Lately...

• I pretty much sustain my TV cravings with the 3x a week I watch Big Brother. Seriously folks, it's addicting. And Jeff and Jordan are just too darn cute together. I'm already sad about when it's over.

• I've been feeling old. Grant it, I am in my LAST year of my twenties, but really where did the time go?? Also, saying it's my SEVENTH year teaching and seeing former students who already have babies, doesn't help matters.

• Speaking of teaching, this is the first year where I haven't had the first day jitters. I'm not sure why, but I was calm, cool and collective. I guess I've realized that no matter how much you get worked up, the card you're dealt IS the car you're dealt.

• Nutter Butter (our wee babe in my tummy) has been moving a TON! Aubrey and Justin got to feel the little one from the outside today. The weird thing is that I can only feel the baby move REALLY low. I'm assuming that's because of the frontal placenta. The big 20 (in my case 21) week ultrasound is tomorrow. No we're not finding out what we're having, but we are praying that everything is progressing normally and Nutter is healthy.

• Everyday I think about how I need to finish decorating Aubrey's room, but I never motivate myself to actually finish a project.

• I found the CUTEST cards at Walmart. They're part of the Saturdays by Hallmark collection, but they're for mom's only. I bought 4 of them, so hopefully I'll be able to mail them off to some friends this week....and they're only $.88, so they're super cheap. Check them out next time you brave Walmart.

• I feel like I'm still on vacation eventhough I'm back to work. I think part of it is that I don't have Christy's kiddos everyday that I'm off, part of it is that Malkreet is still on maternity leave, and part of it is the fact that I'm already looking forward to my own maternity leave.

• I never really blog, but I sure want the rest of you to keep blogging...because, seriously, I'd much rather blog surf than clean during nap time. :)

On the horizon

I realize that we have at LEAST a month of 95*+ temperatures left, but at least the online shopping gives me a glimmer of fall on the horizon.


Because really fall is my very favorite season, and there are few things that get me as giddy as apple and pumpkin picking. I wonder how many trips we'll take to the pumpkin patch this year? SOO EXCITED!

School Days

In high school, back to school meant new clothes, Friday night football and friends. I used to write down all the fun events that I was anticipating between the start of school and Christmas break. There was spirit week, homecoming, formal and the list goes on and on. Back to school was exciting!

First day of preschool-- CHEESE!

Now days, I'm not quite as enthusiastic. Though there are certain aspects I'm looking forward to, mainly "Back to School" is a dreaded phrase. This year I'm not the only one going back to school, Aubrey is also headed to school this year. Last week was her very first week of preschool. I'm trying to phase her in, so the long days aren't too much of a shock for her. Her first days of preschool went well considering she's used to really only being with me or my sister. She was REALLY excited about "play school" (a name she picked up while watching Caillou). She talked all about how she was going to learn in the classroom with her teacher and draw and read and sing. Unfortunately, when I went to drop her off they were playing outside for a while. She was disappointed that she wouldn't get to start her day in the classroom, but she really enjoyed checking out her new room with me. Her teacher said that she did a great job, but she wasn't really a fan of eating or nap time. No big surprises there! :) (Oh, and they served hot tuna casserole for lunch so I don't really blame her for not eating any). The next day we brought a special "rest time" blanket and they served chicken nuggets for lunch, so things went a bit better. The only issue on day 2 was with her peeing problems. She was holding it and complaining of a tummy ache....but that's a whole different blog- we're on another potty training hiatus per doctor's advice.

checkin' out the fish

reading mom a book

Trying to figure out this biking business. Those preschoolers mean business!

I'm already feeling guilty about the long days she'll be spending at preschool when I start up work next week. I don't really know why...if anything, I know that preschool with be good for her and she only goes two days a week. I just feel like 7:30-4 is a long day for a little girl. It'll be an adjustment for both of us. In the meantime, I'll enjoy my last few days off. Last week while Aubrey was at preschool, I got a pedicure, shopped, cleaned and made a couple of craft projects...I can't wait to see what I accomplish tomorrow and Friday!

One of the wreaths I made for out front

a dipes and wipes for a friend-- love that adorable corduroy!

The anticipation of it all!

There's no denying that pregnancy turns me into a complaining, whining, pathetic person, but despite all of my complaints, I can't help but admit that this new little person growing in me fills me with overwhelming anticipation. The anticipation that only new life can bring. Soon a brand new little person is going to fill my life with so much joy, so much love, and right now, I have no clue who that little person is. God knows. He has perfectly formed my new little child to be an exact fit for the empty space in our family puzzle. No guessing or peeking on my part will prepare me for the surprise that is soon to come. How exciting is that??!!

But guessing and wondering makes the final prize that much sweeter...so that's what I do. Boy or girl? Blond or brunette? Easy-going or high-maintenance (easy-going, PLEASE LORD)? Time will only tell. I can't help but be excited for either a boy or a girl. I really want a sister for Aubrey. I know how special my own sister is, and I would love for her to have that kind of relationship. At the same time, I really long for a mama's boy--with striped sweaters and a football jersey. Either way, the anticipation is so much fun...so anticipate, I will! Personally, my "feeling" changes everyday, so I really have no clue what we're having. If names are an indicator, then it's a girl, because we only seem to agree on girl names. So far our two girl names are Claire and Juliet. It'll probably end up being Juliet because that's Justin's pick (I LOVE it too) and I got the final say on Aubrey. But as far as boy names go, we're stuck! All the cute -son names are out because of our last name and Justin pretty much thinks every name is not masculine enough. Our boy's name with Aubrey was Reid... and though I still like it, I'm not IN LOVE with it anymore. Some of my top picks are Drew, Carter, and Grant....Justin's are Reid, Maddox (Max) and Sawyer. Though I like the whole lot, I'm not sure there's that ONE that is our name.

Any thoughts? Boy or Girl? Names?

Pee, Pregnancy, and Pictures

Because really folks, that's what my life is all about.

Pee

After a visit to Aubrey's pediatrician, I was motivated to keep trying with the potty training, but with a more relaxed approach. I think the "all or nothing" approach was just too stressful for our girl and made her afraid to go at all. The Dr. told me that I needed to be putting a pull-up on her at night so she would have the opportunity to relieve herself in a non-stressful way at least once a day. The first couple of nights she wouldn't even go in the pull up and she still wakes up dry, but occasionally goes right after she wakes up. We've had TWO successes...WOO HOO! Now I know for you potty training champs out there, this may not seem like much, but my kid only goes twice, maybe three times a day. More than anything though, she's getting the concept that when she feels like she has to pee, her body needs to let the pee out. Most of the time she can hold this until we are in a situation that is semi-pee appropriate...like say the pool or tile, but a couple of mishaps have also occurred. Justin took her on a daddy-daughter date to Denny's and apparently she couldn't wait until he got her potty from the car so she pulled her pants down and went on the grass in front of the restaurant. She also had a little accident at the LaGore's on their brand new carpet--thankfully not too much made it out of the thick training pants. Most days though, I'm just happy she's peeing at all because the painful episodes of holding it would literally go on for HOURS with crying, etc. Here's a little sequence of videos that were taken about ten minutes apart. We have one proud girl on our hands when she does make "yellow water" even though I know it's so frustrating for her to figure it out.

**ignore the dirty house...when potty training in our house, everything else takes a backseat. Panties and toys are everywhere, the carpet cleaner is out and well, the house is just plain dirty. *** Oh, and check out the belt Aubrey has on with her panties in the second video.

Pregnancy

This week I'm officially 18 weeks pregnant. This picture was taken at 17 weeks when we were on our little anniversary trip. I still have yet to actually feel little Nutter Butter move, but I've felt a couple of flickers that I thought might have been the little one. I guess my frontal placenta can make movements harder to feel. Though I'm feeling better, I am SOOOO not a pregnancy person. Don't get me wrong....I'm beyond grateful that I can get pregnant, and there is no blessing comparable to that of a child, but sometimes I wonder where the ME I used to be has gone. I'm so darn unmotivated and antisocial. I'm temperamental most of the time. It may be the summer heat, but I just wish that I wanted to do more stuff. I wish I were more patient and fun. Our little trip to the coast made me excited about fall and all the opportunities better weather will bring. I may actually take my kid to CALM, the park, the Marketplace, etc again when it's not 100 million degrees outside.

Pictures

I've been slacking on the picture taking lately, but here are a couple from our trip to Florida, our anniversary trip and some backyard small group fun.

The big event

Aubrey and Auntie bustin' a move

Pretty girls dancing

The main mode of transportation

Aubrey checking out the fish and turtles

6 YEARS!

Proof that we really were at the beach

Bible study buds