Kris got home from work last night and called me a liar. A big, fat, lying liar. OK, he didn't. But he did point out that I did not, in fact, upload pictures last night like I said I might in my post yesterday. So, even though he did not call me names, he was right. I did not upload pictures last night. And I probably won't tonight either. Hey - maybe tomorrow! OK, I promise to do it tomorrow. Tonight I have a babysitter (Hi Aunt Shelly!) so that I can attend a potty training class offered through ECFE. All of the more experienced moms out there that I've told I'm taking a potty training class have pretty much snickered at me. I know Annika will train when she is ready. I know that bribery is an awfully useful tool in potty training (either with stickers or candy). I also know that I've never done this before and it doesn't take much effort on my part to attend this $12 class for an hour and get a potty training book out of it. So, it's off to school for me tonight!

Yesterday our new blinds arrived. Kris had them installed and ready to go when I got home. I really like them. Kris even put up Annika's new curtain rod and curtains too. They're really cute but they will need some alterations. The curtains currently reach the floor. Annika's bed will be up against this wall so the curtains will have to be shortened. Gramme is going to bring her sewing machine over some time so we can figure out what to do with them (something fancy or just a cut and new hem?).

Last night Annika and I were playing in the my bedroom before bath time. She was jumping on the bed and dancing to music and just generally being her goofy self. Then she started playing with the baby monitor volume button. Before bed, I adjusted it to where I thought it should be. Around 4am this morning though I heard Annika down the hall. I ask Kris to turn up the baby monitor (obviously I didn't adjust it correctly) and I hear Annika saying "Mom? Mom." I walked to her room, opened her door and found her standing in her crib looking at the baby monitor, calling for me. She wasn't upset, crying or distraught in any way. She knew that if she talked into the monitor that Mommy would hear and come to her. I was so taken aback at how grown-up she seemed in that moment. There was no baby to be found. Until I asked her what she needed and she said "Nukifier?" OK, there's my baby. Her pacifier (nuk & pacifier put together = nukifier) had fallen to the floor and she couldn't reach it. After a quick retrieval, covering up of blankets and turning on of her music (Ocean Wonders Aquarium attached to her crib) and she was back to sleep in a minute. This morning when my alarm went off, I swear I heard her music coming through the baby monitor. I'm wondering if she woke up and instead of waking Daddy and I up, if she turned on her music, covered herself back up and went back to sleep on her own. That would be a first for her, I think. Usually she wants one of us to cover her back up and turn her music on for her.

After I got back into bed after the pacifier retrieval, I was laying on my left side facing Kris. I felt a sneeze coming on so I leaned back a little bit. I didn't want to blast Kris with spit in the middle of the night even though, yes, I was covering my mouth. Anyway, this leaning took my belly off the mattress (where it rests comfortably now - it's getting big!) and when I sneezed, my poor stomach muscles contracted and had to pull that big old belly up. I got the worst cramp I've ever had. It went all the way across my lower stomach and I had to rub it to get it to go away. I cried out "Ooooouuuuucccchhh!" and scared Kris. I was fine (and Baby Boy kicked me shortly after to put any irrational fears I may have been having to rest) but man did that hurt. My stomach muscles must be separating and stretching. Ouchie. Ouchie. Ouchie.