Alert! Alert!

As I mentioned in the last post, we had some family photos done last night. The photographer came to our house and just started snapping away! We headed to Little Mulberry Park for some outdoor pictures and she was just great. Kyle and I kept joking that we had a babysitter for the afternoon. While she was taking pictures of Jackson they would just traipse all over that playground and he had a new best friend. She was quick too! She already posted a little sneak peak on her blog. Go check them out at her blog. I would post one here, but stupid me forgot to ask for permission. I'll get on that though, because I think the one of all 3 of us would be an amazing header for the old blog!

Unfortunately, Avery is moving to Texas at the end of this month. But she is going to be coming back in our area occasionally to book sessions. I know for sure we will be booking again!

Fun times

Hot husband teaching adorable son how to bowl. MELTS MY HEART!!! We took Jackson bowling for the first time last week and we had a blast. Look, he even got his own little pair of bowling shoes. He actually had a higher score than me in the first game. I really stink at bowling, but it is so much fun! If y'all live anywhere close to Dacula, you need to go to the brand new bowling alley. It was so clean and nice. I've never been to a bowling alley where I actually felt safe using the restrooms. Good times, good times!

Jackson and I packed up for the weekend and headed to visit with family in North Carolina. My mom graciously went with us too. We all hopped in the car on Friday morning and had such a fun time. Jackson had another first while we were there. First ride on a LIVE horse.

My aunt Robyn led him around on her son's horse. He was a little iffy about actually being on the horse, but he loved petting them and looking at them. There were 2 mules in my grandmother's pasture, and Jackson just kept begging to go over there and see them. We had to tell him that the "horsies are taking a nap", to keep him from darting across the road to go see them.

It wasn't all fun and games while we were in NC. Mamaw always has something going on. SO, we picked blueberries, picked green beans, picked cucumbers, etc. I can't say that I did all of that. I stayed back and watched Jackson some of the time while Mama and Mamaw slaved away. Mamaw was lying down taking a little afternoon rest while Mama and I went and picked blueberries on Friday afternoon. Y'all, picking blueberries is not fun. You have to dig into those bushes, and move them all around, and stretch, and bend, and you get the point. We brought our cool whip bowl back full of blueberries, and I was pretty proud of myself. After Mamaw woke up she asked us why we hadn't picked more! Too funny. She really is a workaholic at the youthful age of 87.

We did get some relaxation while we were there too. Lots of front porch sitting went on.
As far as my memory goes back, I can remember loving this front porch. I would sit in my Papaw's lap and laze the afternoon away. We had family gatherings on this porch. My best friend Mandy and I were swinging too high and broke the swing. (We promptly got a stern talking to by Mamaw who told us that we needed to go on a diet. Then she offered us some home made pound cake with strawberries.) I would climb the rails on the porch and pretend that I was in a Broadway musical. Lots and lots of good memories. And this weekend I watched my little one play away as I sat on the swing. That is what they call full circle, y'all.
It was nice to get home, but it was great to get up there for the weekend. It was one of those "good for the soul" kind of trips.

This week is going to be even more busy, so I really needed that little weekend! We're having family pictures done on Wednesday. Do any of y'all stress over this like I do? We're having the pictures made at our house, which is even more stressful because everything has to be clean! You can check out the photographer here. She takes the most gorgeous pictures and I can't wait! We're also heading down to Florida for a long weekend. So.... should be fun! I'll be back next week with an update and some pictures!

Slowly, slowly, slowly I'm starting to feel more like a human and less like a sloth. I'm heading towards my 12th week of pregnancy and everyday I feel more energized. For a few weeks there, it was pretty rough. It was all I could do to get home from work and get dinner together and have Jackson in bed. I don't remember being that tired when I was pregnant with Jackson, but I guess being pregnant when you already have another child is a whole different ballgame.

Summer has been full and lovely, though. We've had lots of great time outside and lots of time with loved ones. Here's what I found Jackson doing one night when I was watering the garden: I know, we're in a drought. But I don't think he had it on too long. That spicket is pretty loose, so he managed to turn it on himself. I think it was on just long enough to drench himself good and for me to run in and get the camera. Every kid should have this experience, right? Sweet summertime.

Jackson has also become kind of obsessed with youtube. You remember this from a few years ago?

Here's Jackson's version


Please excuse my excruciatingly annoying voice in the video. Try to focus on the cute little boy who is dancing. Do I really sound like that? Wow. Jackson is so animated when he sings the song, but gets a little shy in front of the camera. It is hilarious, though. I promise you that.

Our 4th of July was great. A day full of swimming, laying out in the sun, lots of good food, and fireworks. What can get better than that? Here's the little man with a sparkler:
That just screams danger, right? A 2 year old with a lighted object in his hand. But we all walked away unharmed. Here we are at the fireworks, trying desperately to get a family picture. This is the best out of all of the attempts:Kyle's talking, Jackson's not looking at the camera, and I... well for starters, it's obvious that is way past my bedtime of 8:00pm. But we did our best.

What else, what else??? Oh, WE AREN'T HAVING TWINS. I know I had informed some of you that this might be the case. The midwife thought at our first ultrasound that she possibly saw two babies. But our 2nd ultrasound determined that it is just one little peanut in there. I never really felt like it was twins anyways. If it was, I think I would have gone into a mild state of shock. But the one little one is doing great with a strong little heart and seems to be forming beautifully!

I can't think of much else that needs updating right now. We've been pretty predictable lately. Work, eat, sleep, play, etc. I am going back to part time hours. That is a blessing, for sure! I hope you are all doing lovely!

I'm trying, but I've got nothing

1st trimester pregnancy brain has set in. I've been trying to come up with some clever post, but it is really just taking too much thought and I feel like if I have to think that hard to come up with something, I really have nothing good to write about. So, here is a list of what my life has been like in the past couple of weeks.

1. Sleep. No matter how hard I try, my eyes won't stay open beyond 9 pm. Last night Kyle was so sweet and brought me a yummy coffee home. With caffeine. I've been trying to stay away from the stuff, but last night I thought, what the heck? I'll have my coffee and stay up a little later with Kyle and watch a movie or something. I was zonked out on the couch approximately 10 minutes after drinking the coffee.
2. Jackson has really been a hoot lately. He's been going through this stage where he is a little confused on why Mommy and Daddy are sometimes called by Kyle and Sarah. He's been especially hung up on the whole Daddy & Kyle thing. A lot of times he chooses to use Kyle instead of Daddy. I try to correct him, but it seems like it just makes him want to use Kyle even more. Last night Jackson was perched at the dinner table between Kyle and me and I asked him who he wanted to take him to swimming lessons. He looked me dead in the eye, pointed his little thumb towards Kyle, and said "This guy". We could not stop laughing about that one all night.
3. As I mentioned, Jackson is in swimming lessons. He is really enjoying them and loves going every night. He is not scared of the water at all, so I thought that made swimming lessons even more necessary.
4. I'm hungry. A lot. This was not the case when I was pregnant with Jackson. I don't know what my deal is, but my stomach is seriously growling through out the day. My mom suggested that I do the smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day thing. Today is my first day trying that and it really seems to help. I also feel a little more energized. Hallelujah!
5. JACKSON WENT PEE PEE ON THE POTTY LAST NIGHT. Hallelujah x 2! Keep your fingers crossed for me that we're starting a trend here.
6. My first doctor's appointment is next week. Kaiser is set up that your first appointment is with a midwife and after that you can choose a doctor or stick with the midwife. Jackson's doctor was the best. Seriously, I am pretty sad that our insurance won't cover him now. But since this insurance is what we've got now, I suppose I'm going to have to get over it. Any readers have experience with a midwife? I'm seriously thinking about going that route.
7. I keep thinking of super yummy stuff to eat. I know, I'm a little early in this pregnancy to be having cravings but so many different things sound good. I guess it is just because I'm trying to be very conscientious about my diet, anything fattening sounds great. Some of the cravings are: Varsity chili dogs and onion rings, Paula's cheese biscuits with strawberry butter, pancakes, cheese steaks, etc. Too bad I never crave healthy things. AND I FORGOT, COCONUT CREAM PIE! Mmmmmmmm.

Anyways, enough with the randomness. That is my life as of now. I'll let you know when I am a little more creative.

Fidelity and the Suburbs

I met some girlfriends tonight to see the highly anticipated Sex and the City. I know, I know. Sex and the City was an entire series, and now a movie founded on principles and values that for the most part I don't align myself with.

But I had to see it.

You see, at some point in my life, I identified with the characters. I watched these women and longed to be in the big city, fabulous, dressed in all the most wonderful labels, high heels on, and independent. And please, don't let me forget, money out the wazoo and any man wrapped around my pinky finger.

Sitting in the theater tonight, I realized something. I have changed. I no longer identify with these women. They seemed foreign to me, and not that long ago the ladies seemed like family. Dare I say, I felt like I could have been the 5th gal sipping Cosmos and talking about my latest conquest.

Nevertheless, I did enjoy the movie. But that is it, it was just a movie.

I walked out of the theater in my Target clothes and got into my Saturn and drove to my modest suburban home. While I was driving home I had the windows down and the oldies cranked up. My thoughts were on if we should have donuts or biscuits for breakfast the next morning. I walked into my home on my swollen pregnant feet, and kissed a man who had worked all day in the hot sun. But this sweet man came home and watched a spunky 2 year old so I could go out with friends.

I don't know about you my friends, but I don't think life can get any more fabulous than this.

Not so much premenstrual

Life has been a whirlwind the past week. In my last post I explained my insatiable appetite for all things chocolate and attributed it to being a little "PMSy" as Kyle likes to call it.

Not so much.

I'm pregnant! I guess that was my issue with the chocolate last week. I'm in the very early stages, about 5 weeks along. (A due date sometime in late January.) I really couldn't be any more over the moon than I am right now. Kyle feels the same way. And even Jackson knows that there is a baby in my belly.

I covet your prayers for this pregnancy and the sweet little one that is growing inside of me. Please pray for my health and the baby's development. So far, I feel great. Just exhausted at the end of the day. I'll be making my first doctor's appointment sometime this week after I get some insurance stuff settled. I'll keep you all informed!

Psalm 139: 1-14

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O Lord, You know it all.
You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.
Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will lay hold of me.
If I say, "Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be night,"
Even the darkness is not dark to You,
And the night is as bright as the day.
Darkness and light are alike to You.
For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother's womb.
I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my heart knows it very well.

Just so you know

+

+

DOES NOT equal 100 calories.

But when you're a little, no, A LOT premenstrual, the 300 calories of chocolate goodness is soooo worth it.