Baby's First Head Shot

Since baby #3 was a little uncooperative during our big 20 week anatomy scan (ultrasound), I got to go in for another one. This time he was great about showing us the front parts, and he even showed his face a little, but he wouldn't move around to show anything else - so while we are still confident that we are having boy #2, we don't have a picture to prove it.

We do, however, have this fabulous picture of his profile! And don't get scared... YES, that head looks gigantic, and YES, that child still has 15 weeks to cook, and YES, he will undoubtedly get even larger (head included)... But YOU don't have to birth him! Leave that worry and fear to me... YIKES! I've gotta say that of my three kiddos, this one has the head that is most like his daddy's... the one I that has visited me in many a nightmare... But I'll be ok... maybe I'll finally have the pleasure of an epidural.

No, I push it!

I really do understand the thrill of pushing the elevator button, but I would think that after ten days in a hotel, riding the elevator four to eight times a day, the novelty would wear off. But not so... the kids almost come to blows every time we are heading to the elevator. In fact, as soon as I tell them to get their shoes (when leaving the room) or when we pull within sight of the hotel before we have even parked, the kids start reciting "I want to push it"... and keep the mantra going all the way down the hall, as they try to knock each other out of the way.
So I will answer the question you are dying to ask... Yes, I am tired of hotel living! Yes, it is very nice of the company to put us up in a hotel until we can get into our new house, and Yes, the Residence Inn is nice and new, and we have the best room in the place, and Yes, the breakfast every morning is wonderful (who can say something bad against eggs, sausage, and fresh-made waffles), but it gets old pretty fast when you are dealing with little kids who don't remember staying anywhere other than home or Gramma's.
And now that I've told you all about the gloomy rain cloud of our relocation, I want to shout the news of the silver lining... We were able to move the closing on our house up a week, and we are closing this Friday!!!!! We will still be in the hotel until after Halloween, but at least we will be able to go to the house and hang out during the day. Oh yeah, and do laundry in a dryer that actually dries. :)
The past week has been busy. Jimmy started preschool last Wednesday, and he seems to like it a lot. I joined the local MOMS Club and Susie and I attended a playdate on Friday. The women seem really friendly, although I miss my friends so badly it was hard to motivate to go to the playdate. Part of me just wanted to stay home and call SC to catch up with people - I know it's sad, but I'm just trying to be honest.
We all went to the Museum of the Rockies and Yellowstone this weekend. While at Yellowstone we saw some elk, deer, buffalo and big horn sheep. Also, Jimmy is convinced that he saw a baby panda bear in the grass, lost from his mommy and daddy. Is it normal for 4 yr olds to make up so many stories? Besides the panda bear, we have heard tall tales about his teddy bear's trip to the car (including pushing the elevator button), what happened to his missing socks, the list goes on and on.
Well, I guess it's time for bed. I'll try to come back and check this post tomorrow to see if I made any sense... :)
Here are some photos of our trip to Yellowstone:
Susie hitching a ride with DaddyRo taking a break to catch her breath - it is way too high and dry here for a preggo woman used to the coast!Ro and the kids enjoying the sights (but not the sulphur smells)



We got to see a herd of Big Horn Sheep drinking water and eating dinner - and we saw a little scuffle break out in the ranks - see the two staring each other down?

Welcome to Montana! AND Welcome Winter, what a change...

We have arrived safely in Bozeman, and after a full night's sleep for the whole Brubaker clan, we are up and at 'em. Awake by 6, breakfast at 7, and now lounging at 8 until it's acceptable to call the realtor to ask him to let us into our new house (we close on Oct 31, but want to take another look and let the kids see their new home).
The Residence Inn is very nice, and very new. We have a two bedroom suite, with king-sized beds in each bedroom and a sofa sleeper in the common room. A kitchenette with a two-burner stove, fridge, dishwasher, microwave and sink, some of which has come in handy for that bedtime cup of milk Susie still gets and the late night snacks mommy and daddy are accustomed to.
The kids are adjusting nicely, although they were exhausted yesterday. Jimmy already refers to the hotel as "home" and they slept great in the 2nd bedroom last night (sharing a bed).
The weather has been quite a shock to us, as we arrived during a Winter Storm Warning. As Susie keeps chanting... "I Cold, I Cold". The temp was 38 deg F, and all I packed in the suitcases is a few lightweight fleece jackets. We awoke to 1-2 inches of snow, and our UPS shipment won't get here until Thursday with our winter stuff (as luck would have it, the weather should be nicer by then).
I'll take a picture of the kids in the cold later and post it... Susie looked hilarious with the big red stocking cap we bought at Walmart after dinner and her hooded fleece jacket -the Walmart was a little understocked, so we'll have to check out the many stores Bozeman has to offer (that shouldn't take long, LOL).
The move itself was a bit of a fiasco, and luckily I got over eight hours of sleep last night and I can look back on the last few days without wanting to throw something. :) It turns out that the main moving company subbed out the move to two different companies, one to pack the boxes and furniture, and the other to load the truck and drive. Apparently they didn't agree on what tasks which was responsible for, so the loaders ended up spending 13 hrs on what they thought was a 6 hr job. And to make matters worse, the person who came to do the weight estimate (also a sub-contractor) under-estimated our weight by 30%. This past Thursday was the longest day I have had in a long time! That night while Sam was trying to get the kids to sleep in a studio hotel room by the airport, I was doing the best I could to keep the loaders from giving up and get the stuff loaded even though we had heavy rains at our house in SC (neither of which was an easy task, I actually think I had the better end of the deal).
It sure is nice to relax a bit, knowing there is nothing more to do than wait and fax a few papers for closing on our house. Aaaahhhh! I'll update more as I get my energy back (and after I warm up a little! :)

Here are a few pictures of the kids' reactions to the snow - Jimmy was in awe when he was finally allowed to go and play in it, but Susie was less than thrilled at the idea.

We also got a nice picture of our new house with snow falling - magical, isn't it?