Weekend Update

This weekend was full of good, bad, and ugly.

First, the good. We went to the lake on Friday night and the weather was perfect, way better than the city. There were no bugs (like it has been all summer, which is amazing in itself) and the breeze felt so good. Josie got some exploring in before bed, and even though she stayed up late that night, she slept great and woke up late in the morning too. 

We visited my grandparents, had apple crisp, corn on the cob, and sloppy joe's. Is there a better meal than that? Probably not. We played outside a bit more, napped (wonderful), and then made pizza for supper. I really think I've perfected the pizza crust. It's gotten better and better and dare I say it? tastes better than some pizza places' crusts. Ahh, that was a great day.

The bad: Jo ate a lot of acidic foods and the combination of that with her existing cold created some serious diaper issues ah hem runny #2. The poor girl instantly gets rashes when this happens and she hadn't recovered from the last time this happened oh...three... days ago. So she was not the happiest of campers on Sunday afternoon.

Also, for the second time out there in a row, she had the worst night of sleep ever on the second night. We're talking up at 4:00 AM screaming and not going back to sleep. My lovely hubby basically took care of her and let me go back to sleep after the first hour, but their Sunday was long. That is a long time to be awake... I'm surprised we weren't crabbier. We're maybe going to be going to my hubby's aunt's farm this weekend for four nights and I'm a little terrified of night times away at this point. What if that happens every night? We'll be miserable. No thank you.

The ugly: Before we even go to the lake, we were told by my parents that something had happened with a rusted out pipe causing the lower level where the main bathroom and three bedrooms are to flood. It was not good at all. My handy hubby picked up some supplies before we left and the men were able to get it mostly cleaned up and fixed up before we went to bed. The damage, though, was horrid. There was carpet in all of the rooms and hard surface floors in the hallway. Almost all of it had to get taken out to dry which means that now there is just the concrete for our little toes-ies to walk on. It wasn't the best, but we were glad to have the water running again in time for bathroom breaks and last minute baths (a sandy baby is not appropriate for bedtime). 

There is a silver lining to this though. Because of the damage, insurance will cover some of it and my parents will get to pick out new flooring to replace what had been there which was actually not that great anyways. My hubby will end up doing the work and it can wait until his outside work slows down which is always great. We love winter jobs 'round here. My parents' lovely lake home will have new flooring in the entire house except the staircase and entryway (remember how they redid the upstairs last winter?). Amazing that in just a year it will look so different in the house. Did I say different? I mean fabulous. It's going to look pretty great in there. I wish I had taken some pictures of the place all torn up just for a good before picture. I'm sure my dad did, eh?

We went for an evening walk to the park and Grammy got stuck with the uphill climb and stroller combo.

Girl was happy.

Hubby and I swung (him more than me) and he was in a ... goofy mood. :)

Playing in the sand, apple and all. And yes, the apple was back in her mouth numerous times after being rolled in the sand. 

Mmm...sand...

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A Little Follow Up

Sometimes I forget to update after discussing something I'm thinking about doing or trying. Sorry!

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Yoga: I never did the videos more than once, but did like them and thought they were useful when I did them. The reason I didn't continue it was because my pilates DVD came in the mail and I've been doing that.

Pilates: I bought the 10 Minute Solution: Prenatal Pilates DVD thanks to a recommendation and am very happy with it! It has different options for core, upper body, lower body, and flexibility so I can choose what I feel I need at the moment. It also has a postnatal bonus workout to help get your tummy back in shape (as if it ever was...) and I'm excited to try that when I get to that point. 

Seriously though, It's amazing to me what a difference doing just 10-20 minutes of pilates a day is doing. My underbelly muscles were so tight and sore when I was pregnant with Josie, I remember I could hardly put my pants on without struggling or almost falling over. My movement was so limited and I was uncomfortable for months. These workouts have stretches that immediately help with that muscle and other muscles that are getting worked way more than usual. I have so much  more flexibility and am way more comfortable. Except that pesty lower back pain...

After trying Tylenol, walking, stretching, pilates, resting more, etc I have had no relief. I can tell that exercising helps keep it from getting worse, but definitely does not make it feel better. My doctor was so understanding (I had an appointment yesterday) and immediately said I had two options now. I could either go to therapy or go to a chiropractor.

Therapy would be deep rubs, stretches, and ultrasounds, all of which I have done before for my arms when I had hurt my tendons. The chiropractor would do all of that plus a little more so I opted to try that. It surprised me that my doctor recommended a chiropractor. Love this lady. I have an appointment next Wednesday and I am so excited for it. I really hope it helps out and I feel better. If I didn't have the back pain, this pregnancy would be pretty much perfect. I can't complain too much, because it has gone so well, but if I can eliminate this I will do what I can!

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The other thing that we talked about at my appointment was what our plan was for delivery. I feel like it is so early to talk about this, but then again it is only 11 weeks away or less. She told me that I could do one of three options since she won't be the one delivering our baby (which we knew about from the beginning): family practice doctor, OBGYN, or midwife. 

Family Practice Doctor: It would be one of her colleagues and would be with us most of the day but would leave at the end of their shift. At that point, the OBGYN on call would take over (if it is evening/night).

OBGYN: Obviously is whoever is on call, would only be in the room if there is a problem or right before delivery, maybe busy with another patient when we need him/her (this happened with Josie and was very frustrating. Don't tell a pregnant lady to not push when her body is telling her to push push push just because we need to wait for the doctor)

Midwife: a more natural approach, the midwife would be with us most of the time and would focus on different positions, stretches, labor techniques. The midwife wouldn't be there for evenings/nights either, but would be there all day long in the room with me. They don't encourage medical help like epidurals or c-sections, but since I would still be in the hospital, those would still be options if needed.

As long as insurance is good and covers all three, I'm leaning more towards midwife. I know it sounds crazy, but it also seems like a relief to me. I was so frustrated with the limitations we had when I was delivering Josie. Part of that was not the hospital's fault. I had to be induced because of how late I was, so the entire thing was forced and unnatural causing my body to fight it the whole time. If this time around I go into labor on my own, I love the idea of trying different positions, more natural methods, having a "coach" there with me instead of a nurse that is in and out the whole time. 

I guess it really depends on how labor starts. Does anyone know if using a midwife causes issues with insurance? I'll call them either way to be sure, but I've never heard of anyone using one around here. Since it is still in the hospital and there is still an OBGYN on call that can step in at any time, I'm guessing that it doesn't make any difference. I've heard also that the hospitals like when their patients use midwives since they can attend to the patients when everything is normal and the OBGYN can focus on the emergencies and complications. Thoughts?

I have hit the third trimester state of mind and am now spending a lot more time thinking about what is to come. Get ready for more posts on this and more questions and discussions. I'd love your views and opinions... being a second time mom helps but there is still a lot of unknown out there.


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Rookie Mistake

Here I sit waiting for my blood sugar level to relax a little bit. Waiting for my hands to stop shaking and for my body to regulate so I'm not freaking out. Why? Because I made a preggo rookie mistake.

In my attempt to eat healthier, I ate less this morning. Bowl of cereal and some fruit and my cup of coffee. That's perfect, right? Except that unless I eat a snack around 10:30, I am starving to the point of the shaky gross feeling I just experienced. I know better, but kind of forgot.

So here I sit, waiting. So dumb! I just inhaled a pb&j sandwich and a huge glass of water, but it will take a while to kick in. In the meantime, Jo just needs to settle down and let me catch up. She's ready to play, but I'm not ready yet...

Only 11 more weeks of this! Maybe I'll get it together and not let this happen again. One can only hope!



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Words for this Fine Wednesday

Josie took out a chunk of my nose the other day. Now I have a big scab on my right nostril that is oh-so-flattering. Thank you little one! I promptly cut her nails even shorter than they already were.

She's still sick. I'm feeling better. My back hurts, but I'm feeling better. We're going to have a low key day with nothing planned and no place to go. It sounds wonderful, doesn't it?

Yesterday we braved the elements (light breeze, warm sun) and went for a walk with my dear friend Jerri. If there's anything you should know, it's that our dog Buckley is completely head over heels in love with Jerri and would leave us in a second for her if given the chance. He was in his element. We stopped at our neighborhood park on the way home to get some serious playing in, but us wimps couldn't handle the heat (seriously it's nothing compared to the entire month of July!) so we only stayed a couple of minutes.

Oh, and in case you didn't believe me that my sissy gave up an entire Saturday to help us out, here we are at the wedding dance/dinner waiting for hubby to join us after his groomsman duties were mostly finished.

I'm dreaming of pumpkin spice lattes, boots, scarves, and reddish orange leaves. Anyone else?


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Good News/Bad News

Good news? We slept in until 8:00 this morning. Bad news? That is only because we were both up all night trying to breathe, coughing, and crying (more Jo than me on this one).

Good news? Today is beautiful. No clouds, 80 degrees, slight breeze. Bad news? We're inside recovering from this cold that is making us a wee bit less than happy right now.

Good news? I didn't have to make lunch because of the leftovers from our eating out extravaganza yesterday. Bad news? Now what in the world will we eat every other day this week???

Good news? Now that I'm not practicing piano two or more hours a day, I have time to get a few projects done that I've been eyeing. Bad news? NO MOTIVATION.

Happy Monday!

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Whew.

This weekend. Ohhh this weekend.

On Friday night we left Josie in the hands of her godparents to go back to my hometown for a wedding rehearsal and dinner. I played piano for the wedding and since it was a Catholic ceremony, there was a lot of music that is well known among the congregation but not so well known to me. Practicing that night really set in the nerves and my brain was spinning trying to be as prepared as possible.

The next day was the big day. 

Bride and Groom with their flower girl

We started the long day early getting there at 10:30 in the morning since hubby was a groomsman. My sissy came with to hang out with Josie and she saved us big time! Josie ended up getting yet another bad cold and was just miserable all day. It's not so fun babysitting for a sick kid, did you know that? Props to the good ole auntie. 

I rehearsed a bunch and made it through the ceremony without passing out in fear or running out of the church with my head down in shame. I was so relieved when it was done. I'd practiced so much in preparation but it never feels like enough. I loved playing the prelude beforehand and the postlude after (music I picked) but the in between stuff? When everyone's eyes are on the musicians? Nerve wracking. Anyways, it was fun. I"m so glad I was able to play for their wedding.

Afterwards I joined up with my sissy and Josie to play in the park before dinner, but Jo couldn't handle it for long and needed another nap. By the time we got her sleeping it was time to go back for dinner. Dinner, dancing, drinking a lot of 7 Up, and we were headed back to Fargo tired and ready for bed. 

Sunday, we woke up sick. All of us. So all day we've just slept, tolerated each other while trying to recover, and eating out. I know, I know, we had wedding food all weekend and then pizza and chinese food the next day, but none of us were in cooking mode, and I was completely fine with it.

This week, I have a few projects I wouldn't mind doing but we'll see how it goes. If we are still feeling miserable tomorrow, it'll be a low key day. I'm banking on a solid night of sleep tonight.

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Flashback pictures

Remember that wedding we went to a couple of weeks ago a month ago? They had a photo booth type thing set up in the corner and we volunteered to go first. Here are some pics my aunt has that crack me up! Like I said, we went first so we were the guinea pigs. We got way more pictures than others and I like it.

Flattering shot, eh?

Jo's smiling!! This is my favorite just for that reason.

I also adore this one.

My parents and sister! Love them.

Really, they are the best. Who else's parents are this crazy?

My papa and his four sisters. He's the second youngest and clearly the adored brother. They are hoots of fun!

Bride and Groom! 

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Baby #2 Update

How far along: 28 weeks

How big is baby: Eggplant Average size: 13.6 -14.8 inches, 1.5-2.2 lb

Weight gain/loss: I think I am at 17-18 lbs. Doc said that was perfectly fine, I thought it seemed really high. I wouldn't be surprised if I lose weight or maintain at my next appointment because it seemed higher than what I was expecting, possibly due to some slight swelling or just eating beforehand. Who knows?

Maternity clothes: I bought another pair of maternity jeans and plan to wear them almost every day to get the wear out of them in these last few months. But really? We know I'll be living in them afterwards too. 

Stretch marks: No new ones!

Sleep: A teeny tiny bit better. I napped a little more but once I started doing some more exercise I found I wasn't quite as tired (imagine that) so the naps have slowed down and I've slept a little better at night. I'm only getting up once to use the bathroom at this point.

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: Watermelon, corn on the cob, ice water. So good! Sugar in general, just trying to keep that limited. As far as aversions, frozen veggies, peppers of any kind, tortilla chips

Exercise: I have done yoga a few times this week and just got a pilates video in the mail. I'm hoping I will be able to avoid braxton hicks (since I haven't had ANY yet...crazy) and keep my muscles stretched out.

Gender: Girl!

Movement: All day long now, sometimes I hardly notice, other times it's so distracting that I stop what I am doing and just feel this little miracle in my tummy.

The belly: I feel like I'm so much bigger than I was last time! But  I know that I am still too comfortable to be done growing outward, so there is still a long road of getting bigger ahead of me.

What I'm loving: Looking obviously pregnant but still being relatively comfortable.

What I miss: Being able to run, having more than one serving of caffeine.

Symptoms: Lower back pain, general fatigue, big belly... all worth it though.

The nursery: No changes yet!

What's different/the same this time: I still don't feel those braxton hicks. I'm definitely not swelling as much either. There has been a little water retention but nothing serious and I'm not uncomfortable from it.

Best moment of the week: Hubby really got to feel the baby move this week and it wasn't just a little bit! So often, she's going nuts in there and he isn't here or can't get over to my belly fast enough. He lights up every time he feels her which makes me so happy too.

Last appointment details: My doctor recommended Tylenol and riding bike for my back pain. Unfortunately I can't afford a bike trainer to set my bike up for indoor use and I can't really go with Josie during the day so that is out. She was glad that I was planning on doing yoga too. She also told me that I was measuring exactly at 27 weeks so we are right on. That's great news!

Next appointment: I'm at the point of going every two or three weeks and am officially in my 3rd trimester. I feel pretty good for being this far along and am so thankful! Next appointment is next Thursday.

Excuse the weird face, I never know if I should smile, look up, stare at the camera... it's just awkward. but notice the straightened hair because it rarely happens! 

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Funny Girl

A few of the funny things that Josie is doing right now that I *really* don't want to forget:

1. Sometimes when she was fussing or crying in the past, I would fake laugh to show her that whining wasn't necessary or to distract her. She picked that up, and fake laughs at me all the time now. Most of the time, it makes me and everyone else around us laugh too, so we get the real laugh out of her shortly after. It really is hilarious. It sounds like she's half coughing half laughing.

2. Some of the words she's been saying come from nowhere. For example, we were at the cornfield with my mom and while she was picking corn, we were just playing in the dirt and grass. Josie looked up and said "trckta" and when I looked in the same direction, there was a tractor. How does she know what that is?? I checked with her other grandparents and they really haven't been teaching it to her either. She's good too, because she noticed one in a book a couple of days later. The other word that she threw out there yesterday was "water" when in the bath. I never say it, I always just say "bath" but she figured it out!

3. I've been working on getting her to communicate "more" if she wants more, and it is the funniest cutest thing. She focuses really hard and starts with the mmm sound so it sounds like "mmmmmmmoo?" I added the question mark because she always says it with a question since that is the way I say it to her when I am asking her to say it. She doesn't say it every time, but she has definitely figured out what it means! Next up, I would love it if she learned "please".

4. She's determined to walk down steps like a big girl but her tiny legs just can't stretch that far, so she now knows that if she just waits a second for me to come and help her, I'll hold her hand and she can basically fall down each step without actually falling over. She stands at the top and just grins at me with her hands up in anticipation. Then once we've reached the bottom, she looks at me like "yeah I did that!" and proudly walks ahead of me to wherever we are going. I'm thankful that she is learning to follow my direction and walk on her own, but she's not even 14 months yet! I don't need her to be such a big girl so soon...

5. She has two bottom teeth and two top teeth, and she's figured out how to use them to the max by nibbling on foods instead of gumming it up. I no longer have to break up her bread or crackers. Now I just hand it to her and she nibbles away. She also grins with a huge toothy smile at me afterwards because she knows its a "big girl" thing. She likes to "eat" apples and corn on the cob because she can nibble until her heart's content. The combo of her eating these huge foods and grinning with all her teeth showing really will melt a heart.

That's all I can think of for now. Hope you smiled at least once!

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Hard for me too

I had my first student quit piano lessons today because she didn't like it. She was crying and her dad made her tell me why. It was so hard for me to hear too because it made me feel like a failure. The saddest thing is that she never gave me any clues that she didn't like it and she was doing so well. My heart hurt a little as I watched her walk away, knowing that she probably won't do anything else in music. I truly hope that it wasn't something I did or said directly that turned her away from piano.

I knew it would happen, it is bound to happen, but I still feel bad. Sure, I'm getting more students as I go and some of my other students obviously love piano, but it's hard to not take it personally when someone doesn't like something that I love.

Here's hoping that is the only student I lose over the next couple of months! My heart can't take any more for a while.

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Wednesday words

1. Playing piano again is like reconnecting with an old friend. As I'm playing songs I rehearsed in high school, private lessons, and college, different images flash through my mind and I'm reminded of so many different friends and places as I practice. My rusty fingers are finally starting to loosen up and I can honestly say that just from practicing (ridiculously hard) the last two weeks, I think I am at a better place than I was when I was in school for it full-time (yes, I went to school for music with a scholarship and emphasis in piano. Little detail that I bet you didn't know!). Music that used to be frustrating and too hard has seemed a little easier and the "hard parts" in my old favorites aren't nearly as hard. What a relief! It is especially important to me as I just started teaching lessons again and was nervous that I had lost what I had and wasn't capable of being a "good teacher". By the way? My brain is back on track and I'm loving it more than I thought I would. Thank you God.

2. Craigslist. I have a love/hate relationship with it. I put something on there to sell and had three people interested right away. That's great, except that the first person who was so interested just quit emailing me back. So I moved on to the next person. I better hear back from this person or I'm going to be ticked that I missed the opportunity to sell it to her in the first place. Why can't people just have some courtesy? Email saying "not interested anymore". It's not hard... It's the same the other way too. If I'm interested in something, I usually ask if it is still for sale before inquiring with more questions. Sometimes I get answers, but there are a lot of times that I hear nothing. Really? It's still posted... it still appears to be for sale. That's not my fault, so a simple yes/no would do. 

That stuff aside, I do love it. The opportunity to sell something I never ever used for the same price or more that I paid for it? LOVE THAT. Finding stuff that is overpriced when full price and hardly used? LOVE THAT. There are definitely perks to go with the downfalls.

3. Waking up in the morning has been interesting. Hubby is gone so early most days, which is hard on him but generally has given him a stronger work ethic and full days of work. Sometimes, though, his wake time is later. Not late enough that it is when I would wake up, but late enough that Jo is in her lighter sleep phase so is woken up by his steps and movements. It is so frustrating! On one hand I am thankful that hubby got to sleep in a little and know that his body needs it. On the other hand, I have to deal with a crabby baby all day. 

4. I got my workout DVD in the mail yesterday! Along with a bible study book that I was excitedly waiting for and a new vacuum filter. I looove mail days like that. So many things to look forward to. I will be sure to update you after some serious prenatal pilates. The yoga has been good but I'm ready to mix it up (already...after two days). 

5. I'm too hungry and pictureless to keep going. Happy Wednesday everyone!



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6 Things this lovely Monday Morning

1. I found website (www.doyogawithme.com) that has free videos to watch. They even have three prenatal workouts (morning, afternoon, and evening) so I did the morning workout today. This was me:

Except even cooler and with my beautiful living room scenery instead of Victoria, British Columbia (now I want to go there. Seriously beautiful). I have to say that although I'd probably skip the intro because I don't need to think about my mom being pregnant every single time I do do this, it was nice to think about this time. :) Thanks, Mom, for having me. :)

2. I spent the weekend at the lake and had a grand old time with family and going to a rodeo. I did manage to get my camera out once, and this is what I have to show for it. Impressive right?

Upper left - my poor bored to death at the lake 15 yr old cousin and his friend who were great sports for not really being "rodeo" people, bottom left - my sissy and I, bottom right - hubby and I, main picture - our view... from the ground because we were sitting on a hill instead of on our not so comfy chairs

The rest of the weekend was filled with way too much food (seriously, gluttonous over here. Twas gross) and intense lower back pain. I alternated between different positions on the hammock, ground, couch, and bed while adding in a heating pad here and there. I guess the only thing that really helped was sleeping in my own bed last night. Oh, and hubby's back rub... that helped too. Those are necessities when I am pregnant (who am I kidding, even when I'm not!)

3. This week is full of lessons and practicing for piano for a wedding that is on Saturday. I get to play piano for the ceremony which means these little fingers have been hittin' the gym lately aka tickling the ivories. I finally feel like I can play for more than 30 minutes without them getting pathetically tired and lazy. That's a good thing! 

4. I have so many things I am waiting for from Amazon.com... vacuum filters (highlight of my week, what?), workout videos, chargers for our phones (yes, we have to share one for each of our phones and my tablet because we keep breaking them. Then we leave one at the lake and break my car charger. Thank you, sister, for sharing her car charger to get us through til our new just ordered chargers show up), bible study books. It's a fun week of mail-getting at the Deyle home.

5. The weather this week is supposed to be gorgeous. Like high of 70-80 and partly cloudy but still some sun. It's my favorite week of summer thus far. My dear father calls it sweatshirt/shorts weather. We looove that combo. Although personally, my fave is the sweatshirt/capri combo since really shorts are only taken out for emergency high temp scenarios 'round here.

6. There are almost no sweets in my house and a TON of veggies and soon to be fruits after I grocery shop today. Operation stop gaining so much weight/no more room in my belly for huge meals and sugar has started.

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Average day

Josie rocked the sleep last night. And the naps too. I got a solid two hour nap in the morning and another two and a half hour nap in the afternoon. Bed time? Slept from 8:30-7:45. Never happens. Mama feels well rested too, so there's that. All in all? Bring on the weekend! We're excited over here now that we aren't sleep deprived.

And also? I think I have the best daughter ever. Last night, while my bread was rising for the most amazing homemade pizza crust, we went to the park down the street. I let her explore and play more independently, now that she's a big girl and all, and she was just so fun. Climbing, swinging, playing in the sand. It was a good time.

Then we came home, I made pizza, she waited patiently (I know, right?) and we started to get ready for bed. We had a fun time then too, but nothing beats the moment when Daddy got home earlier than expected. The joy on that little girl's face? Priceless. She was so excited. He got her in her PJ's, hung out, and ate his supper. The whole time he was eating, she was on his lap giggling, talking, and genuinely being in her element. 



Then he had to leave again, just for a while, but she knew he was leaving. The girl was so sad! It was heart breaking. I know it made Daddy feel good, though, to see her miss him so much. We do miss him every single day when he is working. She has us wrapped around her finger, completely.

That, my friends, is a peek into the average day here. Average=awesome right?

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Reflection

Yesterday I spent the afternoon watching a friend's daughter who is just two weeks younger than Josie. They are so similar, yet so different. I was fascinated watching them explore the same things but react in completely different ways. 

I mentioned earlier that Josie had to experience "sharing" this weekend when we had people over for the Baby Shower. She was not a fan to say the least. This time around, though, it's like she just got it. She knew that she couldn't hold all of her toys, and she even seemed to know that she'd get to play with it in a little while. I'm not saying that we've overcome this battle by any means, but it was really interesting to see the change in just a few days. It didn't last the whole afternoon. As she got more tired, she got more crabby, and she got less willing to share. She started scowling (a sure sign of what is to come) and started grabbing, pulling, and pushing. It wasn't all that pretty.

What really got me was seeing her sin clear as day. She's only 13 months old, and she's already showing a sinful heart. Sure, the sin seems small in comparison to others, but isn't a sin a sin? There isn't one greater than another in God's eyes. It's most humbling to note that her sin is a reflection of my sin. She's learning from me. She has instincts, yes, but she is reflecting what she sees in me and others around her.

Just another reminder of how it is my job to go to God first before attempting this parenting thing each day. Who am I to do it alone? I would and do fail every single day. Thank God (literally) that He is just waiting for me to ask for his help.

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Weekend Update

We had an exhausting but fun weekend and I don't think any of us have quite recovered.


On Saturday, we threw a baby shower for my sister in law, her hubby, and their baby Dean. I took advantage of having a nephew to use my favorite boy theme: nautical. It was so fun to decorate with sailboats and anchors and sea creatures. Who knows if I'll ever get a chance in the future to decorate for a boy of our own? So take advantage I did. We had a great turn out and family stayed until later in the evening just visiting and hanging out. It was a busy busy day and we all slept hard that night! 


Josie had to share her toys which devastated her, but she still got to entertain everyone most of the time. Life might get rough for her as her cousin Dean grows up and she has a sister join her. Plus, I think she's pretty close to cutting in another tooth or two. There was a lot of chewing on anything in sight, screaming randomly, and scowling fiercely with no known motive. The girl showed some attitude.


Today we joined the family for lunch after church, crashed hard afterward for a solid afternoon nap, and then joined them again for supper. 


I am hoping for a chill week, and I should get it for the most part. 


Ooh oh! Did I mention that I have an appointment on Thursday? 


And baby girl has been kicking more and more. She kicked me so hard during supper tonight that it actually hurt a little. We're at that stage now. I'm ok with it though. The more she kicks the more I'm assured that things are going great for this growing baby inside me. 




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Baby #2 Update

How far along: 26 weeks

How big is baby: Size of a head of lettuce - about 13.6-14.8 inches, 1.5-2.2 lb.

Weight gain/loss: Not sure at this point since I haven't been to the doctor in 3 weeks. I was up 7 lbs back then.

Maternity clothes: Pretty much all the time. I have a couple of dresses I am wearing that aren't but shirts and pants are a must to cover up this growing bump.

Stretch marks: No new ones!

Sleep: This week its gotten a lot worse. I can't get comfortable since I'm usually a back sleeper, and I wake up on and off all night long so the quality has gone down a lot. Today I even took a nap the same length of time as my 13 month old - that's not like me at all!

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: The sugar craving is out of control! So I am working on that. Carbonation and anything cold is wonderful. I am not interested in cooked broccoli or tortilla chips. The thought of them make me cringe.

Exercise: I haven't been as active as I had wanted to be at this point. I'm still chasing around Josie all the time so I'm not completely sedentary. I think I'm going to be buying a yoga/pilates prenatal video this weekend. My muscles are getting more and more sore as my belly grows.

Gender: Girl!

Movement: A lot of movement under my ribs and some lighter flutters by my bladder. Some of the kicks are definitely visible on the outside and daddy's gotten to feel her too a little. Just like her big sister, Baby girl gets shy when he's around.

The belly: Growing out but not pushing up yet as much as Josie ultimately did.

What I'm loving: Josie's starting to say baby more and more so hopefully we can connect the dots a little with the baby inside of my tummy.

What I miss: Shopping for regular clothes (although I am sure my hubby is glad I'm not doing this) and not feeling achy in my lower back.

Symptoms: Just lower back pain and more fatigue. My feet have hurt more but they aren't swollen yet. I've only felt a little swollen off and on and it hasn't lasted at all.

The nursery: We bought a bassinet off of Craigslist this weekend which was my last big purchase to make for this little girl. We won't have to make too many changes to the nursery since it's already set up for Josie. We'll just add a toddler bed and take out the baby clothes that are stored away.

What's different/the same this time: The back pain is the same - I distinctly remember this part! But thankfully I can sit down more and take more breaks when needed.

Best moment of the week: Jo's been repeating "baby" after me when we are practicing different words and it's so fun to see her face light up. Can't wait for her to make that connection!

Last appointment details: Last week I had my glucose test and all is well. No gestational diabetes here.

Next appointment: Next Thursday

26 weeks

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Midweek Confessions

I've been watching Felicity on Netflix and I'm almost done. I'm going to probably have withdrawals. I remember now why I loved this show back when it was on! What in the world will I do with my free time when this show is done? Oh yeah, normal people stuff.


I've been on a sugar overload for a couple of weeks now and its time to get it together. Seriously this kid is going to be crazy crazy if I don't cut it out now.


Josie has been doing so many cute things (so cute!) and I haven't recorded any of it on video. I have the video camera at my feet right now... but I always hate how awkward it is when I turn it on and then nothing cute or exciting happens. It's just annoying... except nowadays I can edit that awkward part out so there is no reason for this nonsense. I won't regret it later, but I just can't seem to get myself to do it.


I haven't been working out at all. Add that in with the sugar problem and things are rough over here.


I think about blogging, what I should write about, a cute story here and there, but I'm been feeling uninspired lately. No real reason. I hope it changes because I miss it.


Happy Wednesday everyone!

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The Park

The temps cooled down this last week and I really wanted to go outside and do something to enjoy it. I haven't been able to spend much time outside because the heat and my preggo self don't get along, so it was the perfect chance to get out of the house.

We went to the park and just hung out with Cassie and her boy Weston again. They are fun on these playdates! 

This time around Josie was a lot more into the equipment. Last time, she played with the mulch. This time, she took full advantage of the steps and slides and almost gave her mama a heart attack numerous times. She has no lack of enthusiasm or spirit when it comes to new things!

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Lindsay and Arron get married!

My cousin married the love of her life a this month! We got to host some of our extended family at our place and have a ton of family time on the days surrounding the wedding. I intended to get tons of great pictures but of course my camera went dead. So here are the pictures I got before that happened.

My sister and I before the wedding. It was a super hot day and my aunts planned ahead by making fans out of pictures of the bride and groom. BRILLIANT.

Josie made it through the ceremony but just barely. Daddy followed her around the park and we kept her entertained  with cheerios and water bottles.

Bride and her dad walking (it was a long walk but the park was beautiful and everyone was so relaxed and happy. It was a great thing to witness!)

The groom waiting for his bride. I love catching a glimpse of the his reaction no matter what wedding I'm at. There's just something about seeing the anticipation and joy in their faces. Arron was no exception. He looked nervous but so happy.

My aunt officiated the wedding and she did an awesome job. I couldn't get a good picture because of the angle we were sitting at, but the wedding was so unique! They did everything in their own style and it was truly original.

After the wedding, Congratulations Lindsay and Arron! We were so happy to celebrate with you on your big day.

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Wondering where I've been lately? Me too. Truth is, we've been feeling a little under the weather over here. General cold, runny/stuffy noses, sore throats. Just meh. Nothing crazy but it's left me and my little sidekick kind of moody and gloomy. 


It's been a slow week. Not a lot accomplished, no ambition evident. I'm ok with that as long as it's not permanent.


On a good note, I passed my glucose test! No gestational diabetes for this girl. Hooray. I wasn't all that worried, but it's just nice to know that I don't have that to think about too.


I can't believe we are already at 25 weeks.Excuse me when did that happen? 

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Bragging about Jo...indulge me

Jo Jo Bean, as my family so affectionately calls her, has been rocking my socks the last couple of weeks. She is so silly, so smiley, and so cuddly. Remember when she wasn't like that at all? Now that she has more independence, she isn't fighting for it so much. It's fun to watch her play by herself, but then seek me out to play with me or just check in.


She lets me kiss her right on the face and sometimes leans in to "kiss" me back. She runs as fast as she can and jumps on me to get bear hugs and sometimes just sits on my lap to chill for a couple of seconds. Only seconds, mind you, but they are the best seconds of the day.


Her toothy grin looks even cuter now that her two top teeth or showing more and more. Her hair is almost long enough to tuck behind her ear. She's learning to run.


There is just so much going on with this girl. Little things that most people don't care about, but that fascinate me to no end. Her dad, too, is completely fascinated with everything she does.


It's fun to watch her interact with her new baby cousin, and this last weekend she was able to interact with her old second cousins (almost two and four years old). She still charms all of the adults and even when it's way past her bedtime, she manages to win over any crowd.


 It's a great thing, to be the mom of this girl, and I pray that I can do it the way God wants me to, that I don't hold her back with all of what God has planned for her. She's the best (moms have to think it, but I would anyways!)

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Nothing like a little motivation

Drinking my homemade iced coffee after a mad dash around the house making it mostly presentable, I thought I'd just take a second to sit down, watch Live with Kelly (no surprise there, eh?), and reconnect with  this little blog.


There's nothing like company coming to motivate us into the "clean, organize, rearrange entire house" mode. I knew all week that I had a bunch of ideas and things I just needed to do this week, but really didn't do any of it until I got motivation last night around 9:30 PM. I give myself credit for going at it before 10:30 because come on. That is the normal bedtime and you know how the motivation hits as late as possible.


It's silly, really, how we do this. Our "guest room" has had the bed and dressers in it ready to go for people to stop by anytime, and we have had it used numerous times. Point is, it works. It does the job it is meant to do. But there was just other...stuff... that we were storing in there too. A treadmill that never gets used, my grandma's paintings that are super valuable (to me) but too big to put up in our little house, boxes of storage, all of our gift wrapping stuff, more exercise equipment. Really, it was bursting at the seams.


I have decided to sell the treadmill since I've used it maybe 5 times since getting it. It's too big and bulky and doesn't work the way I want (although it does work just fine). Mainly we just don't have room for it. Since we took it out? The room looks so much more comfortable. We also moved the bed and dressers around to maximize the floor space and leave room to get all around the bed (what a luxury!). There is even a chest that fits at the end of the bed to store our guests' luggage. Fancy pancy. Luggage storage AND a private bathroom next door? This is better than a hotel, right?


We got done before 11:00. I'd call that a win. But the best part is that I woke up motivated to keep going. I made a list last night and didn't do a thing on it this morning, but I did manage to get the rest of the place picked up (conveniently not items on the list) so that there is way less pressure to get those list items done.


I love lists and I love crossing off those pesty items, but I really hate doing them. Lucky for me, the lack of pressure that is in place now is leaving me almost...excited... to get them done. We have a lunch date and then nothing until 7:00 tonight. Our house has never looked so good! 


And just in case our guests read this...don't feel guilty. I love me some motivation and our house needed it!



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