25 weeks and HUGE!!!

I have to start by saying I am quite the hypocrite. I LOVE when my pregnant friends post pregnant pictures of themselves on their blogs or facebook or just email them to me :o). I am always asking for more, yet I hardly ever even take pictures of myself when I am pregnant let alone post them for others to see. Plus I am so much bigger this time around than I was with Adelle. I think I was about this big when I had her. Anyway I decided I needed to repent, if even just a little.

This is my sister-in-law Andrea who's 36 weeks, isn't she adorable? I am so happy that we are finally pregnant at the same time, I knew if I didn't get a picture of it I would regret it forever. Those are the things you can't take back. And I am glad I did.

On a side note, today, Sunday, we are having Adelle's birthday party. So keep posted on some fun pictures!!!

Getting Things Done...

I've been busy getting some projects finished. As projects for me tend to go, they always take a lot longer and have much more backtracking than I anticipate. So here are two projects that I finally finished at about the same time.

Ryan painted this $35 crib, it was a lot of work for him but I really love it. I love it's vintage look. My contribution was the bumper. There were 3 different patterns that I went through before deciding on this one. I did a LOT of unstitching and starting over. I thought it would be much like a long skinny quilt, but I found it more difficult for many reasons. But it's finished and I am pleased with it.

Next I will be making a matching quilt for baby Lydia. That should be much easier and I am excited to get started on that. (well excited now that all my other hair pulling projects are finished)

This antique rocking chair was a craigslist find that we got for $75. I painted it white and then re-upholstered it. Its not the best baby-rocking chair, so I've matched it to go in the living room. I know the white on white makes it different to see the detail, but it has some beautiful engraving that I love.

Photo Shoot....Kinda

As I was getting some things done in Adelle's room, I put her in her crib to "play". This is the first time she's been in her crib standing, and not sleeping. (we just barely set up her room about a week ago. She's been in a small bassinet till now) I told her she could jump on her mattress, and one she tried it she couldn't stop. This crib was quite the toy, and she had a blast jumping and laughing with me.

The lighting was good so I thought I'd give my camera another shot, since I've kinda been on picture strike. I can't figure out how to get my pictures just right. I think these turned out pretty great, considering it was completely impromptu.

Enjoy.

I told her to kiss her bunny.

I don't want to make this a Birthday post because I am not sure what I want to do yet. Adelle turns ONE tomorrow (Monday). I am quite excited, even if Dad isn't here. We're celebrating her birthday party on Thursday. So check back with us soon!

Nephews...

I am watching Vanessa's boys, my nephews. I am thinking they like me and everything is going great. Darion is playing with a toy phone and I over hear him say:

"I just missed the sound of your voice"

"Oh" I say, "Why don't you ever say that to me?"

Darion: "Because your voice never goes away."

Gee Thanks.

Here They Come...

Many annoying Motherhood blogs. I can tell I am about to become one of those annoying bloggers that blog about every "cute" thing their kids do. I don't know any of those bloggers but I am sure you do. Put me on that list.

Today I took Adelle's clothes off getting ready to put her in the bath. She sat next to her dirty pile of clothes, grabbed her dirty sock, and put it on her foot. I couldn't believe my eyes. As a nanny I always LOVED that stage when the kids learned the basic idea of where clothes go and try to put it on themselves. Put the hat or the shirt on their head. The rest should fall into place right? I've always wondered when Adelle would get to that point cognitively. I never imaginied it would happen this soon.

After I made a big deal about that, I took the sock away and then asked her to do it again. She did, two more times. It wasn't a fluke, my babies trying to dress herself. Ahhh yippee, this is so much fun!

Change is Good.....Right?

Ryan and I are preparing for some big changes in our lives. We've been cleaning out our house, taking stuff to Salvation Army, giving stuff away, selling stuff on Craigslist and giving stuff to friends. We've been moving furniture, painting furniture and re-painting furniture. It has been very busy here, but we have gotten a lot accomplished. Why all this moving and choas?

Most of you know Ryan and I will be having a little Lydia baby in May. She will be in our room and we're making preparations for Adelle's room downstairs. Ryan and I have also decided to do foster care. We are in the licensing process with Denali Family Services and we have a lot of training and home requirements we have to meet. Our social worker has told us there are two brothers, ages 7 and 8, who will most likely be needing a foster home by the end of the month. Normally it can take months to get licensed but she has put us on the fast track and we're going to be busting our booties to get it all done in time.

I have also made another decision, almost. I have wanted to be a midwife for awhile now but never knew how to become one up here in Alaska. Some wonderful midwives have put me in contact with an online school called The Aviva Institute. I am really interested in the program, it's 3 years, after all of the online schooling you mentor with a local midwife to finish your training. One of the main reasons for Ryan and I doing foster care is to use the money to get out of debt and then pay for both of our schooling. This is our plan as of now.

One thing I have a lot to be thankful for, besides a very helpful husband and family, is my nesting instincts. It gives me the drive to get a lot done, even when I don't have the energy. Got to have a fluffy feathered nest for all the little chicks we'll be having in it.

Stinky Boots...

Today I had a moment of pure joy! It goes like this:

Yesterday as I was putting a new pair of boots on Adelle and I started playing a game with her I'll call "stinky boots". I would smell the inside of the boot, sniff loudly so she could hear what I was doing, and then offer it to her. (They're not really stinky.) At first she thought I was trying to feed it to her (she's only 11 months), but after a bit she let me put it over her nose, and sometimes she would make sniffing sounds too. More like she was laughing/sniffing, but I am sure thats what she thought I was doing. I hammed it up! Dramatizing every sniff, every sniff of hers, STINKY STINKY! It was a fun game.

Today I got her ready to go out, put her boots on and sat her on the couch while I got some things done. A few minutes later I looked in on her. She had taken off her boot and was holding it over her nose, ALL on her own. She remembered this game after a whole day! When I laughed at her and asked her if she was playing "Stinky Boots" she laughed like she knew what I was talking about. How brilliant is this little thing?

THIS is what being a parent is all about! Teaching your kids and watching them learn. (maybe I should start with something more intellectual? Nah.)

This Year I WILL Do It...

New Years resolutions are one of those things I think about for a few minutes, pick one, and say I will try. I put as much effort into trying as I did choosing that challenge. In fact I think many years my goals were "be a better person". Of course I ALWAYS accomplished that :o).

So THIS year I have 2 resolutions. I can do that right? Just two.

#1
Visit the Temple once a month.

#2
Pay tithing with EVERY check we get. Not monthly, not when I feel like it or we have the money. With every paycheck, put it in the mail.

I can do this, and I want you all to keep me to my word. Bug me about it. Ask how I am doing. Tell me you don't think I can so I can PROVE YOU WRONG!

Wish me luck!