Zumbathon to Save the Playground!

The MOMS Club of Annandale, VA that I am a member of will be hosting a Zumbathon in just TWO WEEKS!

We are holding it to save the playground of John Calvin Church, which has suffered a lot during the storms this past year. Here are some photos of the damage:




John Calvin Church is "home" to the 58 full-time and part-time stay-home mothers in the MOMS Club of Annandale, VA and all of their children. It's where the chapter meets for many activities, guest speakers, playgroups, and more. Saving and restoring the playground will mean A LOT to our little ones and to the whole community of Annandale.

When? March 26, 2011
Time? 2-4pm
What? $15 for 2 hours of Zumba instruction! All proceeds will go to helping with repairs to John Calvin's church playground which has had extensive damage due to trees falling.

For directions and more information please visit our event website!

Arachnophobia

This afternoon our PMP (Pest Management Professional) was at the house for our bi-monthly service. Peter, who is not napping very much anymore, was downstairs with me when he got there.

Peter - Mommy, who is that man?

Me - That is RJ, he makes sure bugs don't get in our house.

Peter - Like spiders? (Peter is TERRIFIED of spiders, a fear he learned from his father)

Me - Yep, and any other bad bugs that try to get in our house.

Peter - But not the nice spiders, right?

Me - Right, he is nice to the good spiders.

Peter - But what ARE the good spiders?

Me - Maybe a Daddy Long Legs? They are nice.

Peter - Yeah, or Mommy Long Legs, or Aaron Long Legs, or Rusty Long Legs. All of the family spiders are OK, but he better make sure there aren't any others.

My First Sex Party

Last Friday night, Brett and I invited a few friends and local family over to find out the sex of Baby G3 (as we call our third baby).

That morning I went to the doctor's office to get a level II sonogram and while at the doctor's office I gave them a folder with two sheets of paper - one that said "It's a Girl" and one that said "It's a Boy!".

As much as it killed me, I didn't look at the screen once (after two babies you can figure out what the sex is with that type of technology pretty easily), and asked that the doctor leave the correct sex in the envelop with the sonogram pictures then seal it up.

When they gave me back my envelop it took everything I had not to open it up and peek inside, but I resisted the urge!

Eight LONG hours later we were eating BBQ with friends and waiting for the big reveal. Brett and I stood up and opened the envelop up together to find out - we are having a GIRL!

I almost fell over from shock as Brett threw his arms in the air in excitement (he has always wanted a girl).

You can watch the video from the big moment here!

The next morning I was over being shocked and freaked out, while Brett was just starting to worry. After his mini panic attack from "not knowing what to do with a girl" we moved on to picking baby names.

We knew that this baby was going to be a "C" name if it was a girl, so we quickly narrowed the names down to Campbell, Charlie, and Celia. Then we decided to let the boys decide what they wanted to name their sister. After we asked each individually we had a unanimous decision - Peter and Aaron's sister would be named "Campbell"! I wanted a family name for her middle name, so I took my mother's middle name "Louise" for my first daughter.

Knowing the sex and naming her has made this pregnancy seem even more real and exciting. We cannot wait to meet Campbell Louise Gardner this summer!!!

The Real Reason Brett Keeps Impregnating Me

There are days when I truly believe that the number one reason my husband continues to want more children (when we got married he only wanted 2 MAX, now he has agreed to 4) is that he really enjoys teaching them funny things to say.

When the kids were old enough to learn how to deliver a joke he taught them MANY...

What is a pirate's favorite letter?... RRRRRRRRR

Why is 6 afraid of 7?... Because 7, 8, 9

What did the 0 say to the 8?... Nice belt

And their FAVORITE knock knock joke:

Knock knock

Who's there?

Panther

Panther Who?

Panther no pants; I'm going swimming!

When Peter was potty training Brett taught him Salt-n-Pepa's song "Push It" as a helpful hint during a #2, taught them the course to Ice Ice Baby, and frequently comes up with little one liners for them to repeat to friends.

Last Wednesday, we took the boys out to celebrate their "Uncle" Troy's birthday (Peter's God Father). Peter brought a toy tiger and told everyone that it was a "party animal."

Then Friday night, Brett and the kids went for a walk. When they got home, Peter ran up to me really excitedly and handed me a rock.

Peter - Here Mommy!

Me - Wow, a Rock, Thanks Peter

Peter - Hey Mom, can you smell what that rock is cooking?

Men's and Women's Role in the Household

Yesterday morning the kids were playing dinosaurs. Aaron had two dinosaurs that were the Mommy and Daddy, and Peter had two smaller dinosaurs that were the kids.

Aaron picks up the "Mommy" and tells the rest of the dinosaur family, "OK kids, Mommy is going to work!"

Peter quickly corrected his brothers mistake by telling him, "No, Aaron - DADDIES go to work! Mommies go to hockey."

Only in my house :)

Aaron's Favorite

This afternoon the whole family went on a walk together. Aaron wanted to play in some bushes and (shocker) ended up hurting himself. He screamed out for me, but since Brett was closer he picked him up.

Aaron - (still crying) - No. I said mommy!

Me - I'll take him, he likes me better (obviously joking, because Aaron used to be such a Daddy's boy)

Brett - Hey, that's not nice.

Me - Aaron, who is your favorite?

Aaron - Blue

Me - No who do you like, mommy or daddy?

Aaron - no, Peter is my favorite! Peter is the best boy ever.

First time ever that I didn't care at all about not being the favorite.

Side note - right after I decided to ask Peter:

Me - Who is your best girl?

Peter - You

Me - Who is your best boy?

Peter - ME!

That was a little too predictable.

Pick a Penny up All Day Long You'll Have Good Luck

This morning Aaron found a penny and brought it over to me.

Aaron - here mommy, I found this for you.

Me - thank you

He starts to walk away, then turns around.

Aaron - wait! Do NOT put that in your mouth!!! It is VERY dangerous!!

Me - ok, thanks for the warning

Aaron - but you can smell it if you want to. But NOT not the mouth!!!!!

Red Light, Green Light

The other morning, I stopped at a red light, looked left and made a legal right turn on red.

Aaron screamed from the back seat - NO MOMMY! Red means STOP! Go back and stop until you see a green light.

I explained turning laws and then asked the kids - What does a yellow light mean?

Peter & Aaron - Slow down!

Me - What about a green light?

Peter & Aaron - GO!

Me (being silly) - Purple light?

Aaron sat confused, Peter yelled out - DANCE! DANCE! DANCE!

Baby G3 at 15 Weeks and 2 Days

I had my 15 week baby appointment today. It was a spectacle to say the least.

First of all, while I was in the waiting room a former co-worker (who I had recommended see my doctor) came in for her appointment and saw me. She. Freaked. OUT. She was screaming, "Oh my gosh - JILLIAN! - You are the reason I go here!!!" Then she told everyone that worked there that I referred her (she isn't really a shy person, if you couldn't tell).

Next, the nurse called me out of the waiting room to get a urine sample. I went into the bathroom, peed (completely forgetting to get a sample), washed my hands and went back to the waiting room. Two minutes later the nurse came in looking confused and asked for my sample.

"Oh, oops... I did go to the bathroom, but I forgot to get a sample."

ENTIRE waiting room starts laughing, and many "welcome to pregnancy" and "baby stole her brain" comments start flying.

Lastly, my doctor walks into the waiting room to get me for my exam but instead of calling my name he says "Miss Popular, you're next" (I have refereed SEVERAL patients to him, so he assumes I am some sort of socialite). As I get up to head to the back he announces to the waiting room, "I mean it - she probably has a thousand friends on Facebook!"

Did my 60 year old doctor really just make a Facebook reference?!?!?

Anyway, on to the reason I was at the doctor - MY BABY!

Baby looks great. (S)he was being difficult so we saw a great profile for a second then it moved and this was the best picture we could get:



Baby had 2 arms, 2 legs, great heart beat and was moving like a crazy person. We also got our order to have a Level II sonogram in 4 weeks where we will find out the sex! I don't know anyone at that office, so hopefully it will be less eventful!

"Baby" Aaron

Aaron is my baby, just ask him!

He didn't walk until he was almost 17 months old (maybe because I was always holding him), and even when he is playing nicely he always "checks-in" with me every 10-15 minutes to get a kiss or a hug or just to generally make sure I am still there.

At 2 and a half years he is still pretty needy (he is actually snuggled up on my lap as I type).

Unlike his brother, Aaron could care less about becoming a big brother. He actually refuses to talk about the new baby.

Today, he came over to me, lifted up his shirt, pushed out his belly and said, "Look Mommy, its your belly!"

"That's right Aaron, there is a baby in my belly."

"No Mommy, I am the baby."

"You are a big boy now Aaron and when the baby comes out, you will be a big brother. Do you want to kiss my belly and send the baby your love?"

"No thank you! There is no baby in there. I AM YOUR BABY MOMMY!"

Someone is in for a rude awakening this summer... I think that someone might be me!