Someone stole our baby.... pumpkin!

After many busy weekends, we woke up on Saturday morning and stared at each other. No rooms to paint, showers to attend, errands to run, floors to finish or places to travel. This is where David and I are different.


"Really?" David asked. "We can just hang out around the house?"


"Weeeeeel," I said. "I would like to go to the pumpkin patch to get some cider and donuts and apples." (I know my husband well enough to know that if there are baked goods, he is more likely to go along.)


So we went to the Country Mill in Char-latte'. It was fun. We drank cider and people-watched and picked out a Daddy, Mommy and Baby Pumpkin. Baby Pumpkin was especially cute.

SOMEONE is ready to be a Daddy....

We got home on Saturday afternoon to find our neighborhood brigade of children raking EVERYONE'S leaves. They asked if they could rake ours. Um, yes. Turns out they were collecting a street-full of leaves for a gigantic leaf pile. I was happy to have my front yard raked AND contribute to the fun going on outside. In fact, I even became "that neighbor-lady" again and gave them all apple cider. And they didn't drink and run. Nope. They sat down, 7 of them, on my front porch stairs and drank their cider and talked. They told me where their bedroom windows were, about class trips to Cider Mills and about who came to watch them when their respective Mommies went to the hospital to give birth to their siblings. Bailey (my favorite) looked me right in the eye and told me that the cider was so good, it tasted just like when you bite into an apple. It was sunny and breezy outside. The apple cider was extra delicious. It makes me smile just thinking about my Baby Cute growing up in our neighborhood.


I also met another neighbor! Anne lives around the corner from us and has a daughter Bailey's age. She also has a son in high school AND a 13-year-old daughter who would just LOVE to babysit. She's even taken the American Red Cross babysitting class (which I took myself around age 13). She's going to drop by so we can meet her daughter sometime. Hooray! Now, I know we have family members eager for quality Baby Cute time, but it will be nice to have someone who is just around the corner for the occasional date night with my husband that all of the parenting magazines and books tell you to make sure to plan for the health and well-being of your marriage. It was a fun, serendipity conversation and Anne's kids all attend local Catholic schools, too. Two of them were born in October. We have such nice neighbors!


Dave left in the early evening to bartend a party. I took a tour of the neighbor girls' new "house" they had laid out with leaves. I updated my Facebook profile. I did some Baby Cute laundry and got his cradle ready to go. I ate chips and dip (mmmm) and drank, like, 4 containers of water (mmmm). And then I talked to my Mack. My friend, Mack, is far away in Albany, New York, and I miss her madly. We caught up after a few months of being slacker phone friends until I started yawning and then I headed to bed.


Now, for the title of this post. Dave got home on Saturday night/Sunday morning and our pumpkins were happily lined up on our porch stairs. When he headed out to get the newspaper on Sunday morning... Baby Pumpkin was GONE! *sigh* I'm glad he's just GONE rather than smashed on my driveway or something, but David's belief that "an animal took it" just isn't cutting it with me. We're going to have to get another Baby Pumpkin; even though I was pretty attached to our original.


Yesterday was my last shift at the Baby Store. I start my official maternity leave today. It was bittersweet, because I love working there. BUT, I worked the service desk yesterday, which meant I was on my feet for 4 hours straight and doing much more physical activity than usual. I made Dave take my picture. It's not flattering, but hey. Pregnancy is limited in its glamour and fabulousness.

Speaking of that, I feel fine. Still pregnant. My secretary announced "You're having a baby this month!" when I came in this morning. Yep, I am! Took a nice, slow walk to lunch with my friend Beth for a chicken Caesar salad (mmmmm) and lemonade.


We have our growth ultrasound and 39-week check on Wednesday. The average first pregnancy is 41.5 weeks, so I'm not holding my breath until Baby Cute makes his appearance. Am I anxious? Yes. Am I ready... Hmmm, will I ever be? Does it matter?


My body just doesn't feel "ready" yet. I don't know if that will change, but for right now, no news is good news. I am really enjoying this quality time with my hubby.... It feels good to just BE. Hang tight, everyone. If we have news, you can be sure you'll find it here!