Yep... that means exactly what you think it means. Baby GIRL Takekawa is well on her way, and expected to arrive around January 16, 2016!!
Tommy and I just found out a few days ago what the baby's gender is. I know people love waiting to find out when the baby is born, but I have a hard time understanding why. I've had a perma-grin on my face since the moment I found out. Knowing we have a sweet little baby girl on her way brings me so much joy! And what a surprise it was.
A few months prior to me getting pregnant I had this vision that I'd be having another daughter next. And then I got pregnant. Read the Chinese Birth Chart. And Heard the Baby's Slower-Than-Emi's heartbeat for the first time. And I started to think- this must be a boy?! And then my friend's three year old told me it was a boy. And according to this boy's parents- he has never been wrong. So for the next 16 weeks I walked around beyond confident that I'd be having a little boy. So when Emi opened up the envelope and read the letters to us (kind of) and revealed it was a girl- well, I don't think I've ever been so surprised.
Now Tommy and I have all the confidence in the world. We know how to raise girls. BGT's birth date is just a few weeks before Emi's birthday, so we are pretty much ready for her arrival. I know exactly what to expect from my second daughter- sleeping through the night at 10 weeks, easy-going personality, beautiful dark hair and olive skin, and the sweetest personality in the world right?! I mean we are all exactly like our older siblings so I don't know why this wouldn't be true for us.
We are so looking forward to our life as a family of four. And Emi is living up the rest of her life as a single child. Her requests to be carried are suddenly being fulfilled (before we'd tell her to walk but knowing our arms are going to be full again soon as gotten us to soften up and lug her around) and a nice trip to the Dominican Republic this Fall as a finally hooray for our family of three!
Life.Is.Good.
Sunday, August 30, 2015
The Five Minute Rule
Lately I've been feeling incredibly inefficient. Between Bravo having some especially good seasons of The Real Housewives and summer laziness... I just haven't gotten a thing done.
As I was sitting on the couch the other day (watching Bravo Tv) thinking about how I should get laundry, cleaning, work, shopping done I remembered an incredibly brilliant rule a friend had told me about several years ago. The Five Minute Rule. Here it is in a nutshell- if the task that needs to be done can be done in less than five minutes- do it now.
I have been employing this rule lately, and I am amazed at how many tasks can get done in less than five minutes each. And honestly, once you get a few tasks done in a few minutes one of two things happens: 1) you feel so motivated at how much you have already gotten done and forge through the remainder of your to do list; or 2) feel so accomplished that you quit your to do list and enjoy the rest of your afternoon and evening guilt-free! Win-win either way.
As for the tasks that take more than 5 minutes. Well, those are a struggle. Currently I'm removing them from my to do list and placing them on my husband's. The tasks still aren't getting done, but they are off my list.
As I was sitting on the couch the other day (watching Bravo Tv) thinking about how I should get laundry, cleaning, work, shopping done I remembered an incredibly brilliant rule a friend had told me about several years ago. The Five Minute Rule. Here it is in a nutshell- if the task that needs to be done can be done in less than five minutes- do it now.
I have been employing this rule lately, and I am amazed at how many tasks can get done in less than five minutes each. And honestly, once you get a few tasks done in a few minutes one of two things happens: 1) you feel so motivated at how much you have already gotten done and forge through the remainder of your to do list; or 2) feel so accomplished that you quit your to do list and enjoy the rest of your afternoon and evening guilt-free! Win-win either way.
As for the tasks that take more than 5 minutes. Well, those are a struggle. Currently I'm removing them from my to do list and placing them on my husband's. The tasks still aren't getting done, but they are off my list.
Sunday, April 5, 2015
9 Things... Emi Edition (why not?!)
1. I finally got around to getting Emi's 3 year pictures done. You'd think this would mean that most of the frames in my office and house are filled, but nope.... still empty. But here is a sneak peek of my little beauty!
2. I got a call this week from an attorney I respect quite a bit. At the end of the conversation he said "Do you have a blog?" I said "Yes?" He said "Well I was just trying to find your phone number so I googled you and your blog came up. Its pretty neat." Ugh... I instantly regretted writing the post "Pottying With a 3 Year Old!
3. Emi's new thing is to ask "Is it beautiful?" She asks it when she gets dressed, colors a picture or looks in the mirror. Melts.My.Heart.
4. It blows my mind how much she mimics what she sees. For example, the other day at the zoo, the path was closed so the only way was to go up stairs. Tommy picked Emi and her stroller up and hauled her up the stairs. That night when we got home, Emi picked Molly up, stroller and all, and carried her up the stairs!
5. Speaking of the zoo, we went to the Omaha Zoo and brought my nephews along. They are the best. Seriously, to see how much fun they have with Emi brings me so much joy. (Even if he calls me Donna!)
6. There is still no clear answer on whether she is left or right handed. Just when we are ready to call it, she suddenly starts using her other hand. Obviously however God designed her to be is how she shall be, but if I could choose I'd make her right handed. Don't you find lefties a little off? :-)
7. Emi went through a short phase where she was stealing toys from the babies at daycare. So funny because it is so the opposite of her personality. Usually she is helping take care of babies! And now she is back to her normal self again. The babies are happy.
8. I love when we are driving down the road and she sees cars that she recognizes. She will yell "There's Grandpa!" And then we will pull up to the white truck and she says in a disappointed voice "That's not Grandpa!" Sometimes she is more cautious and says "Mama, is that Meghan's car?"
9. Emi is energy efficient. I usually know when she is headed out of her bed and into our room because she shuts her lamp, fan and music off first. Its a good heads up for me to meet her at the door and redirect her to her own bed!
2. I got a call this week from an attorney I respect quite a bit. At the end of the conversation he said "Do you have a blog?" I said "Yes?" He said "Well I was just trying to find your phone number so I googled you and your blog came up. Its pretty neat." Ugh... I instantly regretted writing the post "Pottying With a 3 Year Old!
3. Emi's new thing is to ask "Is it beautiful?" She asks it when she gets dressed, colors a picture or looks in the mirror. Melts.My.Heart.
4. It blows my mind how much she mimics what she sees. For example, the other day at the zoo, the path was closed so the only way was to go up stairs. Tommy picked Emi and her stroller up and hauled her up the stairs. That night when we got home, Emi picked Molly up, stroller and all, and carried her up the stairs!
5. Speaking of the zoo, we went to the Omaha Zoo and brought my nephews along. They are the best. Seriously, to see how much fun they have with Emi brings me so much joy. (Even if he calls me Donna!)
6. There is still no clear answer on whether she is left or right handed. Just when we are ready to call it, she suddenly starts using her other hand. Obviously however God designed her to be is how she shall be, but if I could choose I'd make her right handed. Don't you find lefties a little off? :-)
7. Emi went through a short phase where she was stealing toys from the babies at daycare. So funny because it is so the opposite of her personality. Usually she is helping take care of babies! And now she is back to her normal self again. The babies are happy.
8. I love when we are driving down the road and she sees cars that she recognizes. She will yell "There's Grandpa!" And then we will pull up to the white truck and she says in a disappointed voice "That's not Grandpa!" Sometimes she is more cautious and says "Mama, is that Meghan's car?"
9. Emi is energy efficient. I usually know when she is headed out of her bed and into our room because she shuts her lamp, fan and music off first. Its a good heads up for me to meet her at the door and redirect her to her own bed!
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Pottying with a 3 year old...
Tommy claims that there is nothing more disgusting in this world than a men's public restroom. I find it hard to believe that it could be more dirty than the ladies' pubic restroom, but am afraid I'd get arrested if I tried to find out. So, what that means is when we are in public and Emi has to go to the bathroom- the ladies' restroom it is!
I'm getting better at taking her. No, she hasn't had any accidents. The skill I am learning more has to do with the things that she says and what she does when she is in there.
For example, it may seem wiser to use the handicap restroom as you may have more room for two of you in the stall, but I've learned this can also create a dilemma when the adult is sitting on the toilet midstream and the child opens the stall door. If you are in regular stall it is easy to remain seated and reach your arm out to shut the door. In the handicap stall, one must sit and pray nobody walks in while begging your child to shut the door.
Going back to lesson in my last post- honesty is the best policy. Ilearned heard about this one. Maybe the child will ask "Mommy, do you have to make yellow or go poopy?" And maybe the adult will think it is wise to ignore the child's question leading the child to ask again but in a louder voice "Mommy, are you making yellow or going poopy?" To save some embarrassment perhaps the child's mother will reply "I'm making yellow." But, as soon as the child learns that the parent is not making yellow and instead is going #2, the chid may scream in excitement "You're going poopy, good job!" And just maybe, that child will also want to give the adut extra encouragement to the parent (Afterall, the adult did lie to the child about having to go #2 anyway) and start chanting "push it out, push it out, all the way out!"
Maybe we one day we will have an uneventful trip to a public restroom, but in the meantime, she keeps it interesting.
I'm getting better at taking her. No, she hasn't had any accidents. The skill I am learning more has to do with the things that she says and what she does when she is in there.
For example, it may seem wiser to use the handicap restroom as you may have more room for two of you in the stall, but I've learned this can also create a dilemma when the adult is sitting on the toilet midstream and the child opens the stall door. If you are in regular stall it is easy to remain seated and reach your arm out to shut the door. In the handicap stall, one must sit and pray nobody walks in while begging your child to shut the door.
Going back to lesson in my last post- honesty is the best policy. I
Maybe we one day we will have an uneventful trip to a public restroom, but in the meantime, she keeps it interesting.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
9 Things...
1. After a six month hiatus, I'm going to just reenter the blogging world like I never left it. (I hope).
2. I love Emi's imagination. First of all, it means that there are no side effects from the amount of time that I have allowed her to use her Ipad for the first 3 years of her life. :-) But also, it is so fun to see the things she thinks of. She makes a great mama to Molly. She loves to take my phone cord and pretend it is her lasso and she is catching animals. I hate how quickly she is growing, but I love the little girl she has become.
3. No, I'm not pregnant. You were curious, right? I also haven't moved, bought a new car or even taken a vacation. It's still on my to do list though. All of it.
4. Emi keeps asking to go swimming outside! When we drove over the lake this week (ice and snow covered) she asked if we could go boating. She took the news better than me.
5. I did, however, start my own law firm. I left the old place in July 2014. New office has been open about 8 months. It is going well. And, like most of my other friends told me, once I did it I would be asking myself why I hadn't done it sooner.
6. Thank god they only sell those girl scout cookies once a year. Those Lemonade cookies are too die for, and I don't even like lemon flavored things. Right?
7. Every week Tommy gets a random text from the same random telephone number giving him hours for a work schedule the following week also including details of whether its "Expo" or "Server" or whatever other details that are involved. This has been going on for over a year. The problem is Tommy doesn't work at the place he keeps receiving texts about. And instead of letting this person know they have the wrong number, he keeps letting them text him week or week. Good thing texts don't cost the ten cents they used to!
8. I always tell my clients that honesty is the best policy. Recently I realized that I need to modify that advice. So now I will tell people "Honesty is the best policy except when it involves calling the opposing parties' wife a whore."
9. I'm totally bummed about my friend, Giulianna Rancic, is in some deep water right now. Godspeed, girl!
2. I love Emi's imagination. First of all, it means that there are no side effects from the amount of time that I have allowed her to use her Ipad for the first 3 years of her life. :-) But also, it is so fun to see the things she thinks of. She makes a great mama to Molly. She loves to take my phone cord and pretend it is her lasso and she is catching animals. I hate how quickly she is growing, but I love the little girl she has become.
3. No, I'm not pregnant. You were curious, right? I also haven't moved, bought a new car or even taken a vacation. It's still on my to do list though. All of it.
4. Emi keeps asking to go swimming outside! When we drove over the lake this week (ice and snow covered) she asked if we could go boating. She took the news better than me.
5. I did, however, start my own law firm. I left the old place in July 2014. New office has been open about 8 months. It is going well. And, like most of my other friends told me, once I did it I would be asking myself why I hadn't done it sooner.
6. Thank god they only sell those girl scout cookies once a year. Those Lemonade cookies are too die for, and I don't even like lemon flavored things. Right?
7. Every week Tommy gets a random text from the same random telephone number giving him hours for a work schedule the following week also including details of whether its "Expo" or "Server" or whatever other details that are involved. This has been going on for over a year. The problem is Tommy doesn't work at the place he keeps receiving texts about. And instead of letting this person know they have the wrong number, he keeps letting them text him week or week. Good thing texts don't cost the ten cents they used to!
8. I always tell my clients that honesty is the best policy. Recently I realized that I need to modify that advice. So now I will tell people "Honesty is the best policy except when it involves calling the opposing parties' wife a whore."
9. I'm totally bummed about my friend, Giulianna Rancic, is in some deep water right now. Godspeed, girl!
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Bossy Pants
Are you wondering how Emi is doing? Just great! She is talking so much. In fact, the other day I nearly lost my nephew. You know, "Silent" Sam. I apologized to my sister by saying "Sorry, I don't always have to keep my eyes on Emi because I can always hear her, so I'm not used to having to pay that much attention!"
And as Emi learns more and more words, she seems to get more and more bossy. If you take a look at both the Vos and Van Wyk families, this is really no surprise. Afterall, my Aunts do have a wine named after them called "Bossy Pants."
It does get a little embarrassing at day care to hear her boss the other kids around. And she seems to know just who she can get away with bossing around. For example, she knows she can boss Sam around, but she would never boss Anthony around.
Here are some of her favorites:
"No, that's not right!"
"No, get away from there. Its not time to put your shoes on!"
"No, you aren't supposed to do that!"
My mom even mentioned to me the other day, in the most endearing way, that Emi was becoming a "little b%#*h."
I guess the bossiness skips just one generation and not two.... :-)
And as Emi learns more and more words, she seems to get more and more bossy. If you take a look at both the Vos and Van Wyk families, this is really no surprise. Afterall, my Aunts do have a wine named after them called "Bossy Pants."
It does get a little embarrassing at day care to hear her boss the other kids around. And she seems to know just who she can get away with bossing around. For example, she knows she can boss Sam around, but she would never boss Anthony around.
Here are some of her favorites:
"No, that's not right!"
"No, get away from there. Its not time to put your shoes on!"
"No, you aren't supposed to do that!"
My mom even mentioned to me the other day, in the most endearing way, that Emi was becoming a "little b%#*h."
I guess the bossiness skips just one generation and not two.... :-)
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
I'm THAT Mom....
There are a few things I remember from preschool- typewriter day, a circle rug we all sat on, the day our bodies were outlined on old wallpaper as a keepsake. Oh, and how my mom forgot it was picture day that year. I'm not sure why I remember this so clearly. I was not a girly girl growing up, so it is not as if I wish my mom would have dressed me in a cute dress rather than jeans and a carebear sweatshirt. I was too young to wear make up. But regardless, I remember it.
I was reminded of that day today as I brought Emi to her new daycare... without a change of clothes, or a coat, a half hour late, without any of the forms completed, and just in complete and total chaos.
As I hurried into the office for what I thought was 15 minutes late for a conference call (that I was actually 45 minutes early for) I felt things hadn't been that chaotic since Emi was 3 weeks old and I was pumping in the car on my way to work!
When we got home today, Emi sat down next to me and patted my back. As if to tell me "Its okay mom!" In fact, even when I said sorry to her she said in complete excitement back "Hey! I'm okay!" I just hope I had as much compassion for my mom growing up as Emi has for me.
Oh, and by the way, Emi had a great day at her new daycare! She didnt cry when I left, she napped well, and had lots of fun with her new friends! At least somebody had a good day!
I was reminded of that day today as I brought Emi to her new daycare... without a change of clothes, or a coat, a half hour late, without any of the forms completed, and just in complete and total chaos.
As I hurried into the office for what I thought was 15 minutes late for a conference call (that I was actually 45 minutes early for) I felt things hadn't been that chaotic since Emi was 3 weeks old and I was pumping in the car on my way to work!
When we got home today, Emi sat down next to me and patted my back. As if to tell me "Its okay mom!" In fact, even when I said sorry to her she said in complete excitement back "Hey! I'm okay!" I just hope I had as much compassion for my mom growing up as Emi has for me.
Oh, and by the way, Emi had a great day at her new daycare! She didnt cry when I left, she napped well, and had lots of fun with her new friends! At least somebody had a good day!
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