The Countdown Has Begun

The baby could be born any day between now and May 7. Watch this space for updates! I can't say I'm experiencing any clues that it's going to happen soon, but I didn't really experience any of those with Stephen until my water broke. And an explanation because I choose to be anal about it -- I've had a lot of people ask me "wasn't Stephen born early?" Now I know that they're asking about if he was born before the due date, but he wasn't born early. He was born full-term. So I generally rephrase the question when giving the answer: "He was born 2.5 weeks before the due date." He was 8 lb 8 oz!! Certainly not a preemie :). If this one is born at the same gestation as Stephen, it'll be born on Saturday. But I'm definitely not planning on that happening. It'll come when it's good and ready.

So in the meantime, I'm not sitting around doing nothing. Ryan has a bunch of gigs booked; I have plenty of social engagements and even a couple performances this week. I hope my cello can fit in my lap!

Here are some photos from the weekend.

1. Ryan kneeling by Stephen at the reception. He got to hang out for about an hour and some friends of ours shared their chicken strips and fries with him. Even without ketchup he was pretty happy about that!


2. At Panera with John Welch. I was able to get together with my dear old friend Emily (Haluska) Welch. We braved a restaurant together with the boys and they did great. Stephen was thrilled about his grilled cheese sandwich and yogurt tube.


3. Pregnant women at the wedding ... it's fun to be pregnant at the same time as some good friends. Here is Erica (carrying twins who are due in June), Laurie (due in July), me (due in April), and Jill (due in August). We tried to get our husbands to pose together but they weren't really interested. And one of them was off with the wedding party ...

It's opening day for MLB and Ryan and Stephen are both wearing their Tigers shirts. I'll see if we can get a picture. Stephen is also long overdue for a haircut, which we reluctantly are going to (try to) give him tonight. He hates them so much and I don't like traumatizing him.

I have another midwife appointment tomorrow and we're hoping to actually be able to see our midwife! Last week we went 2 different times and she was out for a delivery both times. I was happy that my strep B test came back neg. No antibiotics during labor for me!

A Lazy Sunday Afternoon

Also, what Stephen does when we have a lot of company.









We have had quite a few guests in our home recently. Dave stopped by on his way back from Indiana and stayed overnight on Thursday. Then yesterday some friends from Des Moines came for a visit and we ended up with a total of 21 people for dinner last night. We're looking forward to Heather visiting this week!

Following Directions

Who could this be, you might think. A bodybuilder? No, just a pregnant Lisa following her husband's directions to wear light clothing when taking a walk outside late at night. I couldn't find a warm enough light colored jacket, so on went one of Ryan's t-shirts over a fleece.

Ryan was coming home from school where he was practicing when something (we don't know what) went wrong with the car. The serpentine belt came off - but didn't break - and there is a piece that he found near the engine that had come loose. It was too late to take it somewhere to get it fixed, so we'll have to do that tomorrow. In the meantime, though, Ryan has to get to his limo job at 1:30 a.m. so he can drive some passengers from Peoria to Bloomington. He'll be back home by 7 - just in time for breakfast! So it was scramble-and-try-to-find-a-car time. The bus doesn't go anywhere near the limo company. He could ride his bike, but in a tux that would be less than ideal. Besides, it'll be 1 in the morning. We knew Eric and Bethany's car wasn't working, because they asked to borrow ours earlier in the day. So we called Andy and Maria and left a message, and just figured that would work.

We got a call from them 15 minutes later; they had just walked in the door from dropping off their old car and getting their new car - and those crazy Leathermans want to borrow it already! They graciously are allowing us to use it tonight, and it'll be back first thing in the morning. We just thought it was pretty funny timing.

So that was why I was taking a walk at 8:30 at night. I pushed Stephen over in a stroller to their house and then drove their car back here so it'll be ready for Ryan. (They have a son Stephen's size so I could just use that carseat.)

Both of my boys were in bed shortly after 9 and I've been busy trying to get some housework done. Still catching up from the long weekend that we had. Ryan and I really enjoyed our trip to a B&B in Bloomington. Even the organizing and cleaning that we did here at home was exciting since we are getting the house ready for the new baby. Stephen did remarkably well with grandma and grandpa for 2 nights; he also enjoyed seeing Heather, who is in town for a couple weeks from Germany.

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Update: Ryan made it back from his job by 7 this morning and dozed for a few minutes on the couch. He just took the car in and found that they just need to replace a pulley and it'll be ready later this morning. Most importantly, Andy and Maria's new car was returned unharmed!

Photos from the weekend

It was his idea

I turned to see what Stephen was up to and this is what I saw ...

He really likes this truck. It's one that Ryan played with as a boy.

My Eagle Scout husband told me to always check keys that I had duplicated to make sure they worked. Today I did just that after having a couple extra door keys made for the car, and they didn't work! I'm glad I tried while in the parking lot so I could just go back in and get them remade.

I was at the grocery store with Stephen yesterday and a woman who Stephen had probably smiled at stopped and said to him, "young man, you're going to have a visitor soon!" To which I thought she was psychic; how did she know grandma and grandpa Leatherman were coming this weekend? Then I remembered that I am pregnant. That "visitor" to which she was referring won't be much of a visitor, but rather a permanent resident of our home.

Butchering a Cucumber

I got Stephen a new tool - a "safe" kitchen knife. Don't worry; I'm not letting him run around the house with it, but I let him sit on the floor with me today to attempt to slice a cucumber to eat with the hummus he had just helped me make. I got this knife through a Pampered Chef party the other day and decided to give it a shot. He did pretty well holding it and knew that it was supposed to cut through the cucumber, but it was more like stabbing it than slicing it. I think I'll try with something a little softer, like a strawberry, next.

Tonight we went to a visitation for our neighbor, Lurline. She was 82 and hadn't been doing very well for the past couple months. Most of her family lives out of town, and we hadn't met them before. For some reason, Stephen was very uncomfortable there. Maybe the somber mood affects him more than we realize. When we go to a store that he's never been to before, he has no trouble running around and making a lot of noise. At one point, though, Ryan and I were shaking hands with a couple of her grandchildren, and suddenly Stephen thrust out his hand (his left one :)) because he figured that's what he was supposed to do! Wow. I continue to be amazed ...

Ryan's Office Assistant

Ryan is in the midst of changing the ink cartridge on our printer/copier. Stephen is "helping." He is dressed in a button down shirt and khakis. He occasionally is told to "take this to mommy," which he does, and then he very seriously returns to daddy, who desperately needs his help.

Home and Staying Home

We're staying home for the rest of the day. The snow is beautiful ... to watch through the front window. Not to experience firsthand with a full bladder and a coat that I can't zip up while pushing a small-wheeled stroller across campus to go to a concert that was postponed and then to catch a bus that had already left and then to just miss the table offering $1 pizza. We were wet, but we made it home. Ryan is en route to St. Louis in the limo, where I fear their road conditions may be worse than here!

Stephen has been learning where things go, and one thing he knows is that shoes go on his feet. He is wearing his tennis shoes, as well as Ryan's. He hasn't quite gotten the concept of the appropriate TIME to do certain things. For example, if he sees a cloth wipe, he goes to the sink to get it wet. (We only do that when we have a messy diaper to clean up.) He also hands me my keys, but isn't content for me to just say "thank you." He wants me to put them in my purse. I am trying to take advantage of this, and so now he throws garbage away for me and puts his dirty clothes in the laundry basket. (Though he also sometimes puts his clean clothes in the laundry basket.) Ryan and I were laughing so hard the other night -- we couldn't even catch our breath to say "thank you." We had asked him to put the salad dressing back in the fridge. It is a small bottle that fits in the door, but he thinks he needs a large open space where he can put it. So after standing in front of the open fridge for a few seconds, he musters up all the strength he can, and hoists that little bottle up to the top shelf and causes it to tumble over a couple other containers before it falls into an open spot behind them. (I guess you had to be there :).)

My Belly Is Becoming Inconvenient

Today as I stood in line at the grocery store and then maneuvered around the cart to pay, I kept running into things! I forget about the protrusion that is called my baby. The weight gain is so gradual that I don't feel like I have more to carry around than usual. I'm thankful that I don't feel uncomfortable at this point, though, and I never really did with Stephen.

Now that I'm on the subject of running errands around town, I want to share a rather strange encounter I had with a woman at the post office last week. Keep in mind that, though I try not to, I can look a bit frazzled when walking around in public. I'm often holding 30-pound Stephen because I don't want him testing his running ability on the icy pavement, and my expanding stomach makes that a bit cumbersome. Add a package or two to my armload and cold, windy conditions and you just might feel sorry for me. I walked into the post office and saw a line of 2 or 3, so I stood behind the last person. There was another woman in the room who was standing at the table that the post office provides for you to fill out forms and labels. She saw me stand at the back of the line and immediately said, "excuse me, I'm next." The first thought in my mind was But I already filled out my address label ... but I didn't say that. I just said, "OK." And stood back with Stephen, who was already off to look out the window into the parking lot. The other people in line were apparently so shocked that someone would treat me that way that they insisted I go in front of them. I really didn't care that much, but the gesture was kind and I took them up on it. So thank you, whoever you are!

My parents were here this weekend and, as usual, Stephen had a wonderful time with them! I usually arrange his breakfast schedule so he can eat pancakes whenever there is a grandpa around, and this time was no exception. Both grandpas and Stephen seem to thoroughly enjoy the experience! They also took him to Ashley Furniture with them so that Ryan could get some work done and I could go swimming. He also slept through the night for them and has done so the past two nights as well. Hooray!!

In silly Stephen news, there is a new air hockey video in our youtube collection. He also has a new favorite book. It is about shapes and he goes to the triangle page where there is a piece of pizza and very excitedly says "p!" He also has a number book, in which he tries to call all numbers "10." He has learned how to say some of the other numbers but 10 is still his favorite. He continues to learn more every day about how things work and his vocabulary is increasing, too. Though many words sound the same: "b."

I just finished reading End of the Spear because a friend had mentioned (as a movie) on his blog. I highly recommend it. I haven't seen the movie yet, but the stories in the book were really amazing as far as how some North Americans "fit in" to tribal culture in South America. The author, Steve Saint, is really down to earth, but the events of his life are anything but ordinary.

And, oops, this is really Lisa but I'm typing on Ryan's computer.

Travels to Michigan followed by a busy week

It's been awhile since I updated, but I promise I do have a good excuse! Last week I had rehearsals every night except Tuesday and then last night Ryan and I just HAD to watch The Bourne Ultimatum because it was due today! We really enjoyed all three of the Bourne movies; that genre is one that both of us enjoy. The next movie we're waiting for is Dan in Real Life. We put them on hold at the library but sometimes it takes a couple months for them to show up.

My last post was before our adventure to Michigan so I haven't posted that Ryan's audition at Michigan State went well, despite being up most of the night with a nasty stomach bug. I did the drive from Kalamazoo to Lansing, and he didn't spend too much time warming up. Stephen was also a little sick with a cold, and and he really struggled as I had him take a nap in the lounge at the music building. Once the audition was over, we drove to Saginaw for a visit with Tom, Laura, Cody, Hadley, and Kassy. Stephen had a great time, and frequently just followed the two girls around saying "guls guls" (girls). He also got to eat pancakes. It was a short visit because we had to get back to Illinois Sunday night, so we took off and stopped for dinner in Indiana with Grandma and Grandpa Leatherman. It was a good thing we went that way; I found out on Monday that I-94 had been closed due to bad weather and we would have been stuck!

Stephen surprised me this week and decided on his own that he was ready to start eating with a fork and spoon by himself! Hooray! I was really hoping for this before the baby comes. I have been trying to coach him to do it, and I've known that he is capable, but had decided that what he eats is more important than how he eats it.

Last Wednesday I had my first lobbying experience in Springfield. There is a bill that is in the House that would allow for licensure of lay midwives. Currently the state does not recognize Certified Professional Midwives as care providers, and that limits women's abilities to make choices regarding their birthing experiences. There are a lot of issues surrounding this that I won't go into here, but from the statistics I've seen, I have come to believe that for a low-risk birth, using an MD is not always the safest option. So a friend and I loaded up our 3 kids and drove almost 2 hours to talk with our rep. Supposedly, reps are supposed to be glad to see their constituents. Not ours. She acted busy and annoyed that we had stopped by to talk about the bill. It was really very discouraging. Even if she completely disagreed with our point of view, I think she should have been welcoming and given us a chance to tell her what we thought! At least some of the other parents who were there for the same issue received warmer welcomes and even gathered more support for the bill.

Well, Stephen is waking up (much too soon, might I add?) from his nap and I should go say hello! More posting later ... I'm not done yet!

My Sweet Husband and the Thwarted Superbowl Party

Last week we had quite a snowstorm here in Champaign. Public schools were canceled, but the U of I still had classes so off to school went Ryan. He even managed to get us shoveled out before he left in the morning. The residential streets were pretty snowy and I even had trouble getting back home from our morning get-together because other cars were stuck in the middle of the roads. Our Oldsmobile plowed right through, though.

I didn't want to get Stephen a snowsuit for this winter because I didn't imagine he'd play out in the snow very much. Next winter we will for sure, but he'll be a different size by then. But with all this snow in our yard I wanted him to experience it a little bit. His mittens are warm, but not waterproof, so I had to be a little creative. I put plastic bags on his hands and feet, attaching them with rubber bands.

He didn't get too cold or wet, but playing in the snow wasn't his idea of fun, either. First of all, when we go outside, it's either to get in the car or the stroller, not to play in the front yard. I think the deep powdery white stuff just scared him, too. He did laugh a little when I picked some snow up and threw it, and when we shook some off the bush in front of the house. I guess we'll try again next time, but I don't think it's quite his thing yet.

The weekend was pretty low-key, with Ryan working a limo job and some stage crew on campus. I went swimming for the 2nd time (I need to get in shape for labor!) on Sunday afternoon and it went really well. I did 12 laps, whereas on Thursday morning 8 was about all I could muster up. When I was pregnant with Stephen I did 16 laps (1/2 mile) each time I went to the pool. I did that about 3 times a week, including the afternoon before he was born! I credit the swimming with my ability to maintain strong, abdominal breathing for 16 hours ...

Last night we went to Nathan and Jenn's to watch the Superbowl. I wasn't feeling well, but I chalked it up to swimming and then not getting anything to eat for a couple hours. I sat on the couch for most of the first half of the game, getting up from time to time to go to the bathroom. The chili, which I normally like eating, didn't seem appetizing at all. Just after halftime, I threw up everything that I'd ingested for the past 5 or 6 hours, causing us to need to leave. My dear husband took care of getting Stephen ready for bed and put him down while I rested. I had to get up to place an order that was due today, but I pretty much slept from 9 p.m. until 8 this morning. And then slept during Stephen's nap this afternoon. Ryan had offered to stay home from school most of the day but I didn't need him to. I'm just pretty tired and ready to call it a night already!

Knuckle Dan

This evening Ryan took Stephen to the rec facility to go swimming. They both seemed to enjoy it, though Stephen apparently wasn't fond of showering instead of bathing afterwards.

I just went to Lincoln Square to walk for half an hour since I know I need to be exercising more. I wish lap swimming were more accessible.

Now I'm sitting at home while Ryan is still at school. He has quite a bit to work on, and will be gone all day tomorrow and Sunday.

We have been trying and trying to get Stephen to say "Uncle Dan." He got pretty close the other night. It went like this:
Dan Dan Dan Dan Dan Knuckle Knuckle Knuckle Dan Dan
We now refer to him as Knuckle Dan. I don't think he will mind.

Asking the Deeper Questions of Life

Where is your nose? Where is your hair? Where are your ears?

Life Beyond the Recital

Ryan's recital on Sunday went very well. Here he is with his two piano accompanists. We were happy to have family in town to hear him, and we got the added bonus of time in hotel pools thanks to the grandparents!

Stephen is walking (even running!) , pulling his little white doggie toy around, riding on his truck, and expanding his repertoire of food that he will accept. I am very thankful for that! I've been surprised by what he asks for: minestrone soup, lentil casserole - YEAH! He still rejects anything but pancakes if those are an option. We all enjoyed a nice pancake breakfast with Grandma and Grandpa Leatherman and Aunt Carolyn on Sunday morning.

Today we went for Stephen's last appointment at the Infant Cognition Lab. They gave him a certificate of completion. Now he will be observed at the Language Acquisition Lab. No, we don't really get anything out of this for ourselves, but with just one child it really isn't too much work for me to take him in. And it's interesting to see what they are trying to discover. Almost every time at the Infant Lab he has confirmed what they think an infant might be able to understand. For example, once they put objects in containers and at one point they put an object that was too long to fit in the container and he supposedly knew that it wasn't going to work, based on how long he stared at it.

Some side notes:

A friend of mine in Champaign who also owns the diaper and toy store Little Ants was recently on the news talking about cloth diapers. It's posted on the station's website here.

Stephen went to a free Kindermusik class that was offered in Urbana last weekend. He LOVED it! From the beginning to the end, he excitedly marched around and watched the teachers and the other students participating. I have noticed that at library storytime he doesn't care much for the stories that are read but when a song is sung he is quite attentive.

We just posted a video of the new sound Ryan has taught Stephen.

Eating "boom, " Drinking "burr," and going to "ool"

As hard as we try not to, Ryan and I seem to pick up "stephenish" and speak that language instead of pure English. It's fun to see him picking up new words on a regular basis. He is also walking all over the place now. It's refreshing to go to a bookstore or the library and have him walk down the aisles instead of pulling up to a shelf and pulling down everything in sight.

Ryan is practicing hard for his recital that takes place next Sunday. I have still been feeling really good - almost to the third trimester, and am working hard to be sure I get my daily protein. I make a menu that I try to stick to as much as our schedule allows, and so far it's working pretty well. Getting in the extra peanut butter on an apple - or a glass of milk before bed - can get me up to the recommended 80 grams of protein every day.

Stephen is still eating a banana every day—look what the sticker on it said today. We continue to be unsure what is causing his slight rash on his tummy. The dr. ran a basic allergy panel and found no positive allergies, which doesn't necessarily mean there is nothing wrong, so I guess we haven't learned anything significant yet. I still suspect a problem with corn, but we've decided for the time being to only avoid large amounts of corn, such as corn bread, corn cereals, etc. Avoiding it 100% is possible but it eliminates anything made with baking powder or cornstarch from his diet. That's tough to explain to a toddler ...

Well, I think the "little man" is waking up from his nap and would appreciate a visit from mommy.

The Nerd Test

We took the nerd test for Stephen. Here is his result.



(Ryan's score was 55 and mine was 42.)

Going through Ryan's old stuff

Could someone please tell Ryan that we don't need to keep his master's of the universe belt? Or the photocopy from a murder mystery dinner he attended in high school? We have found some interesting notes from old friends, and some old papers and badges. (Don't worry; we really aren't keeping that much; he just likes to tease me.)

We have been in Des Moines since the 25th and have been able to see some friends and family. Today we met Kevin and Kathy's new baby, Tessa. She is smaller than Stephen ever was - she just cleared 6 pounds!

Stephen is doing great and is feeling much better than last week when all three of us were sick. Yesterday he decided that walking around in circles by pivoting on one foot is really fun. He has also taken to prompting us to leave the house whenever he wants a little bit of air. He will go right to the closet and let us know that he wants his coat on!

We'll be back in Champaign for New Years' and Heidi will be staying there with us so she can see friends while on her semester break from teaching.

Helpful? Or not?

Here's a snapshot of Stephen "helping" me to prepare dinner last night. He thought this was great fun, and it kept him content during one of his least favorite times of the day: mommy has to cook.

Then this morning Ryan took him to the bank. All was fine and dandy until we tried to get back in the house after our sonogram. Ryan didn't have the house key! He went back to the bank, where Stephen had been playing with them. And found them. In the garbage can.

In other news, our sonogram went well. All the parts are there, including the parts we don't know about yet. We just had to turn our heads during parts of it to avoid accidental discovery. The baby is at 50% for 22 weeks. (That is a good thing!) They estimate it weighing about 1 lb 2 oz right now.

An Idea

Heather posted about inventions, but I just have an idea. How about having special parking spaces for pregnant cellists when it's really icy and cold outside? That would have helped last night as I faced a full parking ramp at Krannert and had to park outside for the performance of The Messiah.

Speaking of the performance, it was downright exhausting!! I thought today that I don't know which was harder and required more endurance: running the half marathon in Des Moines a few years back or playing the entire Messiah with the CU Symphony last night. The half marathon took me exactly 2 hours. The Messiah was almost 3. And I felt it! I just don't play my cello enough to have the stamina for that.

Ryan finished up with his classes and finals on Friday, so he's been around more this weekend. It's been really nice, and I know he is enjoying being home more. He loves getting Stephen to say "I am ..." which doesn't really come out like sounding quite right. But his mouth opens really wide and it's hilarious. We are trying to get it on video but he always just reaches for the camera when we get it out. He can't quite call it quits for the semester yet as he still has some assistantship work to do. He's planning to get back on the subbing list for the next couple of weeks. Hopefully he'll get some decent classes! I don't wish too many days of kindergarten on him.

Hemoglobin

We just found out this morning that Stephen's iron levels are back up where they are supposed to be (11.3). I am so relieved about that! We went to celebrate with some cheesebread at Penn Station and then we went to Meijer.

This is also a big day for Ryan, as he is currently about an hour away from being done with the semester! He has had such a busy couple of weeks and we'll both be relieved when it's all done. It's hard for me to watch him go to bed late and get up early day after day. I know he's worn out.

I'm performing Handel's Messiah with the C-U Symphony this weekend. We needed to get friends to watch Stephen both last night and tonight because Ryan also has concerts. He did great last night with our friend, Joyce. I think she enjoyed him, too.

I was watching Stephen this morning as he played with other kids in the waiting room. He was very gentle but at the same time kind of bossy. If another kid started playing with a toy he wanted, he would just go up to them and lift their hand up and move it away. I didn't let him get away with it because even gentle selfishness is still selfishness.