4 Month Update

Yesterday Noah went to the doctor's for his 4 month checkup. It was supposed to be considered a "well" visit and Noah was scheduled to get some shots but that didn't happen. Over the weekend Noah caught a cold and hasn't been feeling like his old self. Therefore the docs decided to hold off on the shots and gave him some medicine for his cold instead. They did weigh and measure him. He is currently 18 lbs, 9 oz and 28 inches long. He is a big boy and growing like a weed. The doctor gave me permission to start him on solids. We will keep it a secret that Noah started on rice cereal a month ago. I wonder when we can start giving him pizza?

A Very Merry Christmas!

This past week raced right by us here at the Hickok home. Seriously, when I left room 48 on Tuesday I had much left to do on my Christmas list and wondered if it was possible to complete.

I love Christmas. I love the anticipation of Christmas morning and I love giving gifts and get excited about reactions. This year was really exciting for obvious reasons. Even though Noah doesn't know what's going on it was still beyond great to have him with us. What a gift he is.

So in honor of Christmas I will give you the low down of our busy days, Christmas Eve included.

I love Christmas Eve. Yes, I usually wait until the last minute so Christmas Eve is crazy but it's my tradition to stay up extremely late on Christmas Eve to finish up what seems to be an endless list of things that need to be completed by Christmas morning. And somebody has to be up to tell Santa where to place the gifts under the tree and to also make sure he brought the right stuff.

On Christmas Eve we went to an awesome service at Temple Baptist. The music and message were great. And Noah looked so cute in his Christmas Eve outfit. He thought the music was fantastic!

After the service we enjoyed a very delicious meal at John's mom's house. After stuffing ourselves we headed home to do the annual Christmas Eve pajama swap. That's where John and I buy each other pj's that we wear on Christmas Eve. This year I asked for something that I could wear in the living room. We don't have curtains in the living room and I don't want to scare anybody off with the whole me in skimpy pj's post baby body. I think you can understand that. I was a little nervous when I saw the Vicky Secret's box but was pleasantly surprised to open up and find nice lounge pants with a cute shirt. Unfortunately the pants were not my size. Oh well the thought was nice.

On Christmas morning Noah was thrilled that Santa brought him new clothes. Noah is growing out of his 3 to 6 month clothing. I was thrilled that I received a Wii. I love my new toy. I was also shocked to find a new watch under the tree. Wow, is all I have to say about that. John liked all of his gifts too. One gift won't be in until a little later.

In no time at all my parents, grandfather, brother, sister-in-law and nephews showed up. We enjoyed a yummy breakfast compliments of John and many wonderful gifts. Then it was off to John's parent's house for another yummy dinner and more wonderful gifts. Noah is so blessed to have very generous people in his life.

Looking back it is kinda easy to get lost in all of the busyness of what the holidays bring. Every year I feel like I lose focus on the real meaning of Christmas(time to start some new traditions). But I am truly thankful for the birth of Jesus Christ. After all He is the reason for a very Merry Christmas.

True Story

This morning I selected a warm comfy outfit for the annual fourth grade ice skating field trip. I love this field trip because it is quick and easy and the kids get really exicited about going. However I am shocked to learn that every year there are a handful of kids that have never skated before. Hello people we live in the northeast; there is not much else to do in the winter. Noah will know how to skate before fourth grade or at least he will have been skating before fourth grade.

So back to what I was saying about the warm comfy outfit; John did a double take when he realized I was wearing jeans. Here's how the conversation went...

John: "Jeans, on a Monday?"

Shell: "Yes, we are going skating today." (very matter of fact)

Pause for a moment...

John "Figure skaters wear skirts."

Leave it to my conservative husband to say something about my wardrobe.

Baby It's Cold Inside!

If you asked Johnny who moved into the house this past weekend he probably would tell you that the Grinch moved in and that would be in reference to me. Yes, that's right I was pretty miserable this past weekend but I think it was for good reason. With Christmas days away you think I could find some joy but that wasn't the case. We had no power. Now before I get any further I should be honest and say that we had some power because John did buy a generator for the house to keep us warm but come on, it's not nearly the same as the luxury of electricity. We were blessed with a beautiful ice storm early Friday morning. Never have I seen my husband pace back and forth worried that a tree might decide to take a dip in our pool. I am pleased to report that the trees in our yard stayed in their upright position.

Never did I think that we would be out of power for 60 long hours. I was totally looking forward to my day off from school on Friday but was quickly dropped off of cloud 9 when I realized we were in for the long haul. So a lot of people have been asking, how did little Noah do with this storm? He really did great. We didn't make him do too much around the house because he's still so young. Just kidding!!

Here a few highlights...

John hurried to Home Depot to get in line for a generator at 5:00 am on Friday morning. He managed to get one. Thank goodness.

Noah screamed through his first cold bottle on Friday morning. I tried to tell him to pretend it was a milkshake but he wasn't loving it. Maybe I should add chocolate syrup next time. He doesn't know what he is missing.

He did however enjoy wearing his mittens all day on Friday. Baby It's Cold Outside has a whole new meaning.

We got to eat out a lot. I love not having to cook and then to have an excuse not to cook is even better. Now shedding the extra five pounds I put on this weekend should be fun.

Lots of family time. With limited electricity there was no doing laundry and we didn't have the Internet so we had lots of time for us which makes it all worth it. I can't believe I just wrote that.

With the ice behind us I have decided to let my icy attitude melt with it. Christmas you are so welcome in our household even with laundry that is piled a mile high.

Exhausted to say the least!

I am not sure why but it has been an exhausting two weeks which probably explains why I haven't been so faithful with my blogging. Everyday seems to be just as busy as the day before and I am so looking forward to Christmas break.

People often ask how school is going and my answer to that is great. I love my students and my coworkers. However there has been some minor stress at work lately, nothing I can't handle though. My principal decided to start a contest on who can come up with the best window display that captures the holiday season (each classroom has a window and an area where you can display items). Well everyone who knows me knows that I love competition and can't stand losing. For two weeks I have tossed ideas around in my head trying to decide what my class was going to do. Well I finally decided and will post a picture of it soon. I like to call the window, The Day After...

Noah is doing well. I am in the midst of getting the Christmas cards printed so look for them in the mail.

Over the weekend we decided to get the Christmas tree. After driving around town for an hour and a half we ended up in Galway and purchased what we thought was a nice tree. Well after getting it home and giving it a little trim it turned out to be a not so pretty tree. So we did the only right thing to do, we purchased another one. We will be giving the first one to Charlie Brown.

Here is the first tree. Noah wasn't loving the cold weather. Maybe he will turn out to be like his mom and want to spend his winters down south.

Pictures!

Weekend Wrap-up!

It was one busy weekend in the Hickok household. Here is what we have been up to.

-Thanksgiving dinner was delicious. We were with both sets of grandparents and enjoyed a yummy meal together. Noah was a little cranky. Not sure if he was upset that we didn't somehow try to put the turkey and trimmings in his bottle.

-Friday was a day of top to bottom cleaning. Noah didn't get the memo. He had other plans which included me holding him for most of the afternoon. He also didn't get why I wanted him to take a nap. I finally enlisted the help of my mother begging her to come over and sit with Noah as I packed our bags (I didn't really need to beg).

-That's right I needed to pack our bags on Friday for an overnighter! On Saturday we were off to Rochester for the annual family Christmas party. It was great to see all my aunts, uncles, cousins and of course grandma and grandpa Bob. After that we (Johnny, me, Noah, my brother, sister-in-law and two nephews) spent the night in a hotel room. We had fun lounging in the hot tub and eating pizza until midnight. Noah was a real sport too because he managed to party with us until midnight. We are training him young.

-Traveled home on Sunday. Noah was great in the car. We didn't have to stop once. Love when we can get home without making a pit stop.

Did I mention I made a huge batch of corn chowder-yum, lemon squares (that no one ate), brownies (which mostly got eaten) and turkey pot pie which my husband loved (we still have leftovers, any takers)?

So it is back to work tomorrow. It was a good week. I will post some pictures soon.

The Happiest Thanksgiving!

Every Thanksgiving the family gets together to share our blessings over the past year. John and I usually sit down at the computer to type our blessings away early Thanksgiving morning. God has always been so good to us. So you can probably guess what I (we) are most thankful for this year; that would be our new addition, Noah. It shouldn't be hard to sit down at the computer tomorrow and write about what a blessing it has been these past three months with Noah. There are so many simple things that I am thankful for like...

smiles-I love that toothless grin he gives me when he hears my voice.

giggles-Love it when he giggles as I am undressing him.

bath time splashing-He is so happy in the tub kicking away.

stares-I love the way he stares at us. His eyes follow us across the room.

sleeping-Nothing beats watching your little one fast asleep.

singing-He is probably the only one that doesn't mind when I sing to him. I think deep down inside he knows his mom could win American Idol.

When John and I had a miscarriage last year we were devastated and I thought I would never be able to get pregnant again. Not because of any complications but because I just thought I would never be able to have a baby. Thankfully God had other plans for us. He knew all along that He would be sending Noah our way. I must say He sent us quite a big package too. So this Thanksgiving I am so happy and thankful that Noah is here and healthy. What could be better than that? Happy Thanksgiving!!

One Week Down, How Many More to Go??

A lot of people have asked how Noah's first week at the daycare went and how my first week has been with my 21 fourth graders. I decided to break it down for those of you that may be wondering.

* Noah had a great first week. I drop him off and he is all smiles when I hand him over. When I pick him up he is usually sleeping. He doesn't sleep great there but at least he sleeps. He usually takes cat naps which I am okay with.

* He has a stuffy nose but I can't blame that on the daycare. He was coming down with something last week.

* When I get him home in the evening he usually has lots of stories to tell me like...
-All the chicks dig him. They are always commenting on how cute he looks.
-Everybody wants to hold him.
-They love his hair.
-They sing okay but not as good as his mother.
-They smile a lot.
-The day can get kinda loud because some of the other babies don't want to cooperate. I haven't figured out if he is stretching the truth on these things.

Overall, I think he is adjusting. Me on the other hand, well I am adjusting too but here are a few things that I am missing.

-Noah! I can't wait to see him at the end of the day.
-Lounging around in my sweat pants. I don't think my principal would go for it if I showed up at school with sweats on, a tank top and UGG boots.
-Reruns of 90210 and One Tree Hill.
-Staying in bed until 7:30 am.
-Playing with Finn and Toby.
-Shopping. Noah and I could hit three malls a day, easily.
-My mom. She enjoyed coming over for a visit or two.
-Lunch dates! Cafeteria food is alright but their burgers don't come close to Five Guys.

So we are looking forward to our future breaks together like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Martin Luther King Day, winter break, snow delays, spring break. I think you get the picture.

Big Day! Glad It's Over!!

Today was a big day in the Hickok household. Yes, that's right a big day for all us because today was the day that I finally dragged myself back to work. It was tough and last night when I cried to John I thought for sure it would be impossible to make it through the day without breaking out of school and snatching my little guy from daycare. But I made it through and I am happy to report so did he.

As John and I made our way into the daycare with a tupperware container filled with sheets, clothing, bibs and burp clothes it suddenly dawned on me that this is what it must feel like when you drop your kid off at college. Yes, I realize that it is slightly different but there are some similarities. I do realize that when I drop him off at college I won't be going back in the afternoon to pick him up. Let's hope not anyways.

I am happy to report that I held back my tears this morning. I didn't want to embarrass Noah in front of his new friends. You know how easily kids get embarrassed by their parents.

Upon entering his dorm room we made our way to his crib and made it as comfy as possible for him. Of course there is no crib like your own crib but it works for the time being. Thanks to my friend Suki we managed to get the right sheets for his crib and they fit perfectly.

Kissing him goodbye was tough but I knew that there were 21 fourth graders waiting for me ready to show some love and they couldn't have made my day any better. There is nothing like 21 smiling faces racing down the hallway to see you. Upon arriving at school I was greeted with "welcome backs" and happy faces. Co-workers a.k.a really good friends came bringing gifts such as chocolate chip cookies-yum, hot cocoa, a blueberry muffin, and banana cream pudding. I felt really spoiled today. Thankfully my new pants still fit at the end of the day after eating all of that.

Overall, I will give our day a thumbs up. No, it hasn't sunk in that I have to do this all over again tomorrow but I am sure it will when the alarm goes off at 5:30 am. But for now we are going to take it day by day.

Thank you everyone for making my day a little easier. A special thanks to John for getting me through this time and helping me get Noah ready for his big day. Do I get roses everyday or was that a special treat because it was my first day back to work? It was extremely difficult letting go of Noah today leaving him in the arms of someone other than me but picking him up gave me such relief even if it only lasts until tomorrow morning.

Right Around the Corner!

I should be sleeping right now but I found myself folding Noah's laundry and catching up on old reruns of TV shows that I used to love. I like folding Noah's laundry because it's the perfect size and I can get it folded so quickly. Tonight's load was special because I finally found the perfect daycare blanket for Noah.

Yes, that's right I went out and bought him special sheets and a blanket for his crib at the daycare. You would think this would be a simple task but let me explain that I have been purchasing sheets and blankets for the past two weeks. Crazy, I know but I really want Noah to be comfortable while he is hanging out with the other daycare groupies. Today I went to two stores and returned the blankets and sheets I didn't want in exchange for the one that I think will be perfect. It is a striped green and white blanket with a cute little lamb on it. I think Noah will be okay with it. The sheets are of course white (nothing like crisp white sheets) and really soft and comfy.

As I packed up a few of his things for daycare it hit me that in a few days we will be going our separate ways. I say that with much drama and sappiness. I am really going to miss my little guy. We have really bonded these past three months and I have loved spending my days with him. I love our little routines and being able to care for him.

My biggest fear about Monday is that I am going to be a complete mess at the daycare. You know the whole crying because I don't want to leave him thing. Of course the rational side of me knows that everything will be fine. Noah is being well taken care of and my day is only as long as I make it. I could go over on lunch and as soon as the kids leave to go home. But it will be a change and as my husband has reminded me often, I do not do well with change. I guess we will have to wait and see. I will keep you posted.

First Haircut!

This is a video of Noah's first haircut. He did really well sitting on his dad's lap. He might as well get used to it because with all of that hair he will be visiting the barber a lot. I don't think his dad will let me drag him to the salon. However, Noah's cousin Kathy did a great job giving him his first haircut. Thanks!!

Future American Idol - Maybe??

In order to hear Noah singing you need to pause the music on the music box. All you have to do is click on the pause button. I am sure you can figure out where the pause button is. Enjoy!!

First Haircut!

Halloween Pictures

Cool Video

In order to hear this video, and you really need to hear it for the video to make sense, then you need to pause the music on your left. Just go to the music box on the left and click on the pause switch and enjoy this really neat video.

Dear Noah

Snoring never sounded so sweet! John is resting on the couch as I am typing this and usually when he snores I shout to him to stop or give him a little shove; not today though. Today I am enjoying seeing his red truck parked in the driveway and loving the fact that he is snoring on the couch, and I don't even mind that it is "my" couch that he is on.

What brings me to say all of this? Well for the past 2 months or so John has been working so hard on the Sandy Treadwell campaign. He has spent hours working tirelessly to bring Sandy to victory. Unfortunately Sandy was not elected, but I really don't want to focus on that in this blog entry. What I really want to focus on is the hard work that John put into the campaign. Hopefully this blog will be around when Noah is old enough to read so he can read the letter below.

Dear Noah,

Today is Wednesday, November 5th 2008 -the day after election day. What makes this day so important? Well for the last two months your dad has been working so hard on the Sandy Treadwell campaign. You don't know Sandy and right now that isn't even important. What is important is the fact that you have an amazing dad who is an incredibly hard worker. He devoted so much of his time and effort to help another person. He spent many hours working well into the evening to try to get the job done. There were a lot of times that I missed him, but deep down I knew that this was something your dad wanted to do and more importantly made a commitment to do.

Commitment is important to your dad. Noah your dad is very committed to things that he believes in. You will learn that about him and it will probably be something that you respect and love most about him. Your dad will always work hard to give you a good life and he will always stay committed to his family and our needs.

I am really excited about the election being over because now your dad is going to be home more. That means he can spend a lot of time with you and me. We are going to commit ourselves to making sure that you grow up in a loving environment focusing on bringing you up in a home that is committed to loving God and His son Jesus.

Hopefully by the time you can read this you know how important our commitment to faith and family is. We are going to continue to teach you the importance of staying in it when you win and when you don't because when you have made a commitment to something, you follow through until the job is done.

Love,

Mom

Two Weeks!

Today I did something that I haven't done in months - woke up to an alarm clock. I have to admit that I didn't love it, but I might as well get used to it because in two weeks I will be back to work. Just the sound of that makes me nervous. No more lounging around in sweats and t-shirts. It is back to black dress pants and khakis and those dreaded pointy shoes that I have a love hate relationship with.

As I drove to work this morning (yes that's right I went to school today to sit in on parent teacher conferences)I thought about the last few months at home with Noah and I can't believe how quickly time flies. I guess that will be the nature of the game from now on. People are constantly reminding me how quickly children grow up and that before you know it they have lives of their own. I think I have some time, but I couldn't help think that almost three months ago I was in the hospital giving birth to him and now I am getting ready to go back to work.

When I was getting ready this morning I thought about how organized I am going to need to be to make it to work on time. I questioned whether I would really be able to handle all of this. Between getting myself ready and getting Noah ready and of course dealing with the dogs I am going to need to have a plan in place so I make it to work on time. I know it is possible, but it scares me a little to say the least.

Then there is the whole leaving Noah for the day guilt. I know he will be fine, but of course I question whether I am making the right choice. I guess this is the first of many difficult choices I will have to make as a parent.

So for the next two weeks Noah and I have decided to make the most of our time together. We are going to go shopping at our favorite stores because I need some new school clothes. Of course we will have to have a lunch date with someone, and we will have to hit Target and Walmart just because we like to hang out there when there isn't much to do around the house. Napping together is definitely on the list of things we need to do together and going for walks. I am sure the two weeks will fly, but before I know it Thanksgiving will be here and John and I have much to be thankful for.

Let the Countdown Begin!

Most of you are aware that my husband loves politics! I think I can officially say that he lives, breathes, and eats politics. Johnny by nature is a pretty dedicated individual. He is the kind of man that works really hard and puts his heart and soul into everything that he does. Sometimes I refer to him as my little perfectionist.

John has been spending a lot of time working on the Sandy Treadwell campaign and he is doing a great job of working really hard to make it a success. So while he has been doing that Noah and I have been up to a few things of our own. Let me fill you in... (and say thanks to all of the people that made life a little easier while John has been working)

1. John's brother Mike and his wife Andree have been keeping us company. Thanks Andree for letting me borrow your husband for a few things. Mike relieves me of doggy duty. You all know how much fun Finn can be and I totally love it when Mike takes Finn and Toby for the entire day on Friday. All I can say is what a relief!

2. Have I ever told you about my Bible study girls? Well if I haven't let me just tell you that I love them. We meet every Wednesday night and it is something I totally look forward to. One of the things that I love is the atmosphere in the house. It is the kind of house that is warm and smells yummy. I have a favorite spot on the couch and Noah I settle into an evening of funness(I know that isn't word but it describes our Wednesday nights perfectly). We laugh and talk and eat and laugh and talk some more. It is exactly what I need mid week. Noah loves it too because there are three ladies waiting to give him lots of love. Thanks girls for making our Wednesdays awesome.

3. Then there is the occasional drop in from Tom and Nancy aka dad and mom (and of course gramp). We usually catch up on our favorite game shows like Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy.

4. Of course this blog wouldn't be complete without mentioning my best girl Amy. She calls Noah and I everyday at 2:20 pm for the daily school update, and I love it. We usually talk for about 45 minutes discussing everything that I did during the day and everything that happened at school. Noah and I look forward to that phone call.

5. A week just wouldn't be a week without some sort of shopping taking place; even if it is something as simple as cute little pj's for Noah or for that matter cute little pj's for me.

6. Lunch dates - one of my favorite things. Sometimes Noah and I meet up with our pals Suki and Ruby.

In our household Noah and I have started the countdown until election day. We can't wait to resume life the way it used to be. Johnny you have been missed and we can't wait to have you at home. Tuesday can't come quick enough for us. So blog friends if you happen to stop by our house on Wednesday (I don't recommend that you do) there will be duct tape covering the front door. Nobodies gettin in and nobodies gettin out!

Bring it On!

If you know me well then you know that I don't have a really good relationship with winter. I am not a big fan of the snow. It is too cold and wet for me. Don't get me wrong I love to sip hot cocoa on cold nights with the fireplace burning snuggled up to my sweetie. But who I am I kidding I don't even own a fireplace. If I did have a fireplace that is what I would do though. When I saw the snow today it started to hit me that winter is around the corner so I have decided to just go with it (not that I have the power to stop it).

I will prepare Noah for this winter by buying him a cute hat with mittens to match and of course no winter would be complete without a pair of Ugg boots. That's right, Daddy your son will eventually have a pair of Ugg boots. So bring it on winter. Bring on your 6 inch snow storms and sub-zero weather. We can handle it!

Five Fabulous Reasons to Have a Kid!

While I was shopping the other day with my favorite shopping buddy I came to the conclusion that it is pretty cool to have a child. It is great for obvious reasons like he is this precious little person and we have been given this awesome responsibility to love him and raise him to be a responsible caring adult (and of course a few other adjectives). Then there are those selfish reasons that make having a child great so I have created a list of them.

1. As I was strolling through the store I thought, "This bulky mode of transportation could really do some damage if somebody got in our way." I must admit that my impatience isn't appropriate, but some people are so annoying to shop around. How many times do I have to give my "get out of the way look" for them to simply just get out of the way? A few taps from the stroller at the back of the heals will light a fire under them. Now you be don't have to ram them, just a few bumps will do.

The stroller is great for storage too. When I didn't have a child I didn't carry around anything while I was shopping, but now I have a cup holder on this stroller. It makes my shopping experience much more delightful with a diet pepsi. Perfect for those thirsty moments while we are racing through the mall between feedings. I can also hang clothes on the stroller so that means I can get more in the dressing room. Having this stroller also means that I get a bigger dressing room at the Gap. Perfect!

2. Shopping with Noah is great for various reasons. First he always loves everything I try on. He doesn't look at me weird when the clothes don't fit exactly the way they should. He just grins. I wonder what he is really thinking. Second he is always up for anyplace I want to shop. He just goes with the flow.

3. I think people smile more when you have a baby with you. Babies are cute in general, but with Noah we get a lot of buzz because he has so much hair. It's nice to have people smile and grin when they see him coming.

4. People are generally more helpful when they see that you have a baby. They get the door for you and sometimes will even trade spots with you in a long shopping line.

5. You always have someone to talk to when you have a baby. True they can't use words to express themselves, but Noah finds his ways to communicate just fine when he needs something.

This list could go on and on so if you would like to give your reasons please feel free.

It's Official...Again!

Here are few things that remind me that it is official...being a mom

1. Finding dried boogers on my shirt. I never really thought he would have boogers. I don't know why, everyone has them.

2. Spit up-He doesn't seem to care whether I have a new shirt on or where we are when he spits up.

3. Pooping in public. Noah doesn't seem to have the same dilemma I have. He will poop anywhere.

4. Crying spells! They are rare but when they hit it reminds me oh yes, that would be my son.

5. More laundry-Although his clothes are small those cute little dirty outfits fill up the hamper quickly. I wonder when I can start teaching him how to operate the washing machine? Hmm, I am not quit sure John has learned how to use it, but you didn't hear that from me.

Fun Times with the Family!

Wish List

I would lying if I said that I don't dream about Noah's future. I am a mom and I do dream for my child like most mothers do. However recent events in my life have led me to think about Noah's future differently. So here are a few things that I dream about for the new man in my life. Kinda personal, but it has been on my heart and I thought I would share it.

Number 1 and what I would consider to be the most important: I pray that he will have a relationship with God and his son Jesus. I think about my own upbringing and I wonder where my life would be without my relationship with Jesus. It's not about "religion"; it's more than that. It is about a relationship with Jesus and I pray that Noah is strong in his faith and desires to have a relationshop with Christ.

Number 2 on my wish list for Noah is that he has a strong desire to put his family first. I want him to realize the importance of family and value the relationships in his family. I am not only speaking of his relationship with me but rather his relationship with every member of his family as he grows.

Number 3 is one that I consider really important and that is to be kind. As a teacher this is one that I am constantly encouraging my students to do. Sometimes being kind is so difficult, even for myself but it is a necessity and one that I hope he embraces.

Number 4 for Noah would be that I hope he surrounds himself with good friends. I hope that he chooses loyal people, ones that he can count on when times are difficult.

For number 5 I would hope that Noah would take care of himself. What I mean by that is I hope he makes time to participate in his favorite hobby and relaxes when he needs to. Hey, even God rested on the seventh day. All work and no play makes Noah a not so fun person.

Number 6 is all about time. So much is said about time and I hope that Noah realizes that time is precious. Make the most of it is what they say. I have been learning that these past two months.

So I do dream for my son and these are just a few that I dream about. I guess what parent doesn't share these same dreams.

Splish, Splash or Not!

After spending the evening with a friend I decided the best way to relax before Noah and I head off to bed would be for me to have a nice hot bath. Hot it was, relaxing it was not. For the most part it was my fault. I know how my youngest dog is going to behave when I take a bath so why did I torture myself by letting him hang around while I was taking a bath? Maybe it is because I felt bad for him because he spent the entire evening in his cage while I strolled around Saratoga. I was so excited to take this bath. It was the first bath I have had in months. So I put Noah in his favorite seat in arms reach from the tub and sank down in the warm soapy water.

Well who do think joined the tub party? Of course it was Finnegan. Finn harassed me the entire 25 minutes that I was in the tub. He started off by licking my arm and then made his way to my knee and then topped it off with a big discusting lick on my back. I am sure this is way too much information to share, but I had to share it with someone. Of course I shouted at Finn to stop and beat it, but he wasn't listening. I think he enjoyed torturing me because some how he knew there wasn't much I could do about it.

I was much smarter for the "after the bath lotion time." Finn was locked in his cage and then released afterwards. Maybe I will get that hot relaxing bath in 20 days. That is when the election is over, and I get my husband back. Hmm, we shall see!

More Pics!

Brrr!!

I am not quite sure why I feel compelled to ask John if we can flick that little switch on the thermostat to create some tropical weather in the house but I do. Every time we approach cold weather I start asking when we can turn the heat on. As most of you know I am not a fan of the cold weather. I have begged and pleaded with my husband numerous times to move south, but I don't see that happening until I am 65. So I have managed to deal with it as best as I can. However, now that we have a baby I think Johnny needs to break the "no heat will be turned on to November 1st rule" What do you think? I think the picture below speaks for itself.

Back to Reality!

On Friday afternoon John and I set out on a little road trip with the newest member of our family. I was a little nervous about our adventure because I wasn't sure how the little man would do strapped in his car seat for four and a half hours. However I am pleased to report that the trip went very well shortly after we stopped at Walmart for duct tape. Just kidding! Noah was great on the way out to Niagara Falls and even better on the way back. We traveled to Niagara falls for two occasions-cousin's wedding and a baby shower for me.

My aunts gave me a great shower this past Sunday at a yummy Italian restaurant. We enjoyed delicious pizza bread, salad, and chicken parm which is one of my favorites. We topped it off with a cake which my aunt made. I felt really special this weekend. I guess you could say that I felt pampered.

This weekend was nice for various reasons.

1. No Finnegan-I love you buddy, but it was so nice to not be licked every waking minute.

2. Baby shower-The food was great and it was so nice to sit down with the girls in the family and just chat without having to wait on our husbands.

3. Noah-This was the first time that the family got to meet Noah and I loved introducing him to them. He received lots of hugs and kisses this past weekend.

4. Hot Tub-Need I say more?

5. Wedding-My cousin got married this past weekend. It was a beautiful day and it was so much fun to fellowship with family that I only get to see a few times a year.

6. Aunt Linda-If you have never met my Aunt Linda well then you are missing out. She is a great aunt and just makes me laugh. Actually all of my mom's sisters are pretty awesome. Seeing them makes me happy and sad. Happy because I love chatting with them and sad because I wish we lived closer.

7. Food-I always eat so much when I visit out there.

8. Four and a half hour drive-Normally I dread this part of the trip, but not this time. I had my husband all to myself and that made the four and a half hour drive totally worth it. No politics and no work. However he did manage to sneak in some phone calls and read a few emails on his phone. He did that until I threatened to cancel the phone plan. He laughed. It was better than the alternative which was throwing the phone out the car window as he was driving 75 mph.

So the Hickok's are back to reality this week. John is off trying to make a difference in the political world, Finn has licked me about 25 times since he has been home, Toby is staring out the window waiting for John to arrive home (I keep reminding her not to get her hopes up.), I am staring at the pile of luggage, gifts, and laundry wondering if they will take care of themselves and Noah, well the reality for him hasn't changed at all.

Me and my little guy!

Finnegan!

Lately I have been thinking about Noah's first words and what they are going be. I recognize that Noah won't be talking for some time, but I can't help wonder what his goos and gahs will become. I am thinking his first words will relate to Finnegan. I say that because I am constantly scolding Finn for his wrong doings. In the course of a day Finnegan gets scolded between 15 and 20 times (no joke). Now as a teacher I know the powerful relationship between positive reinforcement and good behavior; however I just can't seem to transfer that practice when it comes to my dog. Here are some of the scolding remarks Noah is exposed to. I hope he doesn't think his name is Finn!

Knock if off Finn!

Stop licking his face Finn!

Leave Toby alone Finnegan!

Stop eating Toby's food Finn!

Beat it Finn!

Go to bed Finn!

Stop barking!

Stop licking me!

These are not your toys! (He is obsessed with Noah's duck slippers)

Finnegan, get out of the dishwasher!

Poor guy can't get a break. As I was shutting off the lights in the house last night and checking doors to make sure they were locked there stood Finn at front of the hallway waiting. He was waiting for me as I completed my nightly routine. In the midst of all the craziness and regardless of how many times I scold him Finn always remains loyal. I can't always say that about human beings, but it can be said about Finnegan. So I love him just the same despite his wild nature and his annoying habit of sneaking a lick every time he passes by. I consider him our work in progress. We have high hopes that one day he will settle down, but for now we will just keep working with him, and I will probably continue to scold him.

Gotta run, Finnegan just got into my makeup brushes. "Finnegan!"

Finn stole Noah's bib

Finn brought the bib to his "space"

What's New?

I haven't blogged in awhile and I must admit that I miss it. To tell you the truth I really don't know what to blog about. So I have compiled a list of "things" that have been going on in the Hickok house. Here they are.

First, Johnny is working tirelessly on the Sandy Treadwell campaign. Noah and I miss him so much, mostly me though.

Noah is smiling so much now. He has such a cute face, and when he smiles he sticks out his little tongue. I'll try to get a picture of it.

We, meaning Noah and I, visited school last week. The office staff are always thrilled to see us. Well they are probably more excited to see Noah than me. On the way to any place that we go I always talk to Noah about making good impressions. He didn't exactly listen to me because when my principal held Noah he spit up all over his nicely ironed white shirt. Sorry Greg.

I was almost on the Today Show last week. They were asking mothers to call in with questions about their child. I actually got through after calling for an hour. They loved my question and called me back when the doctor was on the air, however they ran out of time. My claim to fame was short lived, but I will get there one day.

I had my 6 week doctor appointment. All is well with me. In case your wondering I had the opportunity to be examined by the Sugar Nazi. She informed me that I need to be tested for diabetes. I guess you can never be too cautious.

Shopping, shopping, shopping!!

We joined John's family for The Capital Region Buddy Walk. You can check out that story at http://nathandanielterry.blogspot.com/

If you are wondering about Finn, well he is still living with us at the moment. Many families were interested in Finn, but after spending some time with him they soon realized he wasn't the dog for them. Just kidding! We haven't tried to get rid of him lately.

Stay At Home!

I am tired! Although Noah is a great baby this parenting stuff is tiring. I have so much respect for moms out there with more than one child. One question for you more than one child moms, how do you do it? Actually I have more than one question. Here they are...

Why did you do it?

Did you always know that you wanted more than one child?

Do you miss sleeping?

How do you lug all your children around?

Do you get to leave the house much?

I do have a desire to have more children, but for some reason I am exhausted this weekend and I only have one child. So what is my problem? Maybe it is because I have dragged Noah all over God's creation this week. Let me tell you where we have been.

Colonie Center-twice!
Hannaford
Walmart
Garden Gate Florist
Brenda's house
Acura dealership
Panera
Wit's End
Visited both grandparents- a few times
Fairways of Halfmoon
Venezias
Church
CVS
Doctor's Office
Boscovs
Marshalls
Hair and Body Essentials-but only for 2 seconds. They wouldn't wax my eyebrows because Noah was with me. Ask me how irritated I was.

So what is on the agenda for this week? Hopefully some stay at home time. We shall see!

More pictures!

Just a few pictures!

Cut the Cord!

Tonight was a big night in the Hickok home. I say that with a little sadness and a few tears. I said a few tears. It is not like I am crying a river here. Tonight I made the decision to put Noah in his big boy bed. Actually he is in his crib but it seems like a bed. Currently I have the baby monitor strapped to my ear so I can hear the slighest sound coming from the nursery.

I don't know what made me decide to put him in his room tonight. Maybe I just feel that he can handle it. He has been practicing by taking naps in there. He loves his big boy bed or I have just convinced myself that he does. To help him with the transition I turned on his turtle night light. I think he will appreciate that.

Of course I turned on his mobile, but personally I don't think it plays long enough. He cried a little after it went off but he is doing pretty good now. I am keeping everything crossed that all goes well for him. Before bed I had a conversation with him about sleeping in on Saturdays. Hopefully he will be a good listener. I will keep you posted on the big boy bed transition. I can't believe I am cutting the cord already.

Big Day for Noah J!

Noah had a big day today. He had a doctor's appointment. At today's visit we learned that Noah weighs 12.8 lbs and is 24 inches long. He is growing like a weed. I had to chuckle to myself when the nurse asked how many hours Noah sleeps during the day. She said, "Does he do like two, four hour naps during the day?" I glanced at John, smiled and responded with, "He sleeps like 18 hours a day." I was beginning to wonder if that is what babies do. The doctor reassured me that it was perfectly normal that Noah sleeps 18 hours a day. Personally I love to sleep so maybe he is going to follow in my footsteps in that department.

Noah was a good boy during his visit despite the fact that they had to give him a shot. It broke my heart when he let out a scream, but John stepped in and calmed him down. Overall it went very well. I am told there will be many visits and shots to follow. Poor Noah.

So long summer!

Summer is officially over. Writing that makes me so sad. Some people look forward to the fall but not me. It just means that winter is around the corner. I love the summer and everything about it. I love the hot weather, swimming in the pool, my birthday, ice cream, hot dogs and the warm summer nights. Next summer I have a few things to look forward to...

-teaching Noah how to swim and the art of sunbathing and how to not disturb his mommy when she is sunbathing. No task is too great. I think I can teach him.

-teaching Noah how to lick an ice cream cone from my favorite ice cream place-Rainbow Delights.

-our birthdays!

-vacation. We are going somewhere next summer.

-shorts. I hope I can fit into some of my old shorts, not that I minded the maternity shorts because they were really comfy.

-a nice tan.

-a deck for the pool. Please build us one Johnny.

-flip flops-need I say more?

So I say farewell to summer and all of its fun memories. It's time for me to prepare myself and Noah for the dreadful winter months. Winter gets kinda lonely in our house because John is either snowmobiling or plowing snow. This winter he thinks he is going to strap the baby bjorn on and take our son snowmobiling. I don't think so, but I will keep you posted.

Stretched to the Limit!

I am not sure why I watch Runway Moms on the Discovery Channel. It is pure torture, however when I am flicking through the channels I find myself drawn to this program. I guess my infatuation started when I was pregnant with Noah. I have a love hate relationship with this program. What I hate about Runway Moms is that I cannot find one single stretch mark on any of these beauties out of all the episodes that I have watched. I stare at the screen intensely looking for one purple mark but I haven't had any luck yet finding one. Now finding one on me is pretty easy. I feel like you could spot them a mile away even with layers of clothing on.

Yes, that's right I have been stretched to my limits and have the beautiful purple marks to prove it. At least they come in purple rather than lime green or school bus yellow. I joke about this now, but when I spot them in the mirror tomorrow I will cringe because I know that no matter how much belly butter I lather over my stomach it still will not erase my stretch marks. I have come to the realization that no matter what I rub regardless if it is cheap or expensive won't erase them. These stretch marks are mine to keep but on the flip side so is Noah.

Some things to get excited about

These days I find myself getting excited about the strangest things. I have composed a list of them. If you are a mom I am sure at some point you have gotten excited about these things too. Come on stop rolling your eyes and be honest with yourself.

1. poopy diapers - hey it means he is healthy, right?

2. one outfit for the entire day - less laundry

3. big obnoxious burp - I'm not referring to Johnny

4. sleeping through the night - Noah did that 3 times this past week and I didn't even have to add Tylenol PM to his bottle (Relax, I am kidding).

5. empty bottle - one content baby

It's Official

After three weeks with Noah it has finally started to sink in that I am a mom. It's weird because when you make the decision to finally take the plunge and start a family you are never really prepared or ready for what lies ahead. I think it's a good thing that God gives you 9 months.

I prepared myself or so I thought I did for parenthood. I cleaned or should I say scoured the house for weeks to make sure everything was in its place when he arrived. I boiled bottles and pacifiers. I washed onesies and pajamas. Nothing could prepare me though for the emotional change that I have gone through. I often find myself thinking this is my son and I am responsible for him and what an awesome responsibility that is. I have turned into this person that I never knew existed within me. For some reason I feel that I am the only one that can feed him correctly or comfort him when he is crying. Of course the realistic side of me knows that family and friends are capable and do a good job caring for Noah but deep inside there is a part of me that clings tightly to my new role and I like it and I don't want to let go. I guess my apron strings are just beginning to grow. I love being his mom.

It is amazing that in three short weeks I have developed a relationship like this with this little person. I have learned so much about him, little things like what his crying spells mean though they are rare. So I guess it's official then I am now a member of the mom club. I like my new role.

Shopping trip Part 1

I am pleased to report that Noah had his first successful shopping outing. We drove to Lake George to hit the outlets. First stop on our adventure was of course none other than the Gap. That is probably my favorite place to shop and how can you not love their prices? I must say that I was a little disappointed that they didn't have very many little boy clothes. Noah and I felt a twinge of jealousy at the amount of pink and purple clothing for little girls that lined the walls. We managed to get over it and purchase some very much needed cute little outfits. I say much needed because Noah has a lot of newborn outfits that don't really fit him anymore and some that didn't fit him to begin with. He is big boy!

After spending time at the Gap we hit some other popular baby clothing stores. I think we were pretty successful with our shopping. After all of that shopping we were starving, actually I was starving for lunch. We went to one of my favorite Lake George restaurants, The Log Jam. It was a yummy treat thanks to my mother-in-law. She joined us on the trip too and provided much needed assistance. Because I am a new mom it takes me a while to figure out how to operate the stroller. Sometimes it takes two heads to figure these baby gadgets out. Overall we had a great day so great that I think I am going to venture out next week for part 2 of our shopping trip. I would give Noah an A+ for his baby behavior and give myself an A+ as well because he made it home in one piece, and I never forgot him once in any of the stores.

I have been up to...

It has been a while since I have posted and I must say that I have a really good excuse. He is a 10 pounder and consumes most of my time, but that is okay with me. Let me share with you what I have been up to. The list is not in any special order.

1. Pumping, pumping, pumping. I have decided to pump besides using formula. It is really time consuming and it looks very unnatural, but it works for now.

2. Staring. I find myself staring at Noah trying to figure out who he will turn out to be. He does a lot of staring too, almost like he is thinking, "Who in the world is the women and why is she always looking at me?"

3. Laundry. I love folding his little clothes.

4. Researching. I am constantly online googling information about babies. I must say that I am getting pretty good at it.

5. Yelling. Finn has heard his name more than he needs to. I am beginning to feel bad for him because I am always shouting, "No Finn!" Anyone want a chocolate lab for a few months?

6. Looking in the mirror. I am always checking the progress of my stomach and wondering if it will ever be the same again. I am praying it will.

Almost 2 Weeks!

I can't believe Noah will be 2 weeks old on Tuesday! Time is going by so fast already. We have learned so much in the past 2 weeks in the Hickok household including the dogs. I have compiled a list for you.

1. Newborns don't sleep through the night.

2. Licking the baby is unacceptable! (Finn has a hard time with this one.)

3. Sleeping is overrated.

4. Burping out loud is appropriate wherever you are.(That only pertains to Noah.)

5. Formula is really expensive.

6. Take cover when Noah is completely exposed. You never know what will come flying out. We have been learning the hard way.

7. If people are willing to help, accept their offers. (Thank you so much family and friends. You have made the transition to parenthood much easier with all of your help.)

Move Over Brangelina Twins!

I can finally write that Baby Hickok has arrived and it feels so good! Baby Hickok's name is Noah Johnathan Hickok and he arrived on Tuesday, August 19th at 7:45pm. After a long day at the hospital the doctor made the decision to do a c-section. Noah did not want to come out. So at 7:00 pm they wheeled me into the operating room and prepped me for the big arrival. I must say I was really scared but I couldn't have asked for better doctors. They were amazing and put my fears to rest. John was able to hold my hand through the whole process and assure me that everything was going to be fine. The anesthesiologist was great. He was like the commentator through the entire surgery. He let me know what the doctors were doing at all times. My mind was at ease when I heard Noah let out a scream for the first time. When they held him in front of my face it was the most amazing experience. Wow, what a miracle!

The doctors couldn't get over his size and John and I were pretty amazed too. Noah weighed in at 10lbs and 2 oz. He is kinda short like us measuring in at 19 1/2 inches long. The doctors and nurses are really surprised by the amount of hair he was born with. It is jet black and looks as though he already could use a haircut.

So far so good with his eating. That doesn't surprise me though because I fed him pretty good when he was in the womb. He eats every four hours and sleeps in between. I am hoping we continue with this pattern.

Toby and Finn are doing good. Finn was thrilled when we brought him home. I think he was more excited to see the baby than he was to see me.

I will be posting some pictures soon. Thank you for all of your prayers. This has been some week.

Tuesday's the Day!

Today is my last day as a non-parent. Tuesday I will be heading to Bellevue for our scheduled induction. So what does this mean for Johnny and I? I have a nice list.

1. We will have a cute little baby to care for.

2. We will not get much sleep for about 18 years. (That's a really long time).

3. We will have lots of bottles to wash.

4. Johnny will have some diapers to change. (Notice I said Johnny).

5. I will have a shopping buddy when I go to the Gap.

6. We will have quite the posse when we go for a walk with two dogs and one stroller.

7. I probably won't be able to sleep in on Saturday mornings.

8. I will have an excuse to buy kid cereal.

9. Maybe I will finally be able to convince John to buy Nintendo Wii.

10. We will finally have the opportunity to be parents.

I have created another voting poll. How long will it take to convince Baby Hickok to make his entrance? In other words, how long will it take for the induction to work?

Please keep us in your prayers. We will keep you posted.

Pinky Toe

It is currently 10:45 pm and the house is so quiet. The only noise being made are the clothes tumbling in the dryer and the crickets singing outside. I guess I won't have many more nights like this. I have kicked my feet up and poured myself a nice cold glass of water which will probably keep me up running to the bathroom all night.

I ate some spicy Indian food today in hopes that Baby Hickok will decide to use his one way ticket out. I have to say that I appreciate all of the advice and as soon as I am through writing this I will be pinching the cuticle on my pinky toe. We shall see what happens with that. Dad, I think I will skip the radios for now, but thanks for the advice.

Soon it will be Sunday and then Monday and Tuesday. Tuesday is induction day. Please keep us in your prayers.

Horses, Ropes and a Pole?

After going to the doctor's office yesterday and hearing the news that I really haven't progressed that much in the labor process I decided to do some research on my own. So this morning I woke with the intense desire to surf the Internet for home remedies that would induce labor. If you have a horse you can help me out. This is what I have found.

*The Native Americans would tie overdue moms to be to a rock and then form a circle around her and charge at her with horses yelling, "Attack!" I think that could possibly scare Baby Hickok out or scare the poop out of me.

*The Pilgrims would tie the moms to be to a pole and then shake the pole up and down hoping the baby would fall out. Any takers?

*Some say try doing what you did to get the baby in there in the first place. The prescription for that is 3 times within a 24 hour period. Who has time for that? The Olympics are on!

Last night I went to the grocery store and bought a turkey. Tonight John and I are going to have a little turkey feast. We will be dining on turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, rolls, apple sauce for me, and of course gravy. According to my good friend Amy eating turkey worked for her so hey why not give it a try? I like turkey.

I will let you know how it goes. If the turkey fails please arrive at my house on Saturday afternoon with your horses and ropes. It should be a good time.

Still Waiting!

I have just arrived home from the doctor's office and nothing much has changed since the last visit on Tuesday. Baby Hickok is still hanging out taking his time to make his appearance.

Today our little Hickok had to take his first test. It is called the bio physical profile. He was a little stubborn during the test. He did not want to move his limbs which is part of the test. After going to the bathroom and twisting and turning he finally threw a punch. Then we had to move on to the breathing exercises. I guess he didn't feel like practicing that. Overall he did pretty good with the test minus the breathing exercises.

When I saw the doctor she reminded me that I could possibly have a big baby. I say possibly because the ultrasound machine tends to be off usually by a pound. So currently the ultrasound machine is calculating that Baby Hickok is weighing in at 9 lbs and 4 oz. So he could really be 8 lbs or 10 lbs. I have always been a sucker for chubby thighs and cheeks.

What is next for the Hickok family? On Monday I have to go back to the doctor's office and Baby Hickok will have to have a stress test. Then on Tuesday I will be admitted to Bellevue Hospital to be induced. I am still hoping he decides to come out on his own. I guess we will have to wait and see.

Eviction Notice

I am ready and he's not! That is the status for today. I went to the doctor's this morning and have not really progressed since the last visit. My due date is August 13th but I am thinking he is going to arrive at a later date. On Thursday I will go to the doctor's again and have an ultrasound done to see how he is holding up in there. He probably will have an ice cream in one hand and a bag of potato chips in the other with little desire to come out. I am feeling good despite the heart burn every now and then. I am going to continue with my daily routines to pass the time away. Sooner or later he has to come out. He can either come out on his own or the doctors will give him an eviction notice. I am really hoping he chooses to come out on his own.

Check, Check, Check!

I think I am officially "ready" for Baby Hickok to come. I say that with some hesitation because I don't think you can ever be 100% ready for children. What I mean by being ready is my Baby Hickok checklist is complete.

Baby Hickok Checklist:
* His bottles are sterilized and ready in their own cabinet.
* His bassinet is clean and ready for many sleeping nights or should I say sleepless nights?
* His going home outfit has been washed and ironed. It is so cute! And yes I ironed it because I iron everything.
* All of his clothes are washed and in his dresser.
* His crib has been assembled and the bedding is on.
* Diapers are stacked and ready to be used- I think John signed up for diaper duty.
* His room is ready with all of his baby gadgets in their place (thanks Suki).

My checklist seems a little small for a big event. I hope I am not forgetting anything.

Five Great Reasons to be Pregnant in the Summer!

1. flip flops-I am not real good at bending over anymore.

2. central air- I love the fact that with the flick of a switch I can really create some freezing temperatures. Don't tell John though.

3. pool- Even though I look hysterically funny trying to get into the floating lounge chair that John bought, it is so worth it when it is hot.

4. Rainbow Delights-Hands down my favorite ice cream. There is nothing like hearing my husband or a friend say, "Wanna go to Rainbow Delights for ice cream?" Yes!

5. No school! Getting up whenever I want and waddling around the house in sweat shorts and a tank top is a beautiful thing (that is until the UPS guy rings the door bell and then I waddle really fast to the bedroom for clothing that won't scare him away).

Snug as Bug!

I went to the doctor's on Monday for my weekly visit. Not much has changed from last week. Baby Hickok is snug as bug in a rug as we wait patiently for him to make his arrival. John thinks he is stubborn like me. I never knew I was stubborn but maybe.

I am exicted and nervous about his arrival. I guess it is the whole you don't know what to expect kinda thing. Labor is a scary thought and I just hope that I don't act like a complete fool in front of the doctor and nurses. John's used to it, but they aren't.

I am totally into the nesting phase now. I have been cleaning constantly making sure that everything is in its place before the big day. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about what I could clean without disturbing John.

If you are wondering whether John went to Virginia the answer to that is no. His trip got cancelled at the last minute. John was thrilled when he saw the poll on the blog. I think it made him feel like it was okay if he did need to go, certain that our son would wait another day to make his appearance. If little Hickok decided to come on Monday and John was in Virginia I know he would have done anything to get home to be there. He is an awesome husband and will be a great dad.

So what is next on the agenda in the Hickok home? We are just waiting! Waiting for our little one to make his arrival and all of the fun that comes with being parents. I have heard a million times since announcing this pregnancy how life changing this experience will be. I am certain it will be, but I am excited about our future.

Should he stay or go? You be the judge!

This past week I had another doctor's appointment. Yay, I thought to myself as I entered the office. This was the day that I was going to find out if I was dilated. Of course I was also nervous about running into the sugar nazi. Luckily my appointment was with another doctor, one of my favorites. Before getting to see him I had to enter the dreaded bathroom where the scale lives. You know that stupid device that women hate because every time we step on it it seems to lie about how much we weigh. Well I was thrilled that the scale decided to tell the truth this time-I didn't gain any weight this week. Yes!

Upon entering the room I filled the nurse in on all of the symptoms that I had been having the past week. She gave me the response I was looking for which was I will have the doctor check you out. So that is exactly what he did. After all of the that I am pleased to report that I am a half a fingertip dilated and I am 50% effaced. Now I know it isn't much, but this is a milestone for me. I feel like I am on my way to having this little guy.

So I drilled the doctor as to when little Hickok would be arriving. Of course he couldn't give me that answer. So I went on to my next question which had to do with my other half, Johnny. John has to possibly travel to Virginia for the day on Monday, August 4th. I do not think he should go, but it is for work so I have to be a little understanding. I asked the doctor if he thinks John should go away on Monday considering it is getting closer to my due date. He didn't exactly give me the response I wanted. He told me to see how I felt over the weekend. I wanted him to say there is no way your husband should travel to Virginia let alone leave your side for the next two weeks, but he didn't. So my question to you is, do you think John should go to Virginia on Monday or stay close by ?

Two Broken Noses

John and I have two dogs that we love to pieces. Well I love them to pieces. John realizes that they are dogs. He is very good to them, but I treat them like they are our children. For example, we have had a really hot summer and so I decided it would be a good idea if we bought Toby and Finn their very own pool. John and I have a pool so why shouldn't the dogs. At first John rolled his eyes at me which is something he does often because I tend to have some wacky ideas but he soon softened to the idea, made the trip to Toys R Us, and bought a pool. Finn loves the pool and couldn't be happier splashing in it on these hot summer days. Toby likes the pool but doesn't flop down in it like her little chocolate brother.

The only problem with the pool is that Finn wants to be in it all of the time and I only want him in it when I say so. It is a lot of work to dry off an 88 lb dog. To keep Finn from sneaking in the pool John leans the pool up against the house. Sometimes the pool slides back to the ground and collects rain puddles during these wonderful summer storms. This morning I caught my precious little pooch splashing away in the rain water that was in the pool. He didn't have our permission either so that made matters worse. I soon heard John out in the backyard scolding Finn for getting in the pool, but Finn didn't care. He strolled back to the deck without a care in the world wagging his tail.

Why am I sharing this and what does it have to do with Baby Hickok? Everything! Finn and Toby are like children to me. I realize they are dogs but I can't help myself from talking to them in strange weird voices, and I always refer to myself as their mommy.

Finn requires a lot of attention and I think that when the baby comes his nose will be broken. I don't anticipate that he will be mean, but I am thinking it will take some time for him to adjust to me using my baby voice for someone other than him. I am predicting that Toby will just stare at the baby and turn her head the other way as if to say, "This baby is not that big of a deal." Either way I am sure Finn and Toby will find their place and roles in our home or at least I hope they do.

Baby Hickok Weighing In!

Today John and I headed off to our weekly doctor visit. Usually John doesn't go, but today was special because I was scheduled to have an ultrasound. When we got in the room the ultrasound tech asked me if I knew why I was having an ultrasound. I thought it was her job to know that info. Of course I didn't say that I just told her the doctor wants to check the baby's size. She informed me that we probably wouldn't be able to see much because at this point he is big-no kidding I thought. That is why I am here in the first place.

She flipped on the machine and began rolling the joystick thing around my stomach. It was hard to distinguish what we were looking at, but when she switched it to 3D his face became clear. He is so cute if I must say. He has really chubby cheeks and the cutest lips. I still think he looks like John. Of course he had his fingers in his mouth which is what he is usually doing with them when we have an ultarsound. He looked content in there almost like he has no intention of coming out anytime soon.

After she completed the measurements she said, "Well it looks like your going to have a big boy." According to the measurements he is 7lbs and 6oz but these ultrasound instruments are not always accurate so I hear.

My visit wasn't over with that. I still had to face the sugar nazi. For those of you who don't know who that is, it is my doctor. You can probably guess what she said when she arrived in the room. She reminded me to not eat sugar. I am not sure if she thinks I sit on the couch all day and eat Hershey kisses and bags of Skittles, but I humored her and smiled and said of course doctor no more sugar. Whatever!!

She still didn't bother to check to see if I was dilated so I have no idea how we are doing in that department, but I do have an appointment next week with a different doctor. I will be planting my feet in the stirrups and will refuse to leave until somebody tells me if I am dilated.

So we will see how things go next week. I will keep you posted.

Big Boy On the Way! (or so they say)

Well I started my weekly doctor visits. Yay!! As I walked into the doctor's office I had my fingers and toes crossed that I would be at least 1 or 2 centimeters dilated. I went through the usual routine; pee in a cup, and stepped on the scale for the weigh in. The nurse was so sweet when I gasped at the fact that I gained 2 lbs this past week. She assured me that it was just water weight-yeah right I thought to myself. It wouldn't have anything to do with the bag of cheetos I ate yesterday and the fried dough with apples, but that was rare. I promise I don't usually eat like that.

When the doctor came in she asked me the routine questions and began feeling my big belly. She got this wierd look on her face and said, "Wow, your carrying a big boy!"And then began to ask a slew of questions speaking so fast I could barely answer them. Is this your first baby? Are you eating a lot of sugar? How tall are you? My explanantion to her was maybe there are 2 baby Hickoks in there and you guys just haven't found one of them yet. I have been experiencing a lot of rib pain. Maybe there is one tucked up in my rib cage. She assured me there was just one. As she helped me sit up she announced that she was going to schedule an ultrasound for next week because she thinks I am going to have a big baby. She is estimating that he is about 6 lbs now. So she preached to me for the next ten minutes about what foods I should stay away from for the remainder of my pregnancy. I assured her that of course I am eating healthy (minus the fried dough-but in fairness to me I was at the fair and you have to eat fried dough once a year) and I drink plenty of water-which I really do and that I don't eat that much sugar. Yes I do have my favorite ice cream once a week but what is that going to hurt? I think I have been pretty good this pregancy. Well, she told me that I was not allowed to have ice cream for the rest of my pregnancy. What she doesn't know won't hurt her.

Are you still wondering if I am at least 1 or 2 centimeters dilated? Well after all that she didn't even bother to check. So annoying!! So keep your fingers and toes crossed that when I go next week I will be dilated and hopefully she will check.

After I left the doctor's office I immediately called John and told him about my visit. He just laughed and assured me that he doesn't think my belly is "that" big. Has he seen me lately? He is a sweet guy. So next week we have the ultrasound to see how "big" our little Hickok is. I'll keep you posted.

Look Closely! 3D/4D of Baby Hickok's Profile

Shower at my house!

Shower Fun for Baby Hickok

5 more weeks to go!!

Hello to everyone from the Hickok family. John started a blog for Baby Hickok awhile ago but he has been so busy that I decided I would continue with it. So much has happened since the last time he posted. As you can see from the title I only have 5 more weeks to go. That is a scary and exciting thought. I can't believe I will be a mom soon. I am looking forward to meeting our new addition.

As soon as I get a handle on this blog I will post some pictures. We have had some very exciting times in our household. In June I was blessed with having 2 showers. My first shower was given by my moms-my mom and my mother-in-law; it was at the Inn at Saratoga. We had a great time. The second was given to me by my friend Amy and it was at my house. Both showers were so much fun. Stay tuned for pictures.

John and I also took advantage of having the 3D/4D ultrasound. Wow, that was amazing! It was so neat to see the baby. Most of the time he was comfortable with his hands in his face therefore, we had 3 opportunties to see him using the 3D/4D ultrasound. The first time the pictures were the best. I will post some for you to view.

I am now going to the doctors every week. I am hoping that our little guy will not decide to delay his arrival. He is due on August 15th. I don't want to rush the summer but my belly is getting a little cramped. If you have seen me lately you know what I mean. People are quick to remind me how big I am. My comment is, "What do you expect? I am growing a baby!"

Although the summer has been hot I am not complaining. I love the summer months and wish they would hang around a lot longer. We have central air and a pool so that has kept the baby and I cool. I hope he likes the water as much as I do.

Well I will close for now. I plan on putting up some pictures so please feel free to visit. I'll let you know my progress week to week.