Round is Also a Shape

It took me 7 months to fit back into my old pants after birthing the Feral Goat. I guess I could have been a bit more proactive about it and do something, like, oh, exercise, but moving and sweating weren't really my thing. I am lucky to inherit my grandma's small frame, which I'm hoping to pass on to Chase, and have always been thin without having to do anything for it. Yes, please feel free to roll your eyes as I also find it to be completely obnoxious. But lemme assure you that being small has nothing to do with being in shape. I pretty much sat on my butt most of the pregnancy because of sciatica and joints that were determined to disconnect as soon as I was knocked up. So now I'm rather, how shall I put this..., fluffy? I weigh the same as I did before I was pregnant, maybe even a pound or two less, and wear the same size pants, but there's definitely more of me to love. I told myself I had a year to get back that body and was quite smug that I had plenty of time to do it--until I was in the process of booking our Thailand trip and realized that there were only two more months until my deadline! How did this happen? Two more months until my Little Bean turn one?!? More importantly, two more months until I have to be in a bathing suit frolicking in the warm salty water? Does Spanx make swimwear? Panic was beginning to set in because nothing said I gave up like wearing a sarong on the beach.

Wil came home yesterday and asked Chase "did Momma work out?" because the sight of an exercise ball and a yoga mat all over our living room was hard to miss. I had a very good intention to start and even unearthed my mat, but apparently Miss Crabby Pants really loved my muffin top and was determined to sabotage my plan. I found something on Self.com that I think I can stick with and actually looks like a good clean fun. We shall see how much fun it really is after a few reps of Tush Tightener.

He Still Makes Me Laugh

Chase and I woke up to a cold gray sky and whipping wind that caused Paddy to print back inside right after he was done with his morning business. Later I got an email from Wil that told me that going for a walk today might not be a good idea but to remember that we were going to Thailand! I have a feeling that he will be using that to cheer me up a lot in the next few months. Bad weather? Think of us laying on the beach in Thailand! Sick kid? Grandparents will be there to help in Thailand! Disappointing dinning experience? We would be eating like kings in Thailand!, AND Kwan will probably entertain the baby for the whole entire meal, so we both could eat at the same time and with both hands! Magical and wonderful THAILAND!

Putting on an extra layer and wishing that it'd be May when I finally come to...

What Is That Round Bright Thing in the Sky and Why Am I Sweating?

"So, Chasey, you remember about the sun we read about in your little book?"
"Look around!!!"


Ok, so we weren't really sweating since the temperature was still in the mid 40's (that's about 6-7˚C for those of you who are keeping score in celsius), but the sun was out! And no rain!!! I needed today. I needed today like three weeks ago, but enough of my bitching. As soon as Chaster was done with lunch, I ran to the garage to dust off her trusty stroller and stroll we went! It was only 45 minutes long because Chase needed to take a nap, but it was the best 45 minutes I've had since we moved almost two months ago. It reminded me why we fell in love with our little German village in the first place.
Partners in crime. Is she really pointing?









NEED. NAP. NOW. She almost doesn't fit in her stroller bassinet anymore!

And here are the rest of yesterday's shenanigans:

In baby jail and being punished because she woke up too early from her nap.

I realized yesterday when I snapped this picture that we purposefully decorate our house(s) in the colors of our dogs, so their hair would just blend in with the furniture and I wouldn't have the vacuum on every single waking moment.

Trying to call Papa. She actually got it right and dialed someone yesterday. Hopefully it wasn't a long distant call.

A very naked, however very patriotic, baby.
Two more months before you get to kiss those chubbers, Kun Tha, Kun Yai, and Kwan!

Ahhh, yes, you want to hear about Thailand? It looks like Chaster and I will be spending the month of May and a tiny bit of early June at home with my parents. Wil's leave days haven't really been determined but he'll fly to meet us there and hang with us for at least two weeks. I need not tell you how excited I am about this trip. It's been too ridiculously long since I went home, but this time no grandmas are going to be fussing over me. I'm a mere baby carrier and totally cool with that. Baby and boozing on the beach don't mix anyway :).

Thank You, Girls

I'm constantly reminded of how lucky I am to have you girls in my life. Your words of encouragement mean the world to me and even if we live thousands of miles apart, I don't feel so alone knowing that my friends are out there in the cyberspace :). I'm not having "woe is me" days anymore even though I'm still a hermit. Less of hermit since we did get out this weekend. It's so cold and damp (rain or snow everyday for as long as my short term memory can recall) I just don't dare to take Chase out. She's definitely over the latest case of whateverthatwas but I still hear an occasional congestion and cough here and there. After nearly two months of non-stop sickness, I'm just too petrified to take a chance. Good thing is there's an indoor playground nearby. I had heard about it, checked out the website, and decided that Chase was a little too young for it. But I HAD to get out of the house, so of we went. Oh, and Wil came along, too. The kid wasn't having a good day. She has been sleeping so poorly lately and often wakes up tired. It wasn't even noon when we got there but there were already plenty of screaming kids, who seemed to be jacked up on pure sugar and syrup, running around in costumes. I think it was the combination of birthday parties and Fasching. As I had thought, Chase was too young (they do have a baby/toddler area, but it's quite small), and far too tired, to truly enjoy it. Most of the time she just seemed overwhelmed and just stared at everything with her big eyes. Poor baby.
Doesn't it look like a state prison from the outside? Complete with a guard puppy. I have no idea how he got to the roof but clearly he was enjoying the view.









After a nap, we had a better time at the commissary. It was Chaster's first ride in the cart (normally I just cart her around in the baby carrier), and she really liked it.



Sorry this seems rushed. Chase is waking up from her nap now and I've got to go. Gotta tell you later about our planned trip to Thailand! I'm already in a much better mood thinking about it :).

Anywhere But Here

I'm in a funk. This **** weather and being cooped up inside have finally gotten to me. I feel like a hermit. I don't want to be here.

Be Still My Heart

This week:

I'm putting away some of Chase's 6-9 months clothes and getting 9-12-month stuff in to rotation, which I probably should have done a week or two ago. I'm just not ready for the double-digit-month era to start and for my baby's first birthday to come. Plus she looks really cute in a tight fitting onesie that highlights the round belly.

With the increased mobility comes the increased daily crying as a result of a fall, slip, head banging, and random acrobatic maneuver. It's always the scary cry that starts with no noise at all--just big sad welling eyes with exasperated quivering lips. It hurts me more every time.

It has snowed on and off pretty much everyday, which makes walking anywhere with a baby, who just recovered from her latest ailment, impossible. Haven't left the house in 6 days.

The light of my life eats like a man (as if we needed any more evidence that she's mine). She puts more food away everyday than I did during my first trimester with her. Her favorite meal of the week is rice with spinach and liver in a little bit of beef broth. I am waiting for her to ask for a 28-oz ribeye.

Chase has learned to repeatedly pat the top of Paddy's head, who parks his big butt under her high chair during each and every meal time, when she's ready to share her meal with him. It's so funny I have a hard time telling her no.

Her favorite word right now is "Day-Day." I was convinced it was the name of her future boyfriend, while her father said "no daughter of mine is going to date a boy named Day-Day." I informed him that it could be a nickname for David, and he's been giving little boys named David the stink eye since :).

I've also learned that trying to iron curtains is about as frustrating as waiting for Chase's first tooth to cut. I'm hoping the wrinkled drapes will grow on me soon, or I'm going have to break out my steam cleaner. And Wil will have to drive me to the hospital for a severe burn to my digits and hands.

Not much to share this week. I was hoping we would be able to do something together this weekend, but it looks like Wil will be working on Saturday. Chase and I might do some solo outings, if weather and health permit.

Pictures

I'm too tired to write a real post, so here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

We've been getting a little bit of snow every night this week and the boys have the best time chasing each other around before the warm sunshine melts the white stuff away by the end of the day.
Have you spotted our neighbor?
He has a friend that lives with him in the stable across from our house, but I could never get her picture. A camera-shy horse, that one.

Today's lunch: liver dumpling, spätzle, peas, and carrots. How German is my kid? After getting some encouraging words about what to feed her from Rebecca, I became a whole lot more relaxed and just let her explore the wonderful world of food. I'm so thankful we decided to go the Baby-Led Weaning route as it has really taught her how to properly chew (gum) and swallow before taking another bite. She LOVES food and is such a little piglet. The apple definitely doesn't fall far from the tree.

Her mohawk from last night.

I know I'm partial but I just think she's the most perfect creature I've ever seen.



We've been getting lots of snow through out the day today and it's not melting since the sun is taking a day off.
We have a mess in one corner of the backyard. Our landlord is supposed to be pouring a new concrete pad for our driveway. As soon as the temperature rises above the freezing point...perhaps in June.
The sickies get to stay inside. Oh, yeah, Wil's home :). Yes, all of us are still sick, but Chase and I are doing much better than her father.
She was actually smiling and laughing, but the picture didn't come out too well.
I love this picture of the boys.