Puddles

En Vogue's "Adventure"

pre-"Never gonna get it, nevergonnaget it...."

We have a Sesame Street DVD from our plane trip down south. This song stays stuck in my head. I love that En Vogue totally committed.

Hope this makes you smile.

Practicalities

I'm a m-model...

I just got H-Man down for bed and Adam is working until late in the ER so the house is awfully, wonderfully quite I am catching up on my blog reading and email answering. I notice that I'm not very good at taking pictures of Henry any longer except on my phone. I think this is because

a. I am usually in motion chasing after Henry if we are outside or any place interesting

b. Henry wants to grab the camera and while I'm okay with him playing with my phone, the camera is a different story. Sorry, Charlie.

c. The camera batteries are dead.

Okay, so "c" may be the main reason.

I had an OB appointment today and I heard the baby's heartbeat and my blood pressure was good. I am excited to meet this little flipper-flopper inside of me. We are behind on preparations though...well, comparatively. With Henry, we were READY and had a name really early on and were like BAM! nursery done.

With this kid (a.k.a. #2, That Baby, The Next One...all endearing names), we are just not moving as quickly. But we are still very, very excited and I already think about the day when we can put the two boys in bunk beds with matching Star Wars sheets or something brother-y like that.

#1. Question for you vets out there: When did you transition your kid from 1 nap to 2 naps? How? Sometimes I feel like we're needing to head that way but I have no idea how to do it...push first nap later and later? Just curious.

Gratitude

Thou hast given so much to me,

Give one thing more, - a grateful heart;

Not thankful when it pleaseth me,

As if Thy blessings had spare days,

But such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise.

George Herbert

What Happens When...

you bring your husband with you to Sam's Club.

You end up with purchases like this.

Dearest Adam,

We do not run a day care and therefore do not need 3,200 animal crackers.

Love,

Camille

Year Four

1st Day of 1st Year

1st Day of 2nd Year

1st Day of 3rd Year

1st Day of 4th Year

Somehow I never got around to posting that Adam, yes Adam, is a fourth year medical student now. Hallelujah, praise the good Lord! He is currently over halfway done with his first month of ER and he loves it. This is the specialty he wants to do and I, as his lovely wife, am beyond cool with ER. I mean, it's shift work and Mama loves knowing when her hubs will be home.

So, being a fourth year, this is the time for applying to residency programs! Eeeek! Adam is in the process of applying and interviews will begin in the fall. We will find out where Adam matches for residency on March 17th.

That's right, March 17th...I mean, don't get in any hurry to let us know or anything, silly Match.

Then he would begin his residency program in July. WOW.

So, this year will be crazy: new baby, residency interviews, rotations, match, and beginning residency.

So the question remains: Where will the Jennings be come July, 2011?

Only the Good Lord knows...but I'll keep you posted.

P.S. I'm so proud of Adam.

Rainy Day Entertainment

Rainy Day Tent.

Torn down in 5 minutes.

I'm quickly seeing the need for a stockpile of rainy day activities. I've grown quite accustomed to taking Henry to the park everyday and letting him run around and let loose in our backyard. When this isn't an option, I am lost. Bewildered. Undone.

Not really undone but we need to get Henry's crazies out!

So yesterday, while it rained we went to the Chick-Fil-A playground. It's indoor (score!) but many other Moms had that idea too at 11 a.m. (unscore!) However, Henry loved the big kids and he was super brave and crawled up into the tunnels and I didn't even have to squeeze my pregnant belly up there to retrieve him. Verdict: Winner!

Then, we went to Target. See, this past weekend before the Cherry Fest, we bought Henry a backpack...with an attachable guiding cord. Okay, okay...it's a leash. Let's just face it. But Henry seems to think that the backpack is pretty cool and I'm just glad that he can't get more than 4 feet away from me. So, Henry walked around Target for 45 minutes and I followed him by holding onto the "guiding cord"...leash.

We have also taken to breaking into our friend Sarah's house while she is out-of-town. Don't worry- we're not really breaking in, I mean I have a key, after all. We play on her front porch, get out her hose, climb her stairs, and throw fallen pears in her backyard.

Besides those activities and going to the Y, I'm still a rookie at rainy days & getting out of the house. Luckily, while Henry is currently napping, Mr. Sunshine is coming out so maybe we will go to the park after all. YAY!

P.S. Does anyone have any advice on "encouraging" your child to hold your hand around streets, etc.? He will let me hold his hand for a little while but Henry gets so mad sometimes when I try to hold his hand that he just sits in the middle of the road. Then I have to throw him over my shoulders like a sack of potatoes and head back to the house/car/etc.

I Have a Sweet Tooth

Adam's groom's cake from our wedding

Secret Snackers

I can see how Mamas might begin to lose weight once your kid enters toddlerhood. Aside from chasing your kid around during waking hours, you also have to be a sneaky eater or else he will want your snack. If it's a snack that I don't want Henry to have (choking hazard snacks, etc.), I have to just shove it in my mouth real quick-like behind a door and then act casual. Eating on the go.

On the contrary, I can see how Mamas might begin to gain weight once your kid enters toddler hood and is more than willing to share his grilled cheese sandwiches and nuggets and graham crackers with you. Yum! I love kid food.

Of course, I am pretty darn pregnant and definitely in the latter category.

Cloud Watchin'

Sometimes, when you're busy all day learning and doing and going, you just get tired.

That's okay. You should just lay down in the grass and look up at the sky and rest.

The Park on a Cloudy Day

Ain't nothing better than the park on a cloudy, summer day. After Henry's afternoon nap, Adam & I took him to Frontier Park and he walked and walked and walked and walked. Forget the playground! It's way more fun to sprint/roll down hills at maximum velocity, apparently.

And eat sticks.

Incidentally, look at the above picture. Those lashes. Henry and Adam both have just the best eyelashes ever and I am uber-jealous. I have tried to convince Adam to let me mascara his eyelashes on multiple occasions but he refuses. What a ninny.

All By Ourselves...

Pictures from Greekfest '07. I didn't quite have time to take pictures this year.

By the time I'd pulled out my camera this year, Henry would've been in Venezuala.

Well, Henry and I have survived our first ER rotation weekend, with Adam working at the hospital. Adam worked from 7a-8p on Friday, 12 a-12 p on Saturday, and 7a til...? on Sunday (It's 8:20 p.m. and he's still not home!). We missed him but we kept ourselves entertained.

Friday & Saturday night we went to greekfest. See, in the past, greekfest has been a time of watching dancers and listening to greek music, eating gyros and drinking a cold one with friends. This year, it was big ol' pregnant Camille waddling after Henry as he sprinted around the kiosks and towards the middle of the performers dancing and into the woods and everywhere in between. I swear, I am going to pick up one of those leash thingies that attaches to a backpack that kids wear ASAP. Henry is a wild man and loves to be going.

Wild man-chasing aside, we had a great time at greekfest and enjoyed seeing lots of people and visiting with our pals. We also went swimming over at River's house, went to the park, and played for hours in the backyard. It was a great weekend but I look forward to next weekend, when Adam is at home and not at the hospital!

I really admire single moms and military wives with husbands deployed. You are my heroes!

The Help

Last night, Adam was working late in the ER and so I began a new book, The Help. I love it so far and I highly recommend it. It's about Mississippi in the 60's and follows the stories of three women (2 black maids and 1 white Ole Miss grad) as they narrate a sort of social awakening. So far, it's an amazing book and so well-written.

Somehow I never had to read it for any english class but I finished Wuthering Heights on our vacation and, I'm sorry, but I hated it. I was so happy when that book was finished and the repulsive characters done with. Sue me.

Henry playing in our friends' dog kennel.

Lastly, I don't know what I will do once the winter comes. At home, Henry is literally climbing the walls (well, the furniture anyway...it's a constant battle) and today I walked in and he was on top of the piano. Our go-to move is playing outside, which I thoroughly enjoy and keeps him happy and me sane. I will miss the freedom to run off to the playground once winter comes so I am soaking up ever second of warmth! Thank you, Lord, for summer.

Hello Stranger!

Adam is back doing rotations (he's currently on ER) and so Henry and I went to the pool today...solo. It was a hot Erie day (91 degrees, what what?!) and so a lot of other people had the same idea. Having a toddler at the pool is hilarious. Henry swims about 10% of the time and walks around and waves at strangers the other 90% of the time. Mainly, I just follow him around and keep him from stealing others' toys and stepping on their beach towels.

I also make a lot of random conversation. Often with small children! See, most moms at the pool are off on the side, lounging in a chair while their kids' swim. However, Henry can't swim so I am on him like white on rice. Therefore, I often end up being the only adult in the kids' pool.

Small Child: Hi. Are you his Mom?

Me: Yes.

Small Child: Don't let him go in very deep. He cannot swim.

Me: Good point. Thanks!

Small Child: Do you have a dog?

Me: Yes.

Small Child: Hey, guess what? I am going to get a dog soon.

Me: That's cool. A big dog or a small dog?

Small Child: Like, probably a german shepherd. Or a hunting dog.

Ok, bye.

You're Welcome.

Dear Henry's Future Wife,

I have purchased Henry his first vacuum cleaner. He loves it. You're welcome.

Love,

Future Mother-In-Law

A Day in the Life...

This may bore you, but I just felt compelled to give you a little Henry schedule- specifically for you newer Moms that feel like your kid will never nap more than 25 minutes or sleep through the night. I do not feel like I was very good at getting Henry on a schedule- I was a babywise dropout (or revisionist, to say in the least) and I feel like our schedule was always shifting & always changing.

But here's what our schedule looks like at 14-months old...

6:30 a.m.-6:45 a.m. Rise & Shine (This is so much better than it used to be...until about 2 months ago, he always woke up at 5 something...)

6:45 a.m. diaper change, breakfast, let the dog out, you know, morning business stuff

8:00 a.m. Four days a week, we head to the YMCA, about a 2-minute car ride away. I like to go super early because Henry is the 1st kid in there and most kids don't arrive until later on in the morning. It's much less crowded. I am not a serious worker-outer but I do feel like Henry does better in there when we consistently go.

9:30 a.m. -11:15 a.m. NAP #1

11:15 a.m. lunch, go to the park by our house, play with the water house, etc.

2:00 p.m.-3:15p.m. NAP #2

3:15 p.m. play, go on a walk, eat supper, take a bath, maybe go visit a friend, etc. and so forth

7:40 p.m. go upstairs, take vitamins, brush teeth, wind down

8:00 p.m. Lights Out! (this is an hour later than it used to be but, hey...it's summer!)

Obviously, our schedule still moves around...we go to playgroup on Wednesdays from 10:30-12:30 and some days the napping is longer or shorter, but for the most part...it seems to have somewhat evened out! (Why am I writing this? It's bound to all change now:)!)

I just remember being so stressed about Henry's sleeping and napping and wondering what I was doing wrong or how I could make it better and there is hope! And light at the end of the sleepless tunnel. Now that I'm pregnant, I often nap during one of Henry's naps. (and I lurve it!) I'm not sure what adding a newborn to this mix will entail but, for now, I like our schedule.

The end.