Giving up the Diapers

Before I even get out of bed normally, Einar comes into my room to say good morning and brings in a new diaper so that I can change him and then we can go upstairs together and get breakfast going. On Monday, he refused to wear a normal diaper, but agreed to wear a pair of underwear instead. So we put those on instead along with the conversation that if you wear underwear you have to go to the potty to pee and poop every time. He's done a great job this week, with only a few accidents! I think he also has great timing since I'm at the point in my pregnancy where I'm having to use the bathroom at least every 20 minutes so it's never very far from my mind either and I can not only remind him, but also have already located every bathroom in every store and park that we visit.

This other picture is of my nap skipping son who read through his whole library this afternoon instead of closing his eyes in bed. Thankfully he is quiet and industrious so that I was able to get in the rest that I needed =).

Not much else has been going on this week. We've both had a touch of the crazy sickness that has been passed around the community, but in both cases it has been abbreviated. I had the fever for a day and a half and the nasal congestion and Einar had just the nasal congestion and a touch of cough when he was horizontal in bed. We're both on the mend now.

We're in between a couple of rain storms this weekend and the ground is soggy, which is extremely unusual for this part of California. All of those areas which were burnt in the October fires are covered with brilliant green now! So much rain for us!

The house was also painted this week. It took only a day with about 5 guys scrambling all over painting. It was the day that I had my fever and was at my worst, so we felt like fish in a fish bowl since we couldn't leave to go anywhere and had painters climbing over the patio rail and on the roof. I'm sure they were thinking that I was a lazy mom hanging out on the couch much of the time and watching tv, but I really wasn't feeling all that great.

Einar the Worm Rancher

Last Thursday, the park that we can walk to easily from our house finally reopened after being closed since early November for a complete overhaul. I think it took a long time due the crazy wet weather we had during that time as well as the holiday season. It was well worth the wait! Sunset Park is now really nice with a huge new climbing structure and all of the old components taken out and made more user friendly. When we went on Friday, Einar went down the old slide a couple of times and then spent the rest of his time playing with his dump truck and bulldozer that he had brought along.

We also started a worm ranching operation last week while my parents were still in town. Grandma had packed some Seattle Red Wigglers in her check-in bag (boy were they surprised when her bag was accidently re-routed to Fairbanks!) and we made them a home in our pantry once they got here. Einar helped Grandpa drill out tiny air holes in their new bin and then he helped get the bedding all damp so that they would feel at home. Their first meal was some apple, banana, and orange rinds. Later today I think we'll come up with another meal for them. So far they seem to be doing well and we saw movement the other day and they are still moist and happy.

New Arrangement for the Living Room

With the help of all of the grandparents last weekend, the living room was rearranged. It looks a lot bigger now that the couch doesn't stick out into the room and the big white wall doesn't look as big or as white. We can also see the great view when we sit on the couch! Thanks for all of your help Grandparents!

Happy Third Birthday Einar!

We've had a big week! Over the weekend, all four grandparents came into town so that they could be here to celebrate the big 3rd birthday with us. We planned a party on Monday morning with 4 of Einar's friends. He helped in the planning letting me know which friends he wanted to invite and the menu. He wanted a BIG, round, Pink cake with animals on it and spaghetti and meatballs for lunch. For the party we took apples, carrots, and celery up to feed the animals on the hill.

On the morning of the party, on the way home from Einar's well-kid check-up at the Dr. office, I noticed that the animals were in their pen and not wandering around on the hillside and accessible. So, grandma and I went up to talk with the Water Dept. people to see if we could bring up the kids to feed the animals. I guess they had put some stuff on the hillside and couldn't let the animals out to graze yet. They also had 3 less than a week old lambs that had to keep out of the way of the ornery donkey who isn't so good with the young sheep. Scott at the water dept. said "Sure!" and let us come up. He even brought up one of the lambs so that we could pet it. What a special time with the animals!

The whole party was fun and went quite well. The food was a success (the kid table was silent during lunch!) and everyone liked the cake too. Einar was just beat once everyone had left, but as he settled down for his nap, his happy thoughts were his friends and "Party!"

Now that he is 3 he has been granted access to the world of scissors. I gave him a pair for his birthday and he is very intent on learning how to cut. He's made whole mounds of paper squares and really feels like a big kid now.

It was unseasonably warm here this past week and we got to go swimming twice with Poppa and Farmor in the pool. The big pool is the one that is heated this winter and it is a great temperature. Each time we went, Einar swallowed at least half the water in pool and came home completely water-logged. He is now swimming under water too and loves to jump off of the deep end endlessly or at least until his mom or Farmor are tired of treading water.

Now it's quiet again at home since everyone has returned to Seattle, but we sure had a good time!

On Wednesday I went to another ultrasound and it looks like the baby might be ready around mid-March and not the end of March. They are pretty sure that it's already around 8 1/2 lbs and will most likely be as big as Einar was. We still don't know if it is a boy or a girl, but Einar is determined that it will be a sister. I guess we need to get serious about coming up with some names if we have about a month left to go. Should probably also get the baby clothes out of the garage and pack the bags for the hospital and Einar's bag if he has to stay at a neighbors for a night.