Fashion Friday: On the Bandwagon

So I finally gave in and bought Miss Emma a pair of Crocs. And she LOVES them.





I have always thought they were totally ugly, but I have to admit they are pretty cute on little feet. Emma is not exactly liking sandals at the moment, so this was my compromise. She puts them on all by herself and no fights to get them on... ever. I wonder if they have them in orange??? :o)


*BTW, I PROMISE to post bump photos before this weekend is over. Promise!*

The results are in...

And I officially do NOT have gestational diabetes. What?!! I know! Crazy seeing as there was a 90-percent chance I would get it again.

I'm trying not to be skeptical and instead, celebrate the good news, but I can't help but wonder if maybe they tested too early. With Emma I was closer to 30 weeks, but I know it is normal to test between 24 and 28 weeks. I'm going to chat with the doctor next week at my appt. about it all, so hopefully that will erase any doubt.

Maybe this will be my easy-going child after all... Hey, I guess anything is possible! :o)

Our First Trip to the Zoo

A few weeks ago, Jeff had a few days off, so we FINALLY took Miss Emma to the zoo for the first time. The day was perfect... a little bit cool in the morning so it wasn't scorching hot by the afternoon.

We got there bright and early, waiting for the gates to open. Little did we know the gates open 30 minutes before any exhibits do. So we walked around and had a snack as the precious minutes before nap time started to count down.

But once the exhibits opened, I swear the animals put on a show just for Emma. The baby polar bear took a giant leap off of a rock into the water. A tiger walked right in front of the window where Emma was standing. And one of the lions let out a mighty roar that even I had never heard. It was absolutely amazing to me. I can only imagine how awesome it must have been to our little lady.

We also went to the Children's Zoo, where Emma walked among some goats and brushed their hair. She petted a sheep, giggled at the loud ducks, and yelled at the horses to come closer. Every time we saw an animal, she kept saying, "More please!" She really did love it.

Unfortunately, she got worn out pretty quickly, so we had a quick (and somewhat crabby) lunch on a picnic bench at about 11:15am and headed home around 12pm. I have never seen her fall asleep in the car so fast. We were barely out of the parking lot and she was out. Even after the 45-minute drive home, she let me transfer her to her crib, where she slept another 2 hours.

As if that wasn't great enough, Jeff then shooed me out the door to get a pedicure while he stayed (read: also napped) with Emma. Life is good!

Here are a few photos of our trip. Of course, none of them compares to watching Emma experience it all for the first time. What a wonderful blessing to see such pure joy and amazement through the eyes of a child. If only we looked at God's creation through those eyes every day!


Passing the time before the exhibits open...



Mesmerized by the polar bears



A mighty roar just for Emma



Brushing a goat's eye...which he totally appreciated!



Laughing with the duckies

Fashion Friday: My Only Sunshine

When in doubt, everything seems to be orange, yellow, or pink. In fact, orange seems to be Miss Emma's favorite color. She can recognize it in an instant. Maybe that's why she was so easy to get dressed this morning... hmmmm...

If that's the case, you will be seeing lots more orange on Fashion Friday!

BTW, the lovely stickers accessorizing Miss Emma's shirt are for going #1 and #2 on the potty!

Prayer Works!

I don't have the results back yet, but I have to thank you all for your prayers and well wishes. Amazingly enough, my 3-hour glucose test went just fine. Not one ounce of sickness! Unlike last time, I was able to use the time to get caught up on some work and Bible study. I actually kinda enjoyed the time to myself.

Honestly, I don't care what the results are at this point... I really don't. In fact, I'm not sure I'll believe them if the results come back negative. But no need to dwell on what I can't control. For now, I'm just praising God for answered prayers. Why do we ever doubt?

25 Weeks and (Kinda) Counting

I've had this post ready to go since last Wednesday, but I was hoping to get a bump picture to post with it. And, yes, here we are almost a week later with no photo to show, but I figured it was time to post before I am actually 26 weeks!

So, last Tuesday was my monthly OB check-up, and as is usually the case at this point in the pregnancy, it was a boring appointment. Weight gain is at about 13 pounds, heart rate is strong, and belly is measuring nice and big. That's about it.

The best part of this appt. was that I got in and out of there in 30 minutes! This has N.E.V.E.R. happened. I love my OBs, but so does everyone else, which is why the wait is usually ridiculous. I could get used to this!

I did get my order for my gestational diabetes test, so that's next on the list. At my request, I am skipping the 1-hour test because A. I don't think it's accurate, and B. I always flunk it, so I might as well go for the real 3-hour deal.

I'm not usually negative, but with the odds NOT in my favor, I'm assuming I have it again. This means I am also anticipating a horrible reaction to the test. When I did it early on in this pregnancy, it went fine, but then again, I tested negative. When I did have it with Emma, I had a pretty bad reaction. I'm assuming positive results mean total sickness for me. We'll see. I'm supposed to go for my test on Tuesday, so I'll keep you posted.

Baby is moving fine, but definitely not as much as Miss Emma. Maybe that's a good sign? I have to remind myself that this amount of movement is probably more normal.

Other than that, nothing else is really all that new with Baby B #2. In fact, this pregnancy is flying by. With Emma, I counted the days until I reached a new week, and now, boom... I'm 25 weeks already! I think part of me doesn't want this to be over yet because it might be my last pregnancy. Actually, let's not talk about that now. I'll just end up getting sappy.

I'm feeling pretty darn good and enjoying every minute of alone time I get with Miss Emma before she has to share me. It would be nice if she chilled out a little bit so we wouldn't have to fight for half the day, but that is the life of a mom with a strong-willed child. We do the best we can, and love them for every ounce of their determination. I'm curious to see what God has in story for me with this new baby!

Until then, here is a photo of my first baby that should have been posted on Friday. We left at 7am Friday morning for a short weekend get-away, so I do have an excuse. Sorry it's late!

Fashion Friday: Little Miss Independence

Update on Baby Seth

I've been wanting to post about Baby Seth for days, but I wanted to read through the email I got so I could make some sense of it. So, here is an edited version of the info I received from my girlfriend:

The doctors are all in agreement that little Seth has a cancer known as neuroblastoma. One of their doctors would like to see his scan again to decide whether or not they should start chemotherapy.

The positive thing about Seth's prognosis is that he is so young, and the crucial tests came back with the numbers the doctors wanted to see. Other than high blood pressure, the symptoms on paper give a positive picture. The unfortunate part is that when you see Seth, his belly is so obviously full, that there are concerns.

At this point, it is possible that Seth could be one of those babies who have this condition and then it actually slowly dissipates. The way to deal with this is to watch him closely, measure him daily, do scans weekly, and decide based on those answers if he is one of those 'miracles.' If in the midst of the waiting there is any significant change, they would most likely begin chemo.

The other scenario would mean doing the chemo now, with the hope that it would shrink the liver as well as the tumor. Although the lay person's response is usually to just do the chemo, the medical community believes that avoiding the effects of chemo are worth it if at all possible simply because there is proof that Seth could be a miracle based on his situation.

The family has asked that you pray for patience and energy as they wait for some answers. I will keep you posted on what I hear from my girlfriend. In the meantime, the family says: "…we will just be grateful for our little big-bellied babe. We all agree that it just makes him look more like his papa!"


We are praying Baby Seth!

Since we're on the subject...

I thought I might as well tell you that Emma is starting to NOT pee in her pants. Well, she is still peeing, but in the last 3 days, she has peed and gone #2 in her potty two times each!

The funny thing is that I wasn't planning on starting the whole potty training thing until after the baby was born, but Miss Emma had been showing signs of being ready. After talking to my mom I decided it wouldn't hurt to give it a try.

So on Saturday morning, we tried and she did it! She got a sticker and we made a really big deal about it. Yesterday morning, she peed, but we had to go to church, so I didn't push #2. But this morning, she did #2 again. We'll see what the rest of the week brings...

I'm not going to push it because at 22 months, she is still fairly young, but if she's acting ready, I also don't want to miss my window. We've had the potty out for her to "play" on for a while so we could have some discussion about the whole concept, and lately, she really seemed to understand more than before. Plus, her wet diapers have been spreading out, she has scheduled bowel movements, and she wants me to change her as soon as she goes #2. I don't think the pee bothers her at all since her diapers are so absorbent and I change her pretty often, so that may be our hurdle. Still, I figure one thing at a time. None of this was planned, so I'm not going to freak out about it or make it a big deal.

But...

How awesome would it be if I only had one diaper to change instead of two?!!!! I know they often revert after a new baby, which is why I was going to wait. But, I might as well try now that she seems open to it. I have to admit part of me is sad that this might really be happening. She's growing up so quickly -- but I know this is just the beginning of many stages that will make me miss those early days. Let's not even mention the fact that her birthday is almost a month away!

Both Jeff and I are really in shock at how fast it has all gone by. It's so bitter sweet how proud you are of them, yet want so badly to make it all stop. It's like when I peek in Emma's room and she "reading" her book to herself, pointing out pictures and naming them. I get these overwhelming feelings of pride and sadness. I want her do it by herself (especially so I can get a few things done), but part of me wants to run in there and read her the book myself. I can see how parents can smother their kids. It's just so tempting!

But I know there are times when I need to step back and let life happen. Even if it means letting my baby grow into a little person. There's always eternity!

Yep, I peed my pants...

And I have the emergency room receipt to prove it.

Let me explain:

*Note: This may be TMI for most of you, but I haven't posted a juicy preggers story yet, so I feel I'm due!*

Last week started out to be a good week. Emma's meltdowns had slowed down, and we had a great Father's Day. Then Tuesday hit. I felt like total crap. Flu-like symptoms all day and totally exhausted. And I felt like I was peeing EVERY.TWO.SECONDS. I felt like I was newly pregnant again, but yuckier. I even asked Jeff to come home early from work (read: on time for once). He didn't, but that's another post...

Anyway, Jeff comes home, lets me take an hour nap, and then is off to job #2. I start to feel better, put Emma to bed, and get a little work done. Around 10pm, I headed upstairs to go to bed, but stopped on our main floor to pee for the millionth time. Then I made my way upstairs, and by the time I reached our room, I noticed my underwear was soaked. Not just a little wet, but soaked. I had felt nothing come out, and what was there didn't smell like urine. I couldn't get a hold of Jeff, so I called the doctor.

Now let me preface this by saying that I normally would have written this off as a weird pregnancy thing, but because I felt so yucky all day, I got a little nervous. I had flu-like symptoms a few days before Emma was born, and my water broke before I went into labor. Now with Emma, it was the stereotypical gushing tidal wave they tell you will never happen. But, as most of you know, "they" say it is USUALLY more like a constant trickle of water. So, the wet undies and flu symptoms made me extra cautious. Our baby wasn't even 1 pound yet!

Long story short, the doctor told me to go to the emergency room, but said it was probably urine. Jeff got home, my mom came over to sit with Emma, and a long night of waiting, tests, and an ultrasound (bonus!) told us Baby B was just fine. The diagnosis was a urinary tract infection, and antibiotics were prescribed.

Four days later I find out none of it was necessary. Apparently my bladder has a mind of its own (even when I don't sneeze!)

So that's the good news. But then Emma got sick. And not sick with a mild summer cold. Nope. Weeeeee got another one of those good ole viruses!

As you saw from Friday's post, we were getting temps in the 102-103 range for a few days. That, I could handle. The next few days, however, have totally sucked.

Zero sleep Friday night brought us to the doctor on Saturday, who informed me that Miss Emma had stomatitis, which is basically the mouth version of hand, foot and mouth disease. Our poor baby had sores all throughout her mouth. She was miserable, wouldn't eat, and wouldn't drink anything other than cold milk. We even tried rice ice cream and milk shakes for the first time, but she was too afraid to try anything new.

Yesterday was the first day she was able to have a full meal without wincing in pain. That has been the hardest part, watching her be soooo very hungry, try to take a bite of something soft, and then make this horrible face and spit it all out. We have honestly been living on scrambled eggs, oatmeal, and milk.

The nights have also been pretty bad. Most of the time, there was nothing I could do to comfort her. Motrin wouldn't even help. I've never felt so helpless or heartbroken in my life. And this was just a stupid virus!

Anyway, we are on the road to recovery, and Little Miss is already back to her old opinionated ways. I think we both have been cooped up for too long and are way overtired. A few nights of good rest and a fun morning at Grandma's today should hopefully get us over this hump for good.

So there you have it. For now, I'll leave you with the little bit of fun we managed to have during our 6-day house arrest.

As any good mom will tell you: When in doubt, make cookies!

Wish me luck!

I've entered another one of Stephanie's contests, and I really hope I win this one. I have officially been sold on the whole babywearing thing, and I can't wait to start building my carrier collection. I recently got a water sling from Ashlee over at Nest, and Mama C-ta gave me a brown carrier that is so comfy I wish someone would carry me around in it.

Anyway, if I win a sling from KimzKreations, I get to design my own. How fun is that?! I'll keep you all posted!

Fahion Friday: Calling in Sick

Miss Emma's been fighting a 102 temp the last two days, so no FF for us this week.

BUT, it's times like these that I literally thank God for Tylenol and Motrin, which can turn my sick baby who woke up clinging to me for dear life into her (almost) usual self...



Have a happy -- and healthy -- weekend everyone! :o)

Daddy's Girl

One of the greatest joys of my heart is when Jeff comes home from work. Emma hears the garage door open, runs into the kitchen, and jumps into her Daddy's arms for a big hug and kiss. What's even better is watching Jeff's eyes light up and his heart melt. I know it is his favorite part of the day.

Babe, you are an amazing father, and I know Emma feels very special every time she is with you. Whether you are reading her books, wrestling with her on the ground, letting her help you, or playing "rock-a-rosy" (translation: ring-around-the-rosy), she knows Daddy always has time for her.

Thank you for being such a great Daddy to our little bunny. I know your love will only multiply with this next one. And so will mine.

Happy Father's Day. Love you!



Christmas 2006


Quiet time with Daddy


Easter 2007


"She just ate!"


Daddy's little helper


Feeling safe in Daddy's arms



Kisses in the sun...

Fashion Friday: Who needs clothes...

with a face like this:







...and eyes like this!

Sneak Peek

Now that I've built up these ultrasound photos so much, I know you're going to be disappointed. I know I was. But posts like yesterday put it all in perspective -- my baby looks healthy!

Here is our attempted profile shot:


I was so spoiled after Emma's first ultrasound photo. Isn't it just too perfect?

Unfortunately, Baby B #2 decided to get all snuggly with Mommy's placenta during the photo and video portion of the visit, which means we got great photos of the back of his/her head, an ear, and an arm.

We did get a quick grin, but I admit this photo is a bit scary without all the baby chubs:



The good news is Baby cooperated fully for the measurements. Everything looks right on track and there wasn't "anything suspicious." I saw a little heartbeat, piggy toes and very busy legs. Daddy claims to have seen something else floating around, but he said that last time too. We both did, and now we have Emma! I guess I'll let him think what he wants... ;o)

My doctor's appointment was the day after my u/s, so we had lots of reassurance that all is well. I gained 2 lbs, which puts me at 8 lbs so far, and I measured at exactly 20 weeks. Heartbeat was strong at around 144. I remember Emma's heart rate being faster, so I don't know if that indicates sex or not, but I have to admit I'm getting curious. My "gut" says boy, but my girl name just feels right. That's exactly what happened with Emma, so I don't trust my instincts at all.

Any guesses?

Please Pray

Hi everyone!

My girlfriend Erin called me last night to ask that I add some friends of the family to any prayer lists that I could. A young family of five recently found out that their 4-month-old son has stage 4 cancer and has to undergo chemotherapy. This little angel has a huge tumor wrapped throughout his intestines and liver, and they can't do surgery for fear that he may bleed to death. The doctors are not hopeful about the chemo, so they are preparing for the worst.

The parents, Adam and Megan, have two other children. Please pray hard for this family and 4-month-old Seth. Pray peace for the parents and for a miracle to occur during Seth's chemo. Adam was just ordained, so praise God that this family knows the Lord!

I know I promised an update and photos of Baby B, but after hearing about this, it just didn't feel right not to mention this first. Having healthy children is a blessing we all take for granted. I can hardly think about this family without breaking down into tears. How can a 4-month-old get stage-4 cancer? He's been alive for such a short time.

So please take a few minutes to say a prayer. And then go give your kids a big hug!

Fashion Friday: Runway Baby

As much as I'd like to, I can't take any credit for this little trendy number. These hip duds were given to Miss Emma by the always trendy Cricket, whose Mama owns a nice little online store called Urban Baby Runway.



You can check get the shirt here, and the pants here. The bangle bracelet on Miss Emma's right arm is mine and was totally Emma's idea. I love a girl who understands the importance of accessories! Which reminds me... although we didn't win the shoe contest, don't think I'm not shopping for some shoes for this outfit. I'm thinking brown sandals, eh?

*Stay tuned for ultrasound update and photos of Baby B #2!*

Did you say free shoes?

Okay, so Stephanie is having a contest with free shoes involved, so why wouldn't I enter? The only thing I have to do is tell you about it, and I have a chance some free Vincent shoes.

So if I win, what would I chose? Here are a few options:

These in brown or navy

Love these in blue

These and these are so fun, but we'd have to go shopping for some new outfits, which kinda defeats the "free" aspect

And finally, the "safe" option I know we'd get lots of use out of (in purple of course!)

Wish me luck!

Fashion Friday: It's a good thing she's cute!

The whole outfit... and the world's smallest ponytail!

Outsmarting Mommy

Little Miss Emma has sure been giving me a run for my money lately... yes, more than usual. Granted she is getting ALL four eye teeth at once and we have major construction going on in our kitchen (read: LIVING space!), but somehow those excuses don't seem to help in the 11th hour.

She is even starting to use my words against me... already! Case in point, Emma wants a drink of Mommy's water. Mommy says, "It's Mommy's water." Emma says, "Mommy share." Uh, okay, what do I say to that? The girl has a point. So, yes, Mommy shares.

And then there's the lovely phrase I regret teaching her, "One more time." You can imagine how much fun that has brought to our lives. The best was yesterday when it prompted a complete meltdown in front of a neighbor I was meeting for the first time. And this was a major meltdown, as in yelling, screaming, and twisting out of my arms the ENTIRE walk home. All of this while this woman's 13-month-old was taking a nap. Um, nice to meet you...

As Miss Opinionated becomes Miss Really Opinionated, I am running out of ways to outsmart her. And as my mom-in-law says, she's only one. Imagine how much she'll outsmart me in a few years. But let's not think about that.

Mommy needs some pizza.

Fashion Friday: Feels Like Summertime

And then a few more cute photos...





CHEEEEEEEEEEEESE!

What's Kickin'?

Jeff felt the baby kick a few times last night, which is always such a cool moment. It makes him more a part of things and only further solidifies that there is actually a little person growing inside me (besides the fact that he no longer gets the leftover food on my plate)!

The "popcorn kicks" started late last week and happen just after I eat. I thought they seemed pretty strong, but I wasn't sure if they were strong enough for someone else to feel. But they are -- Jeff felt every one of them. Not sure what that means this early in the pregnancy... either we have a very strong boy kicking away or another feisty girl.

So much for my "easy-going" second child... :o)

Who Am I?

Today I had to travel out to O'Hare for a work meeting. For those of you that don't know, I work part-time from home. Anyway, on the drive home, I decided to pop in the free CD I got at MOPS last week. To my surprise, it was actually pretty darn good and not at all cheesy. Even the songs!

Anyway, one of the topics was identity: Who am I? Simple and trite enough, but what really hit me was when the CD talked about the different ways we define ourselves -- by our jobs (what we do), as well as what people ask us to be (what we do for others).

All of the sudden I realized why being a mom was so hard for me the first year. For years, I defined myself by my career and what I accomplished. People expected that of me (so I thought), and I liked that (read: my pride liked that). I was a hard worker who worked all hours of the day. I traveled. I had crazy deadlines and lots of stress. That was me, and I thrived on that.

And then I became a mom. A mom like every other mom. Same trials, same frustrations, same questions. At times, that was very comforting -- to know others had been through what I was going through -- but it was also a little frustrating. Wasn't I a better mom? Didn't I put in more hours? Didn't I read more books, have more knowledge? Didn't I care more, try harder, and lose a little more sleep?

I am a goal-seeker. I like to succeed, and Emma quickly became my most challenging project. If I do this, she will do this. If I stop doing this, she will stop doing this. And so on.

But it didn't take me too long to realize that Emma isn't a project. She is my child. She won't give me a promotion, a raise (if only!), or a gleaming review. But yet she still loves me.

She knows nothing of my past successes. She doesn't know where I've traveled or what job titles I have held. But yet she still loves me.

What a wonderful blessing that is. A wonderful, but humbling blessing.

Being at home has taught me a lot about myself. When it's just you and a trusting child alone together ALL.DAY.LONG, you quickly come face to face with who you are. The only term I can use to describe it is "raw." Not a pretty adjective to describe motherhood, but in my experience, it is pretty accurate. The best of who you are and the worst of who you are come out when no one is looking. When no one is there to hold you accountable.

And for a while there, I didn't like what I saw. I realized what control issues I had and how much pressure I put on myself. And for what? I mean really, for what?

Don't get me wrong, I believe that there are many responsibilities moms have besides giving hugs, but I also know that at the end of the day, Emma is going to know the real me whether I like it or not. I can't hide behind accomplishments because, honestly, she doesn't care. She just cares whether or not I have her snack ready for her when she wants it.

To her, I am the snack lady, and I am okay with that. Because right now, that is a pretty awesome responsibility to have.

Here's my point: Even though I am a mom at this season in my life, I also know that it doesn't define me. And I think that's an important thing to remember. I think God is using my experience as a mom to shape me into the person He created me to be -- the unique person He created me to be -- but I have to be careful not to make it everything I am. For Emma's sake and for mine.

I think too many of us lose ourselves in our jobs and what we do for others that we forget that there is still a person underneath those things that needs to be nourished. A person that needs to be confident in who they are so that when those things suddenly disappear, we are left with more than a sense of loss. Instead, we are left with the amazing person God planned for all along.

Emma definitely comes first, but I also know that I need to focus on a few of my needs so I can be an even better person and in turn, a better mom.

My first step? Joining a women's bible study this summer. With all of my ministry stuff on hold for the summer, it's the perfect time for me to be fed. I can say I do a daily devotion at home, but then I'd be lying. Somehow, Emma's snacks and the laundry seem to always come first! :o)

So who are you? Yes, you're a mom (or dad, girlfriend, vice president, etc.), but when all of that is stripped away, who are you really? Sure, you can take pride in your skills -- whether they be making a sale or nursing your child -- but at the end of the day, is the person that is left happy... or better yet, content?

I can honestly say I am getting there. The other day after Emma went down for her nap, I peeked in her room and really felt an overwhelming sense of joy. Everything just felt right in that moment, and I thanked God for my blessings. The fact that I had my "career" and now I have what is really important -- my family.

I love being a mom more than any one thing I have ever done in my life, but what is really exciting is that it is just one of the many things God has in store for my life. Only one of the ways I can continue to glorify Him.

So who am I? The answer to that is complicated, but God also makes it simple: I am one of His children. And knowing that makes me want to be more than I am.

Fashion Friday: Simple but Sweet

And I had to post a photo of the curls. I love them! :o)

Keeping Busy

Besides our yucky cold, the last few weeks have been a lot of fun. The nice weather really makes a difference in Emma's mood... and mine. The only problem is convincing her that we can't LIVE outside, but I've come up with a few full-proof tactics (i.e., "Let's see if Mickey Mouse is on!").

We spend a lot of time visiting the SLIDE! at the park, which is Emma's absolute favorite thing in the world. Since we've been sick, we haven't been able to go, so every time we drive past it, she moans, "Slide," and lets out a fake cry. Really, she has such a hard life.

She has also finally taken to the swing. She loved it as a baby, but wasn't so crazy about it until the last few trips. She also loves to go for walks, which is good for this pregnant lady. I get exercise and a few moments peace and quiet!



Another favorite outdoor toy is her house from Grandma and Grandpa and her Mickey chair I got on sale from Jewel. Her old push toy also allows her to go "shopping" outside.







I've even had the chance to see how life is with two children the last few weeks after watching my nephew and Emma's best girlfriend. She had a blast with both of them and sharing has gotten much better. When Cricket came to visit, we had a lot of MINE! moments, but that seems to have gone away... at least for now. She loves playing with kids and usually gets pretty sad when it's time for them to go home.





Inside, we've been practicing coloring and playing with play dough. Interestingly enough, she really hasn't tried to eat the play dough as much as I thought she would. She gets bored with it pretty quickly, but I think that will change with time. For now, it gives us something else to do besides play ring-around-the-rosie for the billionth time.





She really enjoys animals, especially watching the "tweet tweets" fly by our window and the "hop hops" run along our grass. My favorite thing is when she makes her eating noise as the birds peck along the grass. It's so cute!

Developmentally, she is doing great. She's just starting to form small 2- and 3-word sentences and is really expanding her vocabulary. The only problem is that many words are starting to sound the same, which makes it hard for me to understand her sometimes. Most of the time I can figure it out. And I swear, she says "garbage truck" cuter than anyone I know. Well, that and "grapes."

For a while the counting thing went by the wayside, but it is now back and in full force. With a little help, she can count to 10. The only numbers she has a hard time with are 7 and 10, and I usually have to start her out by saying "one." Still, she impresses me. Of course, you have to catch her on a good day or there is no way she's showing you her stuff. I think that's her way of humbling Mommy and Daddy!

Miss personality is also getting more and more opinionated, which I knew was going to happen. She prefers to wear certain shoes; we can't pass an open door without closing it; and as I put her to sleep at night, she often stops me mid-song to tell me she'd rather I sing another one. Sometimes I have to sing five before she chooses the one that fits her mood. Sigh...

Sleep has been good. Nap is about 2-3 hours and bedtime is still at 7pm, although I'm trying to move it to 7:30pm-8pm. For a while she was waking up at 5:45am, which was not fun. The last few days, though, she's been closer to 6:30am, so we'll see what happens.

She still loves blanket and binkie at night, and adores baby and Minnie during the day. And as much as I hate to admit it, Elmo, Mickey Mouse, and more recently, Pooh Bear, are also favorites. I am telling you, this girl can spot these characters from any distance and within seconds. It's actually pretty cute how much she loves seeing their faces, and I can't bring myself discourage it -- no matter how much I am NOT a character person.

Books are still the only things that captivate her attention for any long period of time. She just sits and goes through book after book. She has started memorizing some of them and many times, she finishes my sentences. She can point to just about anything and tell you what it is. Next on the agenda is colors!

I know there are a million Emma-isms I am forgetting, but that will have to do it for now. Hope you all are enjoying the days as much as we are!

Until Friday...

Fashion Friday: Baby B at 16 weeks

What's more fashionable than a baby belly I ask you? Yes, Baby B is making his/her first appearance on Fashion Friday, proving that it's what's on the inside that really matters.

Yesterday's OB appt. went great. Jeff was finally able to come with (thank you, Mammma and Dopop!) and hear the heartbeat. I swear his face literally lights up when he hears that sound. The doctor said it was "very strong," which made Jeff practically radiate.

The actual heartbeat was around 154 and I am measuring exactly where I should be. And I finally gained weight -- 6 lbs in 5 weeks! I knew I had caught up because I have been really hungry, despite the fact that I can only taste 50 percent of what I'm eating.

Speaking of which, Dr. F did ask me to try and watch my diet to try and control the gestational diabetes from kicking in, which I was planning on doing anyway. I've been splurging the last few weeks, and I can feel that it's time to cut back -- for the baby's sake that is. Emma only got nutritious foods (and still does), and this baby deserves the same.

No major movement yet, but I thought I felt a few flutters the other night. I felt Emma early on, but I've also had more gas issues with this baby, so who knows. I just can't wait to feel that popcorn popping in my belly again. What an awesome feeling. God is so creative!

Oh yeah -- they've moved my due date back to my 30th birthday, Oct. 23. That's so much more fun to tell people anyway! Basically, my last period indicates a due date of Oct. 20, the ultrasound shows Oct. 26, and my estimated conception date puts us at Oct. 25. Therefore, he said let's shoot for the middle to be safe, and no more changes. Sounds good to me!

After riding home from the doctor yesterday, Jeff kinda confessed he'd like a boy this time. I actually said it for him because I could tell that's what he was thinking. Of course, he would love for another girl to melt his heart like Emma does, but I also understand every man's desire for a son. Me? I honestly don't care. A girl would be easier, of course, but having a little boy to love would be awesome too. A sister for Emma would be wonderful, but having a boy to keep her in check ;) has it's benefits too. We win either way!

We also talked about finding out the sex of the baby, but I'm dead set against it. I am a planner, yes, but this is the one thing in life that I want to be a surprise. There's really no medical reason to find out, so I don't feel compelled to do it. To be fair, we always said we'd be surprised on the first, but would find out with the second. But... it was so much fun being "wrong" with Emma. Everyone was so surprised, and it also gave Jeff the joy of sharing news only he could share. He says he's willing to give that up, but I'm not. I like that only God knows what we're having. It's His gift to us, and I don't want to open my gift up early. It's worth the wait for me.

Emma still doesn't quite understand what's going on with Mommy, but she does rub and kiss my belly every day to say hi to the baby. She says baby, but I know there's no way she really gets it. Still, it's fun to see how loving she can be -- even to a pushed out belly button!

Well, that's the update on our second little babe. Updates on our first babe to come early next week... with lots of pictures. Until then, Happy Mother's Day everyone. Enjoy your kiddies!

Having a Cold Stinks.

Having a cold while pregnant really stinks.

Having a toddler with a cold while you have a cold and are pregnant is totally unfair.

How do you mothers with more than 1 child do it?



P.S. Baby B update tomorrow after OB appt.!

Fashion Friday: Ahoy Mate!

Yes, another week with only a Fashion Friday post, but I was out of town for work for a few days and well, I'm still trying to get back into the swing of things.

Here's another one of Emma's great hand-me-downs. The hat was too cute on her, even with her crazy bangs. And she actually WANTED to keep it on!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Fashion Friday: Puddle Jumping

I realize this isn't really a "fashion forward" outfit, but it is certainly functional and in my opinion, pretty darn cute!



Emma had lots of fun splashing in the puddles in her little rain boots. That is, when they would stay on. They're a little big, so getting in and out of "vroom vroom" (a.k.a. her Dora car) proved to be challenging, but she got the hang of it eventually.



Hopefully the rain is gone for now, and we'll all have nice sunny weekend! I know Emma can't wait to hit the SLIDES! again.

Until next week...

Why I Serve

So I have been missing from the blogging world recently (what, you didn't notice?!!). Well, I have been, but for good reason. Springtime is here, which means crazy ministry time at church. Everything is close to wrapping up for the year, so there's much to be done before summer hits. Specifically, our youth group and church ribbon dancing troop have been taking up a lot of my time.

The problem is that between those things, a few others, work, Emma and pregnancy hormones/exhaustion, I started to get overwhelmed. Really overwhelmed. And I started feeling sorry for myself. I was even getting to the point of getting mad at others who didn't seem as concerned I was about certain things -- or who didn't seem to care that I was running around with 15 hats on my head!!!

And then I had my moment of clarity: During a drive home about a week ago, I was able to spend a little alone time with God. I vented my feelings and my frustrations, and in His awesome quiet voice I heard the word I REALLY needed to hear: Glorify.

You see, THAT is why I do everything I do. Not for me, not for MY glory, and not for the glory of others, but for His. I serve because I love Him. I serve because I want more people to love Him. And I serve because I believe it will make a difference in the New World (Heaven) that I will live in someday.

Somehow, in the midst of our business, it's easy to lose sight of why we do things for others. It's easy to stop and make it about ourselves and feel like we are being used up -- or taken advantage of. But it's in those times that our focus is off God and on ourselves -- which is why serving is no longer enjoyable.

Yes, there are times to re-evaluate your schedule to see if you are burning out. And yes, there are some times you need to take a break to re-energize. But I also think that more often than not, we simply need to remind ourselves that glorifying God is the LEAST we could do for all He has done for us. Plus, when I am doing it for Him, I truly enjoy serving.

I often have people ask me if Jeff and I will "cut down" on our ministries as Emma gets older and especially now with a second child coming, but I really don't know that we will. I want my children to know it isn't about them and that we are called to serve others. It's the only thing that makes a difference in this world.

I will never put my service before my family, but I do intend to make it a part of my family. What better way is there to glorify God?!