22 Weeks!

22 weeks! OK, we are on the downhill slide now. More then halfway through. I can do it, I can do it, I can do it! It has been HOT, HOT, HOT here which has not been fun. Normally the heat doesn't bother me too much, and I don't remember it being as bad when I was preggo with L (which was also over the summer) but this time it is really getting to me. I think the big difference is when I was preggo with L I didn't have anyone to take care of besides me, so I spent most of the summer napping or floating in the pool. 114 degrees seems quite a bit hotter when you are chasing around a very active 21 month old!

I'm starting to get to that uncomfortable stage; I've been having some trouble sleeping and my ribs have been killing me! It's been harder to find my motivation to get to the gym but I've still been dragging myself, and I think I'll be better about it starting next week when I officially start staying at home. It easier to make it a priority when I don't have to make myself go after a work day!

I'm definitely showing now, I have a noticeable bump and strangers are feeling the need to come up and touch my stomach and give me parenting advice, which is the true sign of pregnancy I wish I could say I felt beautiful and vibrant and womanly and blah, blah, blah..... but mostly I feel fat, hot and uncomfortable!

But regardless, we are getting there, one day at a time. I actually can't believe I am already closing in on 6 months !



*On a side note, the jeans I'm wearing in these pictures? They are from Motherhood Maternity. I am not usually a huge fan of Motherhood Maternity, I haven't really found too much stuff there that is flattering or cute. But these babies? $50 and i love them. When I was preggo with L I spent almost $200 dollars on a pair of designer maternity jeans and I have to say that I think these are way more comfortable, and more flattering. Go figure.

Man's Best Friend

Along with a bunch of new words, a realization that mommy is a sucker for crocodile tears, and a love of crayons, L has learned something life changing in the last month or so:

DOGS= BEST FRIENDS

Seriously, this child loves the dogs now. If they were teenage girls him, Charlie and Stella would be "like, BFF's, totally and forever!" He wants to be around them all the time now. If they are outside he yells at us until we let them inside. He is constantly hugging them, petting (smacking?) them, and insisting that they sit right next to him. He also enjoys tackling them, especially our beagle who is the perfect height and weight for him to take out.

hugging.....

more hugs....

Poor Charlie trying to seek refuge from S....

Loving the beagle, but being nice.....

Still friends.....

And finally Stella decides her only means of defense is a solid face licking...

Now, my child is an equal-opportunity lover so he tries to shower the same attention he give the dogs on our cat Lucy so she doesn't feel left out. He has yet to figure out that cats tend not to take commands such as "sit down" and don't particularly like being hugged (strangled?). She is a good cat though, and being something of the black sheep in our little family unit (think constant, incessant meowing that makes us all want to rip our hair out and thus results in her being more of an "outdoor" cat than in "indoor" cat) she will usually take whatever attention she can get.

She does however have a few more brain cells then the dogs and has set clear boundaries for her and L's relationship. He is only allowed to give her loving through the safety of the baby gate. 

My little animal lover!

Father's Day

To my wonderful husband:

Happy Father's Day.

Seven years ago we became friends. We were at a point in our lives that our lives were consumed by class and friends and party's, yet through all the craziness we kept managing to find each other. Friendship evolved quickly into more. I'll never forget our first kiss, but I could have never known then the lifetime of happiness it would lead to.

Three years ago I walked down the isle to marry my best friend. I was so happy and I had no doubts about how wonderful our life would be together. I knew the love and support you already shown me were the qualities that would make you the best husband I could ever wish for. At that point, I didn't think I could love you any more then I already did. Impossible, you already had my whole heart.

A year and a half ago I realized just how much my heart could expand, when our beautiful son came into the world. I could never thank you enough for giving me the gift of our child, our first son. And if I thought I loved you on our wedding day.... oh wow. That pales in comparison to the love I felt when I saw you hold L for the first time.

And that love grows every time I see you wipe away a tear, or change a diaper, or get up in the middle of the night to comfort a bad dream, or throw him in the air, or give him a piggy back ride. L is so lucky to have a Daddy like you, and I am so lucky to have a husband, and a partner in this rollercoster of parenting, like you. One day to celebrate you as a Father does not do justice to the gratitude that I have to have you in our lives.

I love you S, Happy Father's Day.

(And just think..... this time next year we are going to have TWO!!!!!)

Splash Pad

So, last weekend we decided to do something we haven't ever done as a family. We hit our local splash pad. The fact that we have never been to the splash pad is a little ridiculous, considering we live in Phoenix and it's about 100 degrees 99% of the time. But I digress, we decided going to the splash pad would be a fun family outing and since L loves everything that has to do with water we figured this would be right up his ally.

Um, we might have been wrong. It was the weirdest thing. L will jump into the pool, he puts his face in and doesn't mind going under, he runs through sprinklers, and he loves baths and showers. Water spouting out of the ground? Apparently not his thing.

He was really only willing to venture out if S or I was holding him (so of course we both ended up soaked more then him!) but every time we tried to put him down to play on his own he made a beeline for the sidelines.

(Sidelines were safe... he liked watching the other kids endure the spouting water)



 No amount of coaxing would get him to stay on the pad and play. It was walk on with Dad, walk right off, get carried on by mom, want to go off.....



(Doesn't this face just say, " Really mom and dad? We couldn't have just stayed at the nice safe pool?)



Finally, we gave up. This kid just wasn't having it. But we will be back, because I'm really convinced he will love it if he gives it a chance. And we have a long, hot summer ahead of us!

("Please, no more of this torture that you are trying to disguise as playtime. No more! No more!")

It's a ...............

BOY!!!!!!

That's right folks! We found out Friday that we are being blessed with another beautiful baby boy. (And a healthy, right on track, active one at that, according to the ultra sound tech!)

I've been going back and forth the past 19 weeks between the pros of a having a girl, and the pros of having a boy. (Obviously there are no cons, and as long as we have a healthy, happy child we are ecstatic!) My biggest thing was that eventually I want a daughter, so I thought if this one was a girl we would have one of each and there would be no pressure for the rest of the kids we have. And I did have dreaming up girly nursery ideas and looking at mini tights and tutu's and headbands adorned with huge flowers. On the other hand, if I got to choose, I would prefer to have two older boys and two younger daughters. I love the idea of having my boys around to protect there younger sisters. And I also loved the idea of having two boys, two years apart, that would be best friends.*

*And wost enemies. I am not totally naive. I realize that there are probably fist fights and sibling rivalry and teasing and everything else that goes along with being close in age with your sibling in my future.

So, I think this is perfect. Like I said, we were going to be happy no matter what this baby is, but now that we know it just feels perfect. Like this is the way it is suppose to be. I'm so excited for L to have a little brother, someone he can teach things to and get into trouble with and give advice to. I can't wait for high school football games  (or soccer or baseball or band recitals...... whatever) where S and I will huddle under a blanket, clutching cups of hot cocoa and cheer on our sons.

I am so excited. I'm so excited to meet our new little guy, and it's only 21 weeks until he arrives!