She may be related to me after all

Ever since Lana was born, I have felt she is Bill's female clone. She looks like him, acts like him, has no patience like him, is stubborn like him, walks like him (seriously you should watch the 2 of them walk next to each other--its hilarious!), has his charming smile and the list goes on and on. Sometimes I love it--after all I married him b/c he inspired me to want children--to have a "little Bill". Sometimes its challenging. I often wonder how I can have a kid who is so different from me in so many ways--did I make any genetic contribution at all? My mother will totally back me up on this. Since she has been living with us she has often commented about how I was nothing like this as a child--I was agreeable, easygoing, well-behaved (ouch, I felt that), obedient, less manipulative, etc. Of course Lana has her sweet and lovable moments too, but the bewildering almost 3 year old behavior throws us all for a loop at times.

Lana just became interested in this new show on PBS called Sid the Science Kid. She is not just interested, she is obsessed! She loves it and not just the characters or the songs/dancing. She wants to investigate, make observations and write them in her notebook and play in the super fab lab (as they call it). She asked me the other day, "Mommy, what is a scientist?" I said, "Did you know that Mommy used to be a scientist?" "Mommy, tell me ALL about it!!" My fellow scientist friends will probably be laughing at that one b/c I have enough trouble explaining about my life as a scientist to most adults, let alone a 3 year old. Last night I caught Lana holding a hand held mirror and trying to look at things through her pretend magnifying glass. At least I have some gift ideas for her birthday.

I totally realize that this new found interest could be from Bill's side as well, since he is also a science geek like me, but I am laying claim to this one b/c dammit, she is like him in every other way!!

In other randomness, I am sick again. Another cold. I barely recovered from the last one, we not so affectionately refer to as the plague, when I started in with a new sore throat. Lana has it too but she seems to be feeling better than I am. Its not as bad as the plague, so hopefully in a few days we will be good as new.

Here is our latest ultrasound from the first trimester screen:
It was kind of surreal seeing the baby b/c I don't really feel pregnant this time around. Its just amazing there is something in there! The big difference this time (other than the fact that I can function) is our attitude. With my first pregnancy, I would walk in with a list of questions and Bill would steal away from work to make all my appointments. This time I walk in with nothing--no questions, no concerns--nothing! And Bill never comes--he just tells me to bring the ultrasound photo home. He does actually want to meet the doctor though, especially since I will be having surgery. You better believe that he will be there at the 20 week ultrasound when we do all the important measurements and find out gender. I feel so extremely lucky and blessed that I am having such a pleasant pregnancy and I sure hope it continues!

Sickness

We have been so lucky this year with the cold and flu season. Until last week. I still consider us super duper lucky b/c even though we have been very social with other children, we only had two mild colds--neither of which I got, miraculously! But this illness, my sweet husband brought home two weeks ago. He was sick. Very sick. Fever for 48 hours, cough, congestion. A bad one. He never complains about being sick and has never even entertained taking a sick day, but this time, he was wishing he could stay home just one day. A week later, Lana and I got it. She had fever for 3 days, which is miserable for her and everyone around her! She was so clingy to me and did nothing except lay around. Oh, the whining, the whining and complaining. I coughed my brains out and thanks to my pregnancy I either peed my pants or gagged with almost every cough or sneeze. I suppose I was just as whiny as Lana. Then Bill got better and a few days later he got worse, much worse. More fever, more congestion and he looked like hell. So he started antibiotics and still looks pretty bad--he has been sick for 2 solid weeks. Lana and I are almost all better, thankfully and we are just crossing our fingers that we don't get the second infection that is plaguing Bill. One thing that I find particularly challenging about being a stay at home mom during sickness is that we literally do not leave the house for many days in row and it drives me batty. I am hoping we can get out a bit this week and get some things accomplished. It will be nice to get out of my fleecy pants at least.

What a lucky girl am I

I have a great husband. He is cooking dinner right now, but that's not why I love him. Although, I do appreciate his cooking skills and him giving me a break (he is cooking fish which is like totally YUCK in the first trimester, but at least I will have a chance at eating it if he cooks it).

The day after we learned about my dad's diagnosis, Bill had a very busy day of surgery. He usually barely has time to eat lunch, let alone call me for anything. But this day, a day when I really needed him just to call and say hi and everything is going to be okay, he called me. He not only did that, but he told me he spent all kinds of time at the NIH websites looking at clinical trials and possible treatment options and promising, hopeful statistics. And then he told me everything would be okay. That I should get on a plane anytime dad needed me. That he would be able to take care of Lana, if I wanted to go alone, even if it meant he would take time off of work, just to stay home with her. That we would bag our vacation to Mexico if dad wanted us to come.

Its funny because when you get married, even before that--when you pick your mate--"the one" you assume or hope and pray that that this person will be there for you during the tough times in life, as well as the wonderful, joyful times. Bill has reminded me over and over why I picked the right one. He may leave his dirty socks in the dining room or his pants crumpled up on the floor, but really WHO CARES?? He has exceeded my expectations as a husband, time and time again.

Plus, he cooks.