{ Life With the Lairds }

Miss Q

2011-08-29T20:41:00.000-07:00

With Miss Quincy in our family, we have no shortage of smiles in our house. She is sweet, calm and happy.

She's finally okay with a little bit of tummy time!

And she's almost sitting up. For now, it's more like propping herself up with her arms until she falls forward.

Believe it or not, she's even swimming!

Okay, not really, but she IS swinging!

And managing to work her way further into our hearts on a daily basis.

Licking Life

2011-08-28T20:22:00.000-07:00

I'm SO behind on this month's blogging! Instead of getting further behind because I haven't caught up yet, I'm moving forward... but will be revisiting a few important points that got left out like Lawson turning FOUR! A couple of days ago Porter got a little more up close and personal with Quincy than either of us would like.

But, somehow a light bulb went off for her. She realized that she has a tongue. A very cute tongue at that... I've been staring at it for the last couple of days. In fact, when I woke up this morning, she greeted me with a big smile complete with tongue sticking out. I'll let the video continue this story and I'll be back sooner than later to recount the stories I am now behind on.

The Tooth Fairytale

2011-08-09T13:47:00.000-07:00

Once I had a girl who broke her tooth. So, off to the dentist we went to get it fixed. My expectations for her cooperation were very low after she bit the dentist's "barbie mirror" during our first visit. She showed signs of feeling nervous when the dentist came to get started on her tooth. We discussed the possibility that she just may have to keep her sharp front tooth so we didn't traumatize her too much. Then out came the "pilot mask" AKA strawberry scented laughing gas AKA toddler tamer AKA the protagonist of this story. She instantly became solely concentrated on taking the deepest breaths she could followed by an "Ah!" (think the sound you make after you drink a nice refreshing soda). She proclaimed over and over "I like that 'mell!" Within a few minutes the whole thing was done, she was happy as could be with a little plastic frog in each hand and home we went with a brand new tooth! Thank goodness for laughing gas! If only I had some on hand at home... it would be a whole new world!

....and they all lived happily ever after.....

THE END

Four Months

2011-08-06T09:39:00.000-07:00

Baby Sharp Tooth

2011-07-23T20:19:00.000-07:00

I'd like to introduce you to my baby sharp tooth. She went for her first visit to the dentist a few days ago. Her very sweet dentist made fast friends with her and even got permission to take a look at her "pretty princess teeth" with her "neat barbie mirror." All went well until the mirror got close to her face and she freaked out and tried to sink her vampire tooth into it. So, on August 3rd when it's time to put a composite filling on her tooth, she will go into the "quiet room" to wear the "caterpillar blanket." Basically, she'll be in a heavily insulated room where no one will hear her scream in a straight jacket as they fix her broken tooth. I'll be right there by her side reminding her of all the ice cream she gets when it's all over. I could handle the broken bottom tooth, but Team Vanity wins this time and her straw compartment is only sticking around for another 10 days or so.

Keep Calm and Carry On

2011-07-18T11:24:00.000-07:00

We've all seen the posters... but I think the "panic and freak out" version is often my first reaction. Being calm is a conscious choice. Especially in the midst of chaos.

Motherhood is chaotic much of the time. Today, simultaneously, Lawson was throwing a fit wanting to play with me, Quincy woke up crying from her nap and Naomi tripped while walking and broke her front tooth on the floor. I literally had to take a deep breath and tell myself to be calm. It was a true "Keep Calm and Carry On" moment. We had literally just taken this photo (a copycat of a photo I saw recently) to represent such moments. It about sums things up.

Naomi is going to the dentist on Thursday to have her new sharp front tooth checked out and hopefully fixed. In the meantime, she looks like a true Mississippian and is still her usual wild and crazy self.

The Elusive Toddler

2011-07-14T06:06:00.000-07:00

Naomi is a busy, busy girl. She has a demanding schedule of play. When she isn't watering her tricycle tires, she's got slides to go down an dolls to soothe from their crying.

Taking pictures is not high on her to-do list and in fact, she isn't really a big fan most of the time. I have lots of pictures of her sweet, glaring eyes. "Mom, stop taking pictures and PUSH me!"

Even when I get great lighting and she's dressed cute enough for the pictures to count as her "two year photos", she is NOT happy being told to hold still for a second.

She can be tricked to hold still for a second by doing a little bird watching from the window.... but it's still sans her smile that I love.

I remember feeling guilty after Naomi was born that I had so many pictures of her, but Lawson was hardly in any of them. Now Naomi is hardly in any of them and Quincy can't escape the camera. Kids turn two and can not be bothered with holding still long enough to be anything but a streak in your photo. I have lots of great blurry smiles as she bolts across the view of my lens, some great running away shots and some strange looking empty room shots where I click, hoping to catch her in action, but miss. These days, if Naomi is in the picture and it isn't blurry, it's a keeper. That's all the criteria I have. But, I am still on a mission to get a nice, happy "I'm two" picture of her soon. She's only going to be freshly two for a little while longer....

Pretty Like a Flower

2011-07-13T09:36:00.000-07:00

"She's Pretty like a flower." -Naomi on Quincy

(I agree with that statement. And so are you my sweet Naomi.)

Pep Talk

2011-07-11T12:10:00.000-07:00

Sitting Up = Cooler than Spitting Up

2011-07-10T17:49:00.000-07:00

Quincy is working on a new trick.

Falling has proven sometimes fun and sometimes very frustrating. But, she's already improved her technique since yesterday, when she suddenly stayed sitting after I let go. I'm also quite sure there are teeth on the way. She seems to be in a bit of a hurry!

Three Months

2011-07-05T18:01:00.000-07:00

My little Quinni Mini has officially made it through "the fourth trimester." That first three months are basically like a gestation period outside the womb. Now, she's finally seeming like a real little person, which is really fun! At three months Quincy weighs in at 12lbs10oz (60th percentile) and is 24.5" long (88th percentile). This is a 6oz weight gain (though she dropped from the 87th to the 60th percentile) and a growth of one inch in length. She's currently perfecting holding her head all the way up... those big cheeks have made it quite the effort! She's standing up well and loves hanging out in the Johnny Jump Up.

She's also loving her new play mat. She'll lay there flapping her arms and legs around and squealing at the hanging toys for long periods of time... which means I'm loving it too!

The babbling has begun and I swear she's started saying HI. Several times now I've said "hi" then she looks right at me and says it back. She's either brilliant or it's a coincidence. I'm sure she's just a genius! No rolling over or anything like that going on. She's pretty content to sit and observe at this point. Which, is a-okay by me! She can take as long as she wants to mobilize! She is trying to run up my stomach when I hold her now, which is kind of exhausting for me, but compared to Naomi, who was trying to run, jump, leap and do backflips when I held her, this is nothing! For now she is just a happy little thing and is generally quite easy going, as long as her belly doesn't have a bubble giving her grief. No complaints here... I think we'll keep her!

And just for fun, a little side-by-side line-up of the girls. I didn't think they looked much a like, but I guess they sort of do! In fact, Dustin had no idea who was who when I showed this to him. He just looked really carefully for who had the extra cheeks! He eventually got it right, but after much going back and forth. haha

Bike Parade

2011-07-03T20:40:00.000-07:00

Nothing is quite as festive as a parade! My friend and neighbor, Ashley, hosted the Parade and Popsicle party and the only thing that could have made it better was a cooler to sit in! It was a sweaty, sweaty parade, but we had a great time! Everyone brought things to decorate with, then we threw them on a table and went to work making our bikes look like symbols of freedom!

Everyone went to work taping things onto their bikes...

and before too long....

...the table started to look a little empty.

The finishing touches were being made

and the riders were getting ready to parade the neighborhood...

...looking cute as could be in their red, white and blue!

Naomi opted for a ride in her friend's wagon instead of riding her decked out tricycle.

The parade made it's way through the streets of "the hood"...

...past the houses and moving trucks (a regular site on the military base).

Some were pushed...

...some walked "all by themselves"

And others scooted!

When we finally made it back for the popsicle portion of the party, the heat had gotten to us all!

It was time to cool off!!!

We had a great time and partied until the sun was heading down and the moon was upon us!

Thanks for planning such a fun event, Ashley! This will surely become a tradition for us. Maybe without the sweat next time, if we're at all lucky!

Circa 1954 Wreath

2011-07-01T14:58:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our home!

Come on in!

What's that, you ask?

That is the wreath I made out of an April 7, 1954 Newspaper from The Cedar Rapids Gazette. I found it sitting in the bottom of an old chest I got from my grandma (who just turned 84 - Happy Birthday Grandma!!!) and wanted to display it somehow. I saved the front page, but the next page, I ripped into pieces and did my first decoupage! So easy and fun! I think you are technically supposed to smooth everything down, but I liked the edges kind of messy... rules were made to be broken anyway!

Cedar Rapids is in Iowa and is where my dad grew up (mostly). My Grandpa is buried there and a lot of my extended family lives there. I know this isn't a wreath that everyone would love, but it's going to be nice to come home to this little piece of family history!

When Skies Are Grey...

2011-06-28T13:51:00.000-07:00

...you put on your rain boots!
It's all the rage at our house to put them on the wrong feet.
And apparently the pants were optional.

The skies were looking rather dismal when the kids woke up from nap time today.

But before too long, the rain let up and only the thunder and lightning stuck around.

"You ever seen a crack in the thunder before!? It's scary!!!!!" - Lawson on lightning

Now, rain boots are fun... but NO rain boots is even more fun!

Sometimes you've just got to get your feet wet...

...and your bottom.

I got the rain all over me and I be happy!!!! - Naomi

Not a bad way to spend a dreary Tuesday afternoon!

p.s. Grandma, do you recognize that chest they're sitting on in the first picture? It's by our front door right now, but I have big plans of fixing the hinges, painting the outside and moving it inside for toy or blanket storage!

Good Thing She Has a Cute Chin...

2011-06-28T07:10:00.000-07:00

...because it's my view lately as she discovers all the wonders the top portion of our home has to offer.

Big Shoes

2011-06-27T20:35:00.000-07:00

Daddy's got some big shoes to fill when he has to be gone for work.

But we had this crazy little guy running around the house who was willing to do the job, despite still being sick.

There was a wee bit of confusion straight out of the gate as to who's shoes he was supposed to be filling....

But he figured it out pretty quick and spent some time enjoying one of daddy's favorite weekend activities. Lounging on the couch with Porter.

He also did his best to entertain Quincy while I folded some clothes.

Dustin has made a point to let Lawson know his job as the big brother is to look after and protect his little sisters. So he informed them often during the weekend that they were tiny and that he would protect them. They weren't really having it.

His attempt to fill daddy's shoes was complete with flying his "very own jet, dude!" And crashing it, but luckily that is not so much like Dustin.

He also assisted Quincy in some flying activities of her own. It was all low level and very controlled since "she's still really tiny and we got to be careful a her."

When I was little I always wished I had a bigger brother. My girls have themselves the brother I always wanted. I'm sure they won't always appreciate it, but he's got the role down and makes one heck of a great brother if you ask me! He also did a pretty good job slipping on the ole size 13 house shoes for the weekend! As Lawson would say, "Who's the man?! I the man!" I concur, but let's slip the word "little" in front of "man." I've still got a few good years with my little man before he's allowed to really be "the man!"

Sisters

2011-06-27T19:41:00.000-07:00

A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost.

Cultivate My Plate

2011-06-26T18:32:00.000-07:00

(Okay, so that only half makes sense. Mostly, it just rhymes. And I like rhymes. They're catchy!)

So, Memorial Day weekend was quite the plethora of celebratory activities. Namely, barbecues. At one of those barbecues, Dustin saw our neighbor's watermelon plant and began to have lust in his heart. Maybe even his soul! He needed a watermelon plant. That next weekend, he was off to Lowes for a watermelon plant of his own. Indeed, he got one. He also got two varieties of tomatoes,summer squash and jalapenos. He then went back for a more tomatoes and also came home with a mandarin orange tree. Then, after a week or two, there was concern billowing within him that there just was not enough pollination taking place. After a morning spent observing and attempting to pollinate the plants himself, we were off to Lowes once more for brightly colored flowers that would attract the pollinators. Normal people would call these bees... but not Dustin. This is serious business. They are pollinators. But I digress. While at Lowes, I decided to get in on this planting business and picked up some basil and dill plants. All in all, that's a lot of plants. And a lot of goodness to enjoy once it's time to harvest!!! Got to love a man who lands his jet and comes home to tend his garden. Here are a few photos of our burgeoning bounty!

sidenote: Dustin has informed me that squash plants tend to give generously, so if you live in the hood, don't be surprised to find a squash or two on your doorstep!

Gnomie May

2011-06-26T11:06:00.000-07:00

Me: You're my special girl! (or insert a different term of endearment - Num Num, Sweetheart, Cutie, even Puppy Dog when she's pretending to be one, as she often does these days)

Naomi: No! I not. I Gnomie May. *stern face*

Naomi is growing up and finding her identity. She is owning her name and will not be called anything but what she is. No more Num Num for now! It lasted two solid years. I wonder how long I get to keep my little "Gnomie" before she realizes that's really not her name either....

What I Love About Sick Days....

2011-06-25T16:34:00.000-07:00

No one likes a Negative Nancy. So I'm being Positive Polly... or whatever Nancy's happier counterpart is called. After this brief rant. We've been sick for over a month straight around here. Lawson kicked off the latest sickness with a ~~bang~~ gag at the beginning of the week. I've been avoiding the eyes of death so far and have been dealing with an overall lack of wellness in the way of exhaustion, achiness, stuffiness and ears that feel like I just blasted into the stratosphere without being able to pop them. This, combined with Lawson being sick and needy and Naomi potty training and needing to pee multiple times in the night has left me seriously in need of some quality shut-eye. And also a little cranky, if I'm honest.

Friday found us saying goodbye to Dustin for the weekend as he flew off in his jet to Florida for the weekend on a cross country flight for "work." So far his work has led him to bars and beaches. Sounds like fun! Good for him! I'm not bitter. Our fun weekend started off just hours after he left. Naomi woke up with pink, nasty eyes. Thanks to being Friday afternoon and a "new patient" in the practice we just switched to, her doctor couldn't see her. Urgent care on base also could not see her because they only see people who's doctors are on base. Like hers was the week before. Lame. Lame. And lame some more. So, the ER was our only hope for getting antibiotics, which was also lame since it was very obviously not an emergency. So, I go to load the double stroller in the car, which had been left out. Apparently a lollipop was left in the console and it was covered in ants. Oh. Em. GEEEEEEE!!!!!! So, I go in the house, where Naomi has been screaming continuously for a half hour or so, to let the dog out to go potty and what happens? He pees all over the floor. Did I mention there was an insane amount of lameness going on? Finally we head into the ER with Lawson contained in the single stroller, Naomi sitting on the footrest with blazing, goopy eyes and Quincy in the sling. Literally every person I encountered there said the same thing. "Wow. You've got your hands full." Yes. Yes, I do.

Long story short - we went, we were loud, we got an Rx for antibiotics and we sat in the Walgreens parking lot forever to get it. Four hours later we were home and the kids went straight to bed. My turn for sleep! ....just kidding. Quincy started screaming and crying. When she stopped, her eyes looked extra puffy. Hmmm. She fell asleep for a minute, then opened her eyes again. Pink. It was the beginning of a long night with little sleep (again). There is now Amoxocillin on tap in our fridge and we are continuing our antisocial activity in the house for the next few days until we are no longer contagious. It's miserable business.

BUT, the kids take great, long naps since they aren't feeling well. Which means, I get a chance to snuggle up and take a nap with my little smoosh-face! And that makes me very, very happy! It's much easier to be a Positive Polly after a little one-on-one quiet time with Quincy! And a little playtime! And a little 10-second-timer photoshoot to document that I did, indeed, exist beyond taking pictures when she was a baby.

Okay, so there wasn't much about loving sick days, but I'm *trying* really hard!! Sleepy, happy baby smiles are totally helping!

From Head to Toe... Happy

2011-06-22T13:02:00.000-07:00

That big gummy grin....

Those cute little piggies...

It's happiness overload for me! I may need a nap.

Make it a Double

2011-06-21T12:21:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it's super fun to make it a double. Other times, not so much. Like when it's a double ear and double eye infection. Lawson had a slight fever and cough a couple days ago, but it seemed to have cleared up yesterday morning. Then he woke up from nap with copious amounts of green sludge pouring from his eyes. Gag. Then came the puffiness and by nighttime, they were looking pink. I was thinking pink-eye. This morning, they were full on bloodshot, puffy and boogery. A trip to the doctor revealed his actual plight. A virus that attacks the eyes and ears. He looks absolutely miserable. It came on quickly, so I hope it exits that way. And I hope no one else gets it because it is apparently a highly contagious virus. Ugh.

This comes on the heels of a stomach virus that took each of us out one at a time, ending with Quincy, who's cough settled in her chest and left her gasping for air. She spent 48 hours in the hospital last week and is only just now getting well enough that she no longer needs breathing treatments every day.

I'm ready for this influx of illness to leave us the heck alone now! There are way cooler things we could be doing right now! In the meantime, I may be making mine a double cause this is no bueno.

End of rant.

A Party in Pictures

2011-06-17T14:46:00.000-07:00

Naomi had her birthday party today. What can be said about a party for a two year old? There were pools, bubbles, a sprinkler, music, food & drinks, cupcakes (of course), some really good friends, a few decorations and a lot of heat and fun! I'll let the photos do the talking because I. am. beat! (Sunshine and a good time will do that to you. As will setting up a party with two excited little ones and a baby who is only happy held. Thank goodness there was lots of help cleaning up. Thank you soooo much!)

She Made a Wish....

2011-06-11T15:12:00.000-07:00

...we'll see if it comes true...

Happy Birthday TWO You!!!

2011-06-10T09:08:00.000-07:00

For Naomi, it's been a LONG wait for her birthday to arrive! To her, it's the day where we all sing "'Happy birthday to you' really, really loudly!" She's all about the song and the party. Lawson can't stop talking about the presents! And it's not even his birthday! For me, it's kind of shocking that this day is already here. That part never changes. Birthday's are always here a little sooner than I'd like them to be.

This birthday is a little different than we had planned. There was a party set for tomorrow and I had visions of fun activities today as a family, but Quincy came down with the flu last night and Naomi woke up with a temperature of 102. She's all kinds of fun today! Lots of screaming and crying and yelling. I keep hearing "It's my party and I'll cry if I want to" in my head! Lawson's not helping by doing all he can to pester her, but what are big brothers for if not to drive the women around them a little crazy? So, it's a sick day today for a birthday and the party is postponed so we don't send vomiting, diarrhea and fevers home as party favors.

Sick day or not, it's all about my special girl. She's got a smile that lights up the room and a gaze that melts my heart!

Naomi, you are my sweet, special girl. You are talking so well I forget how small you are still sometimes. And you say the funniest things every day that make us all laugh. You're about as stubborn as they come, but I'm not complaining. It will serve you well later in life and the headaches it may cause me here and there is equal to the laughter that it brings me. You have a serious appetite, particularly for barbecue chicken, and love to "eat it in your tummy." The arrival of your baby sister, Quincy, brought out your maternal side and cuddling Quincy became one of the more exciting parts of your days. Playing with dolls and your toy kitchen occupies much of your time, as the dolly often needs feeding, cuddling and tucking in to bed. But, your also known to play hours of trucks and trains with Lawson and FLY around the house on the go cart being chased by imaginary dinosaurs yelling, "the dinosaurs are coming!" Shoes are one of your deepest loves and you can barely stand waiting to get pants on so you can put your shoes on your feet "all yourself!" You surprise me with what you can do. If you put your mind to it, you figure it out quickly! I love you so much, Num Num. Watching you grow and change and discover who you are is one of my greatest joys. You truly are my sunshine! Happy, happy birthday to you, Naomi. May 2 be the best year yet!

Love,
Mom

This One's For You, Grandma!!!

2011-06-01T06:51:00.000-07:00

My grandma checks my blog every day to see if I've posted. And every day I don't post, I feel like I should have at least posted a picture for her to see! Time with two hands is a very precious commodity around here these days so there has, obviously, been a serious lack of blogging. Quincy is growing so quickly and will be 8 weeks old in a few days. She's my chunkiest baby yet and has a serious set of cheeks on her, which nicely compliment her massive double chin! She's all chub and and smiles! She's happiest when she's hitching a ride in the sling, which is a lot of the time, but she gets as much tummy time as I can give her with a dog and two crazy older sibling running around! She's mastered rolling from her back to her side and loves to stand up on my lap. The newest game is to stand up, sit down and grin from ear to ear over and over! My biceps are getting big. Lawson and Naomi are still loving their baby sister, although the novelty has worn off some, which is kind of nice. Life has just kind of continued around here with a little less free time for me! It's busy, messy and fantastic. I hope I figure out a way to update more. For now, a lot of pictures and a few sentences are all I have in me. And on me, I have a baby who just spit up down my shirt. Yay! Until next time....

What a Difference

2011-04-23T17:19:00.000-07:00

Yes, "day 10" and "day 20" would make a little more sense, but these are the days I took the camera in to document her bath, so we have "day 19" instead. And I, for one, am a little shocked at the change in just 9 short days. Slow down, Quinny Mini. You are already growing too fast!

Snuggle Quincy

2011-04-23T15:21:00.000-07:00

This afternoon, the kids woke up after a gloriously long nap to find their little sister still sleeping.

Which Lawson informed me makes her look extra tiny.

Naomi loves nothing more than to smile at "Keensy"...

...and marvel at her little fingers...

...and give her sweet, sweet kisses.

And nothing is better than "snuggling Quincy" before nap and bedtime.

This is one very loved baby.

Quincy, 12 days old

2011-04-20T13:57:00.000-07:00

Quincy Jane's Birth Story

2011-04-20T13:50:00.000-07:00

You know the part where life gets so good that you have to pinch yourself over and over to make sure it's real? I'm there. All the pieces of the puzzle seem to have come together and I am as content, happy and complete as I've ever been. Which has left me savoring every moment and putting off blogging about any of it! But, here we are on her due date and she's already 15 days old, so it seems an appropriate time to add the story of her origins to the blog. Let me start at the beginning.

I went in for my 37 week appointment on April 4th wondering how much progress all of the contractions I'd been having had made. Quincy was so low, it seriously felt like she could pop out unannounced at any moment. I was crossing my fingers (and legs) that she'd wait until my mom arrived on Thursday, but all signs were pointing to "any moment now." In fact, I even snapped this picture of my belly before I left the house, thinking it could be the last belly shot. ...and a shot of my gloriously unswollen feet! It was a first for me to not be a little swollen in the ankles at the end, so it seemed noteworthy! Basically, I knew something was up.

After sitting in the crowded waiting room at my OB's office for three hours, I was finally called back. Tired and a little mind-numb from sitting for so long, I really wasn't prepared for the reaction I got upon examination. Apparently, I was SO effaced that my Dr. thought I was complete for a few seconds and thought she may be catching a baby right there in the exam room! That was amusing. In reality, I was 5cm, 100% effaced with the baby below 0 station and my water bag bulging. Basically, I was a ticking time bomb and she was shocked my water hadn't broken in the waiting room! I started getting excited that the time was near, but was not quite prepared when she said I should head to the hospital right then. My mind went a little .......... ............ blank.

I told her I was confused why I should go to the hospital if I wasn't in labor and was totally prepared to head home and say "no thanks." But, there was a huge storm headed our way with potential for very high winds, golf ball sized hale and tornadoes and some certain heavy rain and thunderstorms. She was very concerned that my water would break, send me into a quick labor and find me unable to get to the hospital in time. Then she threw in that they could just break my water the next morning (if it hadn't broken on it's own in the night) to send me into labor and have me delivered the next day. I wasn't so hot on that part of the plan until she added that she was leaving town on Thursday morning and wouldn't be able to be reached to consult with the on call Dr who would deliver me if I happened to somehow stay pregnant for three more days. Which basically meant, either I deliver with her in the next couple days, or I wait and potentially secure myself a visit to the OR for a c-section with the on-call who'd almost certainly section me. I told her it was a deal and left the office stunned. After covering my seat with the garbage bag and towel I had waiting in my car "just in case," I headed home and called Dustin to fill him in. It was go time!

After an hour or so spent lining up help with the kids via our amazing friends/neighbors, the Maples, and gathering items, we snapped a quick "final family of four" photo, got the kids to bed and headed off to the hospital. Between the thunderstorm and knowing we were about to have a baby, it was quite an exciting ride!

Dustin stuck around long enough to see that I was settled in then came back home to be with the kids and get some decent rest before "showtime." That night involved a lot of poking and prodding to get the IV started, the blood tests ran, the monitors hooked up, etc. My first nurse failed miserably at getting my IV placed and after ruining three perfectly good veins and filling my forearm with IV fluid, I was stuck getting my IV on my hand. That was "unfortunate" as the nurse put it. I concur.

This became my bathroom buddy as I found myself pulling it in there with me about a dozen times during the night. Oh, joy!

I woke up at 6am the next morning, water bag still intact, feeling anxious and questioning my decision. I kept coming to the same conclusion though. I would rather kickstart labor slightly early and ensure a decent shot at a VBAC, than wait, somehow make it a few more days until my OB was gone, and end up with a c-section because of an unwilling doctor. I was pretty sure my water would be breaking on it's own any second anyway, so it didn't really feel like cheating. Around 8am, Dustin showed up again and we waited. By 9:30am, in came my doctor. Ten minutes later, my water was broken and the real wait began. So, I did what anyone waiting for contractions would do. I took pictures to document.

The man.

The soundtrack. A little Innocence Mission and The Civil Wars.

The refreshments.

My feet.... obviously bored as the contractions weren't exactly picking up from the water breaking. So, we started a very slow pitocin drip around 1:15pm.

A little nap on his part as the contractions picked up.

Dustin went for some lunch and I took the final belly shot while listening to some Innocence Mission on the iPod. Contractions were about 5 minutes apart and easy to breathe through at that point. It was one of my favorite parts of labor.

Soon, they were spacing about 4 minutes apart and getting some work done. I went from a 5 to a 7 the first hour on pitocin and was still texting and laughing and feeling AMAZED at the ease with which I was progressing. Though I was well aware it would get harder soon, labor was going perfect and I was enjoying every second of it.

I asked Dustin to take a picture, but by the time he got the camera ready a contraction was about to begin. This is the look of "Seriously, you're going to take it NOW?"

And this is what a contraction looks like. DEEP breathing as we approached transition. The doctor said I looked like I was at a yoga retreat when she walked in the room in the middle of one.

The rest of the story unfolded rather quickly. I ended up on all fours with the lower section of the bed dropped down as I neared transition and the contractions started hurting across my back. I think it was nearing 5 o'clock at that point. No stranger to back labor, thanks to Naomi's birth, I knew just what to do... and luckily, so did Dustin! He was the BEST birth partner ever. Seriously. So good that while I was at a 9 and between contractions, I told him he was doing so good, he deserved a motorcycle. He was THAT good! He pressed on my back as hard as he could each contraction, which didn't make it painless, but certainly took the edge off. He even rubbed my back a few times between contractions and helped with the bed pan while the nurses left us to ourselves (best nurses ever). I had about a dozen pillows I was using to support my belly that he kept helping me readjust and I'm pretty sure he'd have fanned me off with a giant leaf if I'd asked him to. He was perfect.

I remember being checked a few times and the Dr. popping in to see how things were progressing. At that point I was feeling a lot of pressure with the contractions, was at a 9 with just a lip of cervix left and we knew it was close to time. She asked for five minutes of warning to make it back from her office across the street and left. I spent a contraction with my head in a bed pan feeling nauseous, but I never actually threw up. Thank goodness! The nurse was watching the monitor from the nurses station, which left Dustin and I to ourselves. The pressure suddenly got serious. Next thing I know, I feel like I need the bed pan (not to throw up this time...). The nurse could see that I was starting to push during contractions, ran in and started panicking to get the dr back up to the room. The rest is a blur. A contraction struck as I was still on all fours, which was great for me, but not preferred by the staff, as it's a little trickier to catch the baby. I seriously thought I had to poop (sorry to be blunt, but I'm sticking to the story the way it was!). So, with the bed pan ready to go and a big urge to push, I hear the dr. burst into the room and I can hear someone saying "Pant! Don't push!" to which I remember yelling "I HAVE TO POOP!!!!!!" really loud and next thing I know Quincy shot out in one big push and nearly landed in the bed pan. Everyone was slightly shocked - Quincy and I most of all. After some interesting maneuvering to get myself sitting back up on the bed (not easy with an umblical chord hanging from you, an internal monitor and an iv), the dr handed me my tiny little girl. Bliss.

I literally feel like I won the lottery with her labor. I started out at a 5 and spent just under 5 hours laboring (really only about two of those feel like they count, since getting to an 8 was a total cakewalk) and had my baby girl on the 5th, not the 10th. Which, is actually perfect and seems so obvious to me now since her name is Quincy, and that means "fifth." I should have known! She really is sassy. I got to VBAC without an epidural like I wanted and really only gave in to the pitocin part of the equation, which ended up just fine and really felt right at the time. I did find out they stuck me in a usually unoccupied room in the far back corner as I warned them upon arrival that I was pretty noisy the last go around. The cleaning staff filled me in on that little tidbit, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Turned out I was only noisy that last contraction or two, but I also never heard anyone else, which is nice. I loved my nurses and the dr, had great support thanks to Dustin and have been completely blissed out on a birthing high for close to two weeks. The tiredness crept in a few days ago, but it's not too bad and it's for a GREAT cause. The kids absolutely love their new sister, especially Naomi, who is weirdly gentle and attentive to her and not the slightest bit jealous at all. I thought she'd be a jealous little monster and was prepared for the worst on her part, given her age and everything, but it's been such a pleasant surprise! I think I paid my dues with the first two births, but it's almost gross to me how perfect this all has been. I'm totally in love and happier than ever before.

He's pretty smitten, too.

And so is he....

And so is she.... she decided Quincy is her "pretty little flower".

Yep, my little Quinny Mini came just when she was supposed to and has filled our lives with so much more happiness and love... and a little sleep deprivation. My mom is here helping (hallelujah!) and Dustin's parents will be here in a week to help out and meet Quincy, too. Then comes my sister and her baby boy, Aiden. The good times just keep on rollin'....

Welcome to the world, Quincy. You are so, so loved.

Time Out, Lamby!

2011-04-01T12:35:00.000-07:00

I don't know what Lamby did last night, but Naomi got out of bed this morning and promptly put him in time out. I was allowed to take a picture, but I could absolutely not talk to Lamby during time out. So serious!

Shuffling Round the Lake

2011-04-01T11:41:00.000-07:00

Dustin got home early from work today, which was a nice surprise! He was coming in the door right as we were heading out to play for an hour or so before nap. So, instead of the usual walk around the block, then head to the backyard to play with trucks routine, we went to the lake about a mile up the road from our house. I did get a little more than I bargained for, as I was not intending to walk around the whole darn lake, but I survived and it appears Quincy is behaving and won't be born on April Fool's Day, despite her father's best efforts. Lawson ran his little balance bike around the lake, up and down hills, around corners and over little foot bridges, which were "kind of dangerous." Naomi enjoyed her ride in the Bob compliments of dad then got out at the end to explore the boat at the dock. It was a great way to kick off April! Much better than having a baby the day before a full-body massage! Priorities.

DING!!!!!

2011-03-30T06:16:00.000-07:00

Fully cooked! Quincy is officially full term today. Basically, all this means is that I am "allowed" to go into labor any time now and no one will try to stop it. It also means that it feels like I am smuggling a bowling ball between my legs. But, I'm not complaining! I still want her to stay in there for another week and a half as I have a few things I'd like to check off my to-do list. Massage? Yes, please. Haircut, yes please. My mom getting here first? Yes, PLEASE. Waiting for the 10th so I can be disgustingly pleased with the "orderly" way in which my children enter the world? Bonus and yes, please. Lots of recipes call for baking your dish with the lid off for an extra 15 minutes or so to brown the top. I'd like to do that! Brown up a bit, Quincy. ...Well, don't really brown up. That would raise some interesting questions that I'd have no good answer for. But, you know what I mean. Feel free to keep cooking!

I went in for my 37 week check yesterday, which went well. As well as an appt can go when you wait an hour to be shuffled into a room, told to remove your pants and then sit there for an hour, sans pants, waiting to be "checked." I always love the apologetic nurse that pokes her head in after 45 minutes to say, "everything going okay? She'll just be another minute!" Uh, yeah! It's great. I'm just chilling out here with no pants staring at the wall. I'm goooood! Anyway, eventually the Dr did come in and the progress report was 3 cm, 50% effaced, almost 0 station and s o f t. Making some solid progress from week to week. If I keep this up and get my wish of delivering on the 10th, I'd be nearly 5cm and "ripe" by then! Even being at a 3 to start has me thrilled to bits already! It took 12 hours with Naomi to get to a 3! Which reminds me of my favorite part of the appt. My OB is totally convinced that not only will I be able to VBAC no problem, but she thinks I'll have a fast labor. A fast labor!!! I wanted to hug her! I'm not going to anticipate her being correct and set myself up for disappointment at hour 2 when I'm still laboring, but maybe she knows what she's talking about and I can get a little bit of a break this time! Heck, after my body about killing itself and getting knocked out for a c-section with Lawson and a 32 hour natural VBAC of Naomi's sunny-side-up, back-labor-inducing little body, I deserve a fast one! Yep, I'll take one of those! One super fast labor on April 10th with a corkscrew pop to follow, please! Are you allowed to bring champagne into the labor/delivery room? Adding that to the hospital bag.....

Quincy, Your Nest is Ready!

2011-03-28T15:04:00.000-07:00

I sleep with my babies. I got a crib for Lawson (because "that's what you do!") that he didn't use until he was a year old because it turned out, I wanted him right next to me at night! I slept with Naomi, too. Actually, at that time, we were renovating the upstairs of our house in Washington, so she was in the bed with me and Lawson's toddler bed was right next to our bed, so it was "family bedroom" more than a "master bedroom." I loved it! Dustin was a good sport. Now Naomi and Lawson share a bedroom across the hall and still wake me up quite a bit at night between teething and bad dreams. My guess is that as much as I'm going to want to snuggle Quincy up close at night, she may have to reside next to me in her own little nest, to keep from being disturbed every time I have to get up with the other kids.

I already had a soft little bassinet that I used with Naomi, but I didn't just want her plopped down on the floor by the bed. So, Dustin built a simple, perfect little piece of furniture to make the bassinet into a co-sleeper. I love it! It currently has four wheels on the bottom, but I'm thinking of switching one side to regular feet and adding a handle, so it's more of a "cart." Right now, the kids think it's fun to push the "train" around and I'm not a fan of that. A baby cart seems cool, anyway! Mobile when I need it to be, stationary to keep the kids from driving down the hall with their sleeping sister! Either way, I love that it's handmade with love by dad! There's room for lots of baby items down below in the shelves and baskets and I envision that it will re purpose as toy storage easily later on.

Thanks for making our little girl such a great, cozy nest, Dustin! It turned out perfect! And Quincy, I think we are officially all ready for you. Your bunny is waiting for you to join her in your bed. If you don't mind, though, feel free to leave her waiting a little while longer. I've got a massage and haircut on Saturday that I'd hate to miss, your Mima will be here in just a week and a half and I'd really like her to be there for your arrival... and then we're only three days away from the 10th and THAT would be the perfect day for you to come! Deal?

Without further ado, here's it is, complete with Naomi's stamp of approval!

As good as it fits down at the bottom of the bed, she'll be up at the head of the bed with me at night! Easy access is key for night-feedings!

Meridian Air Show 2011

2011-03-26T09:27:00.000-07:00

Lawson and Naomi got to get up close to the T-45 that Dustin flies right now!

Pretty soon the show started.

The kids were riveted.

Fat Albert never fails to impress

Lawson had the best seat around!

Naomi jumped up for a good view, too!

But she was happier on the ground. Her shadow was almost as exciting as the airplanes.

He was all smiles... to start with.

As was she.

The Blue Angels were really "loud"

And did lots of "coloring" in the sky! Naomi really enjoyed that part.

Eventually, the excitement became too much. A jet zoomed overhead right as he took his ear protectors off and he was done.

So, we took our exhausted kids and hit the road. And now we get to watch the show over our house for the next two days. : )

Naomi, Say Hello to "Bob"...

2011-03-25T09:22:00.000-07:00

I wish I had a great comparison photo, but I had to cut Naomi's hair immediately and only had time to grab the scissors. Not the camera. It took all of about 20 seconds to lop off the remainder of the rat tail she had grown. I kept it around because it looked super cute all curled up when I put it in pigtails or a ponytail, which I do every single day. But, my friend Ashley saw Naomi with her hair down the other day and mentioned a bob cut would suit her and I haven't been able to get it out of my head. New baby, less time, easier hair cut, win-win. Yes, the pigtails may be littler when we do them, but at least I don't have to do them every single day for her to look presentable! After bath today, I was seized by a serious need to cut it NOW! Why didn't I do this forever ago? Much better. Trust me! What a difference those couple of inches were making! Thanks for the outside perspective, Ashley! I wonder how long I'd have let her mullet-looking hairdo go... poor girl! So here's the after. For the before, just imagine about two extra inches in the middle of the back, looping around looking rat-ish.

Lawson is also due for a cut, but he's not really interested in sitting still for that today. He's busy being a train conductor being chased by a dinosaur as they both run around screaming, "The dinosaur is coming! The dinosaur is coming! Go away, dinosaur!!!"

He's also busy ~~driving~~ crashing his cars on the coffee table. Perhaps when I bribe him with a lolipop (or as Lawson calls it, a "ladypop"), he'll let me spiff up his do as well!

Sass Baby Jane

2011-03-24T10:05:00.000-07:00

36 week appointment? Check! All looks good! The strong Braxton Hicks contractions that have been making me short of breath the last couple weeks have been doing good work it seems. I'm already 2 cm dilated and "soft." I haven't started effacing yet, as she's still -1 station, which means not quite dropped yet (still LOW though, trust me.) but we're making progress and the doctor is really confident that I'll do fine with another VBAC. YIPPEE!!! I'm feeling strangely great, which is not what I expected after a less-than-comfortable second trimester. I am still about ready to be done, but I feel really good for being this far along.

Normally by now, I'd be huge, swollen enough that I'd be rockin' a big fake rock on my ring finger, have slightly elevated blood pressure and be doing my best "beached whale" impression much of the day. This time, I'm less huge (I still feel huge, but it's all relative), not swollen, still wearing my wedding ring and my blood pressure has stayed down. A likely culprit is the constant chasing of children and insane cleaning/reorganizing binge I've been on. It's like an all day workout and far from a beached whale! Surely it's not the cakes I've baked (and eaten most of), the cookies or the ice cream I indulge in on an all-too-regular basis. I've literally gained nothing since the end of December or so. I gained a pound a month ago, but it disappeared again. I'm told the baby takes what it needs. I think she needed what I was packing on my thighs and behind, because the maternity pants I'd sworn off for being too tight, suddenly fall off of me now. I'm not complaining, but all of that, combined with measuring a couple of weeks behind at this appointment had me slightly concerned I was growing a miniature baby. Luckily, a quick peak with the ultrasound revealed that all is well in the belly. Miss Quincy looked great and on the smaller end of normal, which is fine by me (although, Naomi was supposedly going to be huge and she came out 7lb6oz, so who really knows.). She did not appreciate being jiggled around by the ultrasound tech to get her hand out of the way for this profile picture. I got a nice kick in the ribs for it and I'm pretty sure she's blowing a raspberry in this shot, which has earned her a new nickname, compliments of Aunt Kelly. Sass Baby Jane. Kind of perfect.

So, that's that. All is looking good and I'm making slow progress toward a hopefully smooth delivery in the next few weeks! I'm also making slow progress on my to-do list these days. I did manage to go through all my clothes yesterday and get my closet ready for the transition phase we'll be starting in a few weeks. I got rid of some that I've not worn in years, put my winter maternity clothes away and got the clothes I'll want to slowly start wearing again this summer ready to go in some bins at the top of my closet. That feels good! It was much easier now than it will be in a month when I'm hot, frustrated with my clothes, looking for an outfit I haven't seen in a year and wearing a baby. The hospital bag is nearly packed, complete with a "kids schedule" to give to whoever ends up helping with the kids when the big day comes. I do need to get some snacks and take-out menus ready to go (one word: hospital food), but I'm just about there. There's still a lot I want to do, but really I'd be okay if she showed up today. I am about as prepared as I can be, I just can't seem to get that across to the OCD nesting pregnant brain I have right now. Which would explain why I'm about to go organize the kids closet.... again.

One Month.... Or Less

2011-03-20T08:19:00.000-07:00

36 Weeks. One month to go. The final countdown. The homestretch. The end.... or the beginning. However you'd like to put it, it's just about time. I never made it to 36 weeks with Lawson and Naomi came at 38 weeks on the dot. I'm guessing we've got a few weeks left before our fifth, and, likely, final member of the family makes her debut! Which leaves me feeling like I'm about to dive off the high dive. Totally thrilled and a little freaked out!

Because my water just broke on it's own with Naomi to kickstart labor, going out in public is getting a little nerve wracking. I have towels and trash bags in my car due to the visions I'm having of my water breaking in the middle of the grocery store and hearing "clean up on isle seven" as I slosh my way out to my car, leaving some poor high school guy to clean up my amniotic fluid next to the chips. Horrifying! I'm actually feeling pretty good right now! Looking back at my other two pregnancies, this is definitely the most comfortable I've been this far into it. I've gained a good 10 or 15 lbs less so far this time, which probably has a lot to do with it! I guess when you are cleaning and chasing toddlers all day long, you have a little less time for lounging and snacking! My ring even fits on my finger still, which is also a first with only one month to go!

I'm in preparation mode right now, which is slightly different from nesting. I'm making lists, packing bags and over-preparing for the month of April. We have our sixth anniversary on April 15th, Dustin's 30th birthday is on my due date, the 20th and Easter is right behind it! I've got most of my Easter loot ready to go and gift ideas brewing. Hopefully I will get that all finished before she arrives and leaves me sleep deprived and unable to pull myself together, let alone Easter or a birthday! I have stockpiles of toilet paper, paper towels and creamy tomato soup because one day that seemed really important. I even stocked up on toothpaste, dishwashing detergent and teething tablets, so clearly, I am ready for her arrival. I may not understand the way my own mind works when I'm pregnant, but I will have clean teeth and dishes... and tomato soup for lunch.

The kids are getting really excited for Quincy to come out! Lawson tells me often throughout the day, that Quincy is getting really big now and he's SO excited for her to come out. My belly gets countless kisses and hugs and "I love you's" from him and Naomi every day. Almost enough to rival the kicks my belly gets from Quincy! I feel pretty lucky that they are so happy to be having another baby girl around and am just hoping that sentiment remains when she is no longer just a big, round belly that moves! Time will tell!

For now, the camera batteries are charged, the bags are nearly packed and the toilet paper is bountiful at our house! I'm still predicting April 10th will be the day, which leaves me exactly three weeks. Or I could be wrong, and she could be here sooner..... later is not an option. (You hear me Quincy???? Okay, good.)

The Backwoods Creepster

2011-03-05T07:33:00.000-08:00

I swear, a few times during each pregnancy, I run across "the creepster." The guy who seems just a little too glad to see a pregnant woman walk by and totally gives me the creeps! Sometimes the man is business-y with a cell phone in his wedding-banded hand and sometimes the guy is a young, normal looking dude who is just overenthusiastic to discuss all things baby and belly. This time, it seemed I may have made it through my pregnancy without one of these run-ins.

But then it happened.

So, I'm at Lowes with the kiddos. I park and get out to get a cart, giant cart cover in tow (don't worry, it's been washed since the vomit situation). As I'm putting on the cart cover, this forty-something backwoods looking dude (we do live in rural Mississippi) in a really "vintage" Chevy leaps out of his car like some sort of hee-haw superhero and starts walking toward me just a little too fast. So weird. I beeline it back to the car and mentally note the burly looking man in the big truck parked nearby just in case I needed his assistance. Just as I open the car door, I hear backwoods guy say something loud and mumbly. I ignore him. In part because I'm really hoping he's not talking to me and in part because I have no idea what he said and I really don't care to. I just start putting Naomi in the cart and the man walks OVER to me at my car. What. the. heck. Boundaries??? He's standing all of about three feet away with his yucky smile and practically shouts "I said, "how you feelin'?!" as he rubs his very own preggo-looking belly and looks me up and down with his crazy beady eyes. My mind was spinning, I was freaked out, having a braxton-hicks contraction (surely brought on by his crazy leap and lunge behavior) and was convinced that I was about to be standing in a puddle of my own pee. I considered karate chopping him, but realized the belly and knee-length skirt were too big of obstacles. I also considered jumping in the car, locking the door and staying there as long as I needed to. Eventually, I said something to him. I have no idea what it was, but it did the trick. He left as quickly as he came. Crisis averted. Though it did leave me desperate to find the bathroom, grab my plants and paint and get the heck out of there. I swear, this super-market-sweep type shopping I have been forced into the last few days is my new work-out!

So, I'll add him to my list of pregnancy creepsters and be thankful he just had some deep, profound need to know about my well-being. Weirdo.

Sunshine and Sick Days

2011-03-03T17:50:00.000-08:00

See this beautiful tree? Lawson loves this tree! He talks about it every day and is just sure it's made of snow. We've been watching it bloom over the last week or so as the beautiful Mississippi winter weather continues on.

Unfortunately, we've been watching it through the window.

Because sickness has struck again. Just when I thought we were all on the mend, we all started feeling sinus pressure. Then Lawson got a fever a few nights ago and Naomi was acting a little strangely this morning... but I brushed that off. I gave Lawson some fever reducer, loaded us all up in the Expedition and we headed out to run a few errands this morning. A minute before parking at the first stop, Naomi started to cry. Good thing we're almost there, I thought. Or not. I stopped the car, got out, opened the door and reached in to unbuckle my.... throw up covered child. Seriously, covered. And all over her brand new, beautiful, ruffly tissue tee. I mean, my poor, poor child! Priorities, people! Geeze. In actuality, she seemed fairly happy, but was sporting a nasty layer of the remnants of the apple, nuts and dried cranberries she'd just been munching on and was quite preoccupied with the mess of the situation. She just kept repeating it over and over to me as I cleaned her up. "Mess. Mess. Mess." It was pretty pitiful and so on par with the mantra in my own head! Thankfully, I keep the car stocked with paper towels and wipes, so I cleaned her up as well as I could, stripped her down to her undershirt and stuck her in the cart. Yep, we were still going in. We were all the way to town and we were not going back quite yet. I needed to buy Cliff bars in bulk. Needed to. Again, priorities. Now, before you pass me off as irresponsible for taking two sick kids into public and spreading their germs all over the place, bear in mind, I used a shopping cart cover. I also thought I only had one mildly sick child when I went. See? A totally responsible move on my part. We were already there in the parking lot and going back home Cliff bar-less (especially when I was able to clean her up to the point of looking like she had just spit a bite of food out on the top of her shirt) wasn't much of an option. It seemed like a good idea to just run in really, really quick.

Until we got inside the store and Lawson announced to the first two people we passed, "Num num just throwed up and my penis really hurts." He's obviously still reeling from the penis squishing incident and I have never made such a surely awkward transition from friendly smiling stranger to head-down-do-not-look-at-me-I'm-not-here-freak-girl with the bright red face. Holy cow. I can't even imagine what those people were thinking! It was a bad idea to "just run in really, really quick", after all. I grabbed my boxes of Cliff bars and r a n out of that store. Well, I paid. And I gave Lawson the evil eye and a quick "Shhh!" every time someone got near us, but, then I ran out of there before he could inform another unsuspecting stranger of all things personal and embarrassing. We then holed up in the house for the rest of the day.

I am exhausted from dismembering, scrubbing and then putting the Britax back together again. I just installed Quincy's carseat on Monday and had a brief few days of satisfaction knowing I need not remove or install a carseat for at least another year. Ha! Luckily, I know Naomi's carseat well and the install process was fairly quick, given my girth and overall breathlessness. I seem to have gotten most of the cranberry colored stain out of her new shirt, which pleases me to no end and I am now crossing my fingers, toes and legs in hopes that no one else gets the up-chucks. Well, not my legs, actually. They don't cross anymore as Quincy seems as overzealous in her preparation for D-day as I am and has left me walking like I just rode bareback down a bumpy country road. Oh, that itch on my thigh? No worries, Quincy will scratch it. Yeah, it's THAT comfortable.

So, all of this has left us all tired, sicky and stuck inside watching movies and blowing bubbles. Inside, where nary a human can walk by and hear about our squished penis and vomit issues... not so bad of a deal, perhaps.

Whatcha Got Cookin?

2011-02-28T11:33:00.000-08:00

Finding good recipes can sometimes be a challenge and I think we're all in search of the next yummy recipe to try out on the family. I've had great success with a couple of different websites. Williams and Sonoma and Simply Recipes. Since I posted a few days ago about stocking the freezer up, I've had a handful of people ask for some recipes. I'd like to preface these recipes with a little word of caution. I hardly ever cook straight from the recipe. I usually use it as a guide, then add a ton more onion, garlic, spices and vegetables. Dinner is the meal I can hide the veggies in so the kids will eat them, so it has to pack a punch. That being said, I'm sure these recipes are good just as they are, but I've never really tried them without altering them! Here are a few of the recipes that are currently in my freezer.

Spinach and Pine Nut Cannelloni This recipe is one of my favorites! SO darn good. I make my own sauce for it with lots of onions and garlic and sometimes some ground hamburger or turkey, if I'm in the mood. I also add extra pine nuts and chop them all up before I put them in the dish. The kids seem to like it better that way. I also forgo the actual "cannelloni" noodles and opt for some lasagna noodles. It is so much easier just to roll up the stuffing in a lasagna noodle than it is to actually stuff a noodle. I tripled the recipe to make enough to fill two 9 x 13 pans (one for immediate consumption and one for freezing).

Potato Spinach Sausage Casserole This one got the thumbs up from the kids, which is always good! I opted for some sweet organic chicken sausage instead of Italian sausage, just because sausage kind of grosses me out right now. It was full-flavored and surprisingly filling and could easily be used as a side dish or a main course.

Broccoli Cheese Casserole I liked this a lot, but would prefer it as a side dish to complement some chicken breast. Again, I added onion and garlic and also some cauliflower to bulk it up a bit.

Chicken and Rice Casserole One of the few recipes I found for chicken and rice casserole that didn't include Cream of Mushroom or Cream of Chicken soup. I am not a fan of that stuff. Pretty much any flavorful item in this recipe, I added more of. More wine, more spices, more onion, more garlic, etc... I also chopped the mushrooms really little in hopes that the kids would swallow them down easier. Naomi still spit each little piece of mushroom out as she went, but Lawson gobbled it up and I found it delicious!

White Chicken Chili This is a favorite because it's done in the crockpot, which means you literally throw all the ingredients in the pot, leave it to cook all day then enjoy or freeze. I made a double recipe at the same time as I made the potato spinach sausage casserole and then just froze the whole batch in two freezer bags.

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast (shredded or cut into small pieces)
1 large onion
4 or 5 garlic cloves
2 cans great northern beans
1 16 oz can of tomatillos (drained and cut up)
1 can of diced tomotoes with green chiles (or just dice up fresh ones... yum.)
1 4 oz can chopped green chile peppers
1 1/2 cups corn kernals (fresh is best, but frozen or canned would also work)
2+ cups of chicken broth (depends on your desired consistency. I like mine thicker.)
3 Tbs lime juice
Spices to taste: oregano, coriander, cumin, pepper, salt
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (or more, if you really like cheese like I do)
sour cream

Cook the chicken breasts in a frying pan until nicely browned. Set aside until cool and shred or chop into small pieces. Add the onion to the pan and cook with a little oil and chicken broth until just translucent (5 minutes or so). Add all the ingredients (except the cheese and sour cream) to the crockpot and let cook for 8-10 hours. Add a dollop of sour cream and a handful of the shredded cheese to the top when served.

Hope you find a few that look appealing to you! Enjoy!

Old Becomes Poof

2011-02-28T10:10:00.000-08:00

I'd like to share with you Dustin's old shirt.

It is now three big white poofs to hang over Quincy's bed. Lawson said daddy might cry when he saw me cutting his t-shirt into strips, but I assured him that daddy had intended for his shirt to go to Goodwill and that he'd probably just think it was a really weird thing to do. And maybe it is, but I was inspired by this great tutorial at Craftaholic's Anonymous (a bottomless source for really cool ideas!) and it took all of about 20 minutes. Mine don't look quite as poofy and perfect as theirs, but they are still fun and a big hit with the kids!

Now, I just need the bed to hang it over. That's being taken care of, though. Dustin's been working hard to build a stand with shelves for the Lalapanzi bed to go next to our bed. It just needs a few coats of white paint, the wheels on the bottom and the brown leather baskets inside the shelves. Oh, and the baby.... but that will all come together sooner than I'm prepared for, I think!

Getcha Stunna Shades On

2011-02-27T09:01:00.000-08:00

Last night, the smell of barbecue chicken filled up our backyard for the first time this year. "More barbecue chicken, please!!!" was the chorus at our dinner table. The barbecue was just another addition to the sundresses, flip flops and sunglasses that have become the norm around here lately. While the snow is falling back home, we're slowly getting tan lines on our shoulders! No complaining here. We are all feeling this warm "winter" weather and sunshine. And the kids are quite obviously enjoying accessorizing accordingly, whether indoors or out.

Happiness is Food.

2011-02-25T08:18:00.000-08:00

Food is happiness. A good day for me always includes lots and lots of good food. I mentioned in my last post that lately I've been going big in the kitchen to prepare for Quincy's arrival. And it is now that I find myself at a crossroads. Do I continue blazing down my path of preparedness or do I leave room for the ice cream? Oh, the struggle.

I went to stock up on more chicken yesterday and found that the organic chicken breast that I buy was on special - buy one get one! I almost exploded with excitement right there in the meat section. Then I filled our cart with poultry. Lots of poultry. Which makes the decision to push out the ice cream in favor of more meals slightly easier for me. There are tons of bird breasts staring at me each time I open the fridge, so I should probably chop to it and find a few good recipes for them! I'm sure I can manage to squeeze some ice cream bars in between the frozen meals....

And as if I need a reminder to consume everything in site, I painted a sign for the dining room on some scrap wood from another project we've got going on around here. I'm just waiting on some pretty hardware to hang it up with. You get the idea. I like food...

...and it likes me!

Big And Happy: A How-To Guide

2011-02-22T07:50:00.000-08:00

It seems that there are a few key ingredients for happiness and comfort in the last trimester. The third time around, I've finally found them! These may sound like simple concepts, but for a preggo that is nesting at full-throttle and is a self-proclaimed night-owl, they really aren't THAT easy.

The first is to take a bath. Every single day. A half an hour soaking in epsom salts with a good book while the kids are napping has changed my life. That's no exaggeration. We've been getting up by 6:30am around here and by the time noon hits, my back is starting to bring me down. I'm guessing my blood pressure may also be on the rise a bit thanks to my hormonal handicap in dealing with the smaller, louder creatures in this house. When the house goes quiet, it has usually been my signal to amp up the nesting, which has been at a drastic expense for my back. To the point that I got stuck sitting on a step stool and could barely make it out of bed to use the bathroom during the night. No longer! My back feels better than it has since the first trimester. I'd venture to say that it is feeling better at this point in my pregnancy than it did when I was pregnant with Naomi and getting massages every two weeks. These baths are healing! The added bonus is that I'm getting a ton of reading done (and I'm not talking board books for once) and I'm keeping up with shaving my legs so much better (kind of crucial since it's suddenly in the 80's here and I'm donning summer dresses and already have tan line in February!). You may not want to know that last part, but I can't be the only preggo that sees the colder weather as an excuse to "let the beast out of the cage" a bit. Having to hold your breath to reach your ankles is no easy task and is so easy to just pass on completely when pants are in season anyway.

Moving on! The next life-altering change around here is to get lots of sleep. Lots! How does one do this when the kids are getting up by 6:30am every single day? Start the bedtime routine by 6:30pm and have their lights out by 7pm. That still gives Dustin and I an hour or two to ourselves and a few good, solid hours of sleep before midnight even hits! Even with Naomi screaming in pain several times a night thanks to her torturous canine teeth (four months later, those suckers better be here to stay!) I am still waking up in the morning feeling rested, which is a whole new concept for me since motherhood hit. And the best part is, I wake up and step out of bed without feeling like I just had hip-replacement surgery. It took a few nights to adjust. I found myself wide awake at 3am several nights in a row feeling like I should be going to get my coffee and start my day. The nights felt L O N G. But pretty soon, I caught on and now I'm sleeping like a baby! Dustin and I are going to be seriously hurting the first time we have an event to go to at night. 7pm hits and we both start yawning! That may make us officially old (he IS turning 30 on the day I'm due with Quincy) but it feels so. so. good!

And last, but not least, when in the kitchen, go big or go home! In preparation for Quincy's arrival, my cooking has changed. I'm cooking casserole-style two to tree times week now. I make enough to fill two 13x9 pans, freeze one for later and eat off the other one two nights in a row. I'm thinking I may stick to this routine even after Quincy shows up! Grocery shopping is way faster when I am buying lots of a few things, instead of a little of lots of things. Actually, the list making, the shopping and and putting away are easier. Then I am left with a "free night" every other night and can play with the kids at the park instead of cooking. It's glorious! Even keeping up with my kitchen cleaning is easier! It's happiness all around for me! I get strangely excited by the growing stack of frozen meals. It's like crack for my preggo brain to see my freezer become stocked and prepared for several nights of good meals with no effort on my part. I'd say the best part is only having to cook once for four nights worth of food. Oh, the glory!

So, like I said, totally simple concepts. Using the free time I get while the kids are sleeping for my own sleeping and relaxation was difficult for me at first. I still have lots of projects I want to get done before Quincy comes along, but those still seem to be coming together and the improvement it has made in my quality of life is worth the "sacrifice" of lounging in my tub at noon each day, sleeping up to 10 hours a night and having the time in the evenings to take the kids to the park. Good things all around! Now if only I could find a way to give the cleaning and laundry four days worth of staying power like the cooking...

On The Chopping Block

2011-02-17T18:25:00.000-08:00

There's a lot of conversation around our house about penises. This was something I wasn't totally expecting as a mother to a boy. I knew we'd cover the topic, but no where near to this extent. Having had a boy and then a girl, who obviously does not have a penis, the topic grew much more prevalent upon her arrival. We discuss who has and doesn't have one, why that is, the size differences, function, etc... on a daily basis. I bet if you asked me at 8am every morning if I'd had a discussion about penises yet, my answer would almost always be "yes." The word no longer phases me. Unless it is lumped together in a sentence with "squished."

Tonight, Lawson went to use the bathroom and wash his hands before dinner. Suddenly, I hear a "BANG" then a horrible scream with some inaudible words. I did catch two words, though. SQUISHED. PENIS. My stomach turned. This was unfamiliar penis territory. I walked in the bathroom and had to breath deeply to keep from passing out or throwing up. His penis had been put on a chopping block for the heavy, ceramic toilet seat. A blood blister had already formed and before it was more closely examined, I thought he actually had blood coming from inside his penis (and my stomach flipped again). What in the heck does one do with a bleeding, traumatized penis??? Luckily (I use that word loosely... how lucky could we really be with a flattened penis), it was just really badly squished and bruised. And swelling. Ouch. And luckily, Dustin walked in just seconds after I found myself googling "squished penis toilet seat" (again, totally uncharted territory) and took over from there. Soon, Lawson was sitting at the dinner table with a bag of frozen peas and carrots stuffed in his underwear. It seems he'll live through this one, but not without a surely painful reminder each time he pees that he should probably be a little bit more careful when setting down the toilet seat. Poor little guy! Apparently having a penis is a bit of a hazard, in and of itself. What an end to a beautiful, sunny day.

Maternity Photos

2011-02-08T10:12:00.000-08:00

and a sneak peak of Quincy from our 4D ultrasound yesterday

Nesting on the "Cheep"

2011-02-07T12:42:00.000-08:00

Yep. Still nesting over here! It's really only gotten worse. I started out organizing everything in site. Now that I've done that, I'm moving onto decorating and arranging. I can't exactly go out and buy a bunch of new decor, so I'm digging through my own Goodwill pile and painting whatever I can get my hands on! That's right. I'm armed with Rustoleum and I am NOT afraid to use it. It's about the cheapest fix I could think of since a can is only $5 or so and it makes a big difference! Here's a look at some of my freshly painted old items. These first items were all brown to start with and I am just not feeling brown right now. I'm liking them all so much better now! Excuse the empty picture frames. I'm waiting on the photos to arrive in the mail.

This is the old BROWN ceramic jar that was handed down to us. Dustin was using for our dog treats and it was residing on top of the fridge. A few coats of primer and some hand painted acrylic over the top and the fridge just got a little greener and cuter.

These canvases were a Peir 1 purchase over 10 years ago and they have been hanging out in a box for the last several years. They just weren't me anymore. So I taped along the edges and sprayed on some black paint to cover up the old. Then I printed out some words on photoshop, tediously cut out each letter, etched around them and painted within the lines to reveal the new. The new brings lots of joy and happiness for me!

And lastly for today (Although there is more! It's a sickness, I tell you.). This is a crate repurposed as a wine rack that I bought super cheap at TJ Maxx with the idea of painting either black or white. It's been hanging out inside of a closet waiting for it's reveal. I finally decided on black, although I hadn't figured out where I was going to put it or what exactly to do with it since there's no wine drinking to speak of around here at the moment (sad face.). In between coats of paint, it ended up sitting just inside the front door to finish drying. Funny thing was, it worked awesome as a shoe rack! And so became our crate repurposed as a wine rack repurposed as a shoe rack. It just required a spray of sealer, a few coats of black paint, some roughing up with a sander and another coat of sealer. All in a day's work!

I'm obviously out of control with my painting, so please use caution if you stop by our house. You may leave a different color than you came! More to come soon... just putting the finishing touches on a few things first.

A Change is Gonna to Come

2011-02-03T21:38:00.000-08:00

When every laugh and every smile is just a little sweeter....

When every tear is just a little bit more sad.....

When waking up to help them fall back asleep is equal parts chore and moment to remember....

When falling asleep myself is made difficult as memories and checklists swirl about my head....

...and savoring each moment becomes a daily aspiration....

.... that's life reminding me that change is coming. Beautiful, amazing change.

I can't wait. And I can. This is the part when I have to try to focus on now instead of wandering ahead in my mind. I have the rest of my life to know how everything unfolds with Quincy and what she looks like. But we will only be "the four of us" for a short while more.

I remember when it was only "the three of us" and I would fight the urge to run and hold Lawson while he slept and I was laying in bed worrying about how his new sister would affect his life. I'm not so much worried this time, but I do have a better idea of what to expect. And I expect that it will fly by.

So, I'm holding on to the little things each day.

Because really, the change has already begun.

And maybe what all of that really means... is that I'm letting go.

Kiss

2011-02-01T17:08:00.000-08:00

Today, shortly after Dustin left for work, Naomi ran into the room I was in with her hands crossed over her heart (like when we sign "I love you"). "Daddy love me! Daddy love me!" She kept saying over and over.

"That's right, Naomi! He does love you. How do you know that?" I asked.

And to that she replied, "Kiss!!!!!"

That goodbye kiss he gave her told her all she needed to know. Not that she didn't already know, but sometimes the smallest gestures make all the difference in someone's day. She danced around the house talking about it for a good 10 minutes. Love is already in the air this February!

Who's Birth is This Anyway???

2011-02-01T12:32:00.000-08:00

So, for the third time since becoming pregnant, I'm looking for an OB. I had one in Texas who I only saw once thanks to the move to Mississippi (would not have gone back to her anyway) then I had my irreplaceable, awesome OB in Oregon while visiting and now I'm back in Mississippi, with a two-digit countdown to D-Day, looking for an OB. I met with contender number one yesterday. She had a brand new office that smelled intensely of rubber cement or some other toxic fume. Her nurse was a bit concerning, as she didn't understand what I was talking about when I listed 5mg of folic acid as something I take regularly. It went downhill from there. I finally met the Dr., who was actually a really nice lady. I really, really wanted to like her and her views. I wanted her to be "the one" and to know that I am going to get the VBAC that I want. What exactly does that VBAC look like? Well, a lot like Naomi's birth (maybe just a TAD shorter and minus the back labor). No induction, no pain meds, minimal monitoring, poking and prodding and the ability to move around freely to cope with the pain.

I told the Dr. that I was looking for another VBAC. Could I VBAC with her? Absolutely. Score, team!!! I was thrilled! Then I asked her if her protocol for a VBAC is different from that of a normal patient. Not always, but it would be for me. (This is the part where a giant knot showed up in my throat and tears started stinging my eyes. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry.) Because I'm on anticoagulant shots twice a day, leaving me to go into labor on my own would, apparently, be irresponsible and dangerous. An induction would be the answer. (Let loose the flood gates. Crap. Exactly what I didn't want to hear.) She went on to explain that I couldn't receive an epidural with an anticoagulant in my system, so I'd be stuck without pain meds if we didn't plan it out. (Brief glimmer of hope....) Well, lucky for me, I don't want pain meds, so that shouldn't be an issue or a factor, right? Wrong. (More tears. Big tears. With lots of apologies in between. WHY was I crying!?!) Bottom line: it would be much more "convenient" to induce on a weekday between 8-5 so we could be sure that we are in control of all the details. I would be induced with pitocin, my membranes would be stripped and I would be hooked up to an internal monitor. I would then be catheterized to further attach me to my bed. Then there would be an expected rate of progress that would cause an increase in pitocin if not met and a loose "time limit" set so if I plateaued for "too long" and "failed to progress" we'd do a c-section anyway. It would be the EXACT opposite of anything I would ever want.

I cried for a while, trying desperately to pull myself together and apologized profusely for being "that crazy patient." I am not usually a cryer. At all! I didn't even know where it was coming from at the time. So, why was I crying? I know my facts and have done my research. I didn't just decide one day to have a "crunchy birth" as this new OB so sweetly put it. This isn't just a means-to-an-end. This is an experience of a lifetime. It is bringing a beautiful, baby into the world and is sure-to-be one of the most defining moments of my entire life, just like my other two births have been. I want to be given the chance to have the birth I want. That's why I was crying. My choice was being taken away from me. I can move on from the disappointment of having to have a c-section with Lawson because I HAD to have one. But I don't know if I could ever be okay with giving into the medical system, set in place to save the doctor's butts from lawsuits, and having a birth entirely different from what I want before I was ever given the chance to even try. I know that birth plans go flying right out the window when baby decides to come. Things happen and we are NOT in control. I'm so okay with that. I understand that during the labor process, things could go wrong and some interventions may be necessary. I'm thankful that we can intervene when we need to! I don't have a specific birth plan. I simply know that I do not want to intervene unless there is a reason to. I know that my body can do it and that I can handle the pain. I want to be given the choice and the chance that I should inherently have as a mother to birth my baby how I want to. Be that squatting, standing, laying down, unmedicated or numbed from the waist down via epideral. That should be MY choice. If I were birthing with the OB I had in Oregon, I would have the chance to birth how I want to. But, here I am in the middle of rural Mississippi, where I am obviously the exception to the birthing rule, given the look she gave me when I opposed an epidural, stuck trying to figure out how to work the system to get the birth I want. I've read and heard about this struggle and I am not happy to be in the middle of it now.

I know that most women WANT an epidural and would be fine with pitocin speeding up the process to get to the "good" part, which is holding the baby. I'm not sitting in judgment of anyone for wanting an epidural or choosing to induce when you're overdue and done. I get it. I just know it isn't for me. I never wanted either of those things and now, being a VBAC patient, I will not raise my risk factors by inducing. And I will not be stuck to a bed, unable to move to cope with the pain. I had hoped for a home birth with Lawson and instead got knocked out for a c-section birth that I have no recollection of. It was a devastating blow to my confidence to start out my journey of being a mother having "failed" at the very basic process of birthing him "normally." When I gave birth to Naomi exactly how I'd wanted to, feeling every little bit of the experience both physically and emotionally, I felt like super. woman. I could do anything! It was an awakening and an intensely life-altering process. I look back on that day with nothing but happiness and that is the way it should be. I know not everyone understands my approach to birthing, but it's so important to me. It's not for everyone, but it should be available for me. I've done it before and I can do it again. I hope. My heart was pretty broken about it yesterday, but I'm trying to stay positive and am hoping that I can find a doctor who will give me a chance. In the meantime, I am just baffled that maternal medicine in this country could be so backward, being set up for the doctor's convenience above the patience needs or wishes. What I wouldn't give to go back to Oregon for the birth of this baby! The documentary, The Business of Being Born, keeps popping in my head with this situation. If you haven't watched it, I highly recommend it. I've seen it many times and have been thankful that my OB didn't fit the bill as the "norm." Well, now I've found myself with the "norm" and it isn't pretty.

My new OB is hopefully going to be my old OB. I'll go in next week for the ultrasound we scheduled and with any luck, that will be the end of my dealings with her. I have already put in a request to be referred to another OB in town that everyone raves about. I know she'll do a VBAC, but my confidence has been shaken drastically that she'll offer me (being high risk) anything different than what OB #1 did. According to her, I am not going to get what I am looking for in the state of Mississippi. Which is just sad. According to my primary care physician's nurse, it's "really difficult" to switch OBs in the middle of pregnancy, so now I'm wondering if it's going to be a fight to even move onto another OB. This is all just crazy! Hopefully this turns out to be a shorter story than it seems like it could become...

The Dreaded Belly Shot

2011-01-28T12:01:00.000-08:00

It's time again for a belly shot! Let's just say that the "cute" stage is officially gone. My arms, butt, thighs and face are feeling just as pregnant as my belly. Yes, I am larger and in charger. Welcome to the third trimester.

I should probably add my back to the list of extraneous pregnant body parts. I literally got stuck sitting on a step stool last night after washing the kids hair. I could not. get up. My muscles were so tight I couldn't even get them to function and I had to call for help. Nothing like yelling out "I'm stuck on the step stool and I can't get up!" Fail. Yes, I had to have Dustin heave my big butt up off the step stool. I then had to lean over the counter and cry because it hurt. so. bad. But being the sweet guy that he is, he rubbed my back until I caught my breath and relaxed a little bit. I may have had a similar situation on the toilet later that night (but, that's highly embarrassing, so I'm making no admission of it.). I now live in fear that I will sit down on the throne and have to call a neighbor to come and heave me off of it. Funny in theory, but really it's no laughing matter! My back is killing me. And as it is such, I'm saving what would have been the rest of this post for another time. This aching back needs a rest while the wee ones are asleep. Nothing like a quiet 20 minutes in a comatose position to help your day go smoother!

The Post Where I Vent About The Dog

2011-01-21T07:23:00.000-08:00

Could also be title Why Not to Get a Dog When You Are Pregnant with Other Small Children or Why Not to Get a Dog if You Are Not A Dog Person and Like a Clean Fresh House.

Warning: I'm hormonal and sick. Also irritated. I'm using my blog to vent. And I'm not editing. I apologize. I may read this tomorrow and cringe. But, I live for the moment, so here I go.

Once there was a girl who had a major lapse in judgment. One that wouldn't go away any time soon. One that made the things around her smell unpleasant and added to the chaos of her already crazy life in so many unforeseen ways. She agreed to get a puppy. A pooping. peeing. stinky. chewing. puppy. A puppy that, of course, everyone else just loves. These are the people who don't have to clean up after the puppy and don't seem to notice how terrible he smells. The people that don't already wipe two butts besides their own several times a day and clean up after two other small creatures constantly. I take full responsibility for my lapse in judgment, but currently, I'm coming down off of a literal urge to throw the dog outside without his leash and shut the door. Buh-bye chewface!

I know this sounds like a big case of "poor me." Dustin reminds me every time I rant about the dog how most people have dogs, bigger than ours, and small children all at the same time and love it. Well, they must not smell the dogs. Maybe they weren't pregnant and nauseous/moving/nesting when they got the dog. Maybe their kids were out of the stage where they sprinkle all of the toys around the house as expensive chew toys for said dog. Maybe they aren't concerned with the seemingly small things that add up over the course of a day and make me work way too hard to be a nice, calm mother to my children. Dustin also reminds me that I agreed to the dog. And I did. I had just had a miscarriage and was very much ready to have another baby. Hormonal to say the least. I had also just gotten a major guilt trip about how everyone else has a dog and didn't I have a dog growing up that I have good memories of and wouldn't I want to extend that joy on to my small, dogless children and not be the mom that stands in the way of their happiness. Then I saw the words "mini wiener dog puppies" on craigslist and suddenly I wanted to take a look at them. Not only am I not a dog person, I particularly do not enjoy small dogs. Hormones are life's hidden enemy. Who was I that day? I have no. idea. And who looks at a small, cute puppy and doesn't kind of want it? But I digress. Let me start at the beginning of the day. Each and every day.

So, it's 6:30am, the kids are waking up needing to pee and have a change of diaper. They are thirsty and want their vitamins. They are cold and want their robes and a tv show pronto! They are interested in what's to come for the day and have a million questions to throw at me. Me, who also has to pee and is also cold and wants my robe and is also thirsty and needs. coffee. Me, who also needs to figure out what we are doing for the day and what we're all going to eat in a few minutes. Me, who also has to get the dog and take him pee outside in the cold in my robe for all the neighbors to see. Me, who also has to feed the dog (with olive oil poured over the top... thanks, Dustin, for making our dog a total snob) then immediately take him outside in the cold again in my fresh-out-of-bed, exhausted, wearing-my-robe-and-pajamas-and-no-bra-mind-you state to watch him sniff around forever to find the perfect place to poop while the children scream at me from the door about something all while trying to escape. The other scenario for this is that I get busy trying to start breakfast and miss the "signal" from the dog and end up with a steaming pile of awful-smelling dog poop by the front door to RUN to get rid of before Naomi decides it's playdoh. Good. Morning. UGH. I'm not a morning person, obviously, and I am clearly also not a dog person. At all.

The dog and I have no bond. I have no loyalty to the dog. So, bending over several times a day with my giant belly to to put a leash on the dog (mind you, he reaches my ankles... it's bending WAY over) to have him to poop and pee in our yard for me to smell and look at and have to pick up or remind my husband to pick up is obnoxious. Having brand new rugs that, in my opinion, smell like dog now (along with some AWFUL "long-lasting" carpet deodorizer that Dustin spread ALL over the house than sucked into my vacuum filter to help ensure I did not smell dog when I returned home from Oregon - thanks, babe. Intent noted. It was sweet... if not super, duper stinky. ) makes me mad every single day. The dog ruins life. He smells and is in the way and eats all the nice wooden toys that I had hoped to save as keepsakes for the kids. I don't save things. I get rid of things. So, the fact that he eats the FEW things that I want to save makes me think very lowly of him. The larger I get, the more angry it makes me to bend down to pick up whatever his latest chew victim is to throw it in the trash.

This rant is officially going in circles. What else can I say except that I want to give the dog an eviction notice so bad I can taste it. But, the kids and Dustin love him and I would forever be the one who took away the beloved family pet. So, I'm stuck ~~smelling~~ living with the biggest lapse in judgment I've ever made and writing self-pitying posts like this one to try to cope. Sad, really. I will now take a few deep breaths and go enjoy the two small creatures that I DO love. I will also now quit ranting about the dog.

The end.

Bringing Down the Wall

2011-01-15T18:30:00.000-08:00

There's something missing in this picture. Can you tell what it is?

One side. One side that makes this bed a crib. The crib has officially been converted into a big girl bed.

And that missing side is making this big girl very, very happy!

You see, she's been cooped up on the other side of the room staring at this big boy bed.

She's watched this big boy get up and down out of his bed at his leisure while she was stuck crying out for someone to remove her from her bed. Not so cool when you really, really like to do things all by yourself!

Initially, I had my hang-ups about turning her crib into a bed. The size of my belly, coupled with my sore back and the number of times she was needing me to lay her back down each night quickly made it obvious that the time had come. She took her last nap in the crib, then watched in wonder as I gave her some big girl freedom by way taking down one jail-like wall. I was pretty nervous that I was going to regret my decision when I found myself chasing her back to bed over and over and over again that night. After all, her brother used to spend an hour or more playing that game when he moved into his big boy bed. Hey, he still does that. I armed myself with lots of time and plenty of goodnight stories to make her extra sleepy that night. We read all the stories, sang several songs and got all tucked into bed. I stayed in her room as she fell asleep just to be sure she knew that everything was still the same. She seemed a little cautious about the missing side and checked to see that I was still there every few minutes, but in 20 minutes or less, with *no* crying (a very welcome change from the half hour or more she's been doing the past month or so) she was out like a light. And rather than waking me up to soothe her to sleep five or six times like she had been, I didn't hear from her. at all. until I opened my eyes to see her pretty little face looking at me at six in the morning!!!

THE GLORY!!!!!

Now, two night times and two nap times later, I lay her down, walk out of the room and she falls asleep and stays asleep! We couldn't be happier with the change around here. The only thing that would make it better is if Lawson would follow suit and stay in his bed all night! But, I'll take what I can get and being woken up several less times per night is bound to make a big difference for all of us!

Yes, it seems that fourth wall was the holding the key to all of our night time happiness. It's always a little bittersweet to watch the kids reach a milestone that make them more grown up and independent. Mostly just sweet, luckily. The sap in me gets a little choked up at the thought of never reaching over that crib wall to pick up my sweet little baby Num Num again. But, mostly I'm just super excited that I never have to reach over that crib wall to pick up my sweet little baby Num Num. Now, my feet never hit the ground and she comes to me for early morning snuggles! Really, it's a much better deal! And with her recent interest in the potty, I'm thinking this is a necessary step in her rapid progression toward potty training.

And with that, I officially say goodbye to whatever was left of her babyhood.

Everything in It's Place

2011-01-14T12:05:00.000-08:00

I was in Oregon for a little over two months (a bit longer than anticipated). That left my husband to fend for himself and keep up the house. I returned a couple weeks ago to my "clean" house to find that his version of what that means and mine are two very. very. different things. So, nesting kicked in full force! Besides a good spit shine of every surface I can get my hands on, I've been obsessed with organizing and clearing things out. Everything must be in it's place! It's a work in progress, but I'm hoping to feel satisfied and done sooner than later. I've been tackling the more trivial items that enhance my daily routine. Later, I'll bust out the big guns and attack the bedroom closets!

First things first. The mouse has been homeless for years and has worn off the finish below it on our table. That leads to sketchy cursor behavior and aggravates me to no end when trying to photoshop! So, I remedied the situation with a mousepad complete with a recent photo of my two favorite short people! Computer time is now a little more lovely.

The computer shares a room with the kids toys, which allows me to keep an eye on them while using my spiffy new mouse pad. However, it can feel pretty chaotic at times when all the toys end up on the floor. The larger ride-on type of toys were driving me nuts always shoved against a wall somewhere when all the other toys made their way into the proper basket. No more. One hook and the doll stroller, surely the largest and most awkward toy of them all, is up off the floor and out of my way! Checkity-check-check! I'm telling you, it's sick how happy this all makes me.

Laundry is another big one for me. Every day, I'm doing several loads and spend a good deal of time folding while staring into the laundry closet. Again, the hooks have saved the day. The ironing board, steam mop and dry mop were always falling against each other and frustrating to get to. Now, they hang gloriously on the wall for easy retrieval at my every cleaning whim! TADA! I even added an S-hook with clips so I can hang the microfiber pads from my steam mop to dry before I get a chance to wash them. No stone left unturned.

You may notice the giant container of Charlie's Soap in the photo above (LOVE that stuff, by the way). Very economical, but also very heavy and not-so-easy to pour out the tablespoon of soap I need to use for each load. Which left me no choice but to buy a happy little yellow ceramic olive oil decanter to pour from. I measure the soap into a little silicone bowl then dump it into the washing machine dispenser and laundry is fun again!

Cooking is another thing that I spend a lot of time doing. It makes such a big difference for me to store my veggies in containers that keep them fresher longer and allow me to see them readily. There is nothing worse than a slimy cucumber hiding at the bottom of a veggie bin beneath a mess of plastic produce bags and vegetables. This solves that. Produce bags disappear immediately and veggies go in clear, stackable containers. I swear we're eating more vegetables now that they are so easy to see and get to!

Another thing that was crucial for me to get a handle on was our vitamins. I give our kids several vitamins each morning and I have to take quite a few myself (along with the lovely Lovenox shots you see in the photo) to keep from getting any blood clots while I'm pregnant. Opening a dozen vitamin bottles every day was not working for me. These containers are my new love.

They fit 800 vitamins, which is a heck-of-a-lot, considering I literally dumped several entire bottles into their own section and won't have to deal with refilling for a long time! We each have our own box and now it's really easy to grab one of each kind of vitamin. Even in the morning before coffee with both kids freaking out wanting their vitamins! That's saying a lot.

Getting picky now. Magazines floating around the bathroom = yuck. Magazine rack is happiness. Why didn't I buy one a long time ago?

What's next, you ask? Cords. The tangle of cords behind my computer, at the head of my bed and behind the t.v. are about to get tied up. I found these neat re-usable (great when you move a lot) turkey ties. Best part is they actually look cute if they are visible and when you go to take them off, you don't have risk slicing your wire to cut the tie off. Genius.

So, there it is. My sickness in a blog post. I am obviously made far too happy by all of these simple little things, but I guess that's why they call it nesting. I did manage to keep myself from photographing my freshly cleaned baseboards and sparkly clean toilet bowl, so that's good. Although, if I'm honest, my back hurts from cleaning them and my belly would prevent me from getting on the floor for the proper angle of the base boards anyway. I may need an intervention!

These Days

2011-01-13T20:59:00.000-08:00

These days life is flying by as fast as my waistline is expanding (which it has done quite a bit of since this picture was taken three weeks ago)

Lawson is becoming a less of a toddler and more of a little boy

He's become nearly as avid about tractors as he is about trains.

He's also taken on the role of firstborn over the last month or so - very much the protective older brother. He's even taken on a mysterious British accent with his "oh's" and "no's." So sophisticated!

Naomi is becoming much more of a toddler and less of a baby.

She peed in the potty for the first time this week

and took her last nap in the crib this afternoon.

Already, she has turned 19 months old and I never even managed to squeeze in an 18th month photo shoot. It's all whizzing by!

Even Quincy had a first today! She had her first hiccups tonight. Before I know it, she will be here with us and there will be two more sets of feet for me to chase around!

All of this changing and growing has left me barely able to keep up, much less document! I guess it comes in waves and the tide has just been out for a while. Sometimes cleaning is just a little more therapeutic than blogging. Like when I'm nesting...

We Totally Clicked!

2010-12-02T15:49:00.000-08:00

I got to photograph my gorgeous one week old nephew yesterday. Head over to my photography blog to see more!

Jingle Jangle

2010-11-30T22:20:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again! December begins tomorrow and so arrives our annual house guest! Well, kind of. Being that we're far away from home and our sweet little Elf on a Shelf is back in Mississippi, Santa has graciously sent us a stand in elf for this year. See him???

Jingle the elf will be reporting to Santa each night as to how the children behaved and return the next morning in a brand new perch to be found by the smaller members of the family! But, before he settles in to keep watch, he has one other duty to fulfill!

Filling the mini stockings! Last year we had a big ribbon full of handmade envelopes stuffed with goodies and decorated with numbers as a countdown to Christmas. This year that just couldn't be pulled together! So, mini stockings it is! Well, a mini stocking a a mini mitten. Jingle returns with a surprise for the kids each day (isn't he the greatest?!) and they can find out what it is as soon as they've found his new hiding spot!

What kind of surprises will Jingle be bringing, you ask? Well, fun things like stickers.....

and goodies, to name a few!

To kick things off for the year, it appears the wee ones will wake up to find some new friends hanging out by their mini stockings!

And just to be sure that they started off on the NICE list, we baked Jingle some cupcakes and left them out for him to nibble on! Of course, we tested them to be sure they were as good as they looked. They totally were. I may have even double checked after the kids went to bed...

It really is the most wonderful time of the year and we will be packing as much fun, magic and excitement into this holiday season as we can! Happy December, everyone! May your days be filled with joy and goodies!

Scenic B&W

2010-11-30T12:38:00.000-08:00

This week at I Heart Faces the contest is "scenic b&w" which immediately made me think of this photo of Dustin and Lawson last year fishing at Deception Pass on Whidbey Island in Washington. I love the sun shining across the water as it was setting and Lawson one little hand open wide and a stick in the other to copy his dad casting the line out. It was a beautiful night and a beautiful memory. This one hangs in our hallway and seemed to fit the bill for a scenic b&w! Head on over to see all of the other awesome entries!

PHEWIE!!!!!!

2010-11-26T15:45:00.000-08:00

There are days that change your life and moments that will remain in your memory forever. Wednesday was one of those.

Perfect is an understatement for this little guy. I am in love with him and over-the-moon for my sister, Kelly and her fiance, Dave. Never have I seen someone "beam" the way Dave was beaming all day long. You could feel the love between them and trust that this baby was joining two very happy and welcoming parents. Kelly did amazing and powered through labor with all it's ups and downs. I am so proud of my sister!

Congratulations to you both! What an honor to be a witness to such a special and monumental event and what a joy to be able to capture it all on film for you. Your boss may have gotten a whole lot shorter, but he got a WHOLE lot cuter, too!!! I love you all.

And Since We've No Place to Go....

2010-11-23T16:53:00.000-08:00

LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW!

This was what we found when we looked out the window this morning

Snow day!!!

It was time to put on our boots...

and head out to explore!

Snow is sure to bring a smile to anyone's face!

Well, anyone except for Naomi. She did NOT enjoy the snow on her hand.

Lawson was feeling the cold, too, but it wasn't stopping him from having fun.

With a bit of caution, Naomi began to explore.

She may not be a "hands on" kind of girl, but she jumps right in!

Snow is kind of cold on the backside, as well.

There was a little concern for the thirsty birds when they discovered this.

Frozen water was a new one for Naomi!

There were new things up high

and there were new things down low.

Never a dull moment at Mima's house!

It was a brief trip outside...

but well worth the effort of getting all bundled up!

Naomi even managed to enjoy the snow on her fingers by the end..... though she wasn't fond of it on her boots.

...and in case you are wondering why every single photo is black and white, it has a little something to do with our lack of having winter jackets (Mississippi isn't THAT cold) and the fact that our one real winter coat is size 4T hand me down from the kid's cousin.... girl cousin.

Happy snow day!!!!!

A Cautionary Tale About Beans

2010-11-16T13:57:00.000-08:00

The days are flying by around here and I've been keeping very busy! Not only am I growing a human, but I'm raising two more smallish people that keep me on my toes at all times. I've been taking pictures for friends, which I've started adding to my long-neglected photography blog (there's a link on the sidebar of my blog) and trying to meet up with people as much as possible despite being carless and at the mercy of my busy mom's schedule. Luckily, my friend Falynn lives nearby and rescues me often! It's approaching delivery day for my sister, who is due in exactly one week, and I am SO ready for that phone call!!! You know it's close when e-mails from her begin with, "No. I'm not in labor." Any day now. (WEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!)

The kids made another trip over to their Aunt and Uncle's house to play with their cousins, Brayden and Reanna and had so much fun! They even got to see their other set of cousins unexpectedly, who were in from out of town. What a treat! Lawson spent the night there and got to go see his cousin win his football game the next day. It made quite an impression because he now wants to play "space ball" really bad. I'm thinking somehow he got baseball and football confused. Either way, he's totally ready to play ball like he's older cousin! Naomi just hung out for the afternoon and evening, but still had a great time playing, looking at their horses and eating a few too many bowls of beans.

I was given fair warning when Naomi was dropped off that three large bowls of bean soup had been consumed by my tiny little girl at dinner. I was waiting for the sure-to-be disgusting diapers to follow. All day I waited and nothing. She ate a huge bowl of rice and vegetables the next night at dinner and went to bed great. However, while rocking her back to sleep a few hours later, that bowl of vegetables landed on my shoulder. Oh, the horror. Let me just say that I have lucked out and never dealt with throw up with either of my kids. Spit up, yes. Chunky, stomach-bile smelling throw up, no. This was a new, gag-inducing frontier. We both hopped in the bath, she got a new pair of jammies and went back to bed (on top of a towel). I jumped in my bed, and we drifted off to sleep. For about 10 minutes. Thank goodness for that towel, cause round two was much worse than round one. Vegetables have never looked so unappetizing. Her belly was huge and hard and uncomfortable. I'm pretty sure she literally had no room for any of her dinner because those gas-inducing beans had her entire digestive system occupied. That was the beginning of the clean out process. Finally today, four days later, I think we may be on the tail end of the giant bean-induced diarrhea diapers and crying about an upset gassy tummy. Bean soup is delicious, but let this be a warning to you. Three bowls of bean soup is a couple of bowls too many. Here is my mostly-deflated girl out enjoying a nice, overcast Oregon fall day.

And for good measure, here is my future space ball player. Look at those wild eyes. The boy is up to something!

Lawson is Most Definitely Three

2010-11-05T12:26:00.000-07:00

"Lawson, you are such a big boy!" currently elicits the response, "No. I still really little." with a quick turn around a few seconds later in the form of "I really kinda a big boy!" His world is full of inconsistencies. All things are relative and in order to fit himself or the objects around him into that world, what was once little a while can then become huge! One thing that is almost always huge is how big of a deal it is to have his sister interfere in any way with the building of a train or driving of a truck. That is always a huge deal. Playing with his toys is one thing he feels in control of and he takes that role very seriously. Currently he is repeating, "No, Ma'am" over and over as she is trying to ride the firetruck he's playing with. At least he's being polite! She may get just a little bit of enjoyment out of watching him get riled up, which may be just slightly entertaining to watch.

I really think we scored with Lawson! He is a good kid when it gets down to it. But, whoever decided the two's were terrible had obviously not had a three year old yet. Two is a mere warm-up for what three has to offer. It's not to say that all the fun parts of being two aren't amplified just like the more challenging aspects, but for as much joy as three brings, it brings a lot of head ~~pounding~~ er, scratching on my part. Frustration is a daily occurrence for both of us these days as he presses firmly against every boundary he can find. Sometimes I handle it well and other times I find myself disappointed in my reaction. Those aggravating moments that he tests me are the perfect opportunity for learning and sometimes I just don't rise to the occasion. Sometimes, "Lawson, seriously, for the last time, just knock it off!!!" is about as good of response as I can muster. The good news is that somehow, something we're doing is working because he seems to know his right from wrong. He may not always choose to do the right thing, but that's part of the "testing boundaries" phase. You can see that he knows what he's doing is wrong and is double checking that we're paying attention and that the consequence is remaining consistent. I do sometimes wonder who is learning more during this phase. The child in constant need of reassurance of everyone's roles and the rules that come with that role or the parents who are forced to pick their battles and win or else find themselves overtaken by a pint sized army of mischief! Love is a battlefield and so is parenting.

Yes, he may at times knock his sister over or hit her when she invades his playing space, but he is quick to apologize with a hug and kiss. Yes, he may say "I want.... I want..... I want....." instead of "I'd like....please" like I drill into him on a regular basis, but he usually says "thank you" without being asked. He's well on his way and making daily progress. He loves Naomi and is one of the most sensitive little guys I've ever encountered. He's already crazy about Quincy and gives her hugs and kisses as well as a few little squeezes to get her out of my belly. The better he becomes at expressing himself, the more I get to know just who he is and the more I fall in love with him. Being a mom to a three year old isn't easy, but it sure is fun. I imagine that being a mom to three will be much the same!

My Girl and I

2010-11-03T14:37:00.000-07:00

When the boys are away, the girls will play! Yesterday evening while Lawson was enjoying an overnight trip to grandma and grandpa's, I got to spend a quiet, happy evening with Naomi. A bit of a head cold was still suppressing her mood, but we had a really nice time dancing in the living room, playing pat-a-cake and dizzying ourselves with Ring Around the Rosy. There aren't many opportunities for she and I to have some uninterrupted time together, so when we do, I cherish them. With any luck, I can squeeze in some special time with Lawson soon, too! That's even more rare these days. He is an independent little guy, which is so apparent to me as I notice he is in fewer and fewer photographs. Capturing a three year old boy on a constant mission is difficult to do! I'm glad he's growing up with enough confidence to say "Bye mom! You stay here!" and enjoy himself without having to hold me hand, though. It's an absolute joy to watch him find himself. I'd be lying if I didn't mention that it's also an absolute joy to listen to the quiet he leaves in his wake! He had a wonderful time riding tractors and playing at grandma and grandpa's and both he and Naomi are really excited to play with each other today! And as much as I enjoyed having my girl all to myself with the volume down a few notches, the happy noise of those two playing together is much, much better!

I Was Right Again.....

2010-11-01T17:26:00.000-07:00

AND WE FOUND OUT...............

..................................................

..................................................

..................................................

..................................................

..................................................

..................................................

..................................................

..................................................

..................................................

..................................................

..................................................

..................................................

..................................................

..................................................

..................................................

..................................................

..................................................

We Do Not Stay Still.

2010-10-28T13:01:00.000-07:00

A month after we started unpacking our boxes in our house in Mississippi, I found myself packing up once again. Because we do not sit still. Thankfully, this time I wasn't packing the entire household. Just enough for the kids and I to spend a month or so in Oregon. Cold, rainy Oregon!

We arrived at the airport four hours before my flight took off and had some time to kill before Dustin dropped us off. After driving around for a while, we happened upon a Bass Pro Shop (fun!) and spent a few hours there checking out the outdoor gear, giant fresh-water aqaurium and "party boats" as Lawson called them. He loved those boats! Enough that he cried when we left them and the airplane trip no longer seemed as exciting. He wanted one of those $20,000 boats! At least he's got good taste! After a yummy salad and some alligator nuggets (those were on the other side of the table from me, just to be clear) we made it to the airport and said our goodbyes. We've gotten good at that part! I didn't even cry this time! I didn't want to cut my timing close since I was traveling with two little ones, but when I breezed through security and found myself at the gate with close to two hours before it was time to board, I was a bit bummed out. The DVD player I brought along wasn't cutting it at that point. Did I mention that we don't stay still? So, we walked all over the airport, met all sorts of new people and did a great job wearing me out before we even boarded our first plane. The kids were good during the flight, which was a quick one hour commuter to Houston. We grabbed some food during our layover and then I spent an hour before the flight trying to keep them from falling apart as it was a good two hours after their bedtime. Thank goodness, they both slept almost the entire 4 hour flight to Portland, Oregon! I, did not. But, at least they were quiet and all I had to do was sit in an uncomfortable seat while my head rolled off to the side and snapped me out of sleep the second I fell into it. It all went much better than it could have! At midnight, which was 2am for us coming from Mississippi, we arrived and I almost peed my pants before I found a bathroom. Four hours is a LONG flight for a preggo with a sleeping baby on her lap. Let's just say, I was feeling a lot of relief, both for finding a toilet and for having made it without the screaming fit on the plane as I had feared!

We spent the first weekend at my sister's house in Portland for her baby shower, which was a fantastic co-ed barbecue, then headed down to my moms house where we will wait out the next few weeks until my sister's little guy decides to make his arrival. So far, it's been rainy, cloudy and cool. I love it! I'm sure it will be nice to escape the dreary clouds when we head back home, but for now, it's a great change! The Uggs are officially back in use and the kids are spending a lot of time watching the rain fall out the window.

For now we find ourselves hanging out at my mom's house a lot (since I am without a car of my own here) and enjoying many visitors and little outings here and there! Maybe we do sit still, after all! It's a nice change of pace, I must say. I'm finally back into reading after a couple month moving-induced hiatus and am tearing through the book "Origins" by Annie Murphy Paul. It is fascinating!

Lawson had his first overnight play date with his cousins and is officially a big boy. No hug goodbye for me! "Bye mom! You stay here." and a quick high five were as much as I could get out of him! Off he went for a fun time riding in their new jeep, playing on the quad, checking out their horses and heading up the mountain to see the salmons spawning. Apparently, the "little dead ones" were his favorite (I'm hoping because it was easier to look at them), but he did let me know that those little, dead fish were really stinky! Observant little fellow! By the time I showed up to get him the next day, he took a quick couple of steps toward me than headed for the hills! It was too much fun to be done! They'll have to have a few more overnighters before we leave here.

I will say, it is hard to be away from Dustin for a month or so without him being gone on deployment. He started class this week, so hopefully that keeps him busy enough that it's not too sad for him to have us away. And he's got Porter there to keep him company! I've got the kids here to keep me from dwelling on missing him, but it will be great be back together again for the holidays! In the meantime, I'm brimming with excitement at the new life about to make it's way into the family. My sister and Dave will make such great parents! To see that new little face and meet the tiny person that has been kicking around inside my sister's beautiful belly is going to be the obvious highlight of the trip! I'm so happy for her I could burst!

Work It Out

2010-09-27T11:51:00.000-07:00

I didn't expect to be posting a belly pictures at 11 weeks, but the scary fact is, there is a belly to be seen! I must say, that the size of my been-there-done-that belly coupled with the many twin pregnancy dreams I've had since getting pregnant freaks me out! I prefer my babies one at a time, and while we did only see one baby at our six week ultrasound, there was a suspicious dark circle below the baby that left Dustin and I both scratching our heads a little. It haunts my dreams for now. Without further ado, here is my 11 week bump:

Ack, right?! Kind of reminds me of about 20 weeks with Lawson! Hopefully, it'll stay about this size for the next 11 weeks, then we'll go from there. I'm not sure I can continue a growth rate this aggressive!!! Baby number three is definitely putting it out there for the world to see. And given the itty bitty size of the baby at 11 weeks (according to thebump.com, I'm having a lime), I'm pretty sure it's mostly lack of muscle tone allowing each bite of food and bubble of gas (yes, you have lots of gas during pregnancy... it's no joke.) to go straight out in front of me. Not such a big deal right now. I'm pregnant and totally allowed to have a big belly! However, I would really enjoy looking "normal" at my sister's wedding 3 months after baby and the only way that's going to happen is if I whip myself into shape starting NOW. It's a sad fact, but I haven't really worked out in four years. I know. Pathetic! I've gone for walks and chased my kids around, so it's not like I'm immobile or anything, but I haven't specifically worked out and I surely haven't done and ab work. So, I've entered the world of prenatal fitness DVDs. Turns out, they are kind of fantastic!!! I could see how they could be a little "light" if you started out already super fit, but for me, they get my heart pumping, my muscles burning and leave me feeling chewed-up and spit-out wonderful!

My arsenal includes, but is not limited to, the following DVDs:

So far, Summer Sanders and Erin O'Brien are my favorite! Thank you to my awesome new friend and neighbor, Ashley for sending the Erin O'Brien DVD over...along with delicious cookies!!! Score. With any luck, these workouts will help keep my back from getting sore like it did with Naomi! I'm just putting this out there to keep myself accountable that I will be working out for as long as I can throughout my pregnancy and, with any luck, I'll bounce back in time for my sister's wedding next July! At the very least, my arms will be toned and ready to pack a baby around! I'm pretty good at shining on a workout if there is no one expecting me to do it, so now you all now. I am officially holding myself accountable and will be feeling the burn!

Hello, Crunch!

2010-09-22T15:05:00.000-07:00

It is officially apple cider and pumpkin pie season! Acorns have been making their way into little fists on the way to the park the past few days and there is a definite crunch to my step and crisp, delicious smell to the air. Especially today, after the first rain of the season. Fall has officially arrived! We are also officially moved into our new house in Mississippi!

What this house lacks in charm, it makes up for in so many areas! The yard work is done for us twice a week, the utilities are included and all we have to worry about is paying for our internet connection! The floor plan is wonderful for us, with all the bedrooms branching off the end of the hall next to each other. It's going to make the final transition of Naomi from our bed into her own so much easier than a split bedroom house plan. It's your typical base house with waxed linoleum floors (thankfully, in a neutral, non-offensive color) and no special touches, to speak of. But, now that I've got most of the decor out and pictures on the wall, it's feeling pretty cozy! We have a BIG field out our backdoor that leads you to a great park for the kids and a there is a fenced-in dog run right next to that! If the kids ever grow tired of this park, there are a handful more just a hop, skip and a jump down the sidewalk! A quick walk over to the park each evening leaves all the little creatures in our house tired out for bed! As a bonus, we have wonderful neighbors who welcomed us with home cooked banana bread and pasta then had us over for dinner despite the fact that they only moved in two weeks before us and are due with their fourth baby any day now. She is superwoman. Officially! Their other children are two years apart (2, 4 and 6) and make wonderful friends for Lawson and Naomi. What a huge blessing! Mississippi is gorgeous and green with trees and hills everywhere you look! It's surely going to be a good year here.

As for me, I'm exhausted. This pregnancy is mimicking Naomi's. It started out easy, with little nausea or exhaustion. A couple weeks of nausea came just as I needed to pack up and move, and it's pretty much gone now. But, the tiredness amped up in the last few days and I currently feel like I have a doozy of a hangover without having had a lick of fun to earn it with! With Lawson I was exhausted from the get go and it just got better and better. Not with Naomi and not this time. It started out good and just when I should be feeling better, I want to sleep. All. day. long. Coupled with the dreams I've had lately of a little girl, I'm throwing it out there that my gut is telling me we have another girl on our hands. We'll see! I'm 10 weeks now, so we're halfway to taking a peek at the nether-regions via ultrasound. I can't wait!

While I'm updating, Dustin is officially checked in to his new squadron where he'll learn to fly the T-45. It has an ejection seat and required filling out lots of paperwork dealing with "in case of injury of death" so I'm obviously thrilled! Okay, I am actually really excited for him, but filling out my contact information and who I want to have with me in case of his death is a little unsettling. I guess following your dreams can be a little dangerous!

The kids are doing great and getting huge all of a sudden! My new bedroom makes a great studio, so I tested it out yesterday and snapped some pictures of the kids! I have to catch up. There are hardly any pictures from this month! So, I'll leave you with that until I find the energy to blog again! Happy Fall everyone!

And an outtake....

I'd Pack That, Too, If I Could

2010-08-27T19:19:00.000-07:00

Ah, packing. The constant shuffling of items in and out of boxes these past few years has left me all-too-skilled at putting our life into boxes. We had phase one of packing a month or so ago when we knew the move was looming. We weeded through the garage and boxed up some of the less necessary items. But, the orders weren't coming and we didn't know when we were actually getting them, so we took a break. Two days ago, on the 25th, the orders showed up. The goal for our move-out date? Sept 1st. If you do the math, that's one week exactly for Dustin to check out of the squadron and arrange for new housing in Mississippi. It's also one week for me to get everything packed up to be loaded on the truck and get the house cleaned up. Amazingly, I think we're gonna do it!

In case you haven't noticed yet, we are DITY movers (Do It Yourself). Rather than the Navy paying movers to ~~break~~ pack our stuff and get it to our new place weeks after we get there, they pay us a percentage of what they would have paid the movers to do it all ourselves. It's a win/win as far as we're concerned. We put some serious hard work into it, and make a nice chunk of change in the process. We also arrive with all of our stuff, which beats the heck out of sleeping in an empty room with a towel for a bed (I may have done that during my first move as a Navy wife, just days after getting married, driving down to Texas then seeing Dustin off at the airport to gather his belongings from Florida while I searched out an apartment for us and stayed there with nothing until he got back days later... but I digress.) The money is the one benefit for us of moving twice in one year (more like twice in four months, but who's keeping track?). Anyway, because of the hasty departure, Dustin has been at the base detaching from the squadron and getting all the paperwork ready to go. So, it's clear who's doing the packing. Like I said, though, I'm a seasoned pro at this point and it's all going very quickly. In fact, were I not also tending to the wee ones and my ravenous appetite, I'd be close to finished! At this rate, I'll be done by Sunday and have enough time to scrub down the house and make it sparkle for our departure!

This move will be a little different from the last for me. My mom helped me fly from Washington to Texas with the kids last move. This time, it's *only* (I use that word loosely) a 12 hour drive, so I'm hopping in the drivers seat. Dustin and Porter will be heading things up in a giant 26 ft U-Haul truck that will be pulling my Expedition. I will be driving Dustin's Dodge Ram with the kiddos and our cat, pulling a 12 foot trailer full of outdoor equipment and power tools. It should all go nice and smooth as long as I don't have to back that thing up. I am really good at jack-kniving trailers. Really good. I have tried learning several times and have not had one successful back-up. So, that could be a really fun adventure! Another thing that makes this move a little different, is that we are moving into base housing this time. We lived on base in Jacksonville four years ago and it wasn't all that bad. There are actually some real benefits in the way of having no utilities to pay, a fully-maintained yard to NOT have to worry about, a virtually non-existent commute for Dustin, and no deposit. It won't be a beautiful house like we've had here in Texas, but it will be so nice to get there, move in immediately and only have to worry about getting our internet connected. And, it is so temporary.

So, here we are - just a few days from moving to Mississippi with our two little ones, the dog, the cat and my newest companion. Nausea. Yes, being almost seven weeks pregnant and moving could be classified as "unfortunate." Nausea is a beast. I'd pack it up, too, if I could. But, alas, it seems that for now it is mine to keep. At least for a little while. Good thing it's for a super good cause.

The Art of Doing Nothing

2010-08-25T20:23:00.000-07:00

There is nothing like having a little girl time! I've been enjoying the company of my mom and my sister the last week or so. My sister was about twice as big than the last time I saw her, which was exciting! I got to feel her baby boy kick around in her belly for the first time, which is all kinds of wild! It's her first baby and I'm on my last baby so this is the only time we'll ever be pregnant together. Granted, I'm not big in the belly yet (unless bloating counts), but it is still neat to be "gestating together"!

We went to see "Eat. Pray. Love." and realized that we are all very practiced at the "art of doing nothing." In fact, that was our motto the whole visit. Our biggest adventure was driving to the beach two days in a row for some sunshine and relaxation! Otherwise, it was a lot of lounging, talking, laughing, baby-registering and handing down old baby clothes. You may be wondering what Dustin did with himself while three lazy women took over his house for several days. If you must know, he finished a nearly 700 page auto-biography about Neil Armstrong. That's how exciting we were! We did manage to squeeze in a little Mexican Train (who named it that, btw?) and some Dicecapades, which is fantastic if you've never played. The time flew by so quickly, as it always does, and I made sure to schedule in a mini photo session before we headed to the airport. I couldn't let them leave without getting one good photo of us all together!

Okay, not really...

We also got a little Vogue with this one (please note that this is cropped. I set my tripod up FAR away in the 100 degree weather and then I ran HARD to get in this shot before the 10 second timer clicked the shutter for me! There may have been five or six takes. And to the man watching from his garage across the street, I hope you found us entertaining.)

And finally, what's a good photo shoot without a dramatic "I didn't know that picture was being taken" candid at the edge of the water?

Thanks for coming down to Texas to visit, girls! It was one to remember. So much fun! I'll be seeing you both in October while we wait for this little guy to join in on all the fun!!!!!

Proof of Life

2010-08-25T11:07:00.000-07:00

If all the pregnancy tests (who only takes one?), the trips to the toilet in the middle of the night, the mild nausea and the bloating weren't clear enough, we have proof of life. A blob on the screen with a blinking heartbeat that I fell madly in love with right from the get go. There really is nothing like that first moment of seeing your unborn child. Weather they have arms and legs, or a giant yoke sak, it's the first viewing of this new life growing inside of you and it is so exciting! Baby's first photo came home with me yesterday. I like to start my children off early with getting their photo taken!

Our little almost six week old baby! Lawson is sure it is a baby boy, as he "loves baby boys." Naomi is sure the baby is my bellybutton. I don't have a feeling one way or another, but most signs point to "boy" so far. I'll let you know after the first trimester. That's usually when the gut-feeling kicks in. I was right with the first two, so we'll see! In the mean time, we have an orb. A lovely little orb that has stolen my heart!

Slightly Rough Around the Edges

2010-08-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

We'll Just Buy Her a New One

2010-08-17T08:32:00.000-07:00

My little explorer. Never content to stay still, she wants to see how low down and how high up she can get in this world. The words "no fear" come to mind with her.

If she is not watched diligently and contained, one is likely to find her perched on the very TOP of the toilet brushing her teeth with her toothbrush she somehow retrieved from by the sink. Hard surfaces and sharp corners surround her as she happily sits on her throne and I may or may not have had a mini heart attack the first time I went looking for my all-too-quiet one year old and found her there . She's also been caught standing up next to the tv on top of the console pushing the buttons and loving every second of it. She's not to be left alone, that's for sure. It takes her all of about 30 seconds to scramble to the highest point in the room.

Little. Agile. Fearless. Strong. These words are a very dangerous combo.

Which brings us to yesterday. Lawson and Naomi have taken to spinning themselves around on my glider/recliner chair in the playroom. I saw the potential for bumps and bruises were one to fall off, but with carpet below, it was leaps and bounds better than playing on top of the toilet. It had been a slightly trying day. I was tired and emotional thanks to being pregnant and having felt two steps behind the kiddos since morning. They were getting a little carried away with their play and I asked them to get down from the chair and read a book. They seemed to be obeying and I looked away for just seconds before I heard the thump followed by seconds of silence (BAD sign) and then a blood curdling scream. Naomi was laying wedged between the wall beneath a window and the chair with blood coming from her mouth. She was inconsolable with her mouth wide open as she screamed. I caught a glimpse inside her mouth and my heart sank.

She had dove off the chair face first into the windowsill and her perfect little baby tooth was broken. Tears flowed for us both as Lawson followed us to the couch, concerned, as always, why we were both so sad. I know it will be fine and it actually is good that it's a baby tooth and not a permanent one, but I still really loved her perfect little tooth in her perfect little mouth. Eventually, we both stopped crying and Dustin and I explained to Lawson that Naomi had broken her tooth. His response?

"Oh, okay. Momma buy Naomi a new one. It otay, Mama"

He wasn't concerned or worried. There is a tooth doctor for that and we will buy her a new one. And, he totally had a point. We probably would "buy her a new one." Funny, that at three years old, he knew it would be fine and actually made me feel better with the simple logic he applied to the situation. Leave it to Lawson!

As for Naomi, this girl is going to give me gray hairs. And probably a few too many trips to the emergency room.

Little or Big - It's All Relative

2010-08-13T12:13:00.000-07:00

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

Think you figured it out???

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

.................................

1.....2......THREE!!!!!!!!

2010-08-10T15:27:00.000-07:00

Three years ago, today, you gave me fresh eyes to see the world with.

And on that first day of life, you taught me so many lessons. One of them was something you remind me every day.

You were very small and weak at only 36 weeks gestation. You were only 4 lb 11 oz. And I was recovering from being very sick those last few days of having you inside me. But when I held you, I was only feeling one thing.

After three weeks in the NICU, you finally got the okay to come home with us!!!

You grew so quickly and I was always amazed each time I realized another month with you had flown by.

As you grew, you continued to show me who the real teacher was. One of your favorite lessons continues to be that "sometimes it's okay to get a little....."

Your daddy had to be gone a lot back then, so you also helped me remember to cherish the time we had together.

There were days I would have loved to curl up inside, but you needed to explore. You are my breath of fresh air!

You've taught me so many things, Lawson. Including how great my capacity for love really is. Before you came along, I couldn't even begin to fathom how deeply I could love you. Watching you grow and learn and become the person that you are is such a joy. Now, it's my turn to impart a few words of wisdom to you.

If life brings you as much joy as you have brought to me, I can be satisfied that you will have a good life. I love you times a million. All your funny games, goofy laughs and long talks about choo choos. You are my joy and my sunshine. Happy, happy 3rd birthday little man!

All my love,

Mom

Oobladie Oobladah....

2010-08-07T16:38:00.000-07:00

"...Life goes on! Woah!!! Ladidadi life goes on."

Life has been going on full force around here and I haven't been able to catch my breath long enough to sort my thoughts out for a blog. Without getting into all the details, we are moving AGAIN. Another DITY move just four months after we "moved in." And by moved in, I mean that I got most of our items out of the box and into their respective area of dwelling, but never got around to organizing it all before we found out that said items would need to high tail it back into a box to head to our next stop - Meridian, Mississippi. I got about a three week break from staring at moving boxes. I sold them all on Craigslist, and then Dustin went and bought some shiny, new moving boxes to turn our garage into storage unit until we pack up the truck. Honestly, my life is littered with boxes, tape and itemized lists!!! That said, once I got past the "Oh my gosh I'm trapped in a bad dream where I never get to live in a house that I'm not packing or unpacking will you please just put me out of my misery now my life is crazy" shock of it all, I've grown quite fond of the idea.

Yes, I was looking forward to living in Texas (for THREE years), but it's a great opportunity to experience different parts of the country that I would have never, ever, ever, ever lived in otherwise. I'm not saying Mississippi won't be a great place to live, I'm just saying it wasn't on the top of my list of "would like to live there" states. And, it's only for a year or so! If it's awful, we'll be leaving soon anyway, which is great. Mississippi is sort of famous, though! Who doesn't remember running around as a kid trying to spell it as fast as they could?! M.I.S.S.I.S.S.I.P.P.I!!!!!

Also, we have a new puppy running around amidst us, which just adds to the ~~chaos~~ joy one can expect to experience here on a daily basis. He is a little daschund and he is so. chill. The perfect little guy for our family! He figured out the crate training situation in just a few nights and now he sleeps soundly until morning (which is more than can be said for the small two legged creatures in this house!). It was a crucial first step. The only thing I'm having a problem with is the puppy pee and puppy doo. I deal with enough bodily excretions already, so this part makes me slightly resentful. Dustin reminds me that he is a "puppy" and is still learning. Honestly, he's doing a really good job, but it's always a bummer to find a puddle of pee on the til you just steam cleaned. He isn't allowed in the bedrooms where there is carpet, so it's really not too bad, but I can't wait for him to get his second round of the Parvo vaccine so he can go outside instead of on a piddle pad! So, here is our, always cuddly, sometimes playful, chill little doggy, Porter:

That's the update for now! I'm hoping I can try to catch up on some of the little things that have been going on around here over the next few weeks, but we'll see how that goes! If you don't hear from me for a while, check inside a cardboard box!

The Lessons Start Early

2010-06-23T07:16:00.000-07:00

You know that stereotypical scene that plays out in movies where the guy tries his best to put a move on the girl and she is not having it at all. Watching Lawson trying to snuggle with Naomi this morning was a baby version of that. We're all sick this morning, so I made a little nest for them on the floor to watch Baby Einstein while I got breakfast ready. Lawson seemed to want to snuggle and put his arm around Naomi's shoulders. Before I got the video camera, I was cracking up as she looked back and forth from the t.v. to his hand to his face over and over, like "what do you think you're doing? I'm trying to watch the show here!" She was clearly not interested in snuggling with him and he just wasn't taking a hint. This scenario is one that I'm sure will play out again later on in life for both of them. Hopefully more so for Naomi than for Lawson. If you're reading this, Lawson, no putting the moves on girls until you're old enough to vote! And Naomi, keep shooting them down, girl! You've got the right idea!

Tired Ramblings

2010-06-22T11:14:00.000-07:00

I am so tired. So tired I could cry. Naomi has been sick for a few days and screaming every time she stirs in her sleep. Dustin has a black belt in stealing covers and I have dark circles under my eyes that would leave a football player envious. Thanks to the lack of shut-eye, I'm feeling the beginning stages of whatever it is Naomi has. Both kids are sleeping right now and I have a little quiet. The funny thing, the quieter is it, the more my mind spins.

Is it possible that I'm thinking this much all the time and I just don't notice it due to the constant activity with the kids? If so, no WONDER I'm so tired. Seriously, I found myself saying, "Geeze, woman! Shut. up." several times as I folded laundry. I finally have a little peace and here I am pestering MYSELF! I keep finding myself analyzing my life. Am I happy with our family the way it is? Would we be happier with a third child? Or would it be messing with a good thing? Am I getting enough time to myself? Am I doing everything I should be? Questions that seem simple enough, but thanks to my busy and wandering mind, I never seem to answer before I move on to another question. I think I've been spending enough time with small people lacking in focus that it's rubbed off on me.

Every day I feel like I'm running a race. I don't want to waste a step, so I'm always thinking ahead before I walk across the house to see if there is something I should be taking with me to put away or clean up. If I don't stay on top of things around here, it would only take a day or so to make it look like I'd been slacking for a week. But, this is where the question of doing everything I should be comes in. If I spend a good part of my day keeping our house clean and functional, am I neglecting the kids? Would it be better to leave the house just a little messier and spend more time with them? They are happy to be playing with each other, but should I be right in there with them? I feel guilty when I deep clean the house because I can't spend as much time with them, but I feel really grumpy and stressed if I leave the house messy. I'm not sure which is better overall. And what about time to myself? I've been trying to give myself a few minutes here and there to play the piano or take pictures or even lay down on the couch with my feet up, but finding that time isn't easy. Sometimes it doesn't seem worth the struggle to keep the kids occupied and away from me for a few minutes just to relax. How relaxing is it really when I spend half the time fending off the little invaders of my alone time?

Then there is the prospect of starting in with the baking of number three. It's been a point of discussion and on my mind for months now. I had a few bouts with baby fever, but surprisingly, overall lately, I've been dreading the idea of getting pregnant again. Will there be any time left for me? Will Dustin and I have any time as a couple? How will the kids handle it? The problem with all these questions is they are best answered in hindsight. Until then, it's all speculation. The only question I've been able to answer clearly is whether I'd ever regret having had another baby. That answer is simple. Never. But, we have two wonderful children already and were lucky enough to have a boy and a girl. There is a part of me that understands being happy and satisfied with that. Such a far cry from the girl who wanted six kids not so many years ago. If I don't think about the work involved, it seems so fun to have three children close enough in age that they can all play together and experience many of the same things at the same times. When I consider the toll it will take on myself, I wonder if we shouldn't just hold off a year or so. And then I flip immediately back to thinking how nice it would be to have them all peeing in the potty and mobile sooner than later so we can get out and do more as a family. I wish there was an easy answer. But, I suppose for big decisions like this, the answer is never simple and it's probably really obvious when you stop thinking about it. So, maybe I'll give that I shot. No more thinking!

Ah! Such is life. As soon as I decide to stop thinking, I hear the cries of little ones waking up. Maybe I'll get a chance to "not think" tonight when they are asleep! If I don't fall asleep before that....

To My Dad

2010-06-20T12:53:00.000-07:00

"Big Mouth Rude Dude Stinky Improper Papa Person"

It took you years to earn that title, and you earned every last bit of it... every last bit! I'll always look up to you (and not just because you're 6'4"). You taught me to follow my heart and seek to find what I am passionate about. And you may have gotten wiser as you've gotten older, but you are still young at heart. I like that. I wish I could be camping with you and Kelly this weekend, but I'm there in spirit! Happy Father's Day, Dad! I love you so much!