Happy Heart Day

I love Valentine's Day. I like pink and red colors and hearts. All the magazine covers during the month of February make my heart beat a little faster. I get excited to make little Valentines cards and I want to string paper hearts around my house. Our gift to each other is our Brown County weekend. We go to a 'cabin' with three other super cool couples and have so much fun. We went last weekend and had a great time laughing and EATING like crazy. I didn't take ANY photos but Brian grabbed the camera and caught some Jenn, Justin, and Kendall cuddle time on the couch. These two are so good with Kendall, she just loves them!

Fun Day

Jennie and I took the girls to the circus today. I didn't get many shots of them watching the circus because they were sitting on our laps. Kendall loved the lel-phants and the tigers but seriously hated the clowns. During the clown part she kept her arms around my neck and her cheek pressed against mine. Occasionally she would wave her arm in the air and say, 'no, no, no, no' or 'bye bye'. Afterwards we grabbed a bite to eat at the mall and the girls did a little window shopping. Tonight we go to Brown County, yippee!!

Girlfriends

I had a doctor's appointment today so after playtime at Noah's Ark Kendall went over to her friend Anna's house. I am once again hijacking photos from someone else but these are too cute to pass up.

Looks like they had a lot of fun!!

Baby Kate will be here before we know it! I now go to the doctor every two weeks instead of every month (only two more appoinments!) and I get an ultrasound everytime that I go to ensure that my fluid is at a good level. She'll be here before we know it!

For Daddy

I haven't been very good about sending pictures to Brian so here are a few pics of what we have been doing:

Cleaning

Playing 'email' at the library

Going outside

Storytime

Church indoor playground

Having tea parties with Anna (Jennie and I found them like this at the church play area, we DID NOT set this up!)

Dancing Queen

Long time no blogy. Brian is still out of town so I'm a little behind on emails and other computer stuff. Kendall has had both really good days and some really bad days. She was terrific on my birthday though! Her "bad" days aren't that she is being bad really but just that she is clingy. After consulting with other moms and Brian we decided that I will just snuggle as much as I can with her now because very soon I wont have that luxury. Actually, since I have been an unconditional snuggler her clinginess has been turned down a bit!

Last night we went to a sock hop thrown by the preschool where Lorie works. Kendall tried out some new break dancing moves on the floor and she also decided to like to dance on a platform (stadium steps) so that everyone could get a good look at her hip moves. All day today she has been saying, "Lorie, dance dance dance" she obviously had a fun time and is associating dancing with Lorie now.

Today we went to the Gap Outlet with Jennie and Anna. We found some maternity clothes and a couple of things for baby Kate. Their 18-24 month selection was pitiful for the little ladies and Kendall only got a knitted winter hat (she loves hats and will carry them around the house taking them on and off).

I had a fantastic birthday. I have such great gals here. Karin and Bailey took Kendall and me to Cheesecake Factory the night before my b-day and Lorie took me out last night. Jennie brought me the cutest stationery set today and I received so many nice emails, calls, cards and packages. I feel so blessed and loved!!

The last couple of days I've been feeling the uncomfortableness of pregnancy really set in, a lot of back pain and even contractions in the middle of the night (that shouldn't happen!!). Ironic that Kendall's clinginess coincides with my big belly and general fatigue! Well, off to do a little picking up and then I'm going to crash!!

Really Big Girl

Yippee, I had an ultrasound today and Kate is great! She is actually measuring farther along then her age (by 4 days). She weighs about 3 1/4 pounds and is in the 57th percentile. Okay, the 57th percentile thing really cracks me up since Kendall just now reached the 3rd percentile. It really is amazing to see that little baby on the screen, to simultaneously see and feel the movements. She has turned and is already in the head down position. I knew that she had turned recently because up until last week I was feeling kicks on the side of my stomach and now it is more at the top and bottom. Her little knees were up by her chin and her hands were in front of her face. The technician tried to get a 3D picture for me but she wouldn't move her hands. I know this sounds silly but really I think that she looked like Kendall! So on the way home I called family to tell them the happy news. I laughed and was happy telling my family but I started to cry on Ron and Susan's answering machine, I don't know why it made me emotional. I'm just so relieved and happy.

This picture isn't very clear, our scanner isn't hooked up so th

is is just a picture of a picture. You can see her little profile: forehead, nose, & lips. Too cute

Cheers Me Up

So Kendall and I are officially on our own now. It was so sad to drop Brian off at the airport this morning, we were all a little quiet and Kendall started crying when we pulled away from the airport without Brian. She keeps asking about him here at home too. So us girls needed a little cheering up and decided to stop at one of my all time favorite places, Whole Foods. When you are in that store you just feel like everything is well in the world. It is just so darn pretty and healthy looking and everyone is incredibly nice in there! Makes you want to eat healthy and drive a Volvo station wagon. If I picture my ideal me I'm a Whole Foods shopper driving a Volvo. We got a few special things like fully cooked sushi (to have for lunch) and Italian soda (I love these thanks to my friend Sarah and always want them when I'm pregnant). I got a French baguette to dip into my yummy sun-dried tomato vinegar and garlic oil from my super cute sister Sara. Also in the cute little cart were delicious strawberries and orzo pasta. Really the soda was the only thing that I had to buy there but I really just wanted to experience the store. Such a happy, organized, and beautiful place.

We miss you!

Big Girls

Come Over Here...

Not much to blog about here, just everyday stuff keeping us busy. Here are a couple of pics of Kendall from today to hold you over until something blog worthy happens around here. I don't know if you can tell but the first one is of her crooking her finger at the camera. This started because I would do it to her when I wanted her to come and have her diaper change so now she thinks it is funny to do it right back to me. Hers is a little different she looks at me with her head down and does pincher fingers. Too cute.

All Girl

What a morning we have had. All before 9a.m. Kendall tried on multiple looks. She is trying to find her own identity at the ripe ol' age of 20 months! I'm really just trying to let her work it out on her own, I did draw the line when she wanted to wear socks with her high heeled flip flops though.

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up with String....

....These are a few of my favorite things.

This is a horribly overexposed photo of Kendall but that is what happens when she tries to look through the camera lens to see you. She also has a cute new phrase, whenever she hears a sound she looks at you all wide eyed and says, "Wha zat?" Brian wants to teach her how to answer the phone saying, "Whazzzzup?"

We had allergy tests done, she was tested for 16 different things all negative (have I already posted on this?).

Excited about: Saturday night I'm going to Scrapmania with my girlfriend Karin. Psyched about that creative time with a great friend AND in February Karin, Jennie(?) and I are taking a quilting class. I have to cram everything I can in before March....ten and a half weeks for those of you that are counting!

Just another note declaring the handy man-liness of my husband. Remember all of those "baby will be here soon and there is way too much to get done" worries? Well, they are no more. Check out what happened over this last weekend!! I'm so proud of him and all of the power tool productivity that occurred! I'm really feeling prepared now and the pre-baby stress is at an all time low. We just have a few more things to do really like organizing the changing table with baskets, getting a dust ruffle and a double stroller. The day after we got the nursery all situated I was so worried that I was going to have the baby (I was afraid that the tradition would continue). Now worries of bed rest are starting to creep into my brain. There was a girl in one of my Bible studies that had low fluid and was put on bed rest....WHAT WOULD I DO?!?!?! Does stress and worry just come with babies and pregnancies??

My Husband Rocks

Brian has been going non stop today. Dani has been offering to keep Kendall for the day anytime that we want and today we took her up on it. I took Kendall over at about 9:30ish and Brian was working by the time I came home. He cleaned the basement and then moved all of the books from the office down (two flights of stairs and about 6 million trips). I moved all of my office stuff into the guest bedroom (currently covering the bed) and then John came over to help Brian move the bookcases down. SO....we have a nursery! I even put the sheets on the crib tonight. I plan to wash them again before the baby uses them but they are there now. Before you all laugh at me for doing this so early remember that I did not get to do this with Kendall. We moved into our house and the following morning I was sent to the hospital to have a very early baby. Anyway back to the nursery, I brought out the so cute papasan that Jenn and Justin gave us for Kendall, I even pulled out all the little bitty clothes to look at. Ah, what fun. I still will need to get a couple of things: crib skirt, play mat & double stroller but we're doing well really on gear.

Kendall put on her new sunglasses from her Gram. She thinks she is such hot stuff in them. As soon as they are on she has to make sure everyone sees her! I love em! Notice that I have to keep pushing her away from me to take the picture, as soon as the camera comes out she wants to put it up to her head. Oh and we had successful night number two on the big girl bed switch-a-roo. Tomorrow will be the first time she has to have a nap in it so say some prayers for us!

Success!

I made Brian a little 'honey do' list of things that needed to get done before he goes out of town and one item on the list was to get Kendall's big girl bed and to move the crib into my old office. Well, today was the big day. We bought the frame and mattress and will order the headboard once we find one we like. We decided to put the mattress directly on the floor (shorter distance to fall). Kendall was really excited and climbed in and out using Gram's little stool. I've been worrying and praying all day about bedtime. We had a busy day so Kendall was worn out. She and I were out buying her sheets during nap time so she slept while we were in Target, she and her daddy went for a walk around the block while I cooked dinner and then we had Jennie, Nathan, and Anna for dinner so Kendall was just tuckered out. We had our normal bedtime routine (about 30/45 minutes later then usual) and then we put her in the bed and I sat on the floor outside her door prepared to sit awhile and prepared to have to keep putting her back in bed. She fussed for about 5 minutes then went right to sleep. I am so thankful. I realize that we may not be free and clear yet but I am just so proud of our Little Bug!

We're home! We had a great time visiting with everyone. Kendall turned into a bit of a grouch but I guess that is to be expected when she is thrown into a different house & routine. I have to remind myself that she is just a baby and that she isn't really being "bad" but just behaving like a baby. She was good about sharing her love with everyone but I think that she may have taken a special liking to Lin. She would sit across the table from her and point saying, "There she is". Lin and Gram gave Kendall the most magnificant ark (that Lin built!)!Complete with two of every animal (actually, there were four bunnies but you know how bunnies are). Kendall loves opening all the doors and sticking things in there. I'm already finding other toys hidden behind the doors. She also received lots of dress up clothes, books, a fantastic vacuum, beautiful bedding for her big girl bed...so much really. When Kendall went to bed after we got home I pulled out every toy in the house and packed up two big boxes to put in the basement so that we can rotate them out.

Since we have been home we've been trying to get organized. We are looking for a bed set for Kendall and slowing moving my office into the guest bedroom so that I can work on a room for Baby Kate. I cleaned the downstairs this morning since Jennie, Nathan, Anna, and Noodle are coming to dinner tomorrow night. Kendall is napping now and then we are going to go over to her Aunt Lorie's house to meet their new puppy, Ollie the Labradoodle. Opps I hear her waking...better go.

Baby's got her Mini Skirt On

It's been crazy around here. I've been trying to get caught up on everything before we head out for Christmas. We had a couple of Christmas parties to go to so Kendall stayed with her Aunt Lorie, she got to try on Aunt Lorie's clothes :) I love the skirt, I think that Lorie wears it as a tube top though!! Scandalous

By the way the title of this post is a tribute to one of my old favorite songs "Baby's Got her Blue Jeans On" Remember that one? I used to walk around the house singing it when I was in Kindergarten (or so I've been told).

If I don't post anymore I hope that everyone has a blessed holiday!

Oh Happy Day

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to Jessy,

Happy Birthday to you.

Love you!!

Little Imp

Doesn't this look like trouble in the making? Obviously someone has been getting into m

y things! I can tell what she is thinking, 'maybe if I smile really cute then she wont notice the beads on the floor and the stuff around my neck'. Actually this is just the face she makes when she sees the camera. She also runs as close to it as she can get so I'm always pushing her back or directing her to stand somewhere else so I can get her picture. Love this little monster! It's a good thing too because she is currently going from two down to one nap which means that by four o'clock she is such a grump!

Panic Mode

So last night I officially entered panic mode. Only THREE more months!! I have SO much to do that I haven't even begun that I need to get done before our newest little girly joins the family. I have to move out of my office (I'm already missing this space) and we have to get the crib moved, the walls painted the packed up clothes out. Kendall needs a bed, we need a double stroller (don't we?). I have to mentally prepare myself and do what I can to get caught up on things so that when she gets here I'm not starting out behind. breath, breath... Did I mention that Brian is going to be out of town for three consecutive weeks next month? I can do this. I'm going to be enlisting some help early in January (my girl Dani will be off of school for a little while and can take Kendall once or twice) I hope to get some painting done in the girls' rooms then. I can use nights after Kendall is in bed to work some.

Seriously this is such a bad picture but I wanted to show my belly. I think that finally people can tell I'm pregnant now and not just putting on weight (although I'm doing that too but that is a whole other ranting).

Bobbed

The Little Bug got a haircut today and she did SO well! Not a single fuss the whole time. She has a little bob cut just below her ears and is looking super stylish and grown up. It's very hard to get a shot of her since she won't stop moving but here are my best attempts.