pac mom

While M was at a conference the past three days, I tried to keep up with Abby. Last night she was especially chatty and as I walked past a mirror, I caught a glimpse of us. I was walking and she was trailing right behind me, talk, talk, talking up a storm. The scene struck me at first as very duckling-like, but then I thought it was a little more like pac man, where pac man tries to outrun the ever-speeding ghosty-things. With Matthew away, there are no cherries for this pac mom to munch (making Abby momentarily unable to capture me). I'm thankful for her cleverness, her inquisitiveness and her loving spirit, but it is official--the kid can totally outrun, outlast, and out-talk me.

Birthdays

On the eve of my 29th birthday, I thought I'd share some special news... Many times in the last weeks I've thought to blog something, but (as some of you already know) I have a great reason for not having the energy: The Pearsons Three will be The Pearsons FOUR in about seven months! We are expecting baby #2. My pregnancy with Abby was perfect--very little morning sickness, no complications, perfect birth. This time around I have been socked with nearly 24-hour nausea. Thankfully, there are now safe medications to help with this sort of thing. So if I am not as quick to blog, be patient. There will be lots to write about as the months pass. Hopefully I'll be feeling terrific in about 3 and a half weeks (week 12). The due date is May 5 (though they say any time within the month surrounding that date would be considered "on time").

Abby is absolutely thrilled to be a big sister. She talks to the baby (puts her face right on my belly and has a chat). She talks about what the baby will and will not be able to do, eat, say, have... She is very practical about things, and she seems like a little momma herself! In fact, I think she's feeling much more "motherly" than I am at the moment. Now if that would only translate into her letting me take an uninterrupted nap...

moms don't do their hair.

Abby and Meemo are playing with Abby's dollhouse. Matthew and I overheard the following conversation...
(Meemo is the kid and Abby is the mom)

Meemo: "Mommmy, it is time to wake up."
Abby: "I'm getting up, but first I have to do my homework."
Meemo: "Homework? You mean you have to do your HAIR?"
Abby: "Why would I do my hair?"

This is so true to Abby's experience of a mom-- ponytails, no curling irons, homework instead of "homemaking." I try for a balance, but it is hilarious to hear Abby be the "mom."

abby and friends

abby and friends
Originally uploaded by gennabby.

Abby loves to snuggle. If mom and dad aren't available, she'll take the next best thing. Tonight she has Pooh bear, angel bear, purple pony and blue (from blue's clues). Cozy.

Back in the Saddle

My computer came home today. The best news is this: my hard drive was not wiped out!!! This means all of my prelim exam study notes are intact (3 months worth of notes for my December 1 exam). I'm very thankful. So, I'll be blogging again. Stay tuned. Hmmm, an Abby tid bit. She had a nightmare last night that her daddy put her in the pool with two sharks. She was mad at him. They made up and had a nice walk to school.

computer probs

Dear all,
My computer is being sent to Apple for repair (of some mysterious problem). I may be a bit slow with the blogging for a bit.
Be back soon.

Allez Allez!

Century Matty
Originally uploaded by gennabby.

This pic of Matthew was taken at mile 97 of 100. He completed his first century ride in Napa valley on Sunday! Way to go!

girl meets road

I was riding my daily-rider bike (not my road bike) on campus yesterday. A left turn over a slick man-hole cover took my bike from its upright position and laid it, and me, out on the street. My first crash. So I've got scrapes and bruises on my left knee and ankle and a couple of deeper cuts and a small puncture wound on my right ankle. Thankfully the x-rays were clear: nothinkg looks broken. To top it all off I got a Tetanus (Tdap) shot. I'm limping along and will soon be better, but I may have a little souvenier from Davis...there is a thin black line of bike grease still under the deeper parts of the cuts on my right ankle. I couldn't take any more scrubbing out by the doc; I decided to take the impromptu tattoo instead. Matty is so proud.

Abby's New do

Abby got her first "real" hair cut today. So far I've been trimming her hair (and having fun playing beauty shop), but it was time for the real deal. Abbs was terrific at the shop. She chose the style, sat very still, and even asked for a few curls at the end. What a big girl!

parties in appropriate places

I've spent a couple of days deciding whether to blog this or not, but the hilarity has won out...

Abby was drawing on her doodle board and explaining her creation to Matthew:
A: I'm drawing a fairy!
M: Oh, that's a good fairy, Abby.
A: It's a fairy. She's in momma's undies! (Peals of Laughter from Abby) Here's a cake too...there's a party in momma's undies!

OK, I walked down the hall to hear this last comment and, wide eyed, walked over to see what in the world my kid was talking about. Matthew and I stifled back our laughter and tried to redirect the festivities. In cat-in-the-hat fashion, we moved the fairy party and cake to our shoes, hats, pockets and suchlike. Anywhere but in anyone's undies. This technique worked, and I think she's starting to get the point about good places for parties.

Floor d'oeuvre

At about 6 p.m. last night, Abby came up to me and breathed a big huff of breath in my face...
A: What does my "breff" smell like, momma? (said with a big grin)
G: Um, garlic?
A: Nope. Chicken Nugget.
G: Oh. Did you have chicken nuggets for lunch?
A: Nope.
G: Did you have them at Abbey O's? (Abby had a play date)
A: no. I ate the chicken nugget after 4 o'clock.
G: Where did you get this nugget?
A: Off of the floor.

OH NO! I looked over to the dining room and sure enough, the nugget she had dropped the night before was GONE. After laughing for a few seconds, I had visions of a vomiting kid and tests for mysterious bacteria. I can write this now (18 hours later) with a sigh of relief--the nugget hasn't made even the slightest difference in her very good health. I don't know what in the world is in the nuggets (and I now wonder if the ingredients even include chicken), but I'm glad that she is fine and that I'll be more motivated to sweep in the future.

Her first Dentist visit

I WISH I had brought my digital camera to capture this one, but who brings a camera to the dentist's office? Anyway, Abby had her first dental check-up at Dr. Mandelaris' office. The office is amazing in every way--the staff can make even the sheepish kiddo feel at home. They have a dedicated playroom (Abby played Pac Man for the first time!), and they have flat screen TVs secured to the ceiling above each dental chair with headphones for the kids AND sunglasses so that the dentist's light isn't too bright. The decor is great--model planes hanging from the ceiling and an open floor plan. Abby laughed, giggled, and zoned out to "Madagascar" during her teeth cleaning. When she got up from the chair, she said: "That was FUN!" This dentist is doing it right!! I was somewhat reminded of the vision for a "fun" children's hospital in the film "Patch Adams."

Abby didn't catch this, but I sure did...the doc is willing to BET that she will need braces. She did not get my chompers after all; she has daddy's jaw, but then again he hasn't ever had a cavity, so the trade off may be worth it? I guess that's partly why we keep studying and working each day: to afford braces one day.

Blessed Assurance

Abby and I were singing about wishes, and I asked her what her wishes would be. She replied:
1. To fly over a rainbow.
2. To fly over the world,
3. I wish I could jump 100 million high
4. I wish I could blow a rainbow through a cloud
5. I wish that the world was different.
6. I wish to go to Europe.
7. I wish I could be a grown-up, to be a princess with a really pretty dress that was gold with jewels on it and a top with light blue.

She asked me what I wished. When I said I wished for God to protect our family, Abby replied:
A: Momma, he already does. You need to wish for things that aren't true yet.

I smiled with tears in my eyes. It is in moments like these that I feel and witness God's grace to me.

the good life

I know it might seem strange to get a hot stone massage in the midst of a heat wave, but I'm so glad I did it! I was given a gift certificate to a spa in town for said massage and thought I'd cash it in after a long week without Matthew (he was in So. California for an economics conference). Abby and I fared fine, and apparently, so did Matthew! He said to me today (speaking of his stay in a college dorm, complete with cafeteria): "I forgot how great it is to have someone cook for you and do your dishes!" I swatted his arm and we both laughed a real belly laugh. I knew what he meant--I too would like to wake up to eggs, bacon, muffins, pancakes, fresh o.j. and a latte (ones we didn't make for ourselves, that is!).

sizzlin' hot

112 F, and rising? Is this for real? Well, yes--Davis is roasting hot right now and we are hiding out in our apartment. Thank goodness our landlords FINALLY replaced our AC unit (one window unit for the whole place and it didn't work for 2 years!). M. is in southern California for the week, and Abbs and I are trying to keep ourselves entertained in doors. Now, I know that we have family members who live in parts of the world that reach 120 F, but 112 feels like a real limit to me! I feel tired just walking to get the mail. I'm wondering how the rest of you (fam and friends reading this) are faring at this point in the summer. Write in with your best wild weather stories. Can anyone beat 112 degrees?

names

Abby likes to talk about having a sibling. The other night as I was putting her to bed, she asked:
A:Momma, can we talk?
G: Sure, what do you want to talk about?
A: Lets talk about when I have a sister or a brudder.
G: What about it?
A: Lets talk about names.

The naming chat ensued. Here are some of Abby's suggestions (some of them jokes, some of them real suggestions)...

Her top picks for a girl: Sparkle Pearson, Twinkle Twirl Pearson (I'm thinking this may indicate a "My Little Pony" influence??)
Some other ideas (delivered with giggles): Elmo, Bed, Edmund, Sunshine, Sally

An Ice Cream Saturday

Abby is on the mend (or maybe all mended). She's been on antibiotics for 2 days, and she is her old self again! On Saturday evening we decided to take her for ice cream.

M: Abby, do you want to go get an ice cream sundae?
A: No. I just want to go get ice cream now.
G: Do you know what an ice cream sundae is?
A: ice cream.
M: It is ice cream with whipped cream and chocolate and a cherry on top.
A: YES, I want to have that. But why can't we have that today?
G: We will have it today.
A: Well, why is it on Sunday?

We explained the difference between Sunday and sundae and decided that we would have ice cream Saturdays afterall.

bummer of a day

Today has been cruddy, not as bad as it could have been, but cruddy. Abbs was up from just after 2 a.m. until 6 a.m. with a fever and headache. We just took her to the doc. One no-fun strep test later and we still don't know for certain what she's got. We do know that her tummy did NOT want the ibuprofen we gave her in the doc's office--she vomited all over the place. I am glad that she did that there and not in our livingroom. She pitched a fit when we made her leave the office in a paper gown with dinosaurs on it: "This is for boys. I don't want to go outside in this; I don't look pretty in it!" I told her that it was better than wearing barf, but I don't think she was convinced! We're home, she's clean, and we're hoping that this too shall pass (quickly). So pray for the Pearsons. Pray especially for Abby's head to not ache and for her to get well. Oh yes, pray that mom and dad avoid getting this bug.

spring cleaning

We've spent the last week "cleaning" our apartment. I think maybe "clearing" is a better word for it. We've gone through every box, every drawer and every corner of our closets in a massive purging expedition. Folks, it has been a long week! Were it possible to weigh the whole lot of our possessions before and after this feat of domestic pruning, the difference would be more than a HALF TON. I'm not joking. Granted, we need to procure more seating for guests, but in the meantime, we are really enjoying the space, the simplicity and the relief.

things that go BUZZZZ in the night

Since returning home from our road trip, Matthew and I have been on a strange schedule. We've ended up staying up to watch the discovery channel until 1 a.m. a couple of nights in a row now, as we've been sucked in to the worlds of killer jellyfish, squid and bees. Little did I know that my hubby has long had a fear of africanized killer bees! We watched part of a program on the tenacious and rather scary buggers then went to bed. Several hours later I awoke to M swatting all around and brushing his arms off. I asked him what in the world he was doing and he said something about bees coming in the window. There were no bees, but that didn't stop the flailing. Once I got him to wake up, things were fine and we fell back to sleep, but I think he had a few more nightmares about bees, judging from the twitchy, wiggly sleep he got.

I've had my fair share of bad bug dreams. I think I've had about 7 or 8 spider nightmares in the last six years. I once dragged M out of bed by his leg in order to rescue him from the monster spider on the bed! I've screamed out, jumped out, swatted, and even yelled out and explative (with guests in our house at the time, no less)! Now I know I'm not the only one who has bug nightmares from time to time. Ususally Matthew laughs in his sleep, or talks, but this was really entertaining.