crafty love bugs

We've spent the week crafting from the big box of crafty fun that Gran and Pop sent Aiden for Valentine's Day.  We kicked off with the love bugs idea that Gran had mentioned.  Aiden made sure that it had a belly button and plenty of buttons.  The two different colored eyes was intentional and one eye was red because according to Aiden "then you know he's in loooove!"

I'm always looking for simple crafts where I think Aiden will like each step.  This one can also be categorized in the pennies category - since it cost nearly nothing.  A little red paint on a toilet paper tube (Aiden loves using the big adult brush) then snip them, crease folds for hearts, then string onto a pipe cleaner, and voila, a heart wreath.  I found this fun idea here:

http://www.momtriedit.net/2011/02/recycled-heart-craft.html

Card sorting and tiny paper clip pinching to make a "surprise" banner for daddy on the mantle - Lucky daddy has some sort of surprise waiting nearly everyday:

Friday, 2:30pm

This is the way to spend a Friday afternoon before a February vacation week - outside, with a scooter and just a vest, surrounded by snow and warm air, with neighbors out and about.

 Watching the basketball action from the "summer chairs"

 You might get in some soccer on the one yard in the neighborhood where the snow has melted.  And if you're really lucky, your favorite friend may regift you one of her valentine's with a pop on it!

Yes, if you are very observant, Aiden's proud of his backwards pants (he fully dresses himself).

cruise caboose

The new cruiser, the Joovy Caboose Stand-on Tandem, arrived in the snowy slush and J joked about taking it for a spin around the block (which is a joke since it is covered in four feet of snow!)  Aiden was immediately sold on the idea of hitching a ride on the back of the spot for "my baby."  I was sure that Aiden, Mr. Independent, wouldn't be interested in actually sitting in a dual stroller, but the ride on idea seems to be exciting to him - so far - without an actual trial.  Aiden helped unwrap the front wheels and then headed off to school.  By the time I finished, the instruction book had a little bit of blood on it (my poor finger) and my belly had a little scratch from wrestling the wheels.  It came with the baby car seat attachment, so it will be a nice cruiser from the very beginning.

 I attached some extra padding from an old car seat we had, which helps make it a little bit nicer for Aiden's seat.  When the baby seat attachment is off he'll have more room, but it's actually nicer than I expected.  He can stand on the platform too, but seems to like to sit.  He loves "caboose cruising" around the living room in circles.

pocket kisses

Our favorite bookstore had a special valentine's party with the author of this cute Pocket Kisses book, Willa Perlman.

We listened to all the valentine's stories, got the book signed by the author, and decorated our own pocket kisses.  Aiden even made one for his baby brother with a lego on one side and a bug on the other side.

The book describes different type of kisses and starts off with:
When Mommy leaves she always knows
to give me kisses from head to toe.
Kisses to save and use all day,
whenever I need one and Mommy's away...An Anytime Kiss!

"Do you want one to share mom?"

 Photos of the pocket kisses he made that he's been playing with all week:

yoga

I was too shy to bring my real camera to yoga again this time, but I will get up the gumption at some point. I just love the space - it would be a great studio space - and it will make for great photos.

Today, they passed a ball with their feet and as they passed it the teacher asked them to answer a question.  She asked where your favorite place was, and I waited curious for Aiden's answer - one said Hawaii, another Newfoundland, another her bed, and Aiden's answer was the airport!  That made me laugh, but at least I've managed to make the airport fun for someone ;) When J asked him again at dinner time what his favorite place was he said yoga!  I think he's a big fan of the foot rubs during the relaxation at the end.  One little one wasn't interested in one today, and I thought I would love to take her place ;)

On the left is my view peeking around the curtain from the big long couch.  Aiden is a big fan of frog pose and I think he just kerplunked in this cell phone shot.

adventures

This was a story that Aiden helped make up as a present for Gran and Pop (to thank them for the fun in FL and say I love you!)

Snow Day Adventures of Rock Doggy and Glass Kitty

There once was a snow day, followed by a snow day, and then a whole week later another snow day.  It was on this very snow day that Rock Doggy and Glass Kitty realized they weren't at the beach anymore!  They were going to need something to do!  Their little buddy Aiden loved carrying them around and accidently leaving them in cars, but they weren't leaving the house with all this snow!

Rock Doggy decided to go visit his favorite pop up Goldilocks and the Three Bears characters.  They were happy to see him.

Meanwhile Glass Kitty was checking out the sticker world with pirate ships and space rocks flying.  She thought that maybe one of those rocks could become her new friend.

Rock Doggy decided that Trouble was his favorite new game.  His heavy rock paws really helped pop the circle.  As he hears the circle pop, he hears another noise...

Glass Kitty is starting up the band with the shaky bells!

The band gets help from the crazy barrel of monkeys.

Rock Doggy cruises away from the loud mischief makers in his handmade racing car.

Then Rock Doggy realizes he can get even farther away by taking a spin on the newly constructed airplane.

Glass Kitty realizes that the scene is heating up and decides to take a break by playing with Alphie.

Now it is time for reading books in bed and hoping that tomorrow warms up.

27/28/29 weeks

27 weeks home from dinner with friends

I started out 27 weeks feeling small, although because belly baby likes to lay sideways I would sometimes feel sorta mutant.  Thanks goodness for big warm coats and baggy sweaters (many of which are getting less baggy by the minute).  This whole transverse routine makes it look like I'm hiding a long watermelon under my shirt.  The midwife actually said I was measuring strangely because the baby was pushing out on the sides so much.

You'll notice I'm saying "the" midwife because at this point I'm again a patient floating in the wind.  "My" midwife left the office practice "to spend more time with her family," which I can understand and appreciate.  However, this means that the great connection I felt I'd built with her is pretty much moot.  There is a slight chance that she may be filling in for someone on an "as needed" basis when I go into labor, but the chance of ever seeing her again is not very high.  Oh well, I'm just not meant to have a strong connection with my medical providers.  Good thing my husband has that Husband Coached Birth book on hand... He does have one birth under his belt, so his experience points are racking up.  ;)

My big U-shaped pregnancy pillow rejoined the pile up of pillow in week 27.  It's like having a third person in the bed really, so I was slow to reintroduce it this time.  I finally had to break down because of this babes' insistence on laying sideways and kicking so that he almost feels like he's marching.   He loves to be up late at night (between 3 and 3:30 routinely!) playing belly soccer by pushing off with his head and bouncing off the other side with his kicky feet. His position pushes in and out on my belly button, and one evening my belly button looked like it was pulsing in a pattern.  It was the baby attempting to give me some morse code message.

29 weeks after Valentine's storytime 

I will say that the timing of my job ending could not have been better because I can't imagine trucking into work in this weather.  I have an informal breakfast club with my friend where we've taken a pretty wide tour of all my favorite breakfast spots.  The other day the stars aligned when the Liberty Elm Diner had peanut butter chocolate chip muffins.  I chipped into my peanut butter allowance to indulge.  My friend was nice enough to make dinner for us and she even thought to be sure there was pasteurized cheese in the butternut squash risotto.

Aiden really seems to understand that he has a baby brother on the way.  He claims he likes my belly "in the way" because it's comfy on his back when he sits in my lap.  I try not to "blame" the baby for anything like when I'm slow to roll out of bed when Aiden's ready for his yogurt in the morning.  Aiden, instead of protesting, helps me by pulling my hand with his "super strength."  The other day I was commenting that it felt like my belly shelf was sloping and he rushed in to prop his little hands under my belly, saying, "Mommy, I'll help hold my baby up!"   I need all the help I can get.

art by aiden

Here are some saved up art by Aiden crafts from the past few that have a valentine feel to them - We've been celebrating for a while with the red and pink, eh?  There are more recent valentine's crafty escapades coming soon.

This stained 'glass' hanging ornament was a present for Great Poppie - He wasn't as keen on the sticky see-through paints as he is with the "messy mixy" ones he usually uses.

My favorite are the sunshines he was careful not to paint over on the left and right of the bottom hole:

I think one of Aiden's favorite part of crafting lately is writing his name after he's "finished" which he tries to say is pretty quick just to get the chance to sign his name.  Then he tells me he wants to "add more detail" so he can keep working on it.

He made these treats at the Newport Creamery craft night - At first we thought he'd told the craft lady that his name was Dinosaury - but it turns out that she had asked him what he'd like to name the heart man.

Weaving some of his cards with paper strips "takes a long time" according to Aiden:

He likes to "write" TU instead of to, and if he accidentally does it backwards he'll do it again.  He told me the orange wavy line is his "love heart beat"

About a quarter of the valentine's that Aiden signed on his own - My trick for getting him excited to sign things over and over again is to give him "adult" pens and even a sharpie (which he loooved and only got one accidental mark on his arm) - these were the back of the cards for his friends from school:

valentine

One of my valentines made me this at his school - and was very happy show it to me:

 "TU  MOM"

A Musical I Love You Card for Lauren

Dear Lauren,

I love you today and everyday. While I'll spare your readers any gushing public love notes from me, here are some love songs (only a few sappy ones) to fill up your day:

Love,

me

i love you cards

Aiden's school sent a "parent's only note" home a while ago asking parents to create an "I Love You" card for their child.  They wanted them handed in ahead of time so that they could post them on the walls and surprise the kids the next morning.  Even though J normally drops Aiden off on his way to work, my pregnant body decided to waddle in to see Aiden's reaction.  Aiden was so excited and giddy with his card.  After smiley Aiden checked it out and greeted Mrs. Healey at the door, I admit that this pregnant lady (that's my excuse) actually started crying because I was so touched (thank goodness I could throw on my sunglasses and not embarrass myself walking to my car).  This kind of thing makes me feel like I'm living in one of those sappy Hallmark commercials.

I snuck in a few quick shots of the I Love You card as we were leaving the Valentine's dance: