Hope

I had been told by a slew of folks back in Ohio who originally were from or visited frequently to Minnesota that I would be delightfully surprised at how much more sunny and blue-skied the winters in Minnesota were compared to those in OH.

So I got myself all pumped up, thinking: "I can handle this! I've always said, sunny is just as if not MORE important than warm. Sunny skies, HERE WE COME!"

The past two weeks, grey, overcast, dreary skies have been Mother Nature's choice here in Rochester. I was just beginning to think that those encouraging words from folks back in Ohio were just hollow warm-fuzzies to keep my psychi positive.

But in the past two days, I have found that the Minnesotans around here have begun complaining and griping and seem all-out TICKED about the grey-ness. Ahhhh. I find this to be VERY comforting. Complaints = Hope, as far as I'm concerned! It's convincing evidence that, although I am intimately familiar with several, several days in a row of drear (got trained well in Cleveland and Columbus), Minnesotans are NOT. And they want their skies back.

Thank you, Minnesotans for vocalizing your impatience with Mother Nature. My hope is restored.

Half Way There!

20 weeks pregnant today.

"Sesame" is half way cooked!

I love him/her so much.

Tonight when I was rocking with Jackson right before laying him down, we were snuggling so closely that Sesame's kicking HAD to be penetrating into Jackson's side. If he weren't SO EXHAUSTED, he may have actually noticed (note: tiredness due not only to a short afternoon nap but also to Family Night at House of Bounce, a new when-winter-is-making-you-stir-crazy option here in Rochester which involves LOTS of inflatables...).

Can you believe Jackson is gonna have a sibling? It still doesn't seem real. As I told KK today, I am practicing with Jackson on the task of holding his mother's hand (without protest or handcuffs necessary) when walking from the car to a store or across the street or in a parking lot, instead of just hauling him around on my hip (the more convenient time-wise way yet more physically inconvenient way.) Cuz when I have an infant carrier in the crook of one elbow, I'd imagine Jackson is gonna be walking on his own two feet if we're going anywhere out and about!

Imagine this:

My husband retracing his steps through Hyvee (comparable to Kroger here in MN) last night in an effort to reclaim a coupon he dropped.

So cute.

I had purchased the WAY-generic diapers the last time I picked them up, and the darn things ripped like crazy and the tabs lost their sticky tabs and the whole thing was a mess. So I spent some tedious time reporting this dissatisfaction to their customer service line (expecting to get a couple packs free, mind you), only to be offered a $2 off coupon in the mail. Whoopdeedoo.

So when Scott volunteered last night to go grocery shopping for me (LOVE HIM FOR THAT!), I was thrilled to accompany my list with that diaper coupon along with one for a free bottle of Kraft dressing (nearly $3!). I was so proud of myself for saving our family almost 5 buckaroonees!

He came home giggling at himself, reporting that about 3/4 of the way through the grocery trip, he realized the coupons in his hand were missing. The typical Scott- in an effort to get the job DONE and get it done QUICKLY - would have let it go and proceeded with the task at hand without thinking twice about it. But, knowing how the diaper debocle had become a matter of principle to me and how excited I was to get a free bottle of dressing, he retraced his steps, head down, combing each of the previous aisles he had been down. He probably let out a victorious yelp when he found them, all the while thinking how funny it would be to tell me.

Good husband award for yesterday, earned by Scott Gibson Arthur.