Wordful Wednesday Post - Smile!

A few smiley moments...

Katie burried under stuffed animals. 

She's got plenty of stuffed animals so we just let these visit her in the cart...  and anyway, they weren't in our budget* so we didn't buy them.

 *The budget thing is probably the best idea I've come up with.  Katie gets it, and she makes me stick with it.  That's why I no longer share my shopping list with her.  You know, just in case something jumps into my cart and beggs to be taken with us... It's hard to hear your 4 year old tell you in a sing-song teacher voice, "Mommyyyyy, we didn't budget for that." It's a bummer when I hear that and see her stern look which is coincedentally kind of similar to mine.  I know I've got to put it away to set a good example.  Ugh.

Here's Jake playing with Paigey's toys... he loved the Little People set.

Katie had a great time at Lego Land and Jake?  He made a bit of a mess with the legos that are out for kids to play with and then tried to pull them out of the color specific cubbies built into a huge wall that are *not* out for kids to play with.  (I know it was a kid-friendly space but the color arrangement in the cubbies was so... perfect... I didn't think he should be allowed within 5 feet of the wall.  But he had fun anyway.)

Jake.  Playing with my pots and pans.  He loves to do this still, to this day!  And sometimes he'll put them away.  (Sometimes he'll bring them to the living room too, and that's okay.  I usually only need one.)

Jake in Texas.  Just around the time he was learning to walk.  So sweet... and a little wobbly!  He tried to run away but just had to stop and look to see if I would follow him.

Oh, the guy in the background on roller skates totally took a tumble a little after this picture was taken.  Super funny, or so I hear.  I was too busy trying to catch Jake to watch the action.

I am participating in the Invisalign Teen Bright Smiles Holiday Photo Contest with Dumb Mom.  Because she told me to, and because I might win something.  Plus, I like sharing old pictures of the kids being cute!



Legos are fun... when I'm not stepping on them in my living room.

Super fun day yesterday. I left work early to go with John for a "consultation"... you know... to make sure that we don't grow into a family of SIX in a couple of years, instead of the family of five we'll become in June... ahem.

So, I was pretty much giddy that I was just an observer and that I wasn't the one being poked and prodded... or listening to crying at one of the kids' appointments (shots=crying and the fear of shots also?=crying) and John may have thought I was a little too happy/excited but really? I needed this. I'm calling us even for my pregnancies, labors, and deliveries. John? Well, he was kind of quiet during the consult.

No pictures from our appointment (John would have objected) but do I have some from our trip to the Mall of America.

Mom needed to pick something up from the good ol' MOA (where we've been like twice in the past 10 years - both of those times were in the same week when family was visiting from Texas) and she invited me and the kiddos to come!

We ate dinner at Ruby Tuesday, did some looking around in the American Girl store (Katie was loving it) and I bought two (maternity) tops and a pair of pants (such a strange phrase... they don't sell'em as a two pack) on clearance.

Something that made my night? Oh sure, I'll share!

I was getting a belly band (to keep my pants up because the rubber bands thru the belt loop were prone to unexpected breakage... just ask me how I know this...) and I mom asked the lady if the size 0 was right. She said "oh sure. That's the regular one size fits all." And then she said...

"And your definately NOT a plus size."

I couldn't believe it. It made my week! And I wasn't even wearing my skinny jeans! (And by skinny I mean that I feel skinny when I wear them... not the skinny that cuts off circulation in your legs if you're larger around than a toothpick.)

Then we went home. And I'm still basking in the compliment glow. <happy sigh>

And that's my excitement.

And baby makes three... *gulp*

Three.

Threeeee

Threeeee kids...

We're still trying to wrap our minds around that news even after the ultrasound where we saw the baby's heartbeat.  Even after nausea became my (unwanted) pal.  Even after waking up at least 3 times each night for a bathroom break.  Even after noticing my pants getting just a little bit tighter....

      Even after thinking we were perfectly happy with

                  one boy

                          and

                              one girl.

Yep, we're still trying to wrap our minds around having a baby.

We're excited though.  I mean, after we got over the whole "wow" factor (where we repeated that one word every time we thought about the baby), after we processed the whole thing and the shock wore off and it really hit us that we were going to be parents again... we were more excited.

And here I thought I had put away my wistful* thoughts of going through pregnancy again, of feeling the little flutters, of waiting to see how this new little person would grow up, and my dreams of being able to snuggle with a tiny baby (who can't push mommy away because he or she is too busy playin') but now, with this news, they're back in full force. 

*Sure, I was thinking more in a "wouldn't it be nice but nope, we're good where we are" way but what's that old saying?

Oh, and in case you're wondering... things I'm not looking forward to would include (but aren't limited to) sleepless nights, baby vomit, buying formula, and changing 50 diapers in a day.

So I'm due in June.  With number 3. 

Here's an ultrasound pic showing the baby at about 8 weeks.


And this one will be our last. 

(Really.  I know we said that after Jake, but this time it's absolutely, definitely, positively FOR SURE.)