The Random of Steph

We were driving to a toddler friends birthday party (the big two!) with Sage on Saturday when we made our way through Forest Grove. Forest Grove is to the west of us here in Hillsboro and is the home of Pacific University. As we drove by the campus with it's old buildings and dorms we decided to ask Sage a question. "Sage, are you going to go to college when you grow up?" "No!" "What are you going to do when you grow up?" "Party!" Well, there you have it. Sage is going to party when she grows up. I'd be more scared except we were on our way to a birthday party and Sage had but one thing on her mind: CAKE.

This morn the munchkin had her usual oatmeal with daddy breakfast. Apparently, Scott also fed her a banana and a piece of cheese. About an hour later, daddy leaves for work, and she needs cheese. Okay. Then I grab a bowl of cereal for myself. She demands not only to help feed it to me, but eat it herself. In between bites of cheese. After we've finished my cereal, while I'm on the phone she finds a banana in my lunch sack from yesterday. She runs up to me saying, "please, please." I feed her half of it, which she sucks down like a vacuum. I kid you not, she's eaten three times what I have this morning. And given the chance, she'd probably eat more.

It took her a little over a week. That is, to discover the drawer in our kitchen that is like the one at Grandma Terrell's. It has pot lids in it. I think you can hear her anywhere in the house. She is making NOISE. It is loud. But she's having fun. Please tell me that's all that matters. Because in about ten more minutes it's going to be OLD!

This is Sage's newest toy: Cleo the Cowgirl. Cleo has bells that jingle in her butt. The stick pony rattles and her chickens on a leash clank together. Cleo has beautiful blond ribbon hair and a big fat pink cowgirl hat. She also has matching pink cowgirl boots. And if things don't get any better, her horse, a bronco, is blue with orange hair. We love Cleo!

Yesterday I wrote about not getting pooped on recently. Do you see where I'm going with this? This morning I decided to give the somewhat half-asleep child a bath. Because she was due for one and I wanted to wake her up in hopes that she would sleep through my afternoon doctor's appointment. (Which she did.) So, the poor child, who isn't super fond of bathing or possibly the baby bathtub, cried loudly toward the end of her bath. The hunger cry at that. So I grabbed a towel draped it over my lap (with one hand might I add because the other was still on the child), grabbed the sad hungry baby and proceeded to feed her. Right there, soaking wet, half way over the bathtub. Now I've said you never dance with a naked baby. I'd like to say never feed a naked baby, of course, that's not true. If your baby is hungry and uncomfortable from a bath (and consequently naked), you just feed her. That's when she decided to poop. While eating. On the towel, you ask...

Simple version: She's still in me. Funny version: She has ignored the eviction notice and all further communication. My bro (slumlord extraordinaire) has referred me to a good lawyer. However, my mom-in-law is tight knit with a judge's wife and she is trying to get me in with the judge for immediate action. He's in Idaho so we'll have to see what kind of jurisdiction he has over here. Medical version: "You're a great candidate for labor. In fact, I'm surprised you haven't had her yet" spoken by midwife. I had my last appointment today, at 41 weeks. The plan is for me to have two non-stress tests (where they check to make sure the baby and uterus conditions are okay) every 3-4 days during the next week. Because of scheduling dilemmas, I had one this afternoon. Everything looks fine, actually, it looks really good. I have one Tuesday afternoon. If everything still looks good at that one, then they will schedule an induction time for the ...

Today Scott found a blog entitled "Geek Dad" And on it a post entitled "Top ten reasons Geeks Make Good Fathers" I'm not going to copy the whole thing here (just hit the link above and go read it for yourselves) but here's a little preview. 3. MATH. A huge plus here. No matter how old they get, Steve (geek dad) can still help with the math homework. My ability to be of assistance is going to last another few years before *I* end up throwing the math homework across the room in disgust. Looks like Scott found something the fits him perfectly. Not like he needed anymore Geek encouragement. Poor Sage. Excuse me, Lucky Sage. Sage? Sage? Are you going to come out yet?

To: Sage Ella Terrell AND ALL OTHERS OCCUPYING THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT: Stephanie Anne Sherman Terrell, Abdomen, Uterus YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that your tenancy of the premises is terminated on March 21st, 2007 (last day of rental period) and on that day you will be required to surrender possession of the premises to the Landlord. Judicial proceedings may be instituted for your eviction if you do not surrender possession of these premises on or before the date set forth above. DATED: 3/21/2007 Signature of Landlord: Stephanie Terrell Print Name: Stephanie Terrell

I don't know how. I don't. But I went to sleep last night. In my own bed, next to my own husband. Before the midnight hour, even before the cat joined us. That's right, hard to believe, but true. What's more, I slept there all night. And I mean ALL night. Granted, there were several trips to the bathroom but I was able to get back to sleep fairly quickly after each one. I woke when Scott left for swimming and when he was getting ready for work. I could have gotten up at 8 but gleefully stayed in bed until 9. Since I had been reading in bed before going to sleep, I can state that I spend a solid 12 hours in bed last night. I can't even remember the last time I did that! I'd like to say that now I've got energy or that I feel great, however that's not true. I do feel less grumpy. That's an improvement. There is only so much an over-due pregnant woman can ask for.

Why yes, it is late at night and I am still awake. It's been the routine the last week approximately. I go to bed with Scott, listen to him fall asleep, watch the cat join us, listen to him fall asleep and then after an hour of lying there, get up. No one stirs. Then I'm on the computer reading blogs (or other assorted nonsense that requires little brain power) when my Google calender tab starts flashing red. I have a reminder. Usually this is a reminder of an event scheduled for the day that has long passed. It just so happened it's been flashing since 10 minutes before the event because the Google calender window was open. If I had known what it would have told me I would have never clicked on that tab. " Sage is due starting at 12:00am " Well thanks Google calender. I was not aware of that. As if I needed one more reminder from outside my overly stretched and taxed body that I am still pregnant. As if Sage will listen to Google calender. She certainl...

while waiting for my munchkin to arrive, I needed something to do. I had been looking at the beautiful dresses in the store but hadn't wanted to buy anything because she has plenty of clothes for the first couple months. I was sure there was something cute in the dresser for her to wear for Easter. Then it occurred to me that I could make her a dress. I had a baby pattern that was pretty simple and had used before. I figured a simple little dress would be pretty easy. At the fabric store I found a very cuteembroidered linen that made Scott ooh and aah. (He doesn't usually react at all when shown fabric.) It went together pretty smoothly with the exception on those little arm holes. They were hard to finish because they were so tiny. Originally I was concerned that it might be to big (size 1-3mth , 7-13lbs) but considering how long she's hanging out, it should fit. Now I'm wondering about that drawer of newborn clothing.... good thing not much of it is new. Who knows if ...

The answer to the question that everyone seems to be asking is this: "No, I am not in labor. Yes, I am still pregnant." I have a week until my official due date and I'm REALLY hoping I'm not going to have to wait that long. Being in limbo stinks. What is a preggo girl to do??? Literally, what is a pregnant girl to do. I'm miserable , I'm tired, I have no energy, any energy I have I feel I need to try to conserve "in case" I do go into labor, I don't have any projects to finish, I don't want to start any projects that can't get finished and lastly, I have this GIANT belly. Which always gets in the way. Or, if it doesn't get in the way, it affects how the rest of my body works. The whole rest of the body, nothing, and I mean nothing, escapes it's influence. It's like a drug. Except I haven't seen any "the more you know" commercials about pregnancy. I'd ask for suggestions, but I'm afraid of wha...

and stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey. Seriously, I am done being pregnant. Yes, my due date is not for another week and a half. Yes, women safely stay pregnant for up to two weeks after their due date. Yes, I will rip your head off if you tell me I have plenty of time and nature knows what's best. (Sorry, maybe it's the hormones) I can pretty safely say that unless you are currently very pregnant or have delivered a child in the last couple months, no matter what you say, I will look at you and think, "You don't have the faintest clue." Then I will smile and try not to be mean. Although I had an appointment with my midwife yesterday and it looks like things are on the way. Which is good because I would have been very unhappy if the news had been different. She thinks it's very possible she won't see me on the 14 th because I have had my baby. Being the wise woman she is, she...