Baby bump update

I feel like such a slacker when it comes to journaling about this pregnancy. I wasn't into scrapbooking until after I had Nolan so that pregnancy doesn't have much that I documented either. But then again, it's probably a good thing that I didn't journal because it would have just basically been...it's a million degrees outside, I'm huge, and my feet look like something out of the Nutty Professor.

With Campbell, I somehow squeezed it in to document every doctor's appointment along with photos in a perfectly coordinated scrapbook. How I found the time? I have no idea.

With this pregnancy, I have at least taken the time to journal my appts and that's about it. Pictures have been more hit or miss this pregnancy too.

But let me fill you in on what the last 24 weeks have been like. I'm still on daily blood thinner injections. Boo! They are 100% absolutely no fun whatsoever. There was hope that I would be taken off them but then I found out that I'm lucky enough to take them my entire pregnancy and a month after. The bruising comes and goes. Right now, for some reason, I'm bruising again, and my stomach could rival being caught in the middle of a boxing match.

As much as every shot stinks and stings, I'm grateful that there's something for me to take to help me sustain this pregnancy. At 32 weeks I'll be going in for a twice a week sonograms. While I'm actually looking forward to that, I'm not looking forward to switching to a different type of blood thinner that's not as long lasting in case I were to go into labor. You guessed it, that means TWO shots a day.

Our sonograms have all looked great and Landry is as cute as ever. Well, as much as you can tell in a blurry black and white kind of way.

My energy level was completely shot my first trimester. A trip to the grocery store made me feel like I had just run a marathon. During my second trimester, I noticed a big difference in my energy level although it's seems to be declining in the recent weeks. I'm not sure if that's being pregnant or just being a teacher dying to have summer here.

My due date is Sept. 20th but with my condition, I will definitely not be making it to that day. We have to plan my delivery very carefully and it's all dependent on a variety of factors. So I could be having her as early as August 30th...yep, the second week of school. I'm trying to completely ignore the fact that I'm due right when school starts, that my oldest is starting kindergarten, and I have a new principal starting. Oh well, it is what it is!

Probably the scariest of all news is that we're trying to prevent me from going into labor on my own. If I do go into labor on my own that means NO epidural. YIKES! The thought of knowing that it may not even be an option makes it the scariest I think.

Total weight gain: 18 lbs already! Seems like I'm right on track to gain 40 lbs like I did with both boys except now I'm in my 30s and have to get the weight off with a slower metabolism. I guess that's why you're so busy working with the kids and never sit down...more cardio, right?

Sports mania

Today I got a taste. The taste of what it will feel like having two boys in sports. No, we're not crazy enough to put Campbell in sports just yet but Nolan's soccer and t-ball season overlapped this year and so in one Saturday we had two games.

The first game was at 7:30...really? Seriously, I'm setting my alarm to go play t-ball? What is wrong with this picture? I decided games that early should be outlawed especially when they're so cold your little MVP is shivering in the dugout.





This year I've noticed a big difference...we're doing some coach pitch. They give them three shots to hit a coach pitch and then let them hit off the tee if they haven't made a hit yet. I was a nervous wreck because we have so not practiced that with Nolan recently in the backyard. We're lucky to fit in a 10-15 minute practice in the backyard after dinner is said and done before bath and bed time.



Well, one night at practice Nolan smacked the stuffing out of one of his coach pitches and actually got a triple. He was so excited that he was actually hopping as he ran the bases. It looked something like this...

When we got home, I told him to go tell Daddy the great news that he got a triple. Well, Campbell beats him out of the car, runs inside and says, "DADDY!!! Nolan got a SPARE!" He wanted so badly to tell the good news but didn't get the information exactly right.

My favorite part of this picture is that this little boy is chasing Nolan but he has not clue where the ball is. He was really more into playing tag than caring about getting him out.

We notice the kids whose parents are out in the backyard practicing like crazy. Yeah, we're so not one of those. I wish I could say that we were but then that would mean we're giving up something else like coloring or reading or having dinner as a family or getting them to bed at a decent time. So I guess more than anything, I just want him to have fun and get some excercise. So if that's my goal, we're doing just fine.

Notice my kid first in line for after game snacks. Yep, he's my kid for sure.

After his t-ball game, we loaded up, did a quick uniform change and headed to our last soccer game of the season. The reason this is so important is that Nolan really wanted to make 10 goals and we were only at 9. You should have seen his "Eye of the Tiger" face he had going on at that last game. And guess who made not one, but two goals? I love that he's so determined and has his mind set to achieve something. As a teacher, I know that motivation is the hardest characteristic to instill in a kid.

So this made my mind wonder. How am I going to handle two in sports with a baby on my hip? Somehow I'll manage I'm sure.

Mother's Day

There's no other day out there that makes you feel like more of a rock star than Mother's Day. The homemade cards are something I make sure that I keep. And for one day at least, I know that my amazing husband will handle all arguments, chores, and parental duties. And on a year when I'm pregnant (or any year for that matter), that sounds absolutely fabulous. 

 

I won't tell you how long it took me to get up from the position of this picture. There were a couple of audible grunts. 

After church, we drove out to my sister's. We had a little potluck and filled our bellies. With all this royal wedding fanfare and it being Kentucky Derby weekend, we wore hats like we were in the Blue Grass state rather than the Lone Star state.

 

Grandma was loving herself some garden stepping stones and Nolan was proud of his gift.

 

And even though it was Mother's Day, Granddad even got some love...

 

One thing that goes without saying on Mother's Day that's an absolute necessity? A nap. You know one of those leave-me-alone-I'm-hibernating naps.

It was a glorious one too.

But the thing that I love most about Mother's Day is the reminder that I'm a mom and would never trade it for anything. I'm so thankful that motherhood has brought be a deeper understanding of my own mother and given me so much in common with my sister.

 

 And I'm so grateful for being a mother once again and for the first time getting to experience being a mom of a daughter. 

I pray that our relationship is strong and everything that I hope it will be.

Main Street

There are some weekends when I wonder how I'm going to fit it all in. The sports, the laundry, grocery shopping, church, and that's not even throwing some fun family time in the mix.

But sometimes you manage. You find enough energy to muster one more family outing despite your exhaustion. And although we don't make it every year, we try our hardest to make it to the Main Street Arts Festival every Spring.

And then in the midst of it, I wonder why. I wonder why I think it's fun to search for a parking space for 30 minutes or to wait to eat at a restaurant with two kids 5 and under for over an hour. But while we're waiting, I would say that the scenery wasn't too shabby...

And the boys seemed to keep themselves pretty entertained, or at least entertain us.

The beat down only kicked in when the kitchen took 45 minutes to bring our food and in hungry pregnant mama land, that might as well be 48 hours.

After filling our bellies, it energized us enough to wait in line FOR.AN.HOUR to get their faces painted. While 2 year olds won't have any part of standing in line that long, they sure do act like they've been on their best behavior for the artist.

 

Why, yes it's a horse, of course! 

And by this time we're closing down the festival waiting for this stupid face painting. And I swear if church weren't the next day, I would have let them sleep with this paint to get my money's worth.

In my next career...Easter bunny or face painting. Can't decide which one yet because both are making a killing.

The cutest part was hearing Nolan say, "Mommy everyone can't stop staring at my face painting it's so cool."

When the moon hits your eyes like a big pizza pie...

 

That's amore. 

  

 Maybe one day we'll actually get to browse and look at the art for more than 10 minutes. 

 

 And you know things might not have gone as well as planned when your kid looks like this at the end of the night. 

Sorry for the horrible iPhone pic but you get the idea...awww what would life be without some good old forced family fun?

Mama projects

There's something about projects that is therapeutic. Hear me out, 80% of the time they are a beat down in some form but the finished product is well worth it and seeing something tangible to show what you've done with your time...well, it puts my self esteem right up there with rock star status.

And some people might think I'm creative, but my secret? I'm really good at copying and stealing ideas. I would say that only 1% of the ideas are mine so really I guess I'm just good at being a thief and being cheap. I got this idea off The Idea Room who just makes me look like the biggest slacker because most all of the ideas are actually hers and she does it with five kids. Yep, just slap a big L on my forehead. But in the meantime, I just keep stalking her blog for more ideas until maybe someday I can come up with my own.

So this project is one for Grandma for Mother's Day who's been working hard on her backyard. We thought it would be a good addition.

Two things I learned in the project after THREE trips to Home Depot. DON'T buy the concrete I have pictured in the following photo with Justin...WRONG stuff. Well, unless you want something that might cause bleeding soles on your feet for garden stones.



This is the good stuff you need and it's a whopping $5.

The second thing learned...if your garage floor is as filthy as mine, be willing to let your kids feet resemble hobbit feet from The Lord of the Rings. Baths will be needed and the bath water will be gray...

Next we poured the concrete into the plastic plates that go underneath plants and used some some fun rocks and jewels to decorate the stone.



After about 3 days of drying, I'd say that they turned out pretty stinkin' cute.
In fact, I wouldn't mind a couple made for me...hint, hint, Justin.

 
The boys just loved slipping their hands on their stones to fit the matching puzzle piece. Although, sometimes those chubby fingers needed a little guidance.

 

But when the hand fit like Cinderella's slipper there was a facial expression to match the excitement.

Oh, I think the reason I want a pair for myself the most might be because I want to remember how small their hands were and for a moment in time...they never grow up.

Who we are

There are so many rules when it comes to blogging...be timely, don't put music on your blog, etc. As you can see, I don't really care and don't listen to it. I mean I want this to reflect who we really are. So what if we're procrastinators who write posts a week late and that love to jam to some music? It's how we roll, it's who we are.

Something else we are...people that drive across town to the mall after an exhausting week just to get pictures with the Easter Bunny for Grandma.

Sidenote: Since when does the Easter Bunny charge $25 for a picture? Seriously, I'm thinking I just might buy a bunny suit and give this gig a try.  Not to mention this bunny needed a serious Spring cleaning paw washing. If you're going to charge that much for a picture, please wash your bunny suit. My favorite part is that one inch to the left and Campbell would have been out of the picture. Do we love Grandma, or what?

 

 But the Easter Bunny knows that if you'll just overlook his lack of OCD hand washing and give him a hug, he'll visit your house and give you a fresh and clean bunny that can be perfect for some good snuggle time. 

And as great (or dirty) the Easter Bunny may be, there's nothing greater than heading to church on Easter Sunday for day of church family, our family and celebrating the greatest gift from God.

 

 Seeing this cross full of flowers with vibrant colors...with life, is more powerful and meaningful than any white fluffy animal, chocolate or plastic egg can even touch.

 Every bit of Easter is exactly what I need. It feeds my soul in way that holidays are known to do. They bring back that feeling of knowing that in more ways than one, I've hit the jackpot.

Every plastic egg, every smile feeds my soul.
 

 
And sometimes when you're on the other side of the camera you really look at your life and think, "Oh my goodness, this is one of those pictures that we'll look back and remember so well."

 

 Oh I dread the day when he's too old for baskets and the surprise that each egg holds. 

When you dread that day of no more Easter eggs, the easiest cure? More egg hunts, baby... Grandma and Granddad style.

And when you give a grandma a task of doing a hunt, it ain't a grandparent hunt until two baskets are involved because one just isn't enough.

Double fistin' baskets is another way our family rolls...

I'm so grateful for the gifts that have been given to me. I notice them each day but on days like today those small things are the big things.

Every bubble breath...

 

every cookie decorating moment...

 

make me appreciate exactly who we are.