it during the scan today...she's still a girl : )

Labor Signs:  Lots of Braxton Hicks tightening, but not the real thing yet.

Belly Button in or out:   Its slowly going out

What I miss:  energy

What I'm looking forward to:  holding and meeting the new baby

Weekly Wisdom:  Working out actually gives you energy, even if its a super easy workout.  I hit the aquatone class at the Leisure Centre.  It was me and a bunch of old ladies.  Not the most demanding, but it felt great to get into the water and take the weight off : )

Milestones:  We're heading into the home stretch!  This pregnancy has flown by, which has been great.  My goal is to keep the "when will I deliver" thoughts at bay.  It's going to happen when it happens.  

Hope you're all well!

Dori

The Lake District

Tim, Ollie, and I were able to get away to the Lake District for a few days last week and it was wonderful!  For such a small island, England's landscape is hugely diverse and the Lakes were beautiful to behold.  The area is just south of Scotland and the locals manage to exude the same relaxed attitude as the Scots.  

After a leisurely drive up the island (Tim drove and I slept), we arrived in the picturesque town of Keswick and our self catered "cation" house (as Ollie called it).  The town is pronounced Kes-sick...don't ask me why the w is silent.  Its streets are lined with cute boutiques, tea shops, and restaurants.  Our good friends Seward and Brooke met up with us, so we were fortunate enough to enjoy their company.  

 The view from our front window

O enjoying the front yard

Brooke, Seward, and Tim ran a 10k on some brutal trails the next morning, while Ollie, Risby, and I scouted out orange dinosaurs on the landscape.  Who knew that there were nice, grass eating, large reptiles out amid the sheep!?!  Proof that O's imagination works well even on vacation.  After nap, we decided to trek out to the nearest lake and enjoy the gorgeous scenery along the way.  Its not a huge surprise, but Tim and I both went to sleep shortly after putting O man down.  There's something so relaxing about being away from your own house and all of the chores that are ever present.  We both enjoyed the rest!

The Warriors after the race...well done guys!

Risby and I enjoying our exercise for the day as we hike between two pastures.

Oliver and his walking stick.

While traveling on the island one shouldn't expect dry, sunny conditions, especially that far north.  Monday held a day full of rain, so we opted to take a tour of William Wordsworth's house in the nearby town of Grasmere, followed by a car ride along England's "grand canyon" (as an English tourist called it).  The scenery has inspired poets and authors for centuries now, and William lived in Dove Cottage for a short but prolific eight years.  While walking in Keswick, we found a poem under a bridge near the lake.  I was pleased to discover that the poem was Wordsworth's "I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud," which is often mis-titled "Daffodils."  The cheery yellow flower is the first to pop up and signals that the dreary UK winter may possibly end.  I find this poem particularly beautiful.

I Wandered Lonely As a Cloud (1804) 

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
and twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretched in never-ending line
along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
in such a jocund company:
I gazed - and gazed - but little thought
what wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

- William Wordsworth (1770-1850)

We opted to drive along the Hardknock Pass after lunch to enjoy some stunning views.  Its a good thing that Tim was driving, because the roads were narrow, curvy, and steep.  You know its going to be a good ride when signs warn that the road is not suitable in winter!

Looking east from Hardknock Pass.  Pictures are hard-pressed to show the dynamic landscape.

Stay tuned for tales of Tuesday and Wednesday and a pregnancy update.  Hope you're all well!

Dori

Homecoming

He's Home!!  Ollie has taken to his father like a duck to water, so that's been great.  You never know how a two year old will react after not seeing their Dad for 4 months.  We've put together a tricycle and a new chest of drawers for the newborn thru 3 month pink clothes that were filling the laundry basket.  I've just stare at him sometimes...it doesn't seem like he's really home.  

32 Weeks

Ollie and I were able to hear the little girl's heartbeat this morning at my 32 week check up, which is always a comforting sound.  Here's a check-list from a friend's blog...hope you don't mind me borrowing it Amy!  Its pretty comprehensive...

How far along:  32 weeks

Total weight gain/loss:  25 pounds so far (WAY better than last time...I was sitting at about 35 or so at this point...MUCH less comfortable)

Maternity clothes?  Oh yeah, Jerry.  Good thing that the Gap had some sales while I was in the states!

Stretch marks?  Fortunately no.  Wish I could claim cocoa butter, but I barely have enough time to drink enough water during the day, much less lube up my belly after O man goes to sleep.

Sleep:  Hmmm....it would be better if my voip phone hadn't rung at 2 am.  Its also going to be better when I have another adult in the house.

Best moment this week:  Ollie put his hands on my belly to try to feel her move (no love yet), and he informed me that she's not a sister, just a baby.  He also likes to tell me that baby's eat food.  How do you prepare a two and a half year old that's the center of everything that a little baby is about to be VERY close to Mommy a lot of the time?

Movement:  She moves, but not as much as Ollie (I hope this is a good sign)

Food cravings:  High fat foods make my stomach hurt, so I've been avoiding too much of those.  Here lately, I've enjoyed some nice carbs.  Calzone at Ask?  Scone at Harriet's?  Yes please!

Gender:  Lots of pink in the laundry : )

Labor Signs:  hmmm...I probably need to sit down more in the evenings, but not really.  I also need to be really good about drinking the appropriate amount of water...I've been much better lately.

Belly Button in or out:   a little of both

What I miss:  my husband!!!

What I'm looking forward to:  Hugging my husband

Weekly Wisdom:  Stress is bad for the baby

Milestones:  None, really.  I don't feel like I'm 8 months pregnant too often.  I'm still able to do the tree pose in my yoga class, along with most other moves besides the abs and forward bending stretches...you just can't get around the belly to lean forward.

In other pregnancy news, I saw the docs on base for the last time.  I've been "disengaged" from the American system (although they reassured me that I can return any time that I like) so that I can begin to see the British consultant (Brit speak for doctor) and the midwives.  The cool thing here is that the midwives actually come to my house for most of the visits.  Why am I switching to the NHS you ask?  I'd like to avoid another surgery, so I'm giving the old fashioned method another try.  Do I want to go through labor?  Not particularly, but I'd like to be able to recover faster, pick up my two year old, and have the "normal" experience of having a baby.  We'll see how it goes.  They give me until 10 days past my due date (which is the 1st of July) to go into labor, so she'll be here one way or the other by the 10th.  

O man is doing well also.  We've had a couple of frustrating days here in the Spaulding house.  Delays can be a challenge, but eventually my better half will make it back to the island.  I'm super thankful for great friends and a VERY loving and supportive husband.  Speaking of great friends, thanks to Shanna, Erin, and Anna for the extra help with O man here lately.  Don't know what I'd do without you guys!

I know that humility is a very important character trait, but I'd like to throw it aside for just a minute and inform the blog readers about my wonderful husband's latest achievement.  He was recognized as the SOS student of the year!!  SOS is a leadership training program that lasts about 6 weeks, and one student is picked out of each class to be the top grad.  Out of the top students each year, one student is picked to be the top student of the year and this year it was my husband.  I'm so proud of you Love!!  Well Done!  Now come home. 

April Update

Ollie asleep on the sofa after we returned from the US of A.  

Ollie and I on Easter Sunday.

I don't think Risby knows what's coming yet...

I have to confess that I have been delinquent in picture taking.  Don't fret, the new camera battery is on its way!  Until then, I have some web cam shots for you to feast your eyes on.

Here's what's happening in our world...

We had a nice Easter, without snow this year.  I went to a local church with some good friends and Ollie and I were lucky enough to be invited to my friend's mother's house for an Easter egg hunt and a yummy Easter dinner complete with Yorkshire pudding.  We had a lovely, and very British, experience.

Ollie is weighing in at 27 pounds, which puts him in the 25% for both height and weight.  That's a HUGE deal for us since we've been battling the growth curve since I stopped nursing Ollie at 7 and a half months and his food allergies came into full swing.

My mother-in-law was right, and my life would be much easier if my oldest child is potty trained before my youngest child makes her appearance.  We've said farewell to diapers during the waking hours of the day (which means he still wears one for naps and night time) and we've had both successes and learning moments (some people call them accidents).  I've got a good perspective right now...I know that he won't go off to college in diapers.  Keep your fingers crossed!

The little girl (still nameless) seems to be doing well.  Perhaps I don't have time to think about it, but she doesn't seem to be quite as active as O man was while he was still on the inside.  I hope this is a good sign for the future : )

I'm still filling the days with lots and lots of little things.  There's rarely a dull moment around here.  Between little girl clothes and potty training, the laundry alone keeps me on my toes.  I also spent all day yesterday cleaning the living room.  I mean REALLY cleaning it.  I haven't sent the drapes off to the cleaners, but everything else had a good wash from the baseboards to the picture frames.  Maybe its spring, maybe its the pregnancy, but mostly I was tired of looking at the results of little a little boy with sticky hands!  I found jello in the oddest places.  It was a good stay at home activity while I reminded Ollie every thirty minutes to use the potty.

While fields of yellow rapeseed may be beautiful to behold, they wreak havoc on my sinuses.  Pregnant and allergic are not a good combination, so I've resorted to benedryll at night.  Just a few more weeks, I hope!!

Hope everyone is doing well.  Happy Spring.  We always love updates, so let us know how you're doing : )

Cheers,

Dori

Braving the Rain

If you wait for only the good weather in England, you'll wait a long time.  With a go get 'em spirit, my friend Julie and I braved the drizzle and threat of heavy rain with our two - two and and half year old toddlers to walk into town and enjoy the company of others bustling about their Saturday morning errands.  Bury has a new shopping center in town - still an outdoor shopping area - with lots of nice shops to wander around.  Although we only bought a couple of decaf latte's (Julie's little girl is due a week before ours), we enjoyed being out and about.  

The shopping center is nice, but I wonder what it will do to our small town.  The new shops will surely draw some of the Cambridge shopping crowd, but will the little shops in town centre survive in the down economy?  Only time will tell.

License Renewal

My friend Kate threatened to revote my blogging license soon if I didn't post, so here is a very overdue update.  

O man and I are back in the UK after a wonderful visit in the states.  We're very lucky to have family that takes such great care of both of us while we're home.  Grandma and Grandpa Spaulding were a constant help with O man and gave me plenty of nights out, and cousin Amy was kind enough to join me at the movies (one of my favorite things to do) while the Grandparents watched O man.  The Mackay side was a blast as always, and there was rarely a dull moment.  They were also extremely helpful with Ollie and he sure loved playing with his cousins.  He's still talking about Katie and Aunt Becky's house.

Ollie continues to amaze me with his development.  His jump doesn't have any air yet, but he's a good runner.  O has also begun to ask, "Why?" and I've already used the dreaded, "Because I said so!" answer.  He's inquisitive like his father, that's for sure.  

While we're still a far cry from potty training, Ollie is getting used to the potty and its become a part of our daily routine and conversation.

I'm sure that we'll have issues once the (nameless) little girl arrives, but O is showing some good signs.  He found an ultrasound pic today and was very proud to claim the picture of his baby.  He even recognized what the picture was!

All in all, Ollie keeps my hands full and helps the time fly both for the pregnancy and until my better half returns.  

Hope everyone is doing well!  I look forward to hearing from you if you get the chance.

Cheers,

D 

Off We Go...

Off We Go...
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Little boys LOVE jets and trains. What fun when they're both in the same room!

Fixing the Jet

Fixing the Jet
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Its a Girl!

20 Weeks Pregnant with a Little Girl
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Here I am next to the Valentine's Day roses sent by my secret admirer. I couldn't resist the adorable little onesies the other day. Too much fun!

Ollie Playing with Toby

Ollie Playing with Toby
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Ollie had a great time playing trains with Sam. The two boys are just a few months apart and they share the same cousins. Here are some videos to enjoy!

Fun in Ft. Worth

Tim's folks have done their best to give Ollie and I a great time while we're here in Texas. Grandparents are wonderful! We've visited the stock show, which is a uniquely Texas experience, visited the zoo (we missed you Tiff!), shopped, and I have eaten at most of my favorite spots around town. Ollie loves the extra attention and I love not having to cook or clean much! Mom and Dad S are also great at giving me MANY opportunities to have some time to myself...every mother's dream! I've read books at Starbucks, seen a couple of good chick flicks, and we caught the King Tut exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art.

We're going to Alabama the Beautiful on Tuesday and I have an ultrasound on Wednesday. Stay tuned...as long as the little one cooperates, we'll have gender news to share.

Hope you are well!

Leaving on a Jet Plane

The kitchen floor is clean, the freezer is defrosted, and the fridge is clean, and our bags are packed.  That's right!  O man and I are beginning the long trek back to the U.S. of A. this morning.  If you're counting, that's transatlantic trip number four for my toddler.  I hope that fortune favors us with Ollie's new Thomas backpack (filled with some new books, a Thomas magazine, and Harold the Helicopter still in the packaging).  I also have some tricks up my sleeve with a new portable DVD player, new Thomas videos, and Kung Fu Panda.  I'll let you know how it all goes!!

O man

O man
Originally uploaded by spauldingtj

Video of Ollie playing on a lazy Saturday morning. Life has been so hectic lately that we spend the weekend chilling in PJs, watching cartoons, and living the easy life.

Spaulding Update

After a long wait, we were very excited to hear that Tim was accepted into Test Pilot School.  Its a very competitive selection process, so we feel very honored that Tim made it.  Congrats Love!!  We'll move to Edwards AFB, California (about two hours North of LA) in November.  We are both very excited to see what adventures await us on the west coast.  Hope all is well!

The Bright Side of Life

It seems that every movie that you see involving London or England involves snow, but in reality it hardly ever snows here.  Ollie and I were excited to wake up on Monday morning to a nice dusting of snow, and I am very happy to report that it lasted a full three days!  The snow wasn't enough to make the roads dangerous, but it did carpet the fields so that the shining sun looked that much brighter.  We didn't get out to play in it too much, but we sure liked looking at it.

In Ollie news, he's somewhat successful at using the potty.  Ollie is also Mr. Independent and is very excited to help out, "Mommy, I vacuum" or he often proclaims, "I do it myself."  He climbs in and out of the car and he likes to open and close doors.  Ollie definitely exhibits some first child tendencies, so its going to be fun to see the next kid grow.  He's also a hoot and is a ton of fun to be around.  He likes to make animal noises, especially in the car ride home as we see different animals.  Ollie also has the memory of an elephant, so don't ever tell him something to appease him without planning to follow through!

Life around here isn't so bad now that we've gotten over the goodbye.  It seems like Tim has had a busy week at work.  I hope that by the time I realize that he's going to be gone for a long while, I'll be on the plane headed for the US!

Hope you all are well.  I promise to post a belly and Ollie pics soon.

Farewell

As I sit here, I contemplate whether or not I should to clean out my refrigerator at 11:30 at night.  If you know me, you know that neat freak is NOT a word used to describe me.  Why the urge to clean?  Its easier than thinking about the many miles that are about to separate Tim and I.  From what I've read, cleaning is a normal reaction and I can tell you that its much better than lying on the sofa and moping (that was the last deployment).  So, if all goes well with the moving parts, Tim and his brothers will depart this island for the continent and beyond and will reach their destination in a few days.  Once they leave, we can plan their homecoming.

Lots of my fellow bloggers post about the things for which they are thankful and now is probably a good time for me to share my own reasons to be grateful...

I'm not the most vocally religious person that you know...okay I'm not vocal about my religion at all, but I believe in God and I am grateful for all of the blessings that He provides for my family and my country

A loving husband, who is willing to serve his country, who provides very well for Ollie and I, and who is everything to me

My adorable son who brings a smile to my face and challenges me to grow and become a better person

A very supportive and loving family (both Tim's and mine) 

A great group of friends who make me laugh when I need to, listen to me, and love me for who I am

And I love my dog...she might just be the best dog in the world

So thanks to all of you for your love and support.  The next time that you see a service member, please thank them for serving their country.  And if you see their family, please thank them for their sacrifices also.

Happier and less sappy posts will follow in the near future, I promise!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone!  Tim, Ollie and I were fortunate enough to spend New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with some great friends.  We went to our good friend's the Taylor's last night to eat some delicious steak and sides, chat by the fire, and watch the New Year ring in at Big Ben and the London Eye on the tube.  Julia is the mother of Archie and Tom, Ollie's twin pals that we see most often at the gym creche.  Jules was kind enough to set Ollie up with a pack n play so that he could get some shut eye, which she and her husband provided excellent company, as always.

This morning, we took the train into King's Cross to visit with some friend's in town from Chicago.  Our normal lunch spot, Pret-a-Manger, wasn't open today so we searched around for a place to eat.  We were able to eat at a Prezzo (yummy Italian food) in Mayfair for a late lunch before checking out the Cabinet War Rooms Museum.  If you get the chance to visit London, its a great place to visit.  During the blitz (and until the end of WWII), they moved the major offices underground beneath steel reinforced concrete.  Most of the rooms are as they were when the lights were turned off after V-J Day.  We followed our museum tour with a walk down Picadilly to Covent Garden and our favorite restaurant Wagamama's. 

We always like to spend New Year's Day as we envision the rest of the year, so it was great to catch up with some friends.  More and more, I realize how blessed we are to have wonderful people in our life.  My wish for you in 2009 is that you are able to spend great time with the friend's and family that you love.  

The coming year holds many blessings, but also a lot of changes for our family.  In a few short days, Tim will go with his squadron to "fight the bad guys" as I tell Ollie.  We are very proud of him and the work that he will do to protect the soldiers and marines on the ground, and we pray that the separation will be a growing experience for our family.  Most of my friend's can confirm that I was a GIANT basket case before Tim's departure last time, but this time hasn't been quite as bad.  Anticipating our newest addition and chasing after our busy toddler will be a great distraction for me!

Alright...enough rambling for one night.  Happy New Year to you all!

Love,

The Spauldings

PS The Christmas card pics arrived YESTERDAY, so we'll get those in the mail soon!

A Little Delinquent

What every Santa wants, locally brewed beer, dairy free cookies, and broccoli for the reindeer.

Decorating cookies on Christmas eve.

Tim and Ollie dressed up for the Christmas service.

Eating some rice with chopsticks at Wagamamma.

Like everyone else, December was a very busy month for the Spaulding clan.  Here are some highlights:

We celebrated my 30th birthday in style.  I went out to lunch with some friends on Friday and went to a movie with some of the same friends that night.  Tim graciously stayed home to watch Ollie man.  On my actual birthday, we made a trip into London to spend two nights at the RAF club.  We've visited London so many times, that its nice to go into the city and just enjoy being there.  That's also a plus when a toddler is involved!  We managed to visit some of the museums and walk around Trafalgar square at night.  Amazingly, we also nabbed a lot of sleep as a family.  Ollie was exhausted from a busy day on Friday at nursery, so he and Tim slept in until 9:45!!  That's a record in our house when jet lag isn't a factor.

The cathedral here in Bury has a crib service every year, so we enjoyed taking Ollie to help him understand the real reason that we celebrate.  Its fun to watch all kinds of little kids running around...it makes Ollie look tame!  Our friends Kate and Dave invited us back to their house for some very tasty lasagna.  If Kate ever offers anything she's made...say yes!

Christmas morning was very special this year.  Ollie isn't old enough to wake at the crack of dawn yet, so Tim and I were up making coffee before he made it out of bed.  Opening presents with a toddler is fun, to say the least.  He played with each toy before opening them all.  The joy lasts a little longer.

We spent the next few days organizing and cleaning the house.  I'm happy to say that the crib is out of storage and assembled in the nursery.  We're also down a chair in the living room.  We put one of the comfy chairs in storage to make room for the tree.  The extra stains from the stay in storage were enough incentive to toss the well loved, but old chair in the bin.  Amazingly, our little English living room is much better off with one less piece of furniture.  What a difference some space makes!

The last update is that I've decided to make the blog private.  I'll be able to post more about what's going on in our life without worrying who's reading what.  I'm very happy to add friends and family (and family of friends) to the list.  Just send me an e-mail and I'll make sure that you are allowed access.

Hope all is well!

My Handsome Boy

I haven't posted in a while, but I really should post more often about the cute things that Ollie does.  As I was cleaning and cooking to have some ladies over for a cookie swap, I walked into the living room to find Ollie sitting in a corner eating a candy cane from the Christmas tree!  I had a hard time keeping the smile off of my face as I sent him to time out and then explained why he needed to ask helping himself.  The poor kid is having a hard time waiting to open the presents sitting under the tree, so I've got to cut him a little slack.  I love this little guy...he's such a wonderful blessing in our life!

We also had a teachable moment this afternoon.  Even though I told him (not a second before) that the skillet was hot, he decided to touch it and find out for himself.  Hopefully he believes me next time!!

Until the next cute story, I hope that you are doing well!  Merry Christmas!!