Introducing...

Nemo Marlin, the latest addition to our family. Jack picked out his first pet today. A fish. Beta Male. Red, his favorite color and guaranteed by the pet store clerk to be the easiest thing for us to care for (and a 14-day guarantee). I asked Gary how long he thinks we can keep this lovely fish alive. He said, 15 days. I married a comic. Or a realist. What do you think?

Either way Jack loves his new fish and was most interested in understanding how to put him to sleep (not PERMANENTLY!!!) He sang him a lullaby, told him a Prince Nemo story and blew him a kiss. Fish has been swimming his fish butt off ever sense. Seems Jack puts fish to bed as well as he goes to bed himself. Groan!

Watering Restrictions Lifted

Here's one both Grandpa and Pop-Pop will appreciate...Jack's a pop-up sprinkler.

Jack and the Orange Belt

Before the weekend Jack's Karate School had their testing for all Tiny Tigers. Jack tested for his Orange Belt. Picture a roomful of 30 three-to-six year olds demonstrating basic skills on command. Can you see it? Aw...I think your imagination is getting the best of you...here's the vid...check it out!

Jack received a report card after the "judging." He was scored on a 1-5 scale with 5 high.

• Focus = 1 :(


• Physicality = 2.5


• Stranger Danger = 4.5 :)


• Basics = 3


• Attitude = 5 :) :) :)

They made a note to work on Jack's focus. Hee-hee...should we have him go back to the womb and get a new set of DNA...exactly how do you work on focus? Well, we signed him up for another session guess that is working on it somehow! HA!

They held a short ceremony after the testing. When Jack received his orange belt he stood up, held it over his head all Rocky style and screamed, "I got my orange belt! I knew I could do it! I knew I could!"

Here he is with his various Karate teachers. You can read the pride and excitement all over his face. Go Jack, Go!

While You Were Sleeping

Tuesday night Gary and I danced the comedic dance called, "Is this it?"

At midnight, I started having some frequent contractions. Hard enough to be called "uncomfortable." I woke Gary up. BIG MISTAKE! He works in a Field of disaster and emergencies and I was expecting CALM and COOL...HA!

He went right into emergency mode. He ran downstairs and got the laptop (in the old days people timed contractions with watches and paper! Now there is a site, www.contractionmaster.com); FOUR bottles of water for me to "guzzle" and the phone.

We timed the contractions while DH pleaded for me to take a warm bath (they seem to stop the contractions I have had in the past). I didn't want too! Why? I was sleepy and just wanted the contractions to be WILLED away (sounds rationale, right?) The contractions were 3 minutes apart and lasting almost 1 minute in duration. After 30-minutes of this I caved to his request for a bath.

He drew the bath while debating to take a shower himself. At some point I think he comtemplating shaving! At this point it also dawned on us procrastinators that we didn't have a bag packed for the hospital, yet! I stepped into the bath as Gary went to find some bags for packing.

AACK!!! COLD WATER!!!

Try again. (insert whistling while filling a jet tub)...

AACK!!! LUKE WARM WATER!!!

Just as I give up on the bath, Gary comes in with a gazillion questions (where is her take home outfit? Do we pack diapers or use theirs? We need loose change for vending...can we rob from Jack's piggy bank?)

45-minutes since I woke Gary up the contractions start to fizzle out. YAY! We still have 1 1/2 weeks to go to Full Term (37 weeks) and a month until DUE DATE!

While I am ready for bed, Gary sees this event as a wake up call to get our bags packed and affairs in order. Thus, at 3:30 am we almost done packing and discussing the value of taking my Kindle with us to the hospital. GOOD GRIEF! All in preparation of sleepless nights ahead (I suppose).

Moral of the story...may Bronwyn not inherit her parents' craziness or procrastinator genes!

Baby Sprout's Nursery

We are almost finished. Just waiting for our white ceiling fan to replace the brown one. Besides that check out Bronwyn's new room! We are calling it the "Pink Room"...very fitting, huh?

Now Jack is Ready to be a Big Brother

Before Saturday if you asked Jack if he was ready to be a big brother he would reply, "No, I don't know how." Saturday he attended a Big Brother/Big Sister class put on by the hospital we will deliver at. It was an hour long class that included craft activities, education on babies, practice diapering and swaddling and a tour of the hospital. Jack now says he "knows how to be a big brother!"

A few highlights from the class:

1) When asked whether he was having a sister or brother Jack replied, "A baby sister. I named her Baby Sprout!" How long do you guys think he will call her Sprout until he realizes that isn't her real name?

2) When shown a demonstration on a toy baby of the umbilical cord and clamp to teach the brothers and sisters not to touch the belly button when first born, Jack said, "I NEED a toy baby with an umbilical cord so I can play baby doctor!" Just this morning he asked me to put that on his Christmas list? Santa or one of the grandparents...who wants to try and find that doll? HA! (Please don't!!!) :)

3) When practicing diapering each brother/sister had the chance to take a diaper off the doll, wipe it clean and put a new diaper back on. When Jack's turn he did EXCELLENT. A real pro...except for one tiny little flaw. When wiping the baby he wipe the front (good!) then the behind (good!) and then went right for the eyes, ears and nose (not good!) It earned a collective groan from the parents and after Jack completed wiping every exposed part of this doll one father exclaimed, "Well, he is thorough, isn't he?"

4) When visiting the nursery and seeing all the tiny, precious, melt-your-heart newborns Jack looked in and then turned to the instructor and said, "Ready! NEXT ROOM now!" Good grief!

He received a graduation certificate, a coupon for free ice cream at McDonald's and a new sense of excitement about his soon-to-be-here baby sister. SUCCESS!

Happy Birthday Daddy

Jack was very excited to celebrate Daddy's birthday. The proof:

• He woke up yelling "SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!" Then inquired about cake.


• He gave Daddy some of his favorite toys as Birthday Presents, hiding them throughout the house and insisting Daddy go find them. Then inquired about cake.


• He picked out party favors at the store. Then inquired about cake.


• He picked out a card for Daddy. He handed it to Mom and said "It has a convertible and a red car on it. Those are two of my favorites!" Then he inquired about cake.


• He helped hang party decorations. Then he inquired about cake.

Do you see a trend here?

While Mommy was out running some last minute errands. Jack performed some random acit of naughtiness under Daddy's watchful eye. Daddy during the heat of discipline informed Jack he would have no birthday cake if the behavior continued. The behavior continued. Then the tears over the loss of cake began. Daddy gave Jack the opportunity to show he was sorry and make amends to "earn" back cake eating privileges. After 10 minutes of careful consideration, Jack came over to Daddy, crawling into his lap. He said, "Daddy I am very sorry and won't do it EVER again." To which Daddy asked, "Are you really sorry or just saying that to get cake." Jack replied, "Just saying it to get cake."

Moral of the story. Daddy learned on his 46th birthday that his son is very honest, just not so bright...and never to threaten cake as a punishment ;)