Our Last "Family Day" At The Vet

In our house, "Family Days" are known as when we take the cats to the vet for check-ups or vaccinations. Today we had our last "Family Day" just the four of us. Vladi and I can't wait to take Alexander on our next "Family Day" this fall.

Here are the cats on their very first visit. They were just a few pounds. So small and innocent.

Here is the last visit on April 25. Maccabi weighs 17.8 pounds and Haifa weighs 12.2 pounds.

Haifa is very lady like, petite, shy, caring, has a baby elephant toy named Ella the Elephant that she carries everywhere, loves to lay in her Daddy's size 15 shoes, and is a Daddy's Girl. She also has a pretend friend that she plays with. Maccabi will be asleep and we will watch Haifa run around like she is being chased. Then she hides and peeks around the corner. When she sees that Vladi and I are watching she acts embarassed and walks like it was not her. She gives us that look alot, "It wasn't me Mommy and Daddy. I'm innocent." She also makes a cute little sound. Neither one of them meows like other cats. At Christmas, I put gummy snowflakes on the patio window. Haifa must have loved them because she was soooo upset when I took them down. She made the funniest sounds. She sounded like we had broken her heart. So I put 4 back up on the window. Apparently, she likes to try to get them down to eat, so we have them high because she can't reach. She eats anything. When I came into the room one day, she was on the floor staring at Maccabi who was on the cat furniture reaching his very long body up to the window to reach a snowflake. Well he reached it and dropped it down to her. She took it and ran off while he layed down on the cat furniture. I had to chase her to get it. I couldn't believe that she had him get it down for her. They have such human characteristics.

Maccabi is a Momma's boy (now I call him Mommy's Feline Boy) and protects his Mommy (future blog). He is very strong and everyone says he looks like a panther. The vet can't believe how big he is. She says he is one of the biggest cats she has seen that is not fat. Maccabi scared the maintenance man, Mark, recently. Mark was working in our bathroom and didn't see Maccabi when he came into our apartment. He was kneeling on the floor and turned to get a tool. When he turned around a second later, Maccabi was sitting on the toilet looking down at him. Mark said he was scared to death. Good thing Maccabi is sweet. haha When Maccabi lays down and spreads his legs out, he is the length of an average 2 year old.

"How Do I Take Care Of A Baby Boy?" ........ A Four Year Old's Perspective

Last week, I asked that question to some of my Pre-K students (4 year olds). Their answers were the following:

"Give him a ba-ba. It is milk and you warm it up in the microwave. Then you put a cap on it."

I thought, well I won't put it in the microwave. :)

"Don't put scary movies in for him. He'll say, 'Mommy, I don't like this!'"

"Take him to sleep. Important so that he can grow."

I tell them when they take their nap, they grow. :)

"Do puzzles and buy him a ga-ga (pacifier). Then put him to sleep so he doesn't get wouszy. That means wound up with sugar. Don't give sugar at night."

Here is a funny conversation that took place:

Student 1: "No drinks a night so he doesn't pee"

Student 2 said towards the other student: "Water makes you pee."

Student 3 then said to them: "Milk makes you poop."

"Change diapers."

"Feed him food at breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

Maccabi and Haifa, Are You Ready For Your Human Brother?

When I found out that we were pregnant, I was concerned on how our first babies-our feline babies-would react. As the months have passed, I feel much better. Actually, I think they will be very good with Alex. However, we will never leave Alex alone with them, not even for a second, which is a rule that anyone with a pet should follow. I was also worried that the baby would be allergic to them. In a conversation with my Mom, I cried, "What would I do?" She laughed and said, "What do you mean? I'll take the baby and you can keep the cats." "OF COURSE NOT!" I said. We know that we do not have anyone to take them if Alex is allergic. So we prayed and prayed and I cried. These cats mean a lot to us, we have had them since they were 8 weeks old and their personalities are identical to Vladi's and mine. Haifa and Maccabi have been through so much with us, like our first crazy 6 months of marriage (train derailment and being evacuated, car accident that totaled the car, and a job that I had that I refer to as the "bad place" which did not give me my paycheck and closed without notice). Yeah, they have seen us through a lot. Well, I believe in signs from God and how everything happens for a reason. A while back at my family Doctor's office, I grabbed a New Parent magazine while waiting in the lobby. On the front cover it read, Babies and Pet Allergies. I read the article which said "research shows having 2 cats can be good for the babies health and prevent allergies"!!!!!! I closed the magazine and thanked God for that reassurance.

One of Maccabi and Haifa's favorite past times is lying on our porch (we are on the 3rd floor), and watching little kids play outside. I know they will be gentle big feline siblings.

Today Was My Last Day!!!

Woohoo! Today was my last day at Little Scholars until August. Two of my students gave me presents before I left today. One student's (look for his advice in a future blog) mom said that he picked everything out all by himself. aaahhh

I am so excited and feel so lucky to have time with my little boy once he is born. Next week I plan to rest up and get my last "restful sleep" that I will ever get. I am sure my parents still don't get the same type of restful sleep that they got before Meredith and I were born. Therefore, I must take full advantage of next week. I also have last minute things to do~wash clothes in Dreft and make sure everything is in order. I still need to finish packing for the hospital! ahhhh! My mom has said not to worry, if I go into labor now she will take care of everything. I at least have Vladi's, Alex's, and my hospital list taped to my vanity mirror and the hospital folder with important papers ready to go.

9 DAYS AND COUNTING!!!!

Never Forget

Today is a sad reminder for many.

10 years ago, there were the Columbine Shootings. I remember watching the news in my dorm room at UK's Blanding 4 dorm with my roommate, Betsy. Sadness overwhelmed me. 13 died. How can 2 boys have so much hatred?

Today is also Holocaust Remberance Day starting at Sundown and ends tomorrow at Sunset. Vladi and I had a moment of silence tonight before dinner. He said that on this day, sirens go off in Israel and everyone stops what they are doing~driving, working, etc.~and everyone has a moment of silence. Currently in Cleveland, John Demjanjuk [89], a former Natzi guard, is accused of killing 29,000 Jews in World War II Concentration Camps and may be sent back to Germany for trial (In the early 90s, Israel initially convicted him but Israel's Highest Court overturned due to lack of evidence) Vladi and I discussed how there may not have been a Vladi or an Alex. Vladi thinks that his grandfather's family hid in Serbia, Russia during World War II because they are Jewish. (Vladi has to ask his dad again) Sadness overwhelmed us. 6 million died. How can 1 man have so much hatred and poison a nation's minds to follow his rule?

Our prayer for Alex is that he listens and opens his heart to the world around him and always stands for the good of mankind.

FULL TERM! 37 Weeks! 2 More To Go! 4 More Days of Work!

I am now considered FULL TERM!!!

Wow! The time has flown by. I feel so lucky that this has been such a great pregnancy. Yes, the first trimester was bad, but could have been worse. For the past week, I have felt so good. My mom says that is a sign that I could go into labor early and a friend said that I look like I have dropped. That made me nervous, we still have stuff to do like wash Alex's stuff in Dreft, put the stroller together, and we have the next two weeks all planned out with last minute errands. Plus our family is coming the first weekend in May. But if Alex wants to come, we are ready and everything will work itself out.

I had my weekly appointment today. We are still on schedule and everything is great! Dr. B said, "He is a good size." I thought, "oh he must be close to 10 pds. since Vladi and I were close to that (we were both 2 weeks late)." Then Dr. B said "I would say approximately 8 lbs." I thought, "Isn't that average?" However, we still have two weeks and .5 lbs each week equals 1 lb. So he may be 9 lbs.

I have a thought for you.... Alex has been in head first position for over a month. Well, I wondered, how does the blood not run to his head. If we (adults) stood on our heads for over a month, that would be dangerous. I thought about this and asked Dr. B how the blood does not run to his head. He smiled and looked at Vladi and said, "His heart." Vladi and him laughed, but I still was confused. Dr. B said he had never been asked that question in his 27 years of OB and I said because other expectant moms are scared to ask silly questions. I love Dr. B, he always makes me feel comfortable to ask my trillions of questions. BUT, I still don't see how the blood does not run to his head. Maybe because his body is smaller and the heart can circulate the blood faster than if he was an adult. I guess it is one of those questions that I will have to add to the list for the Big Guy Upstairs.

Lots of LOVE in February...A Look Back

Happy Valentine's Day, oh wait! That was more than 2 months ago! Sorry for the lateness. Let's see what happened in February...

February 7th~ We had our Cleveland Game Night with some friends. It was Girls vs Boys and let's just say the Girl's Ruled at Pictionary! The boys drank a lot and we all had a merry time!

Corazon, Me, Jenn, Eric, Hendrix, and The Vlad Man

February 14th~ Love is all we need... Vladi and I spent some of the day watching the UK vs Arkansas Basketball game. It was perfect since we met at the UK vs Arkansas Football game on November 1, 2003. How romantic. Then we went to dinner at Maggiano's. Yummy. Vladi got me a new removable shower head. I was so excited because it massages and can be used as a microphone for those concert moments in the shower. It has made pregnancy a little easier.

We had a few of what I call Giant Eagle Rendezvous. This is when we meet at Giant Eagle grocery store after work. It may sound silly but I do suggest trying it with your significant other. It's fun and there is just something about parking side by side seeing your hubby so excited to see you (while waving/smiling to each other from our cars). It's romantic as we hold hands while skipping through Giant Eagle. Ok, so we don't skip, but it's lots of fun. I even write it in my calendar.

In February, we continued to have MISSION ORGANIZATION BABY! We are currently finished, but of course, I am still finding things to do.

The baby furniture arrived Feb. 19th!

Our friend, Neel, visited the weekend of Feb. 20-22. We had a good time taking him to the local breweries. I had fun being the designated driver...NOT!

February 22~Vladi and I went to our last basketball game as just the two of us. We saw the Cavaliers play the Pistons. It was a great game and fun to see UK Alumi, Tayshawn Prince, play for the Pistons.

The last weekend of February (Feb. 27-March 2), Vladi and I drove home for the Baby Showers. While at home, we stopped by at my Grandpa's. My Grandpa is an avid fisherman and I can't wait until he teaches Alex to fish. My Grandpa's dog, Teddy, is an angel. The story of how my Grandpa received Teddy is pretty cool. Soon after my Grandma passed away, my Grandpa read the morning paper and saw that a woman couldn't care for her labrador anymore because she was moving to an apartment. She was going to be at Wal-Mart that morning and the first person she felt would be a good owner could have him. Well, my grandpa went to Wal-Mart early that morning (he wakes up very early), met Teddy, and the rest as they say is history. He and Teddy are inseparable. Teddy is like a human. Look at him smile in the pictures. Teddy can dance, sit until my grandpa tells him to move, goes fishing with my grandpa and looks human sitting in the front seat of the Volvo, understands when my grandpa needs help, and I think he is currently learning how to call 911 if ever needed. He is my Grandpa's best friend and he is definitely a Super Dog!