Lots of pink around here soon

We found out yesterday that we will be having a little baby girl.

We are thrilled!!

Ben however....he might need a little time with that information.

Everything else looked great, baby looks right on target.

"Happy Turkey Day!"

That is what Ben said all day Thursday and Friday last week. He was too cute!

We had a lovely Turkey Day spent with our friends Y'vonne and Josh at their house. Y'vonne put out quite a spread and we are stuffed! Ben never did warm up to their dog Sasha but she was just as lovely as could be to Ben. Just the best dog!

On Friday Grandma and Grandpa Whitehead came into the city and picked us up to head up to Lake Geneva for a few days spent with them and Wendy, Dom and Dean. Dean DID finally warm up to Ben though I can't blame him for being skittish, Ben was in a bit of a mood that first night! I think the boys had fun playing together and it was nice to spend time with the family.

With Wendy and I both expecting in the spring I have a feeling these all family get togethers are going to be scarce until we have kids old enough to put on couches in the basement and forget about them!

Ben is looking forward to Christmas. He "gets it" a little more this year. He knows what the decorations mean and he knows who Santa Claus is. A conversation close to this has been ongoing in our house in order for Santa to figure out what it is Ben would like under the tree, unfortunately I get the same answer EVERY time.

Me: Ben what do you want Santa to bring you this year?
Ben: Ummmm eggs.
Me: Ok, eggs. What about a toy any toys?
Ben: Ummmm straws.
Me: I was thinking of something more like a toy. A race car? Some new Crayons?
Ben: Eggs, straws and a tiny computer *holding his hands about 2 inches apart and using his little baby voice*
Me: Ok then, Santa will have to work on that.

So Santa has located eggs of the toy variety and a tiny computer, though maybe not as tiny as he has asked for. He is still working out the straws thing though. I am sure he would be thrilled with a large package of drinking straws but I'm not so sure I want those all over my house!

What baby likes

Pumpkin Bread (thanks for the recipe Aunt Marci!)
Pepperoni
Sausage links
Salami
peanut butter and honey sandwiches
Decaf Iced Tea with LOTS of ice
York Peppermint Patties
Tuna fish sandwiches (yes I'm careful, only once a week!)
Mint Milano cookies
Egg Salad Sandwiches with lots of extra mustard

What the baby does NOT like (even if Mommy does like them)

Large pieces of meat (a whole chicken breast or a steak are out)
Water
Citrus fruits
Too much sauce of any kind (texture thing?)
Deli meat
Cigarette smoke. I don't love this ever, but I usually don't gag!
Bathrooms, not sure why but any and all bathrooms, no matter how lovely, make me gag.

He's an artist

Me: Ben pick up those sticks, you are making a mess.

Ben: But it's my ART!

Yeah the sticks are still on the floor.

Imaginary Puppies

Ben has a puppy, an imaginary one, sometimes two. They are all named Clifford (as in the big red dog) but they are "tiny and cute" as Ben likes to say in his most adorable little baby voice.

The puppy goes everywhere with us, sometimes in his pocket. The puppy has to go to bed with him. If we are being too loud we are reminded that the puppy is still sleeping. Or if we, god forbid, want to sit down we have to be sure that the puppy isn't already in the chair. We have had a few squished puppy accidents! OOPS.
The puppy often has to go potty before Ben does, with a wipe and a flush.

While this imaginary puppy thing is pretty darn cute, and Todd and I aren't discouraging it in anyway, we sort of wish someone else might adopt Clifford for awhile!

The things Moms say

"We don't put Cheerios in our underwear"

"It does look like a pocket, but there is no food allowed in your underwear"

Election Day

As of last Friday I am now a Stay At Home Mom, I am capitalizing it so it looks like a professional title. I can put that on forms where they ask for occupation. So far (3 whole days!) Ben and I are doing well. I think he is enjoying his mommy time. He has occasionally asked about going to school, but is Ok with the answer that he gets to stay with mommy now.

Being home now means that Ben got to come with me to vote yesterday. Our polling place was in an elementary school gym, with a playground right outside!

Ben: What you doing Mama?
Me: Voting.
Ben Oh. I see a basketball hoop mama.
Me: yes we are in a gym.
Ben: What you doing Mama?
Me: Voting.
Ben Oh. Mama, is this a school?
Me: Yes honey it is a school.
Ben: What you doing Mama?
Me: Voting.
Ben Oh. Can I play on the slide outside?
Me: Yes as soon as I am done.
Ben: What you doing Mama?
Me: Voting.
Ben Oh.

And that is pretty much the way it went for about 10 minutes as I filled out my ballot!

In other Election Day news, Obama's rally here in Chicago took place just steps away from our building. You could feel the excitement on the streets, everyone was so pumped up. Every time they called a state for Obama you could hear the roar of people. They estimated 150-200,000 were in attendance. But as Todd said, there were just people everywhere, the restaurants were full, the bars were full, there were just people walking around outside wanted to take it all in.

Todd went out for awhile around 9:00 and walked about 4-5 blocks from our house but did not cross over into the park because there were just so many people. He took some pictures of the streets and then went up to our roofdeck and took some pictures of what he could see from up there, which was basically the whole park.













There was no news of violence or police activity, everyone was peaceful, everyone was respectful. I could not be prouder of this city.

So here is to change and to hope. Let's all work together to make these next 4 years a better 4 years.