S'mores

We made s'mores around the firepit the other night.  We've done it a couple times now, and it never gets old. :-D

Owen said the funniest thing... He was roasting his marshmallow and asked, "Is it done s'moreing yet?" ;-)

We also celebrated my niece Savannah's 3rd birthday.  She has SUCH a big personality and is so much fun.  So much fun. :)

I just *LOVE* this picture of Josh and Nora...

A good reminder...

My Mantra Lately

I just never get tired of snuggling and looking at this sweet face...

More Nora Pictures

If you'd like to read the birth story, it's here.

 

Loving every single moment with this little treasure!

Nora Kristine

So thankful for this sweet gift from Heaven!

 

Nora Kristine

6/10/12

6lb 1 oz

19 in

Funny Baby tips

Good to know...

You know you're tired when...

*You are looking forward to having a baby because you'll get a "vacation" in the hospital.
*You lay down for just a minute and wake up an hour later.
*You have an internal battle between the nesting bug and the total lack of energy to get up off the couch.
*You feel accomplished if you got dressed today.
*Crackers and cheese seems like a perfectly acceptable meal.
*Coffee has absolutely no effect on you. Whatsoever.
*Your bed is the most glorious, wonderful, absolutely BEST place. Ever.

Spidey Man

What to do if you're out driving and forgot your sunglasses at home?

Well, if you're me, and have a miniscule head like I do, you grab your 4 year old's Spiderman sunglasses and rock 'em.

I guess there's perks to having a pinhead after all! :-D

Love Note

I woke up to find this on my bathroom counter this morning. :-D

Hmmm, guess that's what I get for taking a pic with my cell phone.  It says:

Babe,
I just wanted to let you know how much I love you.  I hope you slept well and I'm praying our little girl comes soon so you can have some relief.  See you @ 1:15 :)

I had an ultrasound today and Baby Girl looks great and is head down!!

Ahhh, I do love that man.

Melt My Heart

I don't know if it's normal or not, but Kate and I have had kind of a rocky relationship. We are just SO much alike... and so we kinda butt heads. :-P  I have a hard time identifying with her and her little dramas, so anytime I get any kind of confirmation that I maybe, just MAYBE am doing something right, it totally rocks my world.

Yesterday Kate came flying out of school, ran straight into my arms with a huge grin on her face and said she had a surprise for me.  She was so excited that I had to open it in the van, before we even got home.

And oh my goodness, it was the sweetest thing!!!  She wrote this for me:

It's in a frame that she decorated with buttons, and you can bet your bottom dollar it's going up on the wall in my bedroom!

If we didn't do what we do....

This picture makes me laugh out loud.  It's hilarious.  I'm sure you've seen the story that accompanies it... That the dad comes home and finds this mess and asks what happened.  And the wife says, "You know how you ask me what I do all day? Well, today I didn't do any of it."

It's so true!  All day long, little mundane things, sometimes big mundane things.  But if we didn't do them, we'd all end up like this.

Maybe when your husband gets home you can show him this picture, have him look around your house and just say... "You're Welcome."

:-D

Well, I never...

I've never had a bloody nose.

I've never broken any bones, despite falling out of numerous trees, falling off numerous horses and being clutzy in general.

I've never eaten sushi.

I've never dyed my hair. Although I have done highlights out of a box.

I've never had an unmedicated birth.  Hoping to change that this time.

I've never liked seafood.

I've never used an American subway. I *have* been on a subway in France.

I've never done any type of drugs or smoked cigarettes.

I've never made chili from scratch. (Mostly because I can't eat it.)

I've never been able to walk *gracefully* in high heels.

I've never loved sleep as much as I do these days.

I've never liked the smell of lilies.

I've never liked Hershey's chocolate syrup.

I've never wanted to raid my freezer and eat the peanut butter cookie dough I have stashed in there, more than I do now. Must. Stay. Away.

This and That

*Owen says "farton me" when he toots.  It's hilarious.  He has no idea it's actually PARDON me.

*Kate got an award at school and glowing remarks from her teachers.  So glad she likes school and is doing well.

*Christian wants to wear shorts even when it's only 50 degrees outside, insisting that summer IS here, despite the rain and gloom.

*I have 9 weeks left in this pregnancy and am getting seriously excited to hold my baby girl.  Even if she is still nameless.

*Josh brought me a dozen roses the other day, just to say "thanks".  He's been gone a lot for church fundraising, and he wanted me to know he appreciates me holding down the fort.

*I have officially started waddling. 

*I love our home.  LOVE IT.  We were gone over the weekend, and when we got back I walked in and just heaved a huge sigh of relief and thankfulness.  It is so perfect for us.  It's not perfect; far from it (can you say old, scratched and dented oak trim EVERYWHERE? Not to mention pink countertops.)  But it is perfect for me and I love it so, so much.

*Our dryer broke so I had to go to the laundromat, because pretty much ALL of our clothes were dirty after the weekend away and since I wasn't caught up before we left.  Can I just say that it would be a dream come true to own a couple of those industrial washers and dryers!? ALL the laundry was washed and dried within an hour.  ALL OF IT!!!

*I may or may not have a slight addiction to iced coffees. 

*I desperately want to paint my toes... but can't comfortably reach them.  Guess it's time for a pedicure. :-D

*Sleep is a beautiful thing.

What I'm Loving Now

Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch. I seriously can't get enough.

Hummus and Sesame chips from Costco

Avon's Thick, Creamy lotion

Colgate's Optic White Toothpaste

Doughnut Holes

Sleep, specifically with lots of pillows

Pedicures... because at this point it's impossible for me to reach my toes.

Braxton Hicks. No, really. I honestly love them.

And just for kicks, here's the original John Braxton Hicks, who coined the term:

SUNSHINE!!!!!

Tiny baby cloth diapers

What are you loving lately?

So True

 

Sometimes I just need a reminder to look outside the behavior and situations and remember what it is I'm REALLY doing.

(Another) You Might Be Pregnant If...

*You need a minimum of 4 pillows to sleep with at night.

*Painting your toes turned out to be a major feat and you now have pulled muscles you didn't even know existed.

*You have a cold and can take... nothing. So you're a coughing, sneezing, running nose (yet stuffed up at the same time... HOW does that happen??), chapped lips mess.

*You've never been so thankful that the baby returned to a breech position and is no longer kicking the life out of your lungs and ribs.

*The new pale pink paint on the walls of your daughters' (Plural! You're gonna have TWO girls!!) room makes you giddy with excitement.

*Getting up to use the restroom in the middle of the night is a major accomplishment, what with the aforementioned pillows and a back that thinks it should act like that of  a 90 year old woman, who just got in a terrible car accident.  Right after back surgery.  And wasn't wearing a seat belt.

*Your skin is so dry it's soaking up lotion like the Sahara soaks up rain.

*You may have been caught pushing around an empty stroller, just for practice.

*Your re-sized, smaller wedding ring is getting too tight, and for the first time ever in pregnancy you may have to take it off. :,(

*You've never been so thankful that maternity fashion has come a LOOOONG way since you were pregnant with your first.

*You get sick from eating honey roasted peanuts.  And yet, can't stop eating them.

*You're actually looking forward to your 28 week Rhogam shot, because it's another milestone that brings you closer to the birth of your baby.

*YOU STILL CAN'T SETTLE ON A NAME. And it's driving you absolutely bonkers.

8 years

8 years.
4 children. (Almost!)
2 miscarriages.
Postpartum Depression.
Unemployment. Gainful employment.
Learning to be good stewards of our money.
3 apartments.
1 house.
1 dog.
Gaining weight. Losing weight.
Ups. Downs.
Easy times. Hard times.

We've been through a lot these last 8 years, but honestly? I wouldn't change any of it.  Not one thing.

Because the life we have together now, is far and above, greater than what I could have imagined.

Happy 8th Anniversary, baby!

February, 2004 on our honeymoon in Hawaii

Owen's Day Out

A few weeks ago we had to take Owen to the big hospital for a biopsy appointment. Turns out it's just a weird scar on his arm (phew!) but we had a fun day together.

He was SO nervous because the last "doctor" visit he had, he got 4 shots. And I wasn't sure what they were going to do this appointment, so I didn't want to say anything to mislead him about whether something was going to hurt or not!

The skyline:

Once we got into the room, he REALLY got nervous and totally clammed up with the assistant and doctors who were trying to talk to him, but still managed to smile for me in between them coming in and out.

And once we heard it was nothing more than a strange scar, the only thing to do was celebrate! We stopped at Josh's office on the way home, picked him up and headed to Burger King. ;-)

We're so incredibly thankful it was nothing serious, and that our little prince is as healthy as can be!

My Pregnancy in Pictures-The first 23 weeks

Just thought I'd put the pictures I've taken so far on here, so I can look back and see how my stomach/baby grew. :)

3 week, 4 days. Yes, I found out I was pregnant ridiculously early.

17 Weeks

20 weeks

23 weeks

Another at 23 weeks

So, none of them are particularly flattering. :-P  And I'm not sure what happened to the earlier weeks pictures; I'll have to look and see if I actually took any. I may have been too sick.

Baby Girl is growing, that's for sure!

You might be pregnant if...

*You debate whether it really bothers you that much that (insert sock, paper, toy, etc) is laying on the floor, and whether it's worth the extra work to bend down and pick it up.

*You can be found sitting on the couch with a tiny pink onesie thrown over your shoulder, absent-mindedly patting the back and imagining the sweet baby girl that will soon be wearing it.

*You sometimes drink coffee or eat chocolate just to feel increased wiggles and kicks.

*You get excited that Braxton Hicks are happening already, and hope it means a short, easy labor is in your future.

*You eat approximately 27 small meals a day.

*You enjoy a lively conversation with a group of 70 year old ladies while you all do your pool therapy.

*You're constantly protecting your stomach from the rambunctious little boys in your life.

*Your girls look FABULOUS.  (Sorry, it's true!)

*Shaving your legs requires Herculean efforts.

*It totally made your whole month when Motherhood had an awesome sale on their clearance items.

*You dream about little baby girls with dark hair and blue eyes.

*75% of your day is taken up with trying to figure out the name of that little girl.

*You can't wait for your stroller and carseat to arrive on the UPS truck!

Sweet Little Somethings

Owen has been really affectionate lately.  He loves giving me kisses, and I love getting them, and kissing his soft, chubby cheeks in return.  I've been TRYING to prepare him for when the baby comes.  He has been the baby (and very doted on, at that) his whole life, so I've started trying to introduce the idea that there will be another smaller being around soon.  And I'll have to spend some time nursing and taking care of that tiny babe and won't be available at his beck and call.  Hopefully if I take it slowly but surely it won't be so traumatic once June comes.

Josh was gone last weekend at a men's retreat at church.  On Monday I was a wee bit frazzled, and then Josh told me he had to go out of state for work for two days.  Well, that kinda put me over the edge so I requested some Krispy Kreme doughnuts.  Totally logical, right? :-P  Anyway, due to a series of unfortunate events, Josh was not able to bring me any doughnuts.  And I may have lost it.  Like, full on crying.  Over doughnuts.  Yeah, not my best moment.  HOWEVER, guess who showed up last night with TWO DOZEN KRISPY KREME DOUGHNUTS!?!? Yup, my beloved.  Home from out of state with 2 dozen glorious, fluffy, delicious doughnuts.

Christian and Owen have been really sweet and doting on their 1 year old cousin. It makes me excited to see how they'll do with Baby Girl when she gets here.  And Kate can not get enough of babies.  We had some friends over last night who have a 6 month old little beauty and Kate was glued to the baby all night long.  Hopefully that will translate into being a big help rather than smothering of the poor child when we bring our baby home in June. ;-)

I figured out what I wanted for Mother's Day and sheepishly emailed it to Josh.  Why was I sheepish about it? Well, cuz it's expensive.  And it's a diaper bag.   I've never had an expensive diaper bag, but one of my friends from church has this style and has used it for a year and loves it.  So, Happy Mother's Day to me! :-D

I have the best friends.  Well, Jen in particular.  I am so thankful we have each other! We both have kids close in age and know what it's like to be "in the trenches".  We can talk about anything and everything, we both love Java Crew coffee and chocolate.  I'm so thankful we live near each other and can hang out! Love you, Jen! (This is a SUPER old picture and Jen is now a HOT MAMA!!!!!  I, on the otherhand, pretty much look the same-or a bit chubbier) :-P

Love Notes

I found this little treasure on my bathroom mirror today:

Taken on my not-so-great phone camera, but wanted to record the moment.

I <3 U too, handsome!