July 6

Don't fret - still no baby.

Chris and I spent the morning taking down the circa-1968 vertical blinds in our bedroom, patching and painting, then hanging a new curtain rod and curtains. While we worked, Caleb and Daisy played happily together. It really is a new era for us, because the kids have reached a point where they can actually play cooperatively together, rather than side-by-side. Chris and I laughed quite a bit as we listened to their conversation in the next room.

At one point, I didn't hear them talking anymore. I wandered out to see what was up, and saw this in Daisy's room:

She had dragged my body pillow (we call him "Raul") out of our bedroom and into hers, then made herself comfortable on it while she read Thomas' ABCs, featuring Thomas the Tank Engine.

She was really proud - and really comfortable. Funny girl!

Later, we went to the Cardinals game.

There were many factors stacked against us for this game, namely:

I am 39 weeks, 5 days pregnant.

The game started at 1:15, which meant absolutely no chance of a nap for the kids.

It is summer in St. Louis.

However, one of Chris' customers offered him some really great seats. At first I looked at those factors and said, "There's absolutely no way we can do it." 

But then I remembered that Baby will be here soon, and it could very well have been our only chance to take the kids to a Cardinals game this season. Plus, I would hate to think our children are so fragile that they can't miss one nap. So I told Chris to take those tickets, with the understanding that he was buying the very closest parking spot money could buy, and we may have to leave the game early.

We didn't get there early enough to get our Matt Holliday replica jerseys (darn it!), but we did get there in time to see Fredbird, which is always one of our favorite things. Sadly, Fredbird didn't have a handler to take a picture for us, so we didn't get a whole-family shot.

But here's Chris with Fredbird and the kids.

Caleb was delighted, and Daisy was very suspicious.

Then it was my turn. 

Yep. My baby may be due in two days, but at least my belly is smaller than Fredbird's!

I love this one, too. Fredbird is pointing at my belly, Caleb is staring at Fredbird's feathers, and Daisy is clearly suspicious. Hilarious!

(Also, remember our last Cardinals game before Daisy was born? I was 37 weeks pregnant then. Too funny!)

Then, on to our seats.

This was our view. 

This was the reason we accepted the tickets.

This was an area that wouldn't see shade until 3:00.

This was a game that started at 1:15.

Nap or no, heat or no, Daisy handled things like a champ.

I love how she hiked her little sunglasses up like that! 

Caleb, however, was another story.

"Why Caleb fussing, Mommy?"

He did this almost the whole time we were in our seats, just in case someone hit a home run and there were fireworks.

Daisy told him that she wasn't afraid of fireworks, but Caleb was not dissuaded.

Daddy's glasses.

It just got hotter and hotter, and we got sweatier and sweatier, until some sunscreen-y sweat got into Caleb's eye. That's when the shrieking began.

That's when we left.

It wasn't even the third inning.

Caleb shrieked all the way to our as-close-as-money-can-buy parking space. People stared, but I just grinned, because there was nothing I could do. He continued to shriek as we loaded him into the car, and for about ten minutes until he finally fell asleep.

So. Lesson learned? Caleb is not ready to skip naptime yet. 

At least the tickets were free!

On an unrelated note, at dinner the other night Caleb explained to us how our baby will be born:

"The baby will jump and jump and jump in Mommy's belly. Then Mommy might need to shout a little bit, like, "BABY! You can come out NOW!" And then the baby will jump into the water."

Let's hope it goes just like that.