So Bruce and Adam worked together to patch the little guys' entry location. It is solid and so far no break-thrus...
We still have the trap set under the stairs but have yet to catch or see anything.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Monday, September 3, 2007
Chipmunks...
So I'm venturing away from the baby for a bit to bring you an update on our chipmunk(s) saga.
As some of you are aware, we had a furry visitor invade our house last weekend. He randomly showed up at the top of the stairs, then ran and hid in our bedroom. Adam (my hero) was able to put on some leather gloves and catch him, releasing him into the "great-outdoors". (AKA - the backyard.) We figured that would be the last of him and he had learned his lesson. If he did, he isn't much of a talker. These critters are seriously motivated!
So his entry spot was underneath the front stoop where he dug a hole and crept in under the foundation. KC, our cat, has been spying on him for some time but we didn't realize what she was spying on until we saw him in the fur. To remedy the situation, our landlord cleverly filled the hole with steel wool and Adam covered it with a brick. We all figured that would hold them until we got the hole filled with concrete... WRONG...
So this little guy (seriously, not so big) dug around the brick, proceeded to move it out of the way by toppling it over, then chewed through the steel wool! Adam is out right now buying a live trap. Now to catch these things before we somehow catch KC and/or before they start chewing through our electrical wires, have babies, and/or give KC some random rodent disease!
Alvin, Simon, Theodore! Look out - we're coming to get you...
As some of you are aware, we had a furry visitor invade our house last weekend. He randomly showed up at the top of the stairs, then ran and hid in our bedroom. Adam (my hero) was able to put on some leather gloves and catch him, releasing him into the "great-outdoors". (AKA - the backyard.) We figured that would be the last of him and he had learned his lesson. If he did, he isn't much of a talker. These critters are seriously motivated!
So his entry spot was underneath the front stoop where he dug a hole and crept in under the foundation. KC, our cat, has been spying on him for some time but we didn't realize what she was spying on until we saw him in the fur. To remedy the situation, our landlord cleverly filled the hole with steel wool and Adam covered it with a brick. We all figured that would hold them until we got the hole filled with concrete... WRONG...
So this little guy (seriously, not so big) dug around the brick, proceeded to move it out of the way by toppling it over, then chewed through the steel wool! Adam is out right now buying a live trap. Now to catch these things before we somehow catch KC and/or before they start chewing through our electrical wires, have babies, and/or give KC some random rodent disease!
Alvin, Simon, Theodore! Look out - we're coming to get you...
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
31 Week Belly
First, a picture of the baby's cocoon:
Second, a couple pics of the progressing nursery. Really, the fact that it is "clean" is our first BIG step! As Adam mentioned before, thank-you very much G&G O for the glider/ottoman!
And last, but not least... Here are our new recliners. I'm personally glad we got two b/c otherwise I would never get to sit in one! I'm afraid for football season to start... ;-)
31 Weeks
Baby:
As usual, she is moving and growing. It seems like she has slowed down a bit on the growth spurts recently, or at least from mom's downward angled view... She now weighs roughly 3.5 pounds and is around 17 inches long from the crown of her head to her toes. They say she is starting to pack on enough weight to look a little "chubby" and has enough facial muscles to form different facial expressions.
Mom:
Things seem to be coming along. With just under 9 weeks remaining, we're making progress on the nursery, furniture, wrapping things up at work (or attempting to), and slowly gathering random things we'll need for our new addition. I just realized the other day I'd have to make room in the kitchen cabinets for bottles!
I've been feeling pretty good this week - in fact, I've felt better this week than the past few weeks which is weird but I'm not complaining! Sleeping is a little more difficult every day as she becomes more active and fussy over how I lay. I'm starting to walk like a pregnant woman! Yes, everyone, I admit it... I've stopped using the stairs at work unless I have to. (My office is on the 3rd floor and the restrooms are on the 1st floor - obviously a man's doing.) I kind of waddle towards the end of the day when I'm just plain pooped. Even when I'm walking normal, I'm starting to notice my stomach "waddle"!
Dad:
The new chairs and glider are great. We already have our “his” and “her” recliner picked out. They were a little spendy, but should last us quite a few years (or until the kids-to-be paint them with nail polish, cut them with scissors, set them on fire, etc.). I have to say thank you to my parents, Grandma and Grandpa O., for purchasing the glider in the nursery. I’m sure it will be a lifesaver (or at least sleepsaver) in a couple months.
We can really feel and see the baby moving now. For those of you that haven’t felt something like that, I’ll try to explain what it’s like. Hmmmm…OK I think I have something somewhat close. Put your hand on your cheek, then try to touch your hand with your tongue….it’s not exact, but that’s kind of what it feels like.
Tomorrow, the baby will get to experience her first ISU football game. She won’t be able to get the full effect without being able to watch, but at least she will be able to hear the roar of the crowd. The way the Cyclones played last year, it might be good she can’t see anything. She is going to be my little football buddy this fall. She’ll watch Vikings and Cyclone games on TV with me and enjoy it, mostly because she won’t know any better and mom will love having a break.
Alright now, admit it, how many of you tried the whole hand/cheek/tongue thing? :-)
As usual, she is moving and growing. It seems like she has slowed down a bit on the growth spurts recently, or at least from mom's downward angled view... She now weighs roughly 3.5 pounds and is around 17 inches long from the crown of her head to her toes. They say she is starting to pack on enough weight to look a little "chubby" and has enough facial muscles to form different facial expressions.
Mom:
Things seem to be coming along. With just under 9 weeks remaining, we're making progress on the nursery, furniture, wrapping things up at work (or attempting to), and slowly gathering random things we'll need for our new addition. I just realized the other day I'd have to make room in the kitchen cabinets for bottles!
I've been feeling pretty good this week - in fact, I've felt better this week than the past few weeks which is weird but I'm not complaining! Sleeping is a little more difficult every day as she becomes more active and fussy over how I lay. I'm starting to walk like a pregnant woman! Yes, everyone, I admit it... I've stopped using the stairs at work unless I have to. (My office is on the 3rd floor and the restrooms are on the 1st floor - obviously a man's doing.) I kind of waddle towards the end of the day when I'm just plain pooped. Even when I'm walking normal, I'm starting to notice my stomach "waddle"!
Dad:
The new chairs and glider are great. We already have our “his” and “her” recliner picked out. They were a little spendy, but should last us quite a few years (or until the kids-to-be paint them with nail polish, cut them with scissors, set them on fire, etc.). I have to say thank you to my parents, Grandma and Grandpa O., for purchasing the glider in the nursery. I’m sure it will be a lifesaver (or at least sleepsaver) in a couple months.
We can really feel and see the baby moving now. For those of you that haven’t felt something like that, I’ll try to explain what it’s like. Hmmmm…OK I think I have something somewhat close. Put your hand on your cheek, then try to touch your hand with your tongue….it’s not exact, but that’s kind of what it feels like.
Tomorrow, the baby will get to experience her first ISU football game. She won’t be able to get the full effect without being able to watch, but at least she will be able to hear the roar of the crowd. The way the Cyclones played last year, it might be good she can’t see anything. She is going to be my little football buddy this fall. She’ll watch Vikings and Cyclone games on TV with me and enjoy it, mostly because she won’t know any better and mom will love having a break.
Alright now, admit it, how many of you tried the whole hand/cheek/tongue thing? :-)
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
30 Week Belly
As you can tell, baby is growing on the inside and mom is growing outwards!
The girls had an idea that Adam should compete with me on whose tummy was bigger... Even after a few beers and pushing as hard as he could, Adam just couldn't replicate his growing baby girl. All he ended up with was a sore stomach! :)
The girls had an idea that Adam should compete with me on whose tummy was bigger... Even after a few beers and pushing as hard as he could, Adam just couldn't replicate his growing baby girl. All he ended up with was a sore stomach! :)
30 Weeks!
Baby:
She is now about 17 inches long and weighs 3 pounds! Her lungs are continuing to develop as she practices her breathing inside the womb. Her vital organs are also continuing to develop including her nervous system, brain, and eyes. She is still sleeping about 95% of the time (I think she kicks more than 5% of the time!) and some studies have shown brain activity at 30 weeks indicating she may be dreaming. I wonder what an unborn baby dreams about…
Mom:
It is hard to believe we are in the last ¼ of the pregnancy! Every week that passes brings my excitement level up a notch. For starters, the due date is fast approaching – just over 2 months, aka 10 weeks, aka 70 days! Secondly, I feel more confident that she is developing (proof in my tummy size) and could be healthy even if she comes early.
It has been another full week. I was able to see my two roommates from college this past Monday. Dawn and Skippy came into town and we had dinner to celebrate Dawn’s birthday. It was AWESOME to see them and be together again. It has been at least 2 years if not more since we were all in the same place at the same time… Time flies!
We’re slowly gathering and “nesting”. This Friday our glider/ottoman will arrive as well as the rocker/recliners we purchased. We decided both were long-term investments and worth the money if they helped comfort our little girl and us! Now watch, she will end up being the one and only baby who doesn’t like rocking! Becca also send me a very nice care package w/ things she used with Ila. Included in it was a Snoogle body pillow. This thing rocks! I’ve been using a regular body pillow which certainly works, but the Snoogle fits so nicely under the belly plus adds support for between my legs and my head. Thanks! (I recommend this to any expecting mother, as does Adam who now has more room in our full-size bed! Apparently 1 Snoogle is smaller than 3 pillows!?)
Dad:
First off, congrats to my buddy Dave who just had a little girl yesterday. Madison Nichole weighed in at 7lb-12oz and was 19-1/2” long. I guess they had some complications during/after the delivery with both baby and mom, but everything turned out OK. It’s strange, after all of the crazy stories I’ve heard about what can go wrong during the delivery, I’m actually still pretty calm. I just believe everything is going to be OK. I guess I could stress out about everything that could happen, trying to come up with a contingency plan for each scenario, but that would be a futile effort. And with my luck, if anything went wrong, it would be something I didn’t think of, so what’s the point.
Overall, things are normal on the homefront. We are starting to build up a nice collection of baby stuff and got a big boost tonight. We recently discovered Freecycle in the Iowa City area. It’s a program where people give away things that they no longer have use for, but don’t want to throw away. Essentially, it’s like a free garage sale. People list everything from coupons to lawn mowers, air conditioners to pet birds, and sofa sleepers to 350 clean 6 oz. plastic yogurt containers. It will be great for when Sarah and I have to move and get rid of the junk we’ve accumulated. But back onto the topic - Just tonight we picked up a bag of about 25 outfits for 6-12 month olds, all for free. We thought we might get some ratty clothes that the kid could puke all over and wear around the house, but a lot of them had the original store tags still attached. We are getting ready a little bit at a time as the big day approaches. (Random thought: I wonder if they ever give away free beer.)
She is now about 17 inches long and weighs 3 pounds! Her lungs are continuing to develop as she practices her breathing inside the womb. Her vital organs are also continuing to develop including her nervous system, brain, and eyes. She is still sleeping about 95% of the time (I think she kicks more than 5% of the time!) and some studies have shown brain activity at 30 weeks indicating she may be dreaming. I wonder what an unborn baby dreams about…
Mom:
It is hard to believe we are in the last ¼ of the pregnancy! Every week that passes brings my excitement level up a notch. For starters, the due date is fast approaching – just over 2 months, aka 10 weeks, aka 70 days! Secondly, I feel more confident that she is developing (proof in my tummy size) and could be healthy even if she comes early.
It has been another full week. I was able to see my two roommates from college this past Monday. Dawn and Skippy came into town and we had dinner to celebrate Dawn’s birthday. It was AWESOME to see them and be together again. It has been at least 2 years if not more since we were all in the same place at the same time… Time flies!We’re slowly gathering and “nesting”. This Friday our glider/ottoman will arrive as well as the rocker/recliners we purchased. We decided both were long-term investments and worth the money if they helped comfort our little girl and us! Now watch, she will end up being the one and only baby who doesn’t like rocking! Becca also send me a very nice care package w/ things she used with Ila. Included in it was a Snoogle body pillow. This thing rocks! I’ve been using a regular body pillow which certainly works, but the Snoogle fits so nicely under the belly plus adds support for between my legs and my head. Thanks! (I recommend this to any expecting mother, as does Adam who now has more room in our full-size bed! Apparently 1 Snoogle is smaller than 3 pillows!?)
Dad:
First off, congrats to my buddy Dave who just had a little girl yesterday. Madison Nichole weighed in at 7lb-12oz and was 19-1/2” long. I guess they had some complications during/after the delivery with both baby and mom, but everything turned out OK. It’s strange, after all of the crazy stories I’ve heard about what can go wrong during the delivery, I’m actually still pretty calm. I just believe everything is going to be OK. I guess I could stress out about everything that could happen, trying to come up with a contingency plan for each scenario, but that would be a futile effort. And with my luck, if anything went wrong, it would be something I didn’t think of, so what’s the point.
Overall, things are normal on the homefront. We are starting to build up a nice collection of baby stuff and got a big boost tonight. We recently discovered Freecycle in the Iowa City area. It’s a program where people give away things that they no longer have use for, but don’t want to throw away. Essentially, it’s like a free garage sale. People list everything from coupons to lawn mowers, air conditioners to pet birds, and sofa sleepers to 350 clean 6 oz. plastic yogurt containers. It will be great for when Sarah and I have to move and get rid of the junk we’ve accumulated. But back onto the topic - Just tonight we picked up a bag of about 25 outfits for 6-12 month olds, all for free. We thought we might get some ratty clothes that the kid could puke all over and wear around the house, but a lot of them had the original store tags still attached. We are getting ready a little bit at a time as the big day approaches. (Random thought: I wonder if they ever give away free beer.)
Thursday, August 16, 2007
29.5 Weeks
Baby, Mom, and Dad:
29.5 Week Belly
Adam & Grandpa A - What did you get yourselves into this time???
For the time-being, Sarah has lovingly nicknamed our baby girl "Flutter Bug". Reason - she moves so much it keeps her up at night and distracts her at meetings. It is an awsome feeling, especially as the baby is getting bigger, but things have been really busy around the homestead, making sleep important. End of season softball tournaments, professional conferences, saying goodbye to friends who are moving on, golf tournaments, thesis writing, meeting various deadlines, testifying in court, looking at gliders/rockers/recliners, and random other obligations/errands....so you don't get much to read. Instead, you are getting a few pictures to look at....(Sarah says, "Hey, they're worth a thousand words each!")
29.5 Week Belly
29.5 Week Belly with KC (AKA Belly Jumper) That's right, KC - NO JUMPING ON THE BUMP!!!
Adam & Grandpa A - What did you get yourselves into this time???
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