Times Like These

We are still adjusting to this new way of life that is a result of Norm's new job and me working from home. Doing things like fixing breakfast on Saturday mornings or spending time outside in the afternoons is something that Norm and I rarely had the opportunity to do before. So now that we are able to do these activities and spend quality family time, we almost have to pinch ourselves to make sure we aren't dreaming as they are taking place.

I know there are many families out there that take times like these for granted because it is "normal". I am almost thankful for all the years when we weren't able to spend times like these, because it's those many many many years that are allowing me to be grateful for today's new life.

Here are some pictures of Norm and  his little helper making breakfast this past weekend. Pretty sure Benjamin (aka Pepe, as he calls himself) was saying "I do, I do, I do" as he flipped that sausage out of the pan. Good catch Daddy Norm!

This next one he probably was saying "stop Daddy, stop Daddy, Pepe do! Pepe do!"

Priceless:

Here he had just finished using the pepper grinder and he was asking for the salt caddy...

Which he didn't get because breakfast sausage does not need salt... it doesn't need pepper either, but he sort of grabbed the pepper grinder in a second and before we knew it was grinding pepper over the pan. It all happened so fast that I couldn't even snap a picture!

Then we also get to play outside chasing Cali and listening to music:

We need to plant some trees...

About to Pop

I have never been one to make small talk with random strangers, unlike my mom who makes "line friends". Yes, "line friends" are exactly that, friends she makes while she is standing in line.

Because I don't care for small talk - I have developed a wall over the past 20-some years to where strangers (usually) won't even talk to me - which is great.

Except for when I am pregnant. Not only does my wall crumble and I can't keep the strangers away, but then I become a (growing) magnet for complete random people to burst out complete random things. For some reason people just cannot control the urge to talk to pregnant women.

Twice in one week, I've received the same comment: "Girl, you look like you are about to POP!". Which grant it, I do look like I am about to pop. But I am 5' 2" and have a small frame, where do people want my baby to go if it's not out in front of me?

29 weeks down - 11 more to go

But why would anyone in their right mind think/feel that is an appropriate thing to say to anyone? I do have to admit that both women have followed their magnificent conversation starter with "when are you due" and when I calmly answer "the end of April" their jaws dropped and they became speechless... which then became a double win for me as I carried on. 

Why can't folks be like the lady I encountered the other day at a restaurant (as I was getting ready to stuff my face with these burgers). She came up to me and said "Honey, when are you due?" so I answered. She then asked "do you know if you are having a boy or a girl?" so I answered. Then she smiled really big, pointed to a man across the restaurant and said "my husband told me you were having a boy by the way you are carrying your belly! You look beautiful! Best of luck, have a blessed day" and off she went. 

That I didn't mind. But if I get one more "you look like you are about to POP", I just may pop them right then and there.

Refreshing Work

Since October, Norm has been working here, which has been a breath of fresh air for us. It is amazing how this summer he was unemployed and we had been praying for the longest time to find a job that allowed more family time because for the past several years (all of our working lives) he has worked 60+ hour weeks in very taxing and draining environments. This new job was going to be our opportunity to reset so many buttons both for our family, our relationship and his role as a father to Benjamin.

Suddenly in August we found out we were expecting, which we had said a little while back that if we were ever blessed with another baby, we would need to consider relocating closer to family. That same week, he came across an instructor job at this school, in Augusta.

Everything happened quickly and before we knew it we were living with my Mom, I was working full time from home driving to Atlanta once a week because I was still able to keep my job here and we were getting to spend weekends together, something that has never happened (on a regular basis) since Norm and I have known each other - over 16 years.

Last weekend, the school inaugurated a teaching garden in partnership with a local church and with these folks. So we were there at 9:00am, in 35 degree weather, planting fruit trees, greens, blackberries, blueberries and all sorts of fun things... the best part is that we brought Benjamin with us and he had a blast, our little green thumb farmer.

It is so refreshing to be able to do things, like volunteering, as a family and to work for a cause that's much greater than making the rich boss even richer.

First set of volunteers deciding where to plant the trees

Evaluating the hole for the dwarf apple tree

Happy!

Perfect helper

Like Father.. like Son...
neither can keep his eyes open

Finding ladybugs

Looking for more ladybugs on his own

Helping George plant his tree in the swampy part

It is Genetic

I vividly remember when Juan must have been about Benjamin's age and we were out at dinner when he took off his pacie, dipped it in ketchup and put it back in his mouth. And repeated it.

Benjamin has been liking ketchup for a bit now, but the other morning he blew our socks off. Norm had finished feeding him breakfast, put him down from his high chair and went upstairs to grab the shoes so they could go to school.

When he came back downstairs, he found this:

Benjamin had reached the ketchup off the table, opened the cap, squirted a perfect squirt on his tray, closed the cap and was eating ketchup with his finger. He was as happy as ever. 

Some people will criticize that he shouldn't be eating "that junk", but belonging to the family that he belongs to, ketchup actually holds a very high place for us. I am convinced it is genetic. Ketchup is that one staple that you will always find in our house. We may be out of meat, out of pasta, out of butter, but never out of ketchup. Besides, he could be eating pop-tarts and drinking lemonade for breakfast... 

Re-decorating the House

Finally pretty much all of our home decor has found it's place, except for the stuff that needs to go up on the walls...

The other day I came home and I noticed that the little ceramic bowl I had put on the console table was missing. I texted Norm to see if he had moved it. He said no - he actually had no idea what I was talking about (great). Later that day I saw my mom and asked her if she had moved it - she said no. I immediately dismissed Cali because she would have just knocked the bowl down and broken it. So by default, the only other person that could have moved it, besides me and it wasn't me, was Benjamin, but why would he move it? and where would he have taken it?

This is where I had put the ceramic bowl:

Confused as ever, I shrugged it off to pregnancy brain and kept on with my day. A couple of hours later, I noticed that something didn't belong in the kitchen cart. It was the ceramic bowl.

Apparently Benjamin didn't think the bowl belonged with the picture frames, so he relocated it to be with the other ceramic plates and bowls. At least it makes logical sense.

New

Maybe I was trying to beat the record of how long I could go without blogging. Or maybe I was trying to proof to myself that I could still remember my password for the blog even though 6 months have gone by. Or maybe we have been dealing with things like: a new job for Norm, relocating to Augusta, selling a house, moving furniture to storage, being homeless for about 2 months, Thanksgiving, Christmas, adapting to Norm's new job, buying a house, moving furniture from storage, eating tacos, working remote without full time daycare for Benjamin, planning 60 holiday parties that took place over the course of 28 days and being pregnant. Or maybe tonight is the first night in a really long time that I've put Benjamin to bed and not have had something ridiculously pressing to take care of that consumed the rest of my evening.

Our lives have been such a whirlwind. I think we may finally be settled... Happy New Year!