Sure to scare my readers away...

all three of you.

Awww...ain't nothing wrong with a jolly pregnant woman covering up her bits and pieces all appropriate-like

Whoa! Thar she blows!

Baby Boo giving Baby Brother an affectionate head-butt.

Behold: The Bellay
Damn, woman. Put that thing away.

If you care (or dare) to compare: Here are pics of my belly, at about the same time (couple of weeks before birth) with Anna

Belly circa 2007

Belly 2 circa 2007

Swoon!

How adorable is this?

Tooth Fairy Kit

Let the crazy dreams begin...

I had my first dream last night about the birth of Baby Brother. In my dream, I was in a poorly-lit, dingy, dirty operating room, about to have a c-section. The anesthesiologist (a big, fat old man) was there, ready to put in my epidural. When I got my epidural before Anna's birth, since they don't allow husbands/partners in the room when the anesthesiologist is doing their thing, a nurse stood in front of me and let me hang on her while the epi was being administered. This was oddly comforting, as I was scared and contracting the whole time. In my dream, there wasn't anyone there to hang on and I was just sort of slumped over on the side of the operating table, feeling very sorry for myself. I looked at the floor and noticed two bundles of soiled and bloodied sheets, gauze, etc. that I surmised must've been from the previous surgeries done before mine in that room. I was pretty freaked out by that and briefly questioned my decision to go through with the surgery. About that time, the anesthesiologist poked me hard with a needle and I yelped loudly. I then waited to feel the numbness course through my body but nothing happened. I was very scared that no one would believe that I wasn't numb yet, before beginning the surgery. And then I woke up.

(Wow, that was a more disturbing dream than I thought it was at the time.)

This dream must've come because I finally broke down and posted a question on the Mom's group website, asking for c-section advice. It took me a LOOOONG time to work up the nerve to do so. I knew that I'd get bombarded with negative comments and judgmental snark. Amazingly enough, I've instead been inundated with very good advice and positive experiences--just what I've been needing to hear. This is not to say that my opinions about the group have changed in any way--I know that "the ones" are still lurking in the shadows, tsk tsking the fact that I'm having to have a c-section and questioning my role as a woman and mother as a result but, I have to say, I'm pleasantly surprised that they've all been quiet so far. I can't imagine the level of restraint they're exhibiting--either that, or they've just dismissed me completely as not competent nor worthy of sharing their knowledge with. Either way, I don't care.

Birthday Party!

Birthday Party from jurica on Vimeo.

The Final Countdown

I'm not sure if news stations are doing this all over the country, but in Houston, the news channels are delighting in reminding people about the big digital tv conversion, set to happen in mid-February. The news channel that we watch most often has this ridiculous Atomic Clock, countdown to the DTV conversion. It's seriously as if this clock is counting down to the end of days or something.

Now that we have a birthday for Baby Brother (Feb. 18), every time I see this Atomic Clock, I'm reminded that it's almost like a countdown for when Baby Brother is arriving. If you want to sit by and do the countdown to the Baby Brother Conversion with us, you can go to this website and play along at home--just add 1 day to whatever the Atomic Clock says.

DTV Atomic Clock

2 Years Old

So coy

Performing "...the babies on the bus go 'Waa, waa, waa'" (Wheels on the Bus)

Happy birthday, Anna. We love you so much....

Ben Folds - New Music - More Music Videos

Naval Gazing

I'm very sensitive about my belly button and I've always wondered if it's physical or psychological (my sensitivity to said belly button...I'm well aware that my belly button's mere existence is not just a figment of my imagination, smart acres!). I hate to have anyone's fingers (including my own) in it. I hate the idea of a Q-Tip in it. In fact, the only time, during my 14 hour labor and delivery with Anna that I actually uttered the words, "Ouch" were when, after she was born, the nurses were mashing on my belly and I could see that one of them had her fingers directly INSIDE of my belly button. Thankfully I couldn't physically feel it, but I still was emotionally scarred at the thought of what that would feel like if I hadn't been numb from the waist down.

With this pregnancy, my belly button hasn't popped out really, but it's flush with the rest of my tummy (I usually have very deep "Innie"). There is a slight protrusion in the middle though and that little thing is the bane of my existence these days. It's hyper sensitive--and I don't think it's all psychological now. Due to the position and slight stick-out-ed-ness of my naval, it catches on everything--the corner of the kitchen counters; doorknobs; the footposts of our bed when I'm making it in the morning; etc. This is also not to mention how very, very much my toddler wants to poke it, every chance she gets--sometimes inadvertently but sometimes totally intentionally. I think that the little protruding part is the point where every, single nerve in my body either begins or ends--it's that sensitive. If this area gets poked, I feel it in the arches of my feet; in the crook of my elbow; in the place where my ear lobe connects to my head; in the "quick" of the third toenail from the big one, on my right foot--you name it...I get an electrical shock in those places. In fact, just sitting here, typing, I'm about to go crazy from the brushing of my shirt against it. And, even a gust of air on it feels like an unmedicated tooth extraction...not to mention pointy, skinny little fetal heels and toes kicking it FROM THE INSIDE?!?! Oh, the agony!

Also uncomfortable? When a cat walks across my belly and steps directly inside of it, like some annoying pothole in the street. OUCH. Cat claws+sensitive nerves=much cursing. I'm very much looking forward to getting my old, flabby tummy back so that this sinister button from hell can retreat back into the safe confines of my cavernous naval area, never to see the light of day again.

*Sorry folks, I'm not posting a picture of it either. Can you even begin to imagine what sort of sickos that might attract to my blog?

Oh hi. It's me again.

Oh, lookie here. Already ran into issues with Wordpress. Drat! Ok, so I apparently have some more learning to do over there before I post much more. In the meantime, I suppose this will still be the place to find me. Sorry for the false alarm.

Now, for your entertainment...

Sit back and enjoy the musical and comedic stylings of Ms. Anna Claire Jurica, singing her greatest hits and hamming it up for the camera.

Performing such favorites as:

ABC Song

and

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

The Musical and Comedic Stylings of Anna from jurica on Vimeo.

Movin' on up...

I'm toying with the idea of relocating this old blog to Wordpress. I'm gonna post over there for awhile to see how I like it so you're welcome to mosey over there with me and see how it goes...

Yoohoo, over here!

Blast from the past

I just received an email from the company that takes the infant pictures at the hospital where we had Anna. Funny how we're almost at the 2 year mark and they're sending these pictures out now. Me thinks they're trying to stir the reproduction pot and encourage people to procreate some more so that they can come and snap pics of new babies and make a fortune. We often joke that the photographer checked my chart and waited until I was all dosed up on pain meds before coming into my room to sell me the picture packages. We spent a small fortune on pictures because, at the time, it seemed like what "good parents" did. We didn't want to fail miserably at parenthood within the first 48 hours of our firstborn's life.

Here's the link they sent to Anna's hospital pictures. If I wasn't already knocked up, this would've made me ready to be. It sounds so cliche, but I can't believe she was ever this tiny and new.

Twee little baby Anna

Saturday at the zoo

We went to the zoo today. It was a chilly, blustery day, so we spent the majority of our time there in the exhibit halls and other enclosed areas. Anna made a friend at the Natural Encounters area. They had a shared interest in the otters.
Then, Anna decided to stand on the rock wall and pose provocatively for pictures. Otters bring out her inner supermodel (but, be honest, don't they do that to everyone?).

So coy

Making love to camera

Whoa, whoa, whoa

Then, she almost fell off of the wall (this hurt her street cred a little). And yes, Mama kept shooting pictures, instead of trying to catch her.

For those of you who know the backstory, you might notice (or maybe not because the pictures don't really show them) that she's wearing different shoes in these pictures! You're thinking, "Wait? What? Different shoes? Surely you jest, you deranged woman!"

Backstory: A few months ago I bought some used, but never worn shoes from another mom. They're Stride Rites and just like Anna's previous beloved Stride Rites except a different color. I brought them home and she pitched a wall-eyed fit and refused to even let them be in the same room as her. I tried, on several occasions to get her to wear them (even trying to sneak them onto her feet, while she was sitting in her highchair, engrossed in a tv show). Every time, she'd immediately know what was going on and lose control of herself, trying to rip them off of her feet. I finally gave up and just put them away on the shelf in her closet. Well, yesterday we were getting dressed to go to the park, and Anna's 8 months pregnant mother was too lazy to walk down the hall to get her favorite shoes to put on her, so I reached into her closet and grabbed the "offensive shoes," thinking that I might just see what would happen and fully arming myself for a serious battle in the meantime. I put them on her, while she unknowingly looked at a book and then, once they were securely on her feet (which is a first, in and of itself) she looked down at her feet and said, "Wow! Now, these are pretty shoes!". We've been wearing them ever since with no incident. Go figure.

And finally, the best picture from our day at the zoo:

Giant Rooster Invades The Texas Medical Center!

Kevin snapped this picture today, at the petting zoo of a rooster, with the Texas Medical Center in the background. It's kind of artsy and cool. Also cool: Directly between Mr. Rooster's legs, you can see St. Luke's Hospital, which is where Anna was born and where Baby Brother will make his entrance as well. I know there are a number of double entendres and inappropriate uses of the word "cock," etc. that I could've graced you with, but I'll refrain. I have some couth people, believe it or not.

Big Changes for 2009

Take a gander at that dresser. It's a bonafide antique, circa 1974. A coat of white paint and a little sanding on the places were rodents ate the bottom drawer (only the best for my babies) and it's darn cute.

Oh, hi there! Remember me? I used to have a blog that I updated way back in the year 2008?

Sorry I've been absent. The holidays were great and Kevin has been on vacation since Christmas, so we've been busy doing stuff around the house and just sort of enjoying each other's company for the past couple of weeks. Big things have happened though. Most importantly is that Anna has officially been evicted from the nursery and the transition has gone beautifully. She loves her B.G.R. (which we're not even really calling the "big girl room" anymore--it's simply Anna's room now). The first night was a little rough and, being the little Jurica that she is (Hi, Juricas! Hugs and kisses!) she opted to sleep on the floor instead of the toddler bed, just to spite us. I went in about 3:30am to check on her and moved her limp, unconscious but still strong-willed little body into the toddler bed and it's been smooth-sailing ever since. When she wakes up in the morning, she typically gets some books off of her shelf and reads or plays with her toys. It's great.

I was so nervous about this transition because everyone had told me (and by everyone, I mean all of the moms in the infamous mom's group that I belong to) not to kick a kid out of a crib until necessary because you'll scar them for life and run the risk of your child never sleeping through the night again (rolls eyes). I'm pleased to report that, so far, we've had no such problems and we're all one happy little family of good sleepers.

Onto Baby Brother news: Anna's eviction from the nursery has allowed me the opportunity to begin "butching up" the nursery--getting it ready for Baby Brother. I worked all weekend long in there and it's really coming together nicely. I'll post pictures soon. Best of all, getting the nursery put together has made me feel like we're maybe, just maybe, a little closer to being ready for this baby to come. Ok, maybe not ready...more like prepared. Hmmm. Ok, maybe not prepared. How about resigned to this baby coming? Nope, that sounds too negative. Coming to terms with this baby coming? Ok, I'll go with that one.

In other Baby Brother news: I'm feeling very pregnant these days and am yearning for a time when I'm not pregnant anymore. Not that this hasn't been an easy pregnancy, but I'm seeing cute Spring dresses in store windows and longing to sit outside at Berryhill, sipping a margarita. It seems as though he's just as ready to get out as well because it feels like he's clawing his way out like a crazed prison inmate. I told Kevin the other day that I was concerned that I was incubating, not a human, but a litter of kittens. I'm sore from the kicking and scratching from the inside and fully expect to see talons or maybe a comb and tube of toothpaste, fashioned into a chisel of some sort on this kid when he comes out.