Yawning On This Wednesday

This week I had my first pregnancy concern. As I mentioned in Six Months Pregnant, Sandi (Joe's mom) came to visit this past Saturday to Sunday. It was excellent weather over the weekend (more like summer than spring, as it was in the 80s)! While Joe took a nap on Saturday, Sandi and I took Logan (and Bella) to the school playground. I had a little bit of the pulling/pinching feeling that I've mentioned here before that I get when I walk, but I've gotten so used to it now that it doesn't really bother me. We hung out there for awhile and then walked back to the house. By then Joe was awake so we went for another walk around the neighborhood and back to the playground to fly our first kite of 2011 (Logan's first kite ever was last year).

After the walk back to our house, I noticed that I had slight-slight period cramps. But I wasn't too concerned because when I say slight, I mean that any slighter and they would have been non-existent. If I was having my period I probably wouldn't consider them cramps at all. It was evening by then so we went out to eat (took Sandi to Roja for the first time) and planned to just take it easy the rest of the night which I figured would help. It took about 3 hrs for the cramps to go away but then I felt great. (Haven't had any upper back pain or anything else this week; am up 21 lbs.)

However, on Sunday afternoon they returned again. We went out for breakfast and then I was going to go with Joe, his mom, and Logan to the zoo, but I noticed the mild cramps starting again so I stayed home and actually took a rare nap. Logan had woken up at 5:30 am that morning (and hadn't taken a nap the day before -- he was just so hyper and excited that Baba Sandi, or Ba Sandi as he now calls her, was here)!

This time they didn't go away until Monday morning (almost 24 hrs later!) so that's when I began to get concerned. I read that even mild/minor cramps can be signs of pre-term labor so Joe and I had both decided that if they were still there on Monday then I would call my doctor -- but thankfully they went away and I haven't had them since.

Still, I'm glad that I have my 24-week-check up with my doctor this Friday. It occurred to me that 24 weeks was when my cousin went into labor with her first two pregnancies (she ended up giving birth to her firstborn at 26 weeks whom she lost; her second baby's labor was able to be stopped and she went full-term). And, of course, I was born at 30 weeks. Thankfully, I remember having this exact same thing happen ONE week of my pregnancy with Logan, as well. I was 30 weeks and it was thought to be a yeast infection, although it was never confirmed. I never showed any symptoms, that is just a common reason for them and, once my doctor checked and saw I wasn't dilated nor did the fetal monitor show anything serious, she gave me a 3-day prescription cream and the cramps immediately went away. Once again, I'm not having any signs or symptoms so maybe this is just something my body does around this point?

As for other news. . .I forgot to mention in my last post that on Fri, Mar 25 I went to my neighbor Jenn's house for scrapbooking, I had written this in my fav recipe post, Chicken Bow-Tie Pasta Salad, but forgot when I was doing my "update." I need to finish Logan's baby book before Baby #2 comes!

Last Friday (April 1st), I had my first non-perfect experience with Logan's preschool. I had planned to have Joe pick him up at 5 on his way home from work, but it was a gorgeous day and I was done with my stuff, plus Joe and I had decided to take Logan to The Pizza Ranch for the first time, so at 4 I thought, what the heck I'll pick him up now.

When I arrived I saw that the classroom was empty; I figured they were still outside (they go out to play at 3:15). I realized that I didn't know where the back door was so I was glad when the assistant teacher, Michelle, came in right then with a little boy who'd wet his pants because she showed me where to go. The lead teacher, Liz, saw me before I even opened the door and I cheerfully said hi. Logan was happily riding the little bicycle around and so I thought I'd just chat with Liz for a minute. She was like, "Can you please start coming at the end of the day, it would work better for us and the kids."

I was so caught off guard that I just said, "okay" but whenever I think about it I get bothered by it because, hello, I was a measley hour early! And we pay for 6 am to 6 pm no matter what hours Logan's there, so I should be able to pick him up whenever I dang well please!

When I had first talked with La Petite, before we ever decided on them, they had said that I could come in any day I want and actually stay and participate with my child for as long as I want! I decided not to do that (because then I figured Logan would get used to me being there and have a harder time when I wasn't) but I liked that they told me that, and that I could stop in whenever I wanted. The director actually encouraged me to start off with the two half days his first week.

So I was a bit shocked by the way Liz said that to me, as if I was causing them all sorts of problems. Yes, I have yet to pick him up at 5 (what we said when I signed up Logan) -- Logan's first two days he went until 11:30, his third day 3 pm, his fourth and fifth day he was there until 4:30, and now his sixth day at 4 pm -- but we told them each morning, all except the last day, what time we were going to be picking him up -- so even if it was interrupting something, they were fully prepared for our arrival. But in reality, never has Joe or my appearance interrupted what they were doing. Plus, I only stay long enough to say a few words and grab Logan's things.

The other thing that bothered me was that she said, "I didn't do a daily sheet because I figured I'd just talk to you."

In my last update post I mentioned that Liz had been gone three of Logan's six days. So I've only received two of those daily report cards that I'd looked forward to getting since that was my only complaint with Gail -- that I never felt like I had a detailed report of Logan's days. Every single person I know who has a kid in daycare (whether at-home or professional) gets the daily sheets so I was happy when they told me that they do them at La Petite as well.

So I was surprised when Michelle didn't do them, but I knew that she was new and an assistant, so I figured as soon as Liz was back I'd get them regularly again. Well on Friday Liz told me that she doesn't like doing them and the other parents are fine not getting them, now that it's the end of the year. Um, okay?? Since she told me everything in person, I let it go.

The assistant director actually called yesterday to ask how everything is going and I debated about whether to say something but I've decided it's not a big enough deal. Apparently I'm just not destined to ever get daily sheets for Logan :p I decided that as long as I am getting a detailed verbal report when I pick him up, then I can go without the sheets. My concern is that normally Joe will be picking him up (after 5 pm) and he's not one to ask questions so if they don't volunteer everything then I might end up as clueless as I did when Logan was at Gail's. That's why I liked the daily sheet idea because then I won't have to badger Joe! Plus, Liz leaves at 4:15 pm, so we won't usually be talking to her. (Michelle stays until 6.)

That's another reason why I picked him up at 4 last Friday -- because that was Liz's first day back and I wanted to get the report from her since we'd been getting it from Michelle the other three days. So we'll see how it goes, but if I start feeling like I'm not getting the full scoop, then I'm going to say something because, unlike with Gail who never promised me any other way, I was told something that has now turned out to be false.

And, certainly if I get another itch to pick up Logan before 5 pm, I'm going to do it -- so if Liz says something again about it not being convenient for them I'm going to explain what I just wrote here.

She's admitted to being anal, meticulous and a perfectionist which at first I thought was going to be positive. Gail was super easy-going and laid back so I thought it'd be good to have a change. But maybe not (Gail and I got along wonderfully)! I'm hoping she was just in a bad mood on Friday and from now on there won't be any problems because Logan is 110% happy there.

Today Liz seemed much better when I dropped Logan off. Logan was tired because he woke up at 4:45 this morning so she gave him a hug and picked him up and was super friendly to the both of us; she sounded like she was going to give him extra care this morning.

The reason we got up so early is because my college senior year roommate, Elaine, came to spend the night last night so that she could fly out of Omaha to Seattle this morning. She had to leave at 4:45 so Joe took her to the airport (he went to work after that) and the garage door woke us up. (By the way, there was nothing to report on Monday)

Elaine arrived from Iowa at 4:30 pm yesterday (Tuesday) and brought organic pork chops to grill for supper, as well as her family's corn, and mashed potatoes. I supplied the bread and we had a yummy meal after Joe arrived home from work at 5:30. Logan woke up a little before that and was so social with her! (He'd never met her before; the last time I saw her was at my baby shower at my mom's house three years ago, and before that was shortly after Joe and I got married in 2003.) I was right about his personality changing shortly before he started preschool. He was all about, "Elaine, play basketball with me. Elaine, watch me go down my slide." He even threw a temper tantrum when he asked her to go to the basement and I told her she didn't need to do that. Gone was my timid Logan, he was a chatterbox and showing off!

Of course it probably helped that she brought him birthday gifts -- how nice! She'd made chocolate chip cookies, brought a sack of cinnamon and honey pretzels, and gave Logan two matchbox cars, a book, and a notepad. Logan was very appreciative. This morning he kept asking where she had gone and when she would be back. (Her return flight is on Sunday.)

Two mornings this week of getting up before 6 am have made me feel so groggy and worthless. . .a voice in my head said, "Get used to it Andrea." :( It's probably true. . .this is going to be my every day pretty soon!

After I dropped Logan off at La Petite (for my first time), I drove a half an hour away to get Logan a gift for his birthday. . .and I realized that it was only 8:30 (too early for stores to open). I don't usually have that problem so it hadn't even crossed my mind! I drove around for a half an hour, looking for somewhere else to go, but there was no place open. I thought by 9 the stores that I wanted to go to would be open -- but I realized the signs on their doors said 10 am! :( I was bummed, as I'd already felt I'd wasted a half an hour and didn't want to waste another hour. I was starving, it felt like it should be lunch time, so I decided to head home. Along the way I passed Wal-Mart which was open, so I stopped there and was happy to see the gift there that I wanted to get Logan.

Afterward I realized I HAD to eat. I don't usually crave fast food but I was today and ran into the same problem -- none were open! By the time I got back to my area it was 10:20 am so I thought, well I'll go through the McDonalds drive-thru, after all they are open 24 hrs, right?

I got up there and saw the breakfast menu so I said, "Are you serving lunch?"
"In ten minutes."
UGH! So I parked and waited for ten minutes, then finally got my lunch and headed home.

It's a good thing I'm not a morning person or else I'd never get anything accomplished! And here I thought that the world operated on a morning person's schedule -- but I was wrong. I'll stick to sleeping in and slowly getting ready in the mornings. :p

Needless to say, it feels like the day should be over, but it's only 1:30 pm. So I am going to order food for Logan's birthday party now and then we'll be ready for next weekend!