Friday, December 18, 2015

7 Quick Takes about Unflattering Baby Pictures, Yuletide Explosions, and Finally Winning Something from An Experienced Bad Mom

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! That's the last 7 days brought to you in 7 quick takes. How was your week?

1


Our 20-week ultrasound showed that everything was good, and there's an interesting twist: Phillip learned the sex of the baby, and I didn't.

I like the surprise, but he wanted to find out. Our conversation about it beforehand went something like this:

Phillip: We've done knowing, we've done not knowing, now let's do something different. You know, make it exciting.

Me: I'm growing a person that's going to exit my body in a few months. Is that exciting enough?

Phillip: Nah, we've already done that.

Haha, he's hilarious. Anyway, he got his wish and lording the secret over me is every bit as exciting as he hoped. Every few days he randomly leans over and whispers in my ear, "I know what the baby is." (The 'and you don't, neener neener neener'  is simply implied.)

2


If you already think unborn babies look a little freaky, I recommend against getting a 3D ultrasound. That smooshed pumpkin face will haunt your dreams.

I didn't even know my OB could do both, but they gave us some traditional cute baby pictures like this:

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week?  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}
Awwwww.

And some scary ones that look like we're being cursed by Lord Voldemort:

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week?  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}
Avada Kedavra! In 3D!

(Note: when you show your older kids a 3D ultrasound picture for the first time, they'll respond with comments like, "What's that?" "Creepy," and "Why is the baby's face all goopy?")

3


With everyone having end-of-the-year everything, winter sports (which are new to us,) and getting ready for Christmas, our schedule is jam-packed.

Saturdays in particular feel like marathons. Our last Saturday included:
  • basketball practice
  • one indoor soccer game
  • a birthday party (not ours, thankfully)
  • a violin lesson
  • Phillip performing in 2 showings of a play
  • me dropping the baby off at a friend's and taking the older kids to see the Nutcracker

I have really shocked myself by not having a nervous breakdown yet. It happens practically every Christmas season around this time, but... nothing yet. Could it be that this is the year??

4


Since we're spending half our lives in the minivan these days (see take #3,) the kids are enjoying looking out the windows at all the Christmas decorations.

My 4-year-old is particularly fond of the giant inflatable figures in people's yards and yells every time, "There's a blown-up Santa/reindeer/snowman!" which never fails to elicit explosion sounds and uncontrollable laughter from my son in the backseat.

5


I teach a class of 6- and 7-year-olds in Sunday School at church, and too late on Saturday night I had an idea for an object lesson that involved the use of hundreds of pennies. Even if I raided my purse and the kids' banks, I doubted I could come up with that many, so I was a little deflated. My high-energy class would've loved this activity.

I randomly muttered to myself, "I wish I had a lot of pennies" and Phillip perked right up. Turns out a friend is redoing his floor with pennies and just happens to have $400 worth of them at this very moment. What a random coincidence.

His wife approached me with a confused look at church the next morning and said, "Bret said this is for you...?" and handed me a Ziploc baggie of 200 pennies.

6


I used to joke that all I'd ever won was a beanie baby in a raffle at the public library (which doesn't even count because it was my daughter using my name) but I guess my luck it is a-changin' because you're looking at the winner of a $10 Amazon gift code from Experienced Bad Mom!

If you've never read Experienced Bad Mom, you're missing out. This lady is funny. Pretty much all you need to know about her blog is in her tagline: "Everything I've done wrong with my first child, I've done wrong with my second child as well."

7


Who's excited for the new Star Wars movie? Not me. I guess they were an iconic part of Phillip's childhood, though, so he's on a quest to sit down with our kids and watch all 27 of the old ones (or however many there are) and then take them to go see the new one in the theater.

Part of the problem is that I don't get the numbering. How is the 4th one (I mean the IVth one) the 1st one, again? So confused.

I obviously wasn't very into Star Wars as a kid, but the thing is, you didn't need to be in order to enjoy droning into a box fan "Luuuuuke, I am your faaaa-ther!" I mean, I'm happy to teach the kids how to do that if Phillip wants.

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13 comments:

Rachel said...

The random supplier of 200 pennies for a class activity--what an awesome....and excessively random!--coincidence!
We just came back from watching Episode 7 at the theater. Loved it. Congrats on the gift card win! I'd never won anything by luck until I started blogging, either.

Jenny said...

I never cared for Star Wars. Harry Potter on the other hand, I'm a big fan of. It made me laugh when you said that picture looks like Voldemort becaus I have a niece that really (in my secret opinion) looks like him. Especially when she smiles. Poor creepy little thing. I'm hopping someday someone else will say something so I won't be alone in that thinking.

Lynne at The Sweet Midlife said...

Those 3D pictures are super creepy. Our son looked like, umm creepy.

Unknown said...

I loved the 3D pictures! Probably because mine didn't turn out quite as creepy. Haha! I actually had a longer ultrasound done all in 3D once. It was pretty cool to watch the baby on a giant-screen TV in 3D. Anyway, that penny thing sounds awesome. I'm in primary too, as the second counselor and chorister (it's a small branch). What lesson was that for and how exactly did you use the pennies?

Anonymous said...

3D pix ARE creepy!
How cool that he had the pennies you needed, and they were free for you!
EVERYBODY loves doing the Vader voice!

Queen Mom Jen said...

Oh we never had a 3d pic. I think I am glad. You really must watch Star Wars, Princess Leia was the best. Still is.

Congrats on the gift card, I love Experienced Bad Mom!

Katy said...

Thanks for the shout out! I'm gad you won something besides a beanie baby. Your husband's implied neener neener made my day. Good luck the remaining 18-20 weeks!

Jenny Evans said...

They made me watch Episode V last night. "I love you!" "I know." What was that?

Jenny Evans said...

It was so much fun! We talked about tithing so I set up stations around the classroom where they could do chores to earn money (one or two cents) - I used my kids' toys from home as props at each one (dishwashing, lawnmowing, vacuuming, babysitting, sweeping, and washing windows). When they were finished they were each paid 10 cents and then I showed them how to fill out a tithing envelope for one cent of it. Some kids also wanted to donate to the humanitarian fund so I showed them how to do that. We then lined up at the bishop's office to give him the envelopes - people were joking with the kids, "Trying to get your last tithing of the year in for tax purposes?"

Jenny Evans said...

Haha. We all have secret opinions that should probably stay secret!

Jenny Evans said...

I just found out that it was rated PG-13, which makes me question whether some of the younger kids should actually stay home. What was your opinion on how suitable it is for younger kids?

Marina @ Parental Journey said...

You already did that, hahahaha.. he is hilarious :) Congrats on your newest win, you're just getting started!

Leigh Ann said...

I never had a 3D ultrasound, and now I am a little glad!