Do Parents Have a Favorite?

Email from Ellie to Mom (Monkey) and Faffy:

my friends discussed and concluded that every parent actually does have a favorite child. i hope it isnt true - i really want to love all my kids equally. getting nervous about new baby's effect on our little family. im sure no matter what its going to be tough on mister t.

also, I'm really excited to see you guys - we have been talking to Teddy about your visit and this morning when he woke up he said "see monkey? see unca john?"

it was so cute! he's definitely excited too.


Email from Faffy to Ellie:

There's plenty of love to go around.  A little hugging goes a long ways.

love, Pop

I'm looking forward to Xmas!

Email from Ellie to Faffy:

me too!

:)

also - i think kids probably FEEL that way more than its actually true.

Email from Mom (Monkey) to Ellie and Faffy:

You all will do just fine, just like families have been doing for hundreds of thousands of years. You won't be perfect parents, you'll just do the best you can. And even if you find it easier to get along with one kid more than the other, you'll have so much fun as a family of four, I absolutely guarantee that in a year, you won't remember what in the world you were so worried about. 

I think having a "special day" with each kid was a good idea of mine. :) I highly recommend it.

I think I favored John as a child, but I'm not so sure that was a negative thing for any of you guys.

love you lots,

mama

Hallo Love

Email from Ellie to Dan:

Hallo love. Hard to sleep without you. I miss you sooo much. Glad you'll be home tomorrow. You're mah sweetie pie.

Hope you're havin a good call night. You deserve it. You're a fantastic husband.

Love you,

Wifey


Email from Dan to Ellie:

Aww well I love you too honey. Mah baby love. I had a decent call night, some annoying stuff but not horrible. Thank you so much for the ride last night... made such a difference.

Hope you have a good day. Call me when you're at the OB appt... I might be able to come say hewwo.

Moms Concerned About Street Safety

Email from Ellie to Dan, Mom (Monkey), Faffy, Tabie, and John:

just read a case where a driver quickly backed out of a driveway and into a street, hitting a child on a tricycle who was pedaling over the driveway from one section of sidewalk to another.

it scared me - i realized that i often walk or bike over driveways or lot exits without being as cautious as i should about looking for cars entering or exiting.

please be very, very careful when walking (or biking) on sidewalks when you come up to entries/exits for parking lots, driveways, or apartment complexes.

love you,

Ellie


Email from Mom (Monkey) to Ellie, Dan, Faffy, Tabie, and John:

I think the real lesson is: never ever ever ever trust people in cars. Always assume they don't see you, and ride (or walk) accordingly (defensively). It always amazes me to see people step right out into the street when they get a walk signal, even though there's a car right there about to turn right. I realize they have the right of way, but what if the driver is texting, or so busy looking to the left they forget or whatever. Scary.

The second lesson is: no matter how safe your street seems, never let a child ride unattended if they have to cross driveways, until they are old enough to know to stop at every single driveway or exit and look for cars.

That's why I personally love trails.

love you,
mama

Trip Planning

Email from Ellie to Marilyn (Nana), Gene (Grandpa), Hayley, Jay, and Dan:

Hey fam,

We are SO excited to see you all next week!

Just a reminder that it might be cold while you're here, so make sure you bring a warm jacket, hat, and gloves.

Teddy continues to visit the neighborhood playground and the chickens around the block despite the windy and wet, he is a trooper.

We were also thinking about going to the zoo one of the nights that you're all here. there is a "zoo lights" event going on that was pretty fun last year. Lots of holiday lights everywhere in the shape of animals.

I'm sure our main activity will be cooking and eating, though. :)

See you soon!

Love,

Ellie, Dan, and Mister T


Email from Marilyn (Nana) to Ellie:

Hey Ellie,
Can't wait. Will bring winter gear--how thoughtful of you to remind us. "Zoo
lights" sounds like great fun.
Love,
nana

Baby Blanket

Email from Ellie to Mom (Monkey):

hey mumsers,

where did you get the super-soft baby blanket that you gave to teddy? we want to get one for little XY too.

teddy snuggles with it EVERY night, he is very attached - and likes to use it as a blanket too.

not surprising given how soft it is i guess.


Email from Mom (Monkey) to Ellie:

Oh crap. I got it at Junior Towne in Anchorage, but they went out of business. However, I'll bet it you took it in to a baby shop, they may recognize it? Does brand still show? We gotta find it! Maybe I can look while I'm there...

love you,

mama

Email from Ellie to Mom (Monkey):

looked at the tag - its a Little Giraffe blanket.

its SO expensive though!! now i remember you saying something about the price when you first gave it to teddy. but i dont remember it being THAT bad. wheweee...


Email from Mom (Monkey) to Ellie:

You could let me give it to little ???? as a baby present like i did w tedster! I'd love that.


Email from Ellie to Mom (Monkey):

well, that would be nice - but you sure its worth the money? its not cheap!


Email from Mom (Monkey) to Ellie:

Gosh yes. What could be more important than a "transitional object"? :)

I sent it to your place to "Baby Swanson". So that's done. I'm wondering if we should buy a couple of extras now--reading the reviews, EVERYONE loves them, and often have to replace them because they get worn out.

Baby Shower?

Email from Leslie to Ellie:

ellie can i throw you a baby shower? you can tell me who you want to invite - and where you want to have it etc. 

love you!

les

Email from Ellie to Leslie:

hey Les,

that's really nice of you - but i feel like we already have everything we need thanks to teddster. is someone throwing you a baby shower in eugene already? i bet prairie and jordan have that covered, they are such good party throwers. :)

do you have the date of your 5 month ultrasound appointment yet (when you find out the gender - unless you decide to wait)? i want to put it on my calendar.

also, my little guy is viable this Friday. his kicking is visible from the outside of my stomach now. definitely feeling big and starting to look forward to him being out of my body. curious to hear what you're going through these days - hopefully second trimester is treating you well.

love you muchly mrs leslie boneyard! say hi to adam for me.

Email from Leslie to Ellie:

Are you sure eldawg? let me know if you change your mind. someone is going to throw one for us here. but i don't know if i want one either actually. just cuz everyone we know just bought us wedding gifts. we do have an appt for the ultrasound - dec 12! and we will be finding out the gender. will let you know asap of course. that's so cool about your little man! i'm really excited to feel some fluttering in there. I've been feeling a lot better. no barfing anymore. woo hoo! can't wait to see you mama swanson!

love

les

Email from Ellie to Leslie:

You def need one. Babies need a lot of gear! Be careful if you get a used crib btw, different safety/choking standards now.

I can help you put a registry together if you want. You could only show it to your relatives/people you feel comfortable with - but people will ask you if you have one.

Also... Babies are more fun to shop for than weddings bc they have no personal preferences yet. Babies will wear anything, and they don't care if their toys don't match. :)

Love you!

- Ellie

Email from Leslie to Ellie:

Ellie I would love your help on putting a registry together! Maybe when I visit in Dec! We're hoping to do a co-sleeper but I'm not sure one will work with our bed. So so so so excited to see your belly!! and to have our little ones 3 months apart!!!

So glad I have you to support and advise me. I've been using your hairband pants trick. Works like a charm.

LOVE
les

Email from Ellie to Leslie:

Hey Les, I have a co-sleeper I can give you guys, we are not planning on using it this time around. It either attaches to beds or you can bring the side up so that it's a crib. It doesn't last as a crib once your baby can pull himself up, that isn't until 7-9 months or so if I recall... But that time goes by fast. 

Glad you asked me before putting it on a registry!

I have another idea for you - include the names and addresses of local consignment/used baby stores as well as a link to a baby registry so that people can look there for stuff. Makes the money go a lot further than getting new things. And I have a website where it's a "universal" baby registry, you can add things to it from any website (rei, baby gap, etc) and friends can check off what they purchase off-line.

Also, glad the hairband trick is working!

I can give you all my maternity clothes if you can hold out until I'm due. I also have some I never wear that I can give you. But - you are sig smaller than I am now, it might not fit. I will have u try stuff on if you're interested while you're here. Also have a couple baby books for you. DONT let me forget!! You can also pick up the co-sleeper when you come.

Love,

Ellie

Email from Leslie to Ellie:

Ellie that sounds wonderful!! THANK YOU so much! And of course we'll give it all back so you'll be well equipped for #3!!! Love the registry idea too. You are officially my pregnancy mentor!!

Hey do you have pregnancy brain right now? I think I might be starting to show some signs. Forgetting things etc. But I'm still able to write and focus and all that so I don't mind.

love you so & see you soon!

les

ps - i will have to bring the dogs when i come cuz adam will be gone but buster can just stay in his house and pansy can stay in whatever room you want her in. they should be fine. though of course they always add a little chaos.

Forever n Ever

Email from Ellie to Dan:

love you forever n ever n ever n ever.

hope you're having an okay call night.

my knee feels better! im tempted to sleep with the brace on, not sure i can get it on by myself tomorrow. (hard to bend down)

Email from Dan to Ellie:

I love you. Meh kinda crappy night but not horrible. Bout to start the first of two hard surgeries.

Knees

Email from Ellie to Dan:

They hurt so bad I can't sleep. Looked it up online, gonna take some Tylenol. Hoping it's from wearing unsupportive shoes. Apparently pretty common with preggo. Hurt soooo bad. :(


Email from Dan to Ellie:

okay let's look downstairs for some more supportive shoes or buy some new ones. I will also pull out my knee braces to try.


Email from Ellie to Dan:

Yeah I would like to try knee braces. I'm feeling slightly less in pain today (so far at least), still bad but not excruciating like last night. Im really hoping it's bc I wore diff shoes on my walk with t yesterday morning. Forgot to tell you about that - we went to go visit the chickens, and the kitty came with us the entire way. Pretty cute. Anyway, I hope it keeps getting better. From my research online sounds like knee pain is really common with pregnancy, should go away after like before, but no real way to treat it.

Love you so much hon. Wish you weren't on call tonight. I miss you.

You and Me

Email from Dan to Ellie:

We're meant to be together, and we always will be together, and I will do whatever it takes to make you happy about those two facts. I will cherish you and honor you. I will support you and respect you. When you are going through tough times like you are right now I will step up and let you lean on me and I will even carry you if you want. I will appreciate the work you do around the house and the time that you take to raise our son. I will try to help you get sleep when you need it, and when you have projects due or studying to do I will watch Teddy more and I will express my pride and respect for you. I truly do think that your school is just as important as my work, and I acknowledge that you work as hard as any human being can possibly work. You're an incredible person and every day I am proud that you're my wife. I brag about you all of the time and I will try to express to you how proud of you I am because you need to know. I've loved you from the minute I first laid eyes on you and I will never stop loving you. This whole thing isn't just about pride and love and words, it's about actions and deeds (and time and sleep), and I will try to make my actions and deeds reflect my pride and love, and I will try to make these words more than just words.

Can I Visit You Guys?

Email from Leslie to Ellie:

ellie can i visit you guys dec 3rd? i would come in the evening and stay the night...

i know it's way in advance! but i'll be driving adam to the airport that evening so i will be in your neighborhood! you are going to be SSO preggers by then!

love

lester

Email from Ellie to Leslie:

Yes absolutely! Would love to have you. :)

I feel like I'm soooo preggo already...

Email from Leslie to Ellie:

yay! can't wait to see you!!!

My Phone Died

Email from Dan to Ellie:

My phone died . Crap. Im at henrys tavern downtown.  Im using scotts phone to email. I will get a ride home with nick.  So don't pick me up.  Love you!
I hope you get this.


Email from Ellie to Dan:

I got it. Love you!