Looking grown up

Craving!

This pregnancy has been free of cravings until the last week. I used to think I no longer liked berries. It turns out I don't like store bought berries. We grow strawberries in our yard and they are heavenly. Last year Henry and I picked blueberries at White Heath and they were heavenly.

So last Tuesday I was driving through Amish country and saw a sign for strawberries. Since our strawberries aren't ready yet I stopped for a quart. Delicious. The three of us sat down and ate the entire quart in one sitting. I couldn't get those strawberries off my mind. Two days later I passed through Amish country again and rerouted my normal drive from Sullivan to home in order to buy strawberries. Like, re-routed going through Tuscola, Champaign then 45 more minutes home instead of going through Decatur all easy peasy.

I stopped at two Amish home with strawberry signs only to find out they were OUT of berries. North of Arthur I saw a produce stand and pulled a U to get back there. With all this stopping and going I had passed the same Amish buggy THREE times. Strawberries! Glorious plentiful strawberries! My plan was to buy 4 quarts, 2 for co-workers and 2 for me. But there was a discount for buying a whole flat. An entire flat of glorious strawberries for $24. 8 Quarts. I hemmed and hawed because my that's a lot of strawberries, but I bought them.

Over two nights I cleaned, quartered, and froze 6 quarts berries. Now I can't unfreeze them fast enough. I have eaten them plain by the bowl full. I have eaten an entire quart unaided in one day. I see my freezer stock is down to 3 more quart size ziplock bags and I feel a wee bit panicked. What if I can't get back to Amish country soon enough to get more berries. How long will this berry craving last? One more flat? Two more flats?

At "book club" this week a woman mentioned strawberries are very high in iron. I haven't been taking iron pills this pregnancy and at the last OB appt I mentioned I was tired and the OB said I should start supplementing with iron. Woo Hoo! SHall I tell him I've begun supplementing with strawberries instead?

Maternity leave

Every time I have a bad day in court I think, at least I only have to come to this county one or two more times before maternity leave. I am looking forward to being home with my boys SO much. But the quandary is how much time to take. The AGs office gives new mothers 15 paid days off, plus you can take benefit time. I haven't accrued much benefit time after being there a year, Henry's sick days ate up a lot of it. Then I can take up to 6 months unpaid. So the dilemma is how much unpaid time can I afford to take and whether putting two children in daycare makes working the best financial decision for us. Without additional negotiations for discounts, our current daycare would cost $23K for the one year between the time Quinn is born and Henry goes to Kindergarten. Bob and I went to Millikin and it didn't cost any $23K!

I don't know very many working moms with two children who don't have a grandparent providing low cost daycare, so I'm trying to lunch with some acquaintances so I can pick their brains. If you have two kids in a daycare center I'd love to hear how you make it work.

Barrel roll baybee

This fetus, our second son, moves so differently than Henry. Henry was a classic kicker, while Quinino does these gigantic barrel rolls that literally turn my stomach. I don't remember being able to see Henry's movements through my clothes at six months either and this boy leaves a wake in his path. I'm curious about his size, whether he's larger than Henry, and slightly worried about his cord. But what can I do besides not raise my arms over my head ;)

Big bubble fun

One mixing bowl half filled with water and dishsoap. We tossed in one of those single packet drink flavors (that none of us liked) for color. Tossed in some rocks just because, then blew bubbles in the water with straws. Our bubble columns got a foot tall sometimes before the wind carried them away high over the house. Very exciting and much easier for a 4 year old than regular bubble blowing. Sturdy bubbles too.

I am starting to be able to feel the baby move. It's different than with Henry. Henry was like a butterfly or bubbles and this baby does full barrel rolls.

I was given a HUGE bag of professional maernity clothes by one of my mom's co-workers. I'm talking like a 40 gallon garbage bag of clothes! So without even venturing out to the stores (THANK YOU!) I'm all set on clothing for quite awhile. I'll need some new shirts in the last tri-mester, but for now my closet is bursting with things I can wear to court.

What am I going to DO?

OMFG! Lane Bryant no longer has maternity clothes online. Because why? Fatties do not have sex or get pregnant? WHERE am I going to find clothes for work!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!