Saturday, July 31, 2010

my fuzzibunz have arrived!

I'd been watching the online FedEx tracker for three days straight. Like a hawk. And finally, as I was putting away groceries this afternoon, the man came to our door with THE package!

Our FuzziBunz arrived!

I ordered 15 diapers and got two free hemp inserts with a big bag of Rockin Green detergent - in the raspberry flavor.

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as you can see, I'm not a big fan of girly colors;
I love those shades of blues!


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So, naturally, my changing table drawer is stuffed to the brim! Or is it the rim? I have no idea. But it's stuffed full.

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The right side of the drawer will contain all my inserts -- they're currently in the diapers. Each diaper has both a small and large insert, so I have about 35 inserts total now. Right now, the right side contains lots and lots of socks. Where do parents store baby socks? I can't seem to find a spot for them!

Here's her nearly finished nursery. All that's missing is her changing pad and her name over the bookcase.

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Piper isn't allowed in the nursery without adult supervision.
And, nope! She hasn't tried to "get" any of Adalyn's things.


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Our nursery chair with a bin full of blankets:


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and a very proud daddy. posing with a Coke:


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All of Sharkie's other things are in our guest bedroom. Which is un-photographable (is that a word?) because it's a total mess. Once our baby girl arrives, and I get the "hang" of cloth-diapering, I'll discuss it more. But what sets FuzziBunz apart is the fact that it has elastic thingies in the legs and waist. So as your baby grows from skinny minnie legs to fat, chunky legs, you can adjust the elastic. Same goes for your baby's thin tummy to a big ol' belly. So they grow with your child: 7lbs - 35lbs.

My favorite colors are the Apple Green and the Sky Blue (the medium shade of blue). What color is YOUR favorite?!

And, sigh, I am so totally looking forward to her first poop in her FuzziBunz. I totally am.

And, hey. Breastfed poop is nothin! :) I'm not worried.

Yet.


on being an aunt

Being an aunt is the greatest thing ever. Next to being a mom, that is. And why is that you ask? Well:

-Unconditional love from your sweet babies
-Never having to punish or discipline them
-Refining your parenting skills on (unwilling?) participants
-Learning all about what babies and children need
-Watching what to do and what not to do - and taking a mental note
-Always having little ones who yearn to crawl in your lap and snuggle

I'm notorious for never disciplining my nephews. I just can't. When bad behavior pipes up (on a rare, RARE occasion, right, sister?!) I just remind them that mommy will take care of it. And I weasel my way out of punishment. Mwhahahaha.

But, let's get real: time spent with my nephews is so.much.fun. Last week, I may or may not have been caught saying...

Did you poop in your pants? Come here. Let me smell you!

Why did you squirt Kool-Aid on the kitchen wall?

Please get off the train table. We don't sit on tables.

Please don't throw a ball at your brother's face.



And those are some of the more tame statements. Now that I've spent time with a newborn (again), I'm fully convinced (again) that newborns are easy peasy. It's toddlers and older children that require more work. More supervision. More discipline. More poop.

Good thing we're having a newborn in October.


For the past 5 and a half years, people have told me, "You're the best aunt EVER!" Because who else flies home just for a birthday? Scrapbooks their first year of life just because? Never, ever misses a single event in their lives, unless I'm in Virginia? Photographs them, cuddles them, reads to them, loves on them like my very own babies? Plans super fun activities like picnics, water park trips, and ventures to Chuck E. Cheese? That would be me! I love being an aunt :)

And it's so super easy to love them when they're SO deliciously cute.


(For real, couldn't you eat them with a spoon!?)



Thursday, July 29, 2010

all about my baby shower.

I figured that you might want to hear about my baby shower. And plus, I'll enjoy looking back on this post someday with fond memories. So this post is for the both of us!

My sister & mom threw me the cutest little shower ever. And it was just perfect. We ate all my favorite shower foods and had the yummiest cake and cupcakes. My talented sister even carved homemade edible arrangements. She's something else, isn't she? :)





I knew I wanted games to be played at my shower. Because I think they're fun, and I'm all about fun. We decided to play the baby food game - which was fun to watch - and my pregnant friend got them ALL correct! Must be that pregnant nose :)



We got the cutest gifts for our baby girl! It turns out that there are loads of adorable baby girl items out there! Who knew!? I'm rather smitten with the idea of organizing her room with cute little baskets in her bookcase. Right now those baskets contain Eric Carle toys, bibs/burp cloths, wash cloths, etc. Later, when she's older, I'll get canvas totes and organize her toys in them.


So now you know her name! Please don't steal it :)

^my talented sister MADE those. amazing, isn't she?





After opening the gifts, we played another fun game - which my sister cleverly named "O Sweet Baby!" I'd never played this game before, but found it online, and it was so fun! Each candy bar was associated with a "clue" about parenting/pregnancy/labor. For instance: Mounds goes with laundry; Lifesavers goes with grandparents; Zero goes with time alone. Loved it!


Oh, and we got a Moby Wrap, and I'm totally obsessed and in love. More on that later. But I'll go ahead and say that Graydon, Mark and I give it 5 stars!!


Our shower was SO much fun and we are soo thankful! We're so blessed, and our baby girl is so loved. I really hope these next eleven weeks creep by, because I really want to enjoy this pregnancy and my time with her.. but I can't wait to see her in her sweet clothes and wrapped in her soft, squishy blankets. We have her going home from the hospital outfit picked out and her cloth diapers have been ordered. We're ready!





Wednesday, July 28, 2010

a list.

I haven't blogged in so long. We just got home early this morning, and I was far too busy on my "vacation" to blog.

I know. Bad. Oops.

I have a zillion things to blog about. But until then (tomorrow?), I'll let you know what I have been up to:


  • riding back to VA in a monsoon. So much rain that our Jeep was sliding on the road in 4WD.
  • unpacking all of our baby gifts and putting her room together. photos to come.
  • falling more and more in love with the Moby Wrap. Mark's in love too.
  • realizing, yet again, that newborns are much easier to take care of than toddlers. or older children, for that matter
  • cleaning our entire house - we're both nesting, I think
  • uploading photos to Facebook like it's my job!
  • ordering our FuzziBunz cloth diapers - along with two hemp inserts and Rockin Green detergent -- I'm beyond excited
  • buying our daughter's Christmas presents. in July. because there was a gigantic sale.
  • coping with pretty severe back pain - thanks to the 12-hour car ride back home
  • dealing with odd nausea that comes and goes.. ? I blame it on the third trimester.
  • mentally thinking of how I will blog about my trip. so much to say. no really. a lot to say.

I'm so exhausted :)

Friday, July 23, 2010

on being home in Kentucky.

Oh, sweet Kentucky. We've missed this state so much. Is it the lack of traffic in town? The sweltering humidity that causes me to be in a constant state of wet (dripping wet)? The wonderful low prices of gas and food?


Maybe.

But I think it has a little something to do something with:



I know. It's hard to believe that the child in my arms is Sprout. My little 6-week old love.

Clayton is growing up majorly. He got this "idea" in his head that I could come "play" with him at his friend's house. We had to explain that his mother would probably think it was a tad weird if an adult (me) came over to play with her son. [Note: In June, he admitted that he told this same friend all about me (Aunt Shannie) and insisted that his friend was "dying" to meet Shannie. I'll admit - it does make my heart melt completely that my oldest nephew, and first love, talks about me to his friends. Sigh.]

Hudson is now to the point where he can say anything. Although his "Mark" sounds a little like "Mike." Since he listens to his older brother speak, he has the most extensive vocabulary (and slang) for a nearly-2-year-old that I've ever seen. He is weary of Piper and when I first saw him yesterday, he said "SANNIE!" with a huge smile. And, yes, my heart melted.

Graydon is my little monkey/koala bear baby. He's super sweet, and my sister does not "style" his hair. It just sticks up on its own; it has a mind of its own :) He makes sweet noises and now smiles when you talk to him. He makes lots of baby squeaks and likes to be held close to my chest. Again, it makes my heart melt.

And I promise all this heart-melting isn't from the Kentucky heat ;]





^Maya Wrap!!
Note: ring slings are hard to adjust, for me.


Yesterday was full of one thousand "Shannie's" - out of the mouths of my babes - and lots of playing. Lots of playing Spongebob Operation, baby-holding, picture-taking, Bible-reading, and divvying up my time equally between the three boys. Which is hard to do.


I was so exhausted last night that my eyes were closing. But this morning I am rejuvenated and ready to babysit, relax with my family, and attend the wedding rehearsal and dinner tonight! We're getting spiffied up, which we rarely do, so it should be fun!



And the lack of Hudson pictures? O yeah. It's a little more difficult to photograph him than the other two. He goes. Fast. Hopefully me and my preggo self can keep up with a nearly-two-year-old this morning.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

the worst drink on Earth and a small update.

After an odd breakfast of half a sausage circle patty from McDonalds (could ONLY eat protein), without the biscuit, it was time to drink my orange glucola concoction:


Worst drink ever. The first sips weren't so bad. And I did try to drink it as quickly as possible. Then my throat started burning uncontrollably. My eyes started to water. My stomach started hurting. And I got to the point where I swallowed the drink and gagged immediately after.

{Shudder...}

Mark kept insisting, "Just CHUG it!! It can't be that bad!" Oh, but it was. Somehow, I drank it all. I don't want to see another glucola drink for many years. Surely if we can photograph other galaxies, clone animals, and cure diseases, someone can invent a tasty glucola drink. Can I get an amen?

So I had a fabulous appointment. We measure 28cm - which is 28 weeks - right on schedule. Her heartbeat is loud and strong, and she is most definitely head down for the time being. My blood sugar measured at an 86 -- anything below 140 (or so) is great, so no gestational diabetes here! Our birthing classes start August 12th, just one day shy of 31 weeks. As you (might) know, we are aiming for a non-invasive natural (hopefully aquatic!) birth for our daughter. We are very excited for our birthing classes (8 weeks of them!) to prepare us - as best as possible, anyway.

~~~

So our Jeep's all packed - minus a few of Piper's last minute items (food bowls and Poochie Bell). Not only is this a hugely exciting weekend for us, but Mark's very best friend in all the world graduates from Air Force Basic Training on Friday! It's been hard to watch him and his wife be separated for 8.5 weeks, because we actually know how awful it is. But tomorrow morning, bright and early, she'll see her husband run by her - twice - and it'll be the best moment of their lives (next to reuniting!), and we can't wait for them!

Time is surely dragging super slow. No "big" plans for tomorrow - other than hanging out with my babies! I likely will not be blogging much, but I will be updating my Facebook (with photos). I am SO excited! :D




Tuesday, July 20, 2010

nothing to write home about.

Yesterday I tried one of those $5 Dinner suppers. It was okay - I hate to say this, but we could "tell" that it was a $5 Dinner. BUT, it was very cheap, filling, and something out of the ordinary. Mark liked it and even took the leftovers for lunch. So, what the heck, I'll share it with you:


Cook some rice. We buy the "rice in a bag" because it's easier. We cooked two of them.

Brown 1lb of ground beef, drain it.

To the beef, add one 8oz can of tomato sauce, a pack of taco seasoning, 3/4 cup water, and we added a lot of cayenne pepper, as we do everything we cook.

Mix it together. Top with cheese and pop it in the oven to melt the cheese. Eat with tortilla chips.



...Now wasn't that easy? I mean, I don't think it was anything to write home about. But if your husband likes things like that, it's a nice (cheap) alternative to the usual dinners around the house. It's actually called "Mexican Rice Casserole," but I chuckle at the "Mexican" because it's anything but Mexican. But was alright! So if you have those ingredients laying around the house - and many of us do - it's a nice alternative. But nothing to write home about.

~~~~

I have like zero motivation. Though I've been cleaning all day in order to get our house perfectly spick & span before we leave on our trip. I'm just way too excited about leaving tomorrow afternoon that that's all I can think about! Mark's the same way. We are SO READY to be back home! It will be so much fun, and hopefully we won't be too busy.

My tongue is burnt from the potato soup I ate for lunch. Tomorrow is my gestational diabetes test. I am scared of failing, though I have no reason to suspect that I will. Yesterday I bent down to pick up something off the floor, and the baby moved to the side, and her butt was physically sticking out of my stomach. If only I had my camera in my hand. I poked it, and she went back to her usual position.

I'm off to go hang up clothes and do more laundry! :)



Monday, July 19, 2010

27 weeks!!!

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How far along? 27 weeks 3 days

Total weight gain: 23..

Maternity clothes? Duh! :)

Sleep: It's gotten (gasp) better!! Last night I tried (again) to stick a pillow under my stomach half-way, and it worked! Well, kind of. It worked for half the night. I'm so excited!

Best moment this week: Swimming yesterday with Mark.

Movement: I think sometimes she tries to bust out of my stomach. She moves often, but some days she's much more active than others. I am 100% sure of her position now - head down with two feet poking each side. You can physically feel her feet and her hard head down low. Very cool!

Gender: We love our baby girl.

Labor Signs: Hey hey hey. I felt my first Braxton Hicks contractions on Thursday! It was a weird sensation, and I wouldn't be disappointed if they never happened again :) Pretty sure I had them Friday, as well, but I haven't had them sense - whew!

Belly Button in or out? My belly button's existence is dwindling away.

What I miss: No side pain!

Weekly Wisdom: Those massages from your husband will become your best friend :) Well, I mean, my husband is my best friend. But his massages are to die for!


So, earlier this week, my stomach was in all sorts of pain. Like, severe pain. I didn't even want to move! And it felt like the insides of my stomach were really, really bruised. Mark could feel how extremely tight my stomach was, and it was awful. BUT, magically, it disappeared!!! Now my stomach is back to normal - no pain! Hallelujah, ha! She must have been in a funky position. We had a little talk, and Daddy asked her (talking to my belly) to curl up into a better ball to make me feel better.

And she listened. Thank you, child!

So now I feel great! I tend to wake up and then am unable to go back to sleep - like this morning I woke up at 6am.


Sharkie's New Tricks:
  • Weighs 2lbs or more
  • Sleeps/wakes at regular intervals
  • Opens and closes her eyes
  • Her lungs would definitely work if born now, with medical help
  • Around 15 inches long




Saturday, July 17, 2010

cute overload

I just have to share a few photos:










I love them :)



baby name blog vote

I only have two ideas on what to call our daughter on our blog. And they aren't very good, but what's a girl to do? Sigh.

I'll share my ideas, and you tell me which name you think we should go with. I appreciate your input :)


1. Sharkie: Yes, I'd be calling our daughter a shark. Shark is a combination of our first names (Shannon + Mark). And, coincidentally, the first time Mark felt her kick, he compared her to a baby shark. AND, even MORE coincidentally, the first time Clayton felt her, he also called her a shark! It isn't very feminine.. but I do like the sound of it. And it has a special meaning.

2. Pumpkin/Punkin: This one is going with her birth month theme. You know - an October baby. There isn't much else to say about this. Ha.

3. Wait until she's born and hope some nickname sticks. Who knows what Mark will come up with - as he calls Piper "Pup" and "Kickin Legs" and he calls me various food names. I really wouldn't bank on this, but there's always a smidge of chance that we'll come up with something cute.


Thoughts? :\



Friday, July 16, 2010

a really long post on finances

Lately, Mark and I have taken an "interest" in finances. It's fun for us, we agree on our principles, and it's really quite interesting. Money is important. The Bible (God) mentions money 140 times, gold 417 times, and silver 320 times. So, clearly, God thinks it's important too!

It takes will-power to go against the grain of the American culture - that is: swipe the card and pay later! If you've ever seen Money 911 on the Today Show, you know that people call in all the time and discuss their extreme debt - sometimes $50-100+ thousands of dollars! But there is a better way to live - and it's biblical too! :)


First of all, God makes it clear in Haggai 2:8 that it's all His: The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the LORD Almighty. Once you "realize" this (or accept it, really), it makes budgeting a lot easier. If God has blessed you with a job, then He has entrusted you with finances. Not to blow. Or spend lavishly on things you cannot afford - but, rather, there is a purpose for your finances. As Crown Financial teaches: each dollar has a home. Every single dollar.

Saving is biblical. There are multiple verses about not getting into debt:

Proverbs 22:7
The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.

Proverbs 22:26-27
Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you.


Romans 13:8
Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.


That last one just so happens to be my favorite. Saving means spending less than you earn - which requires self-control, one of the fruits of the Spirit. How easy is it to buy clothes, accessories, new cars, etc.? But how much more self-control does it take to set aside money for the "rainy day" so that when unexpected events occur (needing to replace a car engine, the loss of a job, a major illness, etc.) you will be prepared? One thing that "young" people struggle with is living below your means - which makes it very easy to save.


Our Little Money-Saving Tips:

1. Plan your meals: As you know, I pre-plan our meals. I mentally make note of which ingredients I need and write them on our grocery list. So, essentially, we only shop for groceries we need. Yes, we still buy snacks, but I write them on the list. It's amazing how quick our grocery shopping has become, because we stick to our list! When you go without a list, you end up buying what "looks good" and not what you need. Trust me - we spent months of doing just that! You can greatly reduce your grocery bill by purchasing items to prepare healthy, filling meals.

2. Take advantage of your Airman's Attic. This one is only for my Air Force friends. But, really, it's a gold mine in there. Kinda. It's absolutely free. And, if you go enough, you're bound to find little treasures. To date, we've gotten: a Baby Einstein exersaucer, a name brand Jumperoo, a Boppy vibrating pink seat, a Fisher Price rainforest bouncy, a baby bath tub, a Boppy, a tool box, and a huge cooler. And all of it looks WONDERFUL. The baby products are *barely* used. I'll clean them for sanitation purposes, but they look spotless. You can't beat free.

3. CraigsList. I love this website. People practically give things away. No, really. We actually got a brand new bumGenius 3.0 diaper for FREE. Just because someone didn't want it. People sell things for all sorts of reasons -- I've even seen quite a few people sell baby strollers because they wouldn't fit in their new car's trunk. Or they might sell a baby swing because "My baby hated the swing!" Why pay full price for something your child will only use for a short season of life? It's silly.

4. Cheap dates are still loads of fun! Do you have any idea how many "Buy one get one free" coupons there are for *nice* restaurants? Visit your favorite restaurants' websites and sign up for their e-mail club. You'll be shocked at the deals they give away. Nearly every restaurant does this - they also give birthday coupons and anniversary coupons. Now, we only go to the movies on occasion - not because of money, but because the movies aren't that good these days. But we take full-advantage of RedBox - where you can rent a movie for $1!

5. Spend less than you earn. Pay your bills, save a set amount, and live on the rest. To save, you must either bring in more money, cut back expenses, or do both. It's the only way.



However, as Christians, we do have God's provision. God knows our needs (a new BMW doesn't fall in this category), hears our prayers, and has promised to provide for us.

Matthew 6:31-32
Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.


But, at the same time, He also calls us to save, to give, and to plan for the future. It's extremely gratifying to choose to not rely on credit, to save, and to be smart with finances. We are so, so thankful that we discovered this so early (and young!) in our marriage. Money advisers often say that you only learn how to manage money by one of two ways: Either you get into so much debt and then learn to manage money, OR you watch others fall into debt and choose to not make those same mistakes.

I have no idea how to end this blog post. But I will say that budgeting is fun. You should give it a try :)


Note: I chose not to discuss tithing or giving in this post - I just wanted to focus on the budgeting aspect.


Wednesday, July 14, 2010

I thought I had nothing to say, but it turns out I did.

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I think I have writer's block. I can't think of a darn thing to blog about, so I guess I'll just do a "steam of consciousness" all MckMama-style.

Mark is so ready for our baby** to "come and play." Hard to believe that our baby will actually fit into this teeny tiny t-shirt in just three months. Like, exactly three months. She's due three months from tomorrow. Holy cow. Our baby shower is coming up, and we couldn't be more excited about it. Heck, we're just excited to be back in our home state. We really miss home.

We started a new book/series in our small group - Crazy Love. The first chapter was great, and I'm sure it'll be a great study. We meet every Monday night with about 16 others (um, yeah, a big small group.. we just keep growing!!!) and it's lots of fun!! :)

Today, Piper decided that her tennis balls shouldn't have the outer bright yellow covering. She thinks she should eat it all off. Piper never, ever touches any "human" belongings -- she would never chew or steal anything that belongs to Mark or myself. But with her own toys?? She will gladly rip them to shreds, if she desires. We've found that human baby toys hold up a million times better than Petco toys.

She just ripped a tennis ball in half. Sigh.

We're really hoping these next 6 days fly by, because I am very ready to be back home with my family and nephews. I have plans to pack Sprout around in his Maya Wrap, chase Hudsie around the house, and cuddle with Clayton on the couch. M and I got Hudson a grocery cart with play food for his birthday. I thought he'd have fun wheeling it around the house and taking food in and out of his cart. Since I'm fairly certain that he doesn't read my blog, I don't mind sharing that information :)


***So on that note, any ideas on what we should nickname our daughter on our blog? Mark calls Piper "Pup" all the time. I'm hoping some kind of nickname emerges on its own when she's born -- that would make things much more simple. Mark calls her "Addie Paddie," though her name certainly is not Addie. Or Addison.

I tried to look at "belly mapping" earlier today -- trying to figure out the position of my baby based on where I feel kicks and movement. I couldn't figure it out. We always feel strong kicks in my left-hand side. It's rarely my right side. And sometimes I feel little wiggles like little feet poking my bladder (or little hands?).. anyway, I couldn't figure it out.


But really, if you have any ideas on what we should nickname her, feel free to give me suggestions! :D

O, and I guess I did have something to say, huh!? :)


Monday, July 12, 2010

my newest addiction

Someone (maybe MckMama?) introduced me to Etsy long ago. Since then, I've bought three or four things from different vendors, and I only have great things to say about Etsy! But now I'm pregnant with a little girl. And, well, now I have a new addiction:

hair accessories.

I can't be positive, but I think that the majority of merchandise available on Etsy is hair accessories for little girls. You can look up anything -- headbands, bows, flowers, clippies, and the list goes on forever. Naturally, I have no idea about any of this (ex: What's a pinwheel bow? Not a clue!) since I've only got three nephews, but I think I can get the hang of girly-ness. And quick.

Just feast your eyes on these edible creations:










Oh snap (get it? snap??) are these cute or what?! I'm pretty positive that our daughter needs a big basket-full of hair accessories! I mean, pending that she has hair.

Which she'd better.

I hope :)



Note: Each of these pictures is linked to the owner's Etsy shop. Just click the photo of your choice, and it will take you right to their page!


Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to look up one of my other newest addictions: baby legs on Etsy. More on that to come!


Sunday, July 11, 2010

26 weeks pregnant with a girl



How far along? 26 weeks 2 days

Total weight gain: 20 or something like that. don't remind me.

Maternity clothes? The above shirt is NOT a maternity shirt! It's from the Gap Outlet. Just.. stretchy! I bought it during the first trimester.

Sleep: Same as always: Lots of hip pain and side pain. I flip sides all night until I get up to pee, and then it's back to flip flopping on my sides :)

Best moment this week: I'd have to say church was the best moment this week, even though that has nothing to do with our baby :)

Movement: Sometimes I feel these little twitters *really* low in my belly -- it feels exactly like little feet wiggling around. But she shakes my entire belly on a regular basis and we get a kick (get it? a kick) out of it!

Gender: I can't believe we're having a DAUGHTER!

Labor Signs: No sir!

Belly Button in or out? teeny weeny little hole. my belly button's existence is now being numbered by mere days..

What I miss: My ribs not feeling like they're cracked open. They're spreading apart, and Mark can feel it -- he can now put multiple fingers between my ribs :\ They're very sensitive, to say the least..

Weekly Wisdom: Coupons can be your best friend, especially from Babies R Us. Sign up for them -- they're free, and you can get free merchandise!

Milestones: She's can now absolutely hear Mark & myself carry on a conversation and can recognize our voices. She's about 14 inches long and around 2 pounds. She inhales and exhales small amounts of amniotic fluid -- prepping her for breathing oxygen on her birth day! :)

I'm feeling pretty great these days. No cravings still. My only complaint is that I have really tender ribs and my back aches like never before -- but it's nothing I can't handle. We've become pros at telling people our due date and her precious name (if they ask in real life!)



We're planning and preparing for her baby shower, and I cannot wait! I still can't believe I'm having a girl (what do you even do with girls?!) and am already trying to plan her first Thanksgiving outfit. I currently have heartburn (third time this entire pregnancy) and have no idea why. Tonight we joined our church, and I got info on their MOPs program! Cannot wait. And, even though I'm dying to meet and hold our baby girl, I'm counting every single day a blessing until October 15th. We have lots of planning and prepping to do before she makes her grand entrance into our lives!

Friday, July 9, 2010

a year and a half with you

Tonight, we were walking out of the mall and to our car. As we neared the edge of the sidewalk, his hand whipped out and I took it -- it comes second-nature now, and he always insists on protecting me when I step off a curb.

Or walk across gravel.

Or anything less than smooth payment, really.

And I said, "We have the BEST marriage ever!! We just have fun ALL the time. We're best friends. I can't imagine having a sad marriage!"

"I know!! And I don't ever want to find out what that's like!"

:)

And I know that the "point" of marriage is not to "have fun." But, boy.. we sure do have fun. And the past six months of marriage have been a whirlwind. We started off the year in a flurry:




And the very next day (literally) after this photo was taken, we found out that I was carrying our first pumpkin seed. A little Cox. The perfect combination of us.

Since then, we've done a lot of growing. I've grown out (a lot!), and our love has grown deep. And six months later, we're a stronger and... larger couple! He takes his role of protecting me really seriously. And I take my role as his supporter and partner equally as serious. But we aren't a serious couple. We have lots of fun and laugh all.the.time.


Markie, you call me:
snacky
snack pack
biscuit
cook pack

I truly hope you never stop referring to me as food. And I truly hope we never stop having this much fun, because our marriage this the "best thing ever," as we like to say, and I love ever.single.minute.of.it.

You're the best husband ever for me. You kill the bugs, get me glasses of milk, rub my back, find my chapstick, open scary cabinets for me in the kitchen, take full interest in baby products with me, and always listen to everything I have to say. You are THE best.

And, for real, the next 6 months includes the birth of our little girl. So even though we think life is grand now, we're about to REALLY see what fun is all about! Kisses :)



XOXO
Snack.