Shower me with your love

There was a time not too long ago when Justin and I were pretty much the only couple under 40 at our church. Don't get me wrong, we love and have always loved our church but it was concerning us that when we had kids that our kids would be the only ones in the nursery.

Then back in 2009 everything changed...a light switch was turned on. Rob and Beth Morris brought their family to our church and Rob became our minister and Beth might as well be a paid staff member for all the work she does for our church. Since then, our church has been growing and young adults and families have been joining and it all just makes me smile.

Us girls have made a new group and we're the self proclaimed "Soul Sistas" and we get together once a month for some much needed girl time fellowship. This month our get together as well as other women of the church, was to throw me a baby shower! And boy did they ever...

Let me introduce you to the cutest Christmas outfit ever...I wish she'd fit into it THIS Christmas!

One thing Landry will not be lacking in is stylish girly clothes!

And who doesn't need a purse for their pacifier?

And I gotta say it's the luckiest thing in the world having a BFF who can sew and has an embroidery machine. Love getting gifts from her.

We laughed so hard during the shower and everyone had a good laugh trying to fit my belly in the picture. It makes for a great pillow.

How's that for staring you in the face?!

It's too bad we never have a good time when we get together.

I'm so grateful for this group of women that support me, love me and love my family. They are truly beautiful people.

The first day

He started school this morning,
And he seemed so very small.
As I walked there beside him
In the Kindergarten hall.

And as he took his place beside
the others in the class,
I realized how all too soon
Those first few years can pass.

Remembering, I saw him as
He first learned how to walk.
The words that we alone made out
When he began to talk.

This little boy so much absorbed
In learning how to write.
It seems as though he must have grown
To boyhood overnight.

My eyes were blurred by hastily
I brushed the tears away
Lest by some word or sign of mine
I mar his first big day.

Oh how I longed to stay with him
And keep him by the hand
To lead him through the places
That he couldn’t understand.

And something closely kin to fear
Was mingled with my pride.
I knew he would no longer be
A baby by my side.

But he must have his chance to live,
To work his problems out,
The privilege to grow and learn
What life is all about.

 

And I must share my little boy
With friends and work and play;
He’s not a baby anymore –
He’s in Kindergarten today.

Poem written By: Georgy

Meet the teacher - Nolan

Meet the teacher was at my school last Thursday. It has been a crazy week to say the least. New school year, moved to a new classroom, trying to prepare for my long term sub, fitting in 3 doctor's appointments this week, car dying (TWICE!), and being 9 months pregnant. Whew, just typing that made me tired.

I raced to the doctor and came back just in time for Meet the Teacher. It was a great turn out. Normally the joke is that by the time they're in 5th grade, the parent involvement isn't the best but I was pleasantly surprised to meet all but one of my students in my homeroom!

Justin came too, thank goodness to document Nolan's Meet the Teacher. It's a Catch 22 when it comes to teaching at Nolan's school. I'm so excited about being part of his day every day while at school but I'm also a teacher and must wear my teacher hat. Since I was busy meeting my own students, Justin came to play the parent role.

And he got to meet Ms. Japhet. The funniest thing is that I had her daughter last year in my class. So now we're just switching and trading off. Although I haven't seen in her the classroom, I see her in the hall all the time with her kiddos and you just know when someone is made to be a kindergarten teacher and when they're not...like me! That's why I teach the furthest thing from kindergarten and teach 5th!

Ms. Japhet is such a sweet spirit and I've seen her exhibit nothing but grace and patience while interacting with her students.

Bonus: she's a mom of three herself and with two boys just one or two years older than Nolan. So I know she can fully understand how boys this age might be a little precocious.

Nolan is so ready for Kindergarten. He told me yesterday after a car ride to get an ice cream treat, that he was dreaming about it and he's so excited.

All this talk about Kindergarten has someone else talking about it a lot. He's still got a couple years. The first week at school for Campbell was a success minus three boo boo reports. He gets mad when we pick him up because he doesn't want to leave school. Poor thing has been the last one picked up nearly every day this week. I promise Campbell, mommy will get herself together pretty soon and you won't be the last one there everyday!

Here's to a great year and the beginning of Nolan's journey. I just hope I don't hear too many embarrassing stories from Ms. Japhet this year.

Another baby bump update

We're finally in the homestretch of this pregnancy. Once summer came it seemed like things really slowed down. Nothing like being in the third trimester with two kids 5 and under at home all day by myself with a day full of entertaining and refereeing to do during the near record breaking triple digit heat.

On Tuesday, I will be 35 weeks! Operation Nursery is complete, thank goodness! I knew from the moment I took a pregnancy test and looked up my due date, that things were going to be really crazy right about...now. Tomorrow I start back and the following week, Nolan starts kindergarten. The beginning of the school year is always so insane for any teacher much less being 9 months pregnant and juggling twice a week appointments starting next week. Oh, did I mention that my OBGYN's latest appointment is 2:15 and school doesn't dismiss until 3:00? Thankfully, she just allows me to come as soon as I can get there.

I went to the doctor yesterday and you never know what you're looking at when it comes to the wait. It can be hours or one time I got out of there in 30 minutes. Justin's been great about trying to make my appointments when he can. He especially loves making it to the sonograms. So when I saw a room full in the waiting room, I texted him and told him how incredibly thirsty I was and to not rush. He was sweet enough to stop and get me a bottled water but at the expense of missing the sonogram. I felt so horrible! How was I to know with 30 people in the waiting room that I'd be called back in 10 minutes?

She's so big now (5.5 lbs) that it's hard to get much in the sonograms. But check out girlfriend's chubby cheeks. They rate high risk pregnancies with a test of 1-8 and Landry got an 8 out of 8! That's my girl! Amniotic fluid, heart rate, breathing and movement all look great. Overall she's measuring 1 week ahead but her head is two weeks ahead. Ouch.

My doctor said by law she can't induce me before 39 weeks but that with my blood clotting issues that we have a tiny bit of wiggle room. Therefore she made it seem like she might actually consider inducing me at 38 weeks IF things look good and it looks like my cervix is ready. So, if that's the case, then we're ironically looking at the week of LABOR day!!! 

Feelings right now: exhausted, overwhelmed, excited, anxious, nervous, feeling like a house

Cravings: pretty much anything

Weight gain so far: 32 lbs (gulp)

Excuse the horrible iPhone pic but turns out this magazine doesn't exactly play up EVERY shape.

It's hard to play up a Buddha belly. 

Campbell's Meet the Teacher

Wow, and just like that summer is over. And when I say summer is over, I mean school is about to start because there is nothing about our weather that is anything BUT summer. Today was Meet the Teacher day at Campbell's school. Our school district provides a development center for teachers in the district. Both Nolan and Campbell were there last year. Now just my little Campbelloni is there because big brother is starting kindergarten...but I won't talk about that just yet. I'm hanging on to every last day of him still be a little boy.

Campbell was of course shy when we first got there and much to our surprise we found out that Nolan's teachers last year are now Campbell's teacher. Nolan was so excited about that. He went up and immediately hugged Ms. Sherry.

 

 As soon as Campbell walked in his new classroom he was exploring. They had us doing a scavenger hunt finding all the important things in the room. What a cute idea. 

 

When I asked him to find the bathroom, he did and as I walked in after him, I saw his cute little bottom. I guess he thought I meant to go use the bathroom! 

He was busy checking off his checklist.

Shockingly, Campbell hugged Ms. Sherry and Ms. Ashley goodbye. He's my boy that takes some time to warm up but he warmed right up to them. I think it helped that he knew them from being Nolan's teachers last year.

On our way to the school, he was so excited to see all his friends but he thought he was going to have the same teachers. So we couldn't leave without Cam giving some love to his teachers from last year.

I must say that it's a much easier transition for him this year because he's been there before and he knows all of his friends and he has Nolan's teachers this year.

We are so happy with the Development Center and all that he has learned. Now in a little over a week, Nolan starts kinder. 

9 month pregnant woman with rollercoaster hormones + first child starting kindergarten = an emotional basketcase

At least he'll be at school with me!

California Babymoon

In July, we were able to go on our original plan of a babymoon...one last trip before baby comes. In May, we got super lucky and got another trip out of the deal and went to Santa Ana. This time our trip was to Santa Barbara.

 

What I loved about this lucky deal we somehow squeaked out, is that since we already went to California for a short weekend trip in May, we already knew some places that we wanted to revisit and knew that we'd be within driving distance. But we first enjoyed everything about the overcast day. It seems crazy to enjoy an overcast day but now that we're on day 34 of triple digit heat here with no end in sight, an overcast day was exactly what we needed.

 

We stayed an hour outside of Santa Barbara but it was great because it allowed us to be right smack in the middle of the two places we wanted to visit.

On one of our day trips to Santa Barbara, we took a couple of hours to walk along the beach.

Why yes, Texas friends, I was actually wearing jeans and a long sleeve shirt in JULY! The high was 68 that day and my jacket even made an appearance a few times.

My back was absolutely killing me this particular day but I made myself just sit down and enjoy the view. The ocean air, cool temps and the amazing view helped me get through the pain.

Along our walk we found some surf schooling taking place. What must it be like to live in a place where this is offered. That's how they roll in California.

It was pretty painful walking up these stairs but it was worth every ache.

The next day, we made a day trip to visit Santa Monica beach. It was actually a complete accident that we went there. We thought it was Venice Beach but I'm so glad we stopped. It was so much fun, and quite a landmark...the end of Route 66!

The boardwalk was so pretty with the ferris wheel and the view of the mountains and ocean.

After our pit stop to Santa Monica, we headed to Venice Beach. We were warned, and it's a good thing we were. That was a pretty crazy place! We saw some men flipping over six people...

And saw some other things that I'd rather not have seen. But I was a big fan of the fresh fruit and the view of the ocean.

The waves against the rocks were amazing!

The following day we drove down to our same destination that we went to in May to see Laguna and Newport beaches, and Balboa Island. Crazy enough some friends, the Wakefields, from Dallas were there for their month long stay. They lived there for their first year of marriage but moved back to Texas. Still not sure why they moved but Reid says going back to visit for a month every summer is helping "ease the pain" and keep Emily happy....don't blame them one bit!

After our lunch with the Wakefields, we just sat on the beach for a hour and that's where we both got sunburned. Guess it helps when you don't leave the sunscreen in the car.

And it wouldn't be a complete trip to Laguna without some Casey's cupcakes! It was strawberry for me this time and I think I liked it even more than the cinnamon one last time.

 
 Our trip was wrapping up but we were able to squeeze in seeing my cousin, Scott, and his adorable wife Mayra before we headed to the airport for brunch. It's been 12 years since I've seen my cousin. And there wasn't enough time to catch up on everything we needed to in just a couple short hours. We used up every last second before we had to be at the airport.

But he's coming to Texas hopefully this fall so now we won't let another 12 years go by.

I'm so so so grateful for both sets of grandparents that made this babymoon possible. They split up the days. While I was a worried mess, not that they couldn't do it, but that the boys were behaving.

My favorite text from my father-in-law while on our trip after asking how they were behaving..."sunny to partly cloudy." I'm pretty sure I know who partly cloudy was.

The boys loved every minute of their time with them. They talk about both sets of grandparents still three weeks later and the things they did with them. So just as much as we enjoyed this trip and our time alone before we're a family of FIVE (gulp!) our boys enjoyed making memories with their grandparents.

Looks like it's FORCED FAMILY FUN trips for a loooooooooooong time.