Summary of this week

I'm definitely beginning to notice "pregnancy brain" setting in. For those of you who don't know what "pregnancy brain" is, it's that special time when you have more blood pumping to your belly than your brain, therefore causing forgetfulness, dizzy spells, irritability, trouble focusing on current tasks and inability to complete coherent sentences. "Pregnancy brain" - that's my definition anyway. This could also be that I have a hundred million things going on at once, plus two kids, plus a husband with a crazy work schedule, plus housework, plus new book and movie releases... But I'm blaming it on "pregnancy brain". I know you know what I'm talking about.

In light of this made-up "condition", I'm going to try and focus enough to update you on our goings-on of the past week or so. We have been pretty busy! Also, there are plenty of random thoughts zooming through my head right now that I'm sure a few tangents will get thrown in the mix. Bare with me...

Last Saturday was Gabe's 5th birthday party at the bowling alley on AFB (Air Force Base) Osan. They have a bunch better bowling alley than ours, equipped with a party room, a play area and kid's bowling area. In the kid's bowling area, there are couches and shorter lanes and built in bumpers, very comfy to sit and watch a bunch of kids going crazy. We had a blast! All in all, we had 12 kids, including Gabe, come and join in the festivities. Pizza, soda, cupcakes and rice krispy treats, what's not to love?

Sunday, Zander got his first real hair cut. By that, I mean he got more than a trim. All three boys went to the barber shop and Zander proceeded to scream his head off until one of the "barbers" (I put quotations because all the barbers on base are women and I feel like barber is one of those male-only words) gave him a chocolate sucker. He then sucked and drooled until the hair cut was over.

Tuesday, we took a field trip to Asan World Botanical Gardens with the Humphrey's Playgroup on base. It was fantastic! There are over 1000 different species of plants and flowers in huge greenhouses that you walk through. I can't even describe to you how big it is. From the outside, it just looks like a bunch of greenhouses standing next to each other. When you go in, there are the most amazing displays of plant life. There are parts that look like a jungle where you walk through and you are engulfed with huge banana leaves. Then there are parts where cacti grow to the ceiling and it's hot like a desert. There's a huge water display that has water flowers and huge fish and an aviary where you can feed birds straight from your hand. One thing that I have said from the beginning that I love about Korea, is how cheap it is to go to "attractions". Admission prices for the garden were 5,000W for over 12, 3,500W for 4-12 year olds and free for 3 and under. For the three of us to go, it was 8,500W or roughly $7.75! Also, there were benches and picnic tables so we could bring our lunch with us, saving more money. Most places in the States don't allow outside food or drink so you have to buy lunch there. Almost all the Korean attraction places allow you to bring food/drink with you, even Everland (Korean Disney World) which really surprised me. At the very end there was a gift shop/flower shop where you could buy some of the herbs and flowers that you saw throughout the garden, also very cheap. There were pots of mint and thyme you could buy for 1500W or $1.30, unheard of! Even the toys were reasonably priced, Gabe got a ball (size of a softball) that has a fish and stars and a light that glows when it bounces for 5000W or $4.50. That might sound like a lot for a toy, but I always like to get the boys something at the end because admission is so cheap! Also because we went as a group, they gave us each a baby cactus to take home and plant! No where in America do you get something free just because you came and paid for a ticket. We had a lot of fun and I recommend it, even if it is pretty hard to get to. If anyone is interested, I can email you the copy of directions. I have so many great pictures that I would love to post on here, but it would take too long and I have the majority of them on my facebook page.

And then, Gabe got sick. I don't really know how he got sick, but he did. And badly. He and I were up all Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning, he was throwing up and I was rubbing his back. Poor kid. There's nothing worse than seeing your child screaming and crying because they hurt so badly and just want it to stop. Thankfully, Matt was able to take enough time off work Wednesday morning that he brought Gabe into the clinic so Zander and I could get some sleep. Zander doesn't like it when Gabe's sick either, he screams and cries and wants to make sure Gabe's okay. And he screams and cries because I can't hold him. He was up the majority of Tuesday night/Wednesday morning too. The Doctor said there's a stomach bug going around right now and that he should be fine after 48 to 96 hours. Gabe was really tired when he finally got home and slept yesterday from 4pm until 8am this morning. There was a big event for the kid's this morning on base, The Spring Fling, but when Gabe got up he asked if we could just stay home instead. So, I don't think he's quite back to normal yet. I'm sure that once he's rested and his appetite returns, he'll be running around the house.

In better news, I got a super early birthday present! Sunday when we were shopping at Osan's BX and Commissary, I noticed they had a whole display with different types of Keurig brewers (There's a link, in case you don't know what I'm talking about). That seemed to be the go-to gift this Christmas, so many people posted on Facebook about how much they loved their Keurig and while I thought about ordering one both at Christmas and just in general (we need a replacement), I was nervous about ordering and having something of such monetary value shipped to our APO (if you don't know about our experiences with Best Buy, Blu-ray player and Nook, ask me). Our PX only carries the Mini-Brewer, which is good I'm sure, but I'm a bells and whistles kind of girl. I want the different options. The one I was eye balling and trying to justify was the Cuisinart Keurig, it has everything, but it also costs around $200. When I saw Osan's BX had the Special Edition Keurig, I jumped for joy! Although it doesn't have ALL the bells and whistles as the Cuisinart brewer, it's still fancy. We love it! I highly recommend it. Right now, we've only had the samples that came with the machine, but I've been checking out the k-cups on Keurig's website to get ideas of what to order next. If anyone has any recommendations, please let me know! All in all, despite the initial cost of the machine, the actual coffee cups you put in the machine are relatively cheap - around $14 for 24 cups. If Matt and I both go to Starbucks, we're looking at around $9 for two Venti lattes. Even if Matt stops at a Shoppette to get a coffee on the way to work, it's still about $2 a trip. Now, I have the machine programmed to be on when he gets home from PT until around 10am and he can make a cup of coffee to bring in to work with him in the morning. With the amount of coffee we both drink, I think it's going to be a good investment. I really hope the movers don't break it, like they did my espresso machine, I'll be very unhappy. Also, in case you didn't know or haven't memorized the website (like myself) you can buy k-cups that have hot chocolate, tea or apple cider! Very exciting! It's the little things that fill my heart with joy!

To sum it up, it's only Thursday but it's been a very busy week for us. I'm hoping once Gabe's kicks this bug, everything will slow down. In a funny story, when I told Gabe that he has a stomach bug, he got very upset. "It must be a bee in my stomach and that's why it hurts so much. It keeps stinging me so that's why I puke!" I thought it was smart and funny and that it deserved to be shared.

Brong Baby #3

It's true.

Matt and I are expecting... again... This one really snuck up on us. But we're happy nonetheless, excited to have all three close in age and to complete and round out our family.

Questions, I know everyone has lots of questions. Here's a break down.

How far along are you? I'm roughly 8 weeks pregnant right now. We're looking at a due date of October 28th, 2011. I plan on pushing that baby out pre-Halloween or holding it in until November.

*Fun fact - Gabe's birthday is in March, mine's in April, Zander's is in May, Matt's is September, this one could be October. Apparently we like sequence.

What does this mean for our time in Korea? After seeing the head nurse today, we received paperwork stating that I am to leave the country within the week of July 8th, 2011. Basically, I need to leave by my 24 week mark so that I can get acquainted with the new hospital and health care provider at our new base.

What about Matt? Now that we have documentation by a health care source that I am, indeed, pregnant and will need to leave the country early, Matt will apply for curtailment orders. These are basically orders that say he needs to leave the country to accompany his pregnant wife, because she's pregnant.

What are the chances he'll get curtainment orders approved? Honestly? I'm hoping 50/50. We're not really sure. We didn't even know it was possible to get curtailment orders until someone else brought it up to Matt. Regardless if he gets approved to accompany me and the boys, we are still leaving sometime the week of July 8th.

Where are you going next? Because of this new development, we still don't know where we're going. Once we find out if Matt's been approved for tour curtainment, we will be able to call the branch manager and get orders for our next duty station. If Matt gets approved for curtainment, his report date would be a lot earlier than if we were still in Korea. The report date helps determine what duty station we'll go to. If he's not approved to accompany us, our apartment will be packed and the truck shipped before the boys and I leave and Matt will move in the barracks on base.

Are you hoping for a girl? I know a lot of people are going to ask that, and honestly, I don't really care. As long as the baby is healthy and happy, we'll be happy. Matt and I have talked a lot about if we want to find out at the ultrasound and we still haven't really decided. A big part of me doesn't want to know because it doesn't matter. We'll be back in the states prior to the birth, so I'll be able to get all the shopping I need done. We already have names picked out for both genders. It would make things a little easier knowing, I guess, but it's not nearly as important as having a healthy baby.

Have you been sick? Eh, it depends on the day. Sometimes, I'm super nauseous and can't get out of bed, other days, I'm perfectly fine and running around with the boys. So far the biggest difference with this pregnancy has been my appetite. I can't seem to eat enough! Every two to three hours I have to eat something substantial. Also, I'm much more tired but I suppose that's to be expected now that I have two children I'm running after.

What are the names you've picked out? We're not telling, and don't ask Gabe, he won't tell you either.

I can't really think of anything else, and Zander's raiding the snack drawer. If you can think of anything else you want to know, let me know. I'll answer it as soon as I get a chance.

List of Books

List of books I've read since we've been in Korea:

A Touch of Dead - Charlaine Harris

Texas! Chase - Sandra Brown

Texas! Sage - Sandra Brown

Texas! Lucky - Sandra Brown

Silver Borne- Patricia Briggs

Bone Crossed - Patricia Briggs

Iron Kissed - Patricia Briggs

Blood Bound - Patricia Briggs

Moon Called - Patricia Briggs

Dreamfever - Karen Marie Moning

Crave - JR Ward

Married with Zombies - Jesse Peterson

Alex Cross's Trial - James Patterson

Lover Mine - J R Ward

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Steig Larrson

The Girl Who Played With Fire - Steig Larrson

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins

Dead in the Family - Charlene Harris

Witch and Wizard - James Patterson

The Tale of Despereaux - Kate DiCamillo

Demons are Forever - Julie Kenner

City of Bones - Cassandra Clare

World War Z - Max Brooks

White Witch, Black Curse - Kim Harrison

The Outlaw Demon Wails - Kim Harrison

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

House Rules - Jodi Picoult

The Last Song - Nicholas Sparks

Marley & Me - John Grogan

Still Life - Joy Fielding

Covet - JR Ward

Best Friends Forever - Jennifer Weiner

Three Days to Dead - Rachel Meding

The 19th Wife - David Ebershoff

Death Masks - Jim Butcher

Summer Knight - Jim Butcher

Grave Peril - Jim Butcher

Fool Moon - Jim Butcher

Storm Front - Jim Butcher

Blue Bloods - Melissa de la Cruz

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment - James Patterson

Circus of the Damned - Laurell K. Hamilton

The Lunatic Cafe - Laurell K. Hamilton

Bloody Bones - Laurell K. Hamilton

The Killing Dance - Laurell K. Hamilton

Burnt Offerings - Laurell K. Hamilton

List of books I still have to read before we leave Korea:

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - Steig Larrson

Sing You Home - Jodi Picoult

Look Again - Lisa Scottoline

The World House - Guy Adams

Such a Pretty Fat - Jen Lancaster

Full Dark, No Stars - Stephen King

Decision Points - George W. Bush

Spoken from the Heart - Laura Bush

Frankenstein - Dean Koontz

Love Walked In - Marisa de los Santos

The Lost Hero - Rick Riordan

Firefly Beach - Luanne Rice

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffre and Annie Barrows

Lunch in Osan

Matt had today off work so we decided to spend it hanging out at the Kid's Zone in Osan's Food Court. They have a really cool kid's indoor play area surrounded by big foam blocks. It has a slide and a couple climbers and a TV that plays AFN's family channel. It's a nice place to go and hang out, gets the kids moving and playing but is also inside. We have a play group called Romp and Stomp twice a week that is similar to this. It's at one of the gyms on base and they pull out a bunch of toys and activities for all ages. The boys and I try to make it as often as possible. With the weather not getting warmer any time soon, we all have been going a little stir crazy. It was good for us to get out and get some energy out.

My moment of excitement today was at the Starbucks in Osan. I have been collecting mugs since we've been here and they have a better selection than our Starbucks. I found a venti size mug, 20 ounces of hot beverage! I'm so excited! This is by far the biggest mug I've ever seen!

Zander's personality

Zander is starting to develop his personality. While he has always kept us guessing, he's just now showing us the little person he's becoming. I can't help but laugh and smile every time I see him.

He is into EVERYTHING! "No" means nothing. Hand slaps don't faze him. Zander watches to see if someone's paying attention and then does something he's not supposed to. He's fearless. There have been many times I've caught him trying to touch a lit candle, try to jump headfirst off the couch and climb up the bookcase. He loves to pull himself up on furniture, drawers and the TV stand to reach more things he's not supposed to touch. DVD's are thrown all over the floor, the Xbox is constantly on and off and he's constantly getting his fingers caught in the snack drawer.

We have a drawer in our kitchen that I fill with snacks for the boys. It's mostly dried fruit packs, fruit snacks, granola bars, oatmeal packets, little things that Gabe can get and open himself for breakfast or to add to lunch or just something to grab on the way out the door. Zander has discovered that this drawer has food in it. He loves food. He would eat all day if I let him. Anytime he sees anyone with food or drink, he has to have some and he screams until he gets some. It is now a constant battle to keep him out of the snack drawer. There have been many times I've been folding laundry or getting dinner ready and he's emptied numerous snacks all over the floor while also trying to eat one through the wrapper. Granola bars are pulverized, oatmeal packets are soggy, Zander's pushing on the drawer to steady himself but also has his fingers stuck in the closed drawer. Oh my.

Today, we had two very memorable developments with Zander.

I was trying to keep the boys out of Matt's way so he could finish a paper and we had already come back from our play group and lunch. Both boys woke up abnormally early and Gabe was fighting resting. The boys and I all ended up in Gabe's bed to rest and goof around. Zander is not the nicest of snuggler's, his idea of snuggling is growling and biting and laughing and hitting. I have no idea where this growling and biting came from, but it's his signature move. We have affectionately dubbed him "Zombie Baby" because he always growls before he bites. If you are anywhere near him and he leans towards you, while he might snuggle into you for a split second, you are going to get bit. And hard. So here we were laughing and growling and Zander hitting and me trying to keep him from biting Gabe. Gabe is a good sport about it, thankfully, and pretends to fight with Zander. In this instance, Gabe was pretending to fight Zander and he said, "Zander, I got you. You're dead." And Zander, who was sitting up at the time, fell straight backwards. Gabe and I both busted out laughing. As Zander sat back up, Gabe said again, "Zander, you're dead." and again Zander fell backwards. He has learned to play dead. He did it probably four or five times in a row. I was dying from laughter and trying to get Matt to come and see (which did not help with the writing of the paper). I just couldn't believe it, my 10 month old has learned to die dramatically. Gabe is a good teacher.

*Also new on the growling front, when he really wants something and is mad that I won't get it (mostly food), he growls "Mama". I could not believe it the first time I heard him.

The other hilarious moment we had today was at dinner (involves food, who knew?). We had rotini chicken, mushroom and spinach alfredo. I normally feed Zander before we eat dinner together because if I try to feed him simultaneously, it becomes all about him eating my food and I get nothing. So, I try to stuff him full enough that he'll leave me alone so I can eat in peace, instead of the screaming and growling and pulling on me that I normally get. Matt did the honors of feeding him tonight so I could finish making dinner. After he ate a good amount and was signalling that he was all done, Matt took him out of the high chair, washed him up and he played, that is until he saw me with a food bowl. He doesn't harass anyone else, it's always me that he focuses on. Anyway, he saw that I had food in a bowl so he crawled over to me, climbed up my leg and started screaming and doing the "bird" mouth. I didn't honestly think he would eat the pasta noodle, but he did. He chewed it all up and expected more immediately. The funny part was when Matt sat down next to me. Zander was content to stand against my leg and eat like a little bird, but when Matt sat down he had to show Matt that he was eating like a big boy. As soon as he'd get a noodle in his mouth, he'd go over to Matt and tap his knee until Matt would look at him, then he would open his mouth to show Matt the noodle. Only then would he start chewing. We were really surprised that he was so proud of himself! It got to be hilarious when it happened with every noodle. Without fail, I put a noodle in his mouth, he would crawl over to Matt and show him before he would eat it. I wish I could have gotten a video or picture of it, I feel like I'm not doing the moment justice. It was so funny and sweet at the same time. And every time, Matt would say, "Wow, look at you big boy!" "You're eating noodles like a big boy!" Zander was so proud of himself, he had to show his daddy.

Despite all his growing up, he's still a Mama's boy at heart. Every time I leave the room, he follows me. Every time I'm doing something, he has to see what it is. Before he can sleep in his crib, I still dance and sing to him to calm him down.

He's got such a big personality. I can't help from loving him with my whole heart. I wait eagerly to see him grow and develop into a toddler and then a boy.

Gabe & Basketball

Gabe's basketball season is coming to a close. They are officially done with practices now and have played one "game" where they split the kids into two teams. It was the funniest thing ever. We tried to explain the rules as simply as we could, but it was just hilarious. All in all, both teams worked together, dribbling and passing, to score baskets. Some of the more competitive kids (like Gabe) kept asking what the score was, big surprise. Gabe scored all together five baskets and his first one was a slam dunk. After that, we realized we needed to raise the nets. It was very interesting, you could definitely tell which kids watched sports at home.

I think this was a good experience all in all. While he had some hard times during the game remembering to share the ball, I think over all he has been doing well. He's coordinated enough to dribble and can shoot the ball from about 5 ft from the hoop. Most of all, I think he likes it. He's got a competitive spirit but just has to learn the team concept. If they have a program for 5-6 year olds where ever we go next, I'll definitely sign him up. He has one last game on April 9th and T-Ball is getting ready to start in April too.

These are old pictures from a previous practice.