Update...

So, it's been a few weeks since my last post. I have been waiting to get some pictures in the computer to go with the post, but since I still haven't done that, here is a quick update...I'll add pictures later...

Baby news: I am 28 weeks and It's a boy! ....tentatively named "Matthew Spencer" or "Baby Matt". Shane has only recently started to participate in the name game the kids and I have been playing for weeks. After Nick's initial suggestions of names that make him laugh, I told Nick we were going to test out all the names on him for a week at a time. He immediately agreed to this and has henceforth known as "Rex". Gillian has been my only real sounding board. She gives her honest opinion and takes to calling the baby by whatever is currently at the top of our/her list, like "Baby Mitch" then "Baby John Spencer" (it was "Jonathan Spencer" on my list but she shortened it). She did have kind of a funky start, initally liking "Baby Heart full of Love" (Too much Care Bears). Stay tuned for further evolution of the name of Baby Boy Glasscock.

Nick news: Nick competed in his first karate tourament. There are four different parts of the competition. Nick took home the 1st place trophies in three of the four areas, sparing, weapons (he has mad bow staff skills) , and for his kata (I think that is the word). The only one he didn't win was grappling (which he describes as "UFC fighting"). He went straight for the automatic win move, the choke hold, but couldn't quite get it. Meanwhile his opponent kept getting the small points on him that added up to a win eventually. Close fight though. Nick was so proud, so were we!!

He recently acquired his first "Girlfriend", "Victoria". She calls him on the phone and he takes her calls in the playroom on speakerphone. I don't think he realizes that if the playroom door is open, the whole conversation makes its way down the stairs to the kitchen... I'm not telling him because it nice to be reassured by their conversations that they are still just fourth graders... Nick: "Can you believe Parker did that in class today? (akward laughing type noise)", Vicki: (similarly akward laugh) "No!" (followed by a long even more akward silent pause).... At first I thought it was an almost overnight change in his additude towards girls, but now I am picking up on other signs that were there. Like how his christmas list included brand name clothes or how he spent some of his own money on a bottle of cologne... I have heard through the grapevine that Vicki wears his Abercrombie hoodie that has been over marinated in "Phelps" cologne every day at school. I though it was weird when he would grap it on his way out the door, otherwise dressed in his patchwork shorts and white hanes t-shirts. He said he gets cold in class...I don't think the boy has ever been cold in his life... As long as his never figures out to shut the door when he is on the phone, I might survive the next 8+ years.

Gillie news: Gillian has already started planning her next birthday party, who she will invite, what kind of cake and what they will do.

She is also giving me pointers on how to take care of the new baby that will arrive just a couple of weeks after she turns 4! She'll tell me "Mom, the baby can only have milk when he first comes home because he won't have any teeth yet." or "Mom, you can feed the baby and dad can change the baby's diapers, but I am going to pick out his outfits and put on his bibs." I was worried at first she would be disappointed that the baby was a boy and not a girl but she has put aside all her girl dolls and has been carrying around her only boy doll ("Baby Jack" - after her cousin Jaxon) since we found out. Baby Jack only has the one outfit Santa brought him in, so she has to pretend that the girl doll clothes are for boys. It's not unusual to see her carrying around Baby Jackon, dressed in a pink floral nightgown, her shoulder as she bounces him and pats his back. She is going to be such a big sister.

Gillism: "High IQ or Tunnel Vision" ... I read an article on line recently about a two year old british girl who has the same IQ as Stehpen Hawkins. They gave an example of the creative answers she gave to questions. "What do you use your eyes for?" She answered "You close them when you sleep, and you put contacts in them." I decided to conduct my own IQ quiz with Gillie. When asked what you use your eyes for, she responded "To put on eyeliner."