C2E2

Jorge has been going to comic conventions for a long time. Usually he goes with one of his friends or takes Sidney and jasmin. He's been wanting to take Gabe since Gabe was born. I have never been. Jorge can get a little bit of tunnel vision when he's around this kind of stuff and I didn't want to just be following him the whole day. (I've kinda boycotted the flea market because he has to walk the whole thing, even if it's hot or there's not a lot of good vendors).



















Anyways, this year I agreed to go on Sunday because it's kids day. We searched for a good costume for Gabe, but the Disney store's stuff was so expensive for one day (because there's only a slim chance it would still fit by Halloween). We decided he would be Finn from 'Adventure Time'. His whole costume only cost $20 and he can wear everything again! (Score!)































Everyone at C2E2 loved gabe's costume!! They kept saying things like "he's so cute! Look! At little Finn!" If he were more outgoing I'm sure people would have wanted to take his picture. He wore his costume, but he was still shy gabe.
We did convince him to take a few pictures with some people though.

I surprisingly had A LOT of fun! I want to go again next year. I would like to dress up too. Maybe I could be a steampunk version of tinkerbell? I think Sidney is going to be Harley Quinn. We've got to plan our costumes, the past two years she's made hers kinda last minute.

jen

I'm a big kid now

It's official. I have a child, not a toddler, not a baby. There have been a lot of changes lately for my little man. Sometimes, I forget how little he still is because he does other things that make me think he's so much older.

We went to the dr last week. Gabe needed a checkup before we could register him for school. We didn't go to his three year old checkup, so this was the first trip to the doctor since he was two (maybe two and a half). He always cried at the doctor. They could have been doing easy things like weighing him or taking his temp, and he cried. This time, he was such a great kid. He did everything they asked without any kind of fear. He even got a shot with out crying or screaming. All he said was ouch!

There's been another new development that I've been hesitant to blog about because I don't want to jinx it...gabe is sleeping in his own bed!!!! About two weeks ago he said he wanted to sleep in his bed. We brought his bed in our room and he went to sleep in his bed! He came in our bed sometime during the night, but that was the first time that he fell asleep in his bed without Jorge or I rubbing his back or holding his hand. The next night, he spent the whole night in his bed! With one or two exceptions, he has fallen asleep in his own bed and spent the entire night there!





He's been really great with baby L as well. He helps hold his bottle and he plays with him. I'm glad he's enjoying our new job so much. He still asks about Molly's house, and can even tell you which way it is when we are in glenview! I think he's so smart, but I'm a little biased.

The final change in my big kid is the fact that he registered to start preschool in the fall! If he could have it his way, he'd be starting right now. We've had to go to school a few times and he's always telling me about wanting to meet his teacher, wear his backpack, go on a school bus and play on the playground. He has to do an assessment at the end of the month, and I'm pretty sure he will pass with flying colors (if he can sit still long enough).



-jen

We're off to the Shedd

Friday was a great day! Gabe and I went to the aquarium with baby L and his family. I love the aquarium, but it is soooo expensive. It would be over $100 for the four of us to go! The last time we went to the aquarium, Gabe was so young he doesn't even remember it.

So little time

Wow! I have a new-found appreciation for moms with two little kids. Between Gabe and 8 month old baby L, I'm wiped out when I get home at six. The really great part is being so close to home, I'm not wasting half of my evening traveling. It takes 7 minutes to get home and that's because I have to drive around the block.










Baby L is starting to army crawl. I remember when Gabe was army crawling he used to make the funniest faces! Being on the move is great but also kinda sucks. He's not happy in his jumper anymore and Gabe is always trying to crawl with him, sometimes getting in his way. (Who am I kidding? Gabe intentionally gets in baby L's way) there is a lot of jealousy going on for sure. I try and make time to cuddle with Gabe while the baby is sleeping though.

There's also been a lot going on family wise. My dad might be moving, Tim's getting married, and I actually have time to hang out with friends now, so I've had a little less time to blog. I know I've said
this before, but I'm really going to try harder to blog more often.

Happy Easter everyone!

-jen

Smoking

Let's be honest, my mom died because of smoking. I have never liked smoking and have never smoked a single cigarette in my life. I don't understand why people smoke, but I guess some people don't understand why I love coffee so much.




Growing up in a house of smoke for 25 years, I never realized what it was doing to things. For example, we took a tv from my mom when we moved. We cleaned and cleaned, it had that much smoke residue on it. It smelled faintly of smoke too. When we would go over for Sunday dinners, I would notice that we smelled like smoke once we got home. I cannot believe that for 25 years I smelled like smoke and I never knew it.

I'm honestly kind of disgusted by people who smoke. You are poisoning your body and possibly the bodies of the people around you. It doesn't really make it better if you smoke outside, you're still smoking. I really wanted mom to stop smoking once Gabe was born, but she didn't. She always tried to smoke away from him, but she wouldn't give it up, no matter how much I begged her. I wonder if she would still be here if she had quit for Gabe. I also wonder how much I need to worry about my own lung health because I lived with second hand smoke for such a long time.

I don't want to be preachy or anything and I'm sorry if it comes off that way. Smoking has taken many people from me. Before I was born, my mom's dad died from lung cancer. In 2005, my mom's mom also died from lung cancer. I still don't understand how my mom didn't stop smoking at that moment. Honestly, I'm more terrified when I think about so many people on my mom's side dying from lung cancer. I feel like I must be more susceptible to it. I hope this post changes just one person's mind about lighting their next cigarette.