My, what great timing we have!

We got out of school Friday, and immediately came home to start replacing all of the flooring in the back bottom half of the house. (Family room, kitchen, and dining room) I'll post before/during/and after pictures next week. We're on the final push to get the house cleaned, catch up on laundry, and finish our baking today since we start 3 days of Christmas tomorrow!

So, until next week.... MERRY CHRISTMAS!

25 week fears

Stella crawled in be with us last night and then I couldn't fall back to sleep. My brain was going crazy about so many things. One of which were some of my fears now that we're 15 weeks away from being a family of four. Recently, someone shared with me the old, "I was worried that I wouldn't be able to love the second as I had the first." I've never had this concern, but my anxiety-ridden self has many other concerns. Here are the top ones at the moment:



1) I'm going to miss both of them. When Stella was born we were able to spend hours just watching her, snuggling her, listening to her, and talking about her. With a 3 year old in the house I'm worried that I won't be able to just enjoy her and get to know her the way we did last time. I'm also afraid I'm going to miss Stella. A little one is going to take up so much of my time. Time that, until now, has been solely dedicated to Stinker. We'll lose a lot of our snuggling time and Jim will be doing more for her I'm sure. I'm terrified that I'm going to miss her!



2) I don't want No. 2 to be the "other" sister who just can't compete. I rolled over last night and told Jim, "I don't want No. 2 to be the '.........' of the family!" You can say it won't happen, but let's face it, we all know those people. Just recently we had two sisters in our classes. The older was DARLING, smart, kind, responsible, funny, involved, etc etc etc. Then there was the second - not so nice, not as smart, not as cute, and so on. She was more althletic, but in the grand scheme of life, how much does that matter??? In my eyes Stella is pretty much the most amazing person I've ever known. She's smart, funny, sweet, and beautiful. I don't want the little one to ever feel like she can't live up to Stella.



3) Lack of sleep! I remember how hard it was for me last time, and Stella already wakes us up many nights, plus I won't be able to take naps. I don't do well with little sleep!



Some of these may be normal, some may be because I'm a worrier by nature. Regardless, they were keeping me up last night, and I'm sure there will be many more that suddenly occur to me over the next 3 1/2 months.

Pinkalicious!

I'm behind on my weekly updates (again, it's more for No. 2 than the blog - I plan on making a little photo album with them).

Today I finished our Christmas cards, I actually made 3 and we had to choose one, and then finished Stella's birthday invitations. I can't believe my "baby" is going to be 3 just days after Christmas. It's tough to switch gears between Christmas planning and birthday planning, but I'm trying.

Now, I'm NOT a pink kind of girl. I think I can count on one hand the number of pink articles of clothing I've owned. Stella, however, is completely crazy for pink and loves the books about Pinkalicious. So, we're planning a Pinkalicious birthday party for her. I think it will be cute... We got our new 2010 edition of Microsoft Works which included Publisher - I make all of our cards in that program and love it! Want to see the invites?

I set the size to 4x6 and save it as a jpeg. They fit really well in the colored envelopes at Michaels and it's so affordable when you're just paying for 4x6 photo prints!

Daughter(s)

I was listening to my Christmas playlist today and a song came on that I've never heard before (or at least never paid attention to). It's Perry Como's "The Father of Girls". The song is a bit of a snooze, but I printed the lyrics for Jim, check them out!

23 weeks and something non-baby (FINALLY!)

23 weeks and getting BIG!

So, here's one of the crafts we've been working on. Our little coniferous advent calendar. It was so easy and actually turned out cuter than I'd expected. I'd still like to get some "snow" and lights to put around the trees, but I kind of like it. There are a few drawbacks though... With the "calendar" itself - the tape I used to form the cones isn't strong enough to hold them, they're popping open. Second, I can't imagine how I could possibly pack these up and have them come out next winter. That means next year I'll be doing something differently. I think I'll do a felt stocking garland advent calendar. I'd like it to be something that will hold up through our girls growing up so they remember pulling it out each year.

I need to get to work on what we're going to use for the treats though. I don't want to use all candy, but anything more is going to get awfully expensive. The 1st is one week away and I only have a few things so I need to get moving!

Finally, here's the little Stinker's 23 week belly! :) We can't get enough of this little character!

22 weeks

I've been meaning to do house posts, things have just been crazy! We had a little wind storm Monday night - Jim told me that the neighbor said they haven't lost power here for years. That was music to my ears since we lost it several times a year at our old place. 30 minutes later and we were in the dark. It didn't come back until 9am Tuesday morning. I think we've jinxed our new little neighborhood. I hope they don't force us out!

I got a new camera that I am in LOVE with, but I could spend days online looking at tutorials to better learn how to use it. We got the Nikon D3100 - I already have a few lenses on my wishlist. Maybe the rain will stop long enough I can take Stella out for a little photoshoot. It's too bad that all of the leaves have been blown off the trees in the storm.

Monday Jim got his 'monster' truck back. They still have some work to do, but it already looks amazing and he's crazy about it.

We also got new carpet Tuesday. It's wonderful, but... I'm not too thrilled with the color we chose. That's kind of sad. I'm hoping that it will grow on me soon.

Finally, Jim has strep. Stella might have strep. I'm thinking that means I'm next. YUCK! So, house posts are on the back burner for a bit.

I have a few holiday crafts too so maybe I'll be able to sneak them in! I'm SO ready for the Christmas season and all that it entails.

21 weeks

In house news - we're out of school tomorrow so the plan is to make some decisions on flooring. Thanksgiving is 2 weeks away, and I want at least the front room carpet done before then. (I want my tree up the day after Thanksgiving and don't like the idea of putting it up and then moving it for carpet). Jim and I will be doing the laminate ourselves again at this house. It's about 450 square feet and was going to cost more than $5K to have it installed! I'm not sure if we'll get to that over Thanksgiving break or if we'll wait until Christmas. I'm all for taking a day off work and just getting it done, but it's not as easy for administrators. I'd like to get it done sooner than later so there'll be less interference from the belly! I just cannot wait to get all of that nasty old flooring that someone else has gotten dirty OUT of my house!

Week 20

19 weeks!

Ok, so I'm a bit late, but here it is!

And... I'm thinking I'm going to do a little house tour of the new digs. Mostly so that someday (hopefully when this place looks like the picture I have in my head) I can look back and remember how far we've come. Plus, who doesn't like to look into other people's houses? I know I do! It will take a while to get pictures, but I'd like to post pictures of each room along with our (ok, my) plans for them. In addition to documenting the before pictures, it will help me organize what I want and get down what I like/dislike about each room. Plus, I've noticed that sometimes I see things in a different light in pictures. I wish I'd taken pictures before we moved in so we could have some true "befores" and have actual photos of the hideous paint colors, but we'll have to start from here. I wish we could go crazy and do everything now, but I know it will come in time and hope that this house will be whipped into shape before Stella leaves for college! Hopefully I'll get room 1 in sometime next week.

So very very wrong

We went for our ultrasound Friday morning. (After a VERY rough Thursday night in which Jim and our puppy got attacked by a dog in our driveway. It's a long terrifying story and the dog is still limping, but we can't stop thinking how lucky we were that Stella was with them!)

Anyway... obviously, our first concern was for this little one to be healthy. I've been so paranoid this time around. Since I might be 35 when No. 2 is born, we had extra genetic testing where she described all of the markers they look for which could indicate down syndrome and other birth defects. She also showed us the chart in which birth defects skyrocket after age 35. SCARY!

We were CERTAIN that this one was a boy. Jim's aunt (who predicted us getting pregnant with Stella before we did had told us a boy was coming. Sounds like nothing to you I know, but this woman isn't wrong about things.) We've had a boy name picked out that we are in love with since we were pregnant with Stella, and all we thought about was boy things. How to decorate his nursery, what Saturday football games would be like, how it would be boys against girls. Jim already had plans in the making to take him to watch big machinery work. So, I have to admit, we were both shocked (and kind of dissappointed) when he said it was a girl.

Can you believe that I was sad? What a JERK! I told him that a year ago if I had known I would shed tears when we found out it was a girl I would have honestly punched myself in the face! We didn't think No. 2 was going to happen for us. We were on our 8th or 9th (and final) IUI. I had just gotten paperwork in the mail about adoption the week before. I'd prepared myself to deal with the fact that Stella might be an only child, and here I was dissappointed! Honestly, I could not have felt worse about myself.

I know that it's going to be great. I'm thrilled because I know that they'll be great friends when they grow up and I'm sure be closer than a girl/boy would have. Plus, I feel like girls stay closer to their parents when they're adults. At the time however, all I could think of would be the things we would miss. Stella is such my little pal. We do so much together, she likes to cook, craft, shop, etc. I really wanted Jim to experience that. I wanted to look out in the backyard and watch them throwing the football. I also wanted to know what it was like to have a son. So many people say that sons love their moms differently and I wanted to know what that felt like.

I just laugh at people who say, "Well, maybe you'll have to have 3." Um, no. Neither of us are up for any more trips to the Dr. to get preggo!

We're getting used to the idea (it's taking longer for him), and I know that it will be amazing. We quickly found ourselves saying "she" and "her" after 4 1/2 months of referring to it as he. Jim even said I look different to him now. How funny. He's almost acting like I'm more fragile since there's a girl instead of a boy in my belly. Isn't that crazy???

So, more pink, more babies, and more tea parties are on our horizon!

18 weeks

We find out if we'll be buying a football or drowning in more pink on Friday!

Week 17

It would be great if I knew how to make the pictures bigger...

Week 16

So, not only is my husband NOT a photographer as I stated in my last post, it turns out he's completely impatient and annoyed by me asking him to take these pictures. Granted, I may be a bit bossy about it and the dog and daughter are running around our feet playing/fighting/crying, but still, this is a big deal so I'm going to keep pushing him to take more! (That picture on the right? That's me laughing at him being a big grump!)

15 weeks (a week late)

So, I saw this series and loved it! We took weekly pics of the belly with Stella, and I tried to write letters to her as we went along, but that never goes as planned. I thought this would be a great way to watch the belly grow and document what's going on at the same time. I'm doing this more for us to look back on (and I think I'll have a little book made at some point), so if it's not remotely interesting to you I apologize!

*Please keep in mind that the man taking the photos in the link is a PHOTOGRAPHER and his wife is ADORABLE! Thus, our pictures will be MUCH less impressive, but again, it's more for us to look back on. (side note - who are all of these people have expansive bare walls to use as backdrops for pictures? We barely have a foot and a half of bare wall in the entire house!)

This was last weeks, week 16 is coming soon. (I'm sure you're holding your breathe waiting!)

It's a BOY!!

Ok, ok, well not officially - sorry. But according to one of my students. A tiny little Sophomore boy told me today, "I think you're having a boy. When women are pretty they're having a girl, and when... yeah.... um... I mean..." He's appologized at LEAST 3 times, poor kid. They think I'm so scary who knows what he's afraid I'll do!

Honestly, I still have a post about getting preg and one about all of the recent education hoopla brewing if I can ever find time to try to write anything coherent!

Worth the wait!

I am beyond thrilled to say that Stella is going to be a big sister! It took longer than expected (again), but I'm thrilled we all get to experience this together. Doesn't it look like she's saying, "YEEEEESSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!! FINALLY!" We're due March 22, and I can't wait to have a spring baby this time around. Watch out for lots of little bare arms and legs, YUM!

I have a lot of thoughts about our issues (and the issues of many others) getting pregnant, but I'll wait until another post - I don't want to put a damper on this darling pic!

What really matters

So, not much has changed except that as Luger grows so is his energy level. Jim laughs on the phone because I spend most of the conversation yelling, "Luger NO, stop biting, OW, drop it, LUGERRRRRR!!!!!" Murphy and I had special relationship. He ADORED me, and the feeling was mutual. I really think now that it might be a one time kind of deal. It's definitely not that way for me right now with Luger. I do see huge amounts of potential in him though and I'm hoping that he'll get more snuggly when he outgrows the constant chewing.

Anyway, as I was going to write in this post, what is really important is that he and Stella are crazy about each other. We've been careful to make sure she's the dominant one and I think it's working. He does freak her out sometimes when he won't stop biting her (he's almost as big as her already). But she can take his food, lay on him, and when he bites her she grabs the skin on his cheek to pull him away. She can pet him, chase him, brush him - things she never could have done with the other dogs. So, if I have to choose between me having a bond with a dog or her, I'll choose her in a heartbeat. That is, after all, why we him.

She is so sweet, she hates if he cries, gets in his crate with him, feeds him, and sweet talks him. We really are blessed. (I'll have to remind myself of that next time I'm home alone with them both, I'm in the shower, she's crying, and he's peeing on my bath mat!)

He loves to sleep on the mantels and she gave him a pillow, her blankie, and her babies. Awwww

Maybe before summer is over I'll get around to posting about a few of the other things we've been up to!

I'm exhausted and I think we're idiots!

After all we went through with our other 2 dogs we were happy to go without any pets for "a while". I was really enjoying it and had no intentions of getting another. Well, we did miss having a dog and the security you get from one and realized if we didn't get one NOW it was going to be a long time before another opportunity arose. So... we got a sleepy, chill, fluffy black 8 week old German Shephard. Jim named him "Lugar" and he really was (ok, is) darling.

BUT - now I'm exhausted and thinking I made a huge mistake! I'm the dog person, but Jim is crazy about him, and I'm not sure I am. It could be because he's SO MUCH WORK! I don't remember it being like this. All he does is pee, poop, and chew on EVERYTHING. I spend my entire day and night chasing him and yelling "no"! (Jim claims he comes when you call him - I haven't had that happen yet). He has to get up in the middle of the night, he screams in his kennel all night, and have I mentioned the chewing? On us, furniture, shoes, boxes, EVERYTHING!

I really hope he chills out soon, I'm just not up for this. I'd upload a pic so you could see just how adorable he is, but I don't have the energy to get up and get the camera. Maybe next time.

The house is coming along slowly. My mom and I finished painting kitchen cabinets yesterday (which now make the counters look infinitely WORSE). Maybe I'll feel like it's suitable for posting pictures before the year is out.

Hope some of you are finding some time to relax, I'll live vicariously through you!

Busy but good

Wow - almost 3 months without a post. Sorry, Melissa - I think you're probably the only one who may still read this thing.

We're slowly getting moved into the "new" house. It's so different from last time. Our last house was brand new and we got to pick flooring, counters, etc. This house was built in 1980. The guy who we bought it from (who I happened to go to HS with and is C.R.A.Z.Y), did a LOT of work on this place. The neighbors said he quit work to go back to school, but then didn't go to school and just pretty much worked on it. Some of the work he did is AMAZING and is part of what sold us on the house. He put in wood floors upstairs, new windows, a new roof, new doors, and did a fantastic job putting in trim throughout. However, he (or they possibly) had awful taste in some things. The bathroom vanities are very nice quality, but not even a little bit our style. They're very frilly. His paint choices were pretty shockingly bad too. I'd try to tell you, but can't convey it. When I tell people they are still surprised at how bad it is when they get here. So, the painter is coming next week I hope, I'm going to do what I can with the kitchen until we can save enough to redo it, the floors, ceilings, and built ins around the brick.

We're SO happy here though already. We're not in a mass development, we have a much bigger back yard, and the commute is 1/3 what it was last year. It's 7 glorious minutes to get Stella to the babysitters! Living in the apartment was much tougher on her than I'd expected, so that's another reason we're thrilled to finally be in.

Hopefully I'll get some pictures posted soon (Melissa - there's a moving announcement headed your way).

Other than the house, things are great. And I mean REALLY REALLY great! :)

Updates

Apparently it's been a while since I've visited and it's been pointed out that a few things have happened that may be noteworthy.

The first is that we sold our house. I was prepared (expecting) for it to take about 4 months. We worked our BUTTS off for two weeks trying to "stage" it. I spent more money than Jim wanted, we took several loads to the Goodwill, Jim's friend took a load to the dump for us, we rented a storage unit and loaded it up. It also involved, painting, mulch, light fixtures, planting flowers, and more. It's nice to know that it all paid off because even in this market we sold our house in EIGHT days! I'm so grateful, getting kicked out of our home so often was really taking a toll on the little one.

I thought that looking for a new place would be the fun part, but so far it's proven to be much more frustrating. I think we'll be renting a place to give ourselves plenty of time to find the perfect place.

I guess the other "news" is that about an hour ago Jim had our dog Annie put to sleep. She was the sweetest ole thing you can imagine. I always joked that she could go home with anyone and she'd be happy if they'd just love her. It was a sudden thing - this time yesterday I had no clue it was coming. In 4 months we went from 2 dogs to none, such a shocker!

So, in memory of our first dog... I love you Annie!

Quite possibly the cutest puppy I've ever seen:

And her happiest moments - camping and a stuffed animal.

Hmmm...

Jim and I were watching The Pacific last night. A woman was talking about her daughter: "Stella is our only blessing. I asked prayed for more babies, but God said 'No'. There's nothing you can do when God says 'No'."

We just turned and looked at each other. Whoa.

Ever since it's been echoing in my head, "When God says 'No'"

I Heart Faces - Baby Love

This is my entry for I Heart Faces "Hands Week". One of my favorite pics from Stinker as an almost newborn! Photography-wise it may not be the best picture ever, but I adore it!

Update

I don't have much time because I know Stink is going to wake up any second, but I wanted to do a little update.

A wonderful friend found a home for my Murph! Her sister fostered him for almost a week and a half (what a blessing!) until I could take him to his new home on Saturday. Mom and Bev drove me to Ellensburg to take him to meet his new family. I'm so grateful that they were there - if I'd been alone I know that I'd have sobbed most of the way. (Plus, we got to check out the Snoqualmie Casino on the way home. What a treat!)

His new family is WONDERFUL! They are a retired couple who have a farm on almost 4 acres. I was worried about several things: they have 2 cats (he does NOT like small furry animals), their yard isn't fenced and he's never been able to run free, and there are a lot of other dogs around (ok, he doesn't really like ANY furry animals). Well, Murph did get a little snarly with a dog while we were there, but the man was SO patient. He didn't freak out (like I did), he just said they'd have to work it out and it would be ok. The cats live outside so I don't think that will be an issue. And... the woman called the next morning to say that Murphy is doing great and they love him. He comes back home when he's let outside, he's been palling (is that a real word?) around with all of the guys, and he even got to sleep on the bed the first night. He loves to be outside so I know he's going to love it there!

I miss him desperately, but I can handle that as long as I know that he is safe, happy and loved!

Stella is doing great and doesn't seem any worse for wear after all of this. It's almost completely healed and although she may have a small scar under her eye I don't think it will be anything that's noticeable.

Maybe someday soon I'll actually be able to post about normal things again...