Baby Bump #2

Well, I am 40 weeks and 1 day today. I had a feeling Joel would be late too. =) If he's not here this week, they'll probably be inducing me on the 3rd. I've been soooo anxious for him to make an appearance, but my good friend told me to look at it this way - every day that Joel is not here, it's another day Kristie and I have to be together! So we are going to take advantage of that this week while we're waiting for him to come out. She gave me a pass to the children's museum, so we'll go do that. Go spend my gift certificate for a manicure together (and have them do Kristie's nails too.) Heck, we'll even go to "Old McDonald's" and eat a happy meal together at the play place! But we sure can't wait to see you kiddo! Hope you're coming soon!!

Here's how my bump grew this time. =)

Our little house!

Gosh, we are sure counting our blessings. Our friends just happened to move out of this house, in time for us to move in. Our apartment lease was up and they were going to raise our rent to more than we could afford. This house is $200 cheaper and bigger! And a house for heavens sakes! And we are good friends with the renters, who are our neighbors! And my most favorite part...no more climbing up three floors of stairs!!!

Anyway, we moved in last week and have everything unpacked and organized, so we are ready for Joel to come join us! Thank you for waiting 'til we were done moving! =) (BTW, I cannot believe all that moving and packing did not put me into labor. Seriously, no progress? Come on now, I exhausted myself!) We are just loooooooving it. Jason and I are just beaming from ear to ear - we are loving not being in apartment and having a little area to ourselves! We are so lucky and so grateful!

Here's a few pictures from the outside - top left, front of the house. Top middle, lots of trees surrounding us, nice and secluded! Top right, view from the front porch (big front yard to run around in) and a porch swing! Bottom left, back of the house - back porch and back door to the carport. (So fun just getting out of the car and walking right into the house, lol, we love it.) Bottom middle, carport with storage space on the side. Bottom right, front porch.

Pictures from the inside - Top left, entryway w/piano and entrance to the kitchen. Top middle, view into the dining room. Top right, other side of living room, our room, and Kristie & Joel's room. (Soon to be adding a toddler bed!) Bottom left, one of the two bathrooms, this is the one in our room. Bottom middle, living room. Bottom right, the kitchen. (There's also a laundry room that has a door leading out to the carport.)

Again, we could not be more happy with our little abode!!

Snow day

Poor Kristie, all her mommy had the energy to do was walk around our yard. =) At least it put a huge smile on her face! We had been organizing and unpacking most the day and I asked "Kristie, wanna go walk around in the snow?" Her face lit up and she said "Oh! You're so sweet mommy!" How cute is that?!

Mom's Piano

Since we've moved back to WA, Dad's been wanting to give me Mom's piano - and we've been living in 3rd floor apartments. So now that we just moved into the little house, we got it!! It was an exciting day for sure! To have such a huge memory of Mom in my own home is such a blessing. She taught me to play on this piano, taught many others piano lessons on it, and filled our home growing up with her beautiful playing. Jason's a better piano player than I am, so it's fun hearing him play on it too. =) And you know Kristie's going to get lessons on it as well. And I'm going to spruce up my piano playing. =) I am the luckiest girl in the world.

Moving it out of Dad's and into ours new place!

Cutest jammies on the planet

Opa and Abue came over to give Kristie a present as well as one for Joel. She got these insanely cute jammies that I just can't get over! She's never had the baggy, flannel type pants and they just make her look so grown up!

Letter L Day

Hosted at Amber's house, we had a huge turn out, but I didn't whip out the camera in time to catch everyone. Millie & I stayed longer to make lemon macadamia nut cookies and hang out. =) (So I mostly got pictures of our kids.) Earlier while everyone was there, we did felt pictures that started with L and ate homemade lentil soup - holy cow it was delicious. And the sun decided to come out so Kristie and her friends played outside! Soooo fun!

I met Jamie Ford!

Last Friday was an author talk and book signing for Jamie Ford, the author of "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet." I just happen to LOVE that book from when we read it for book club last year and couldn't believe he was going to be in town! Sherri & I were the only ones from book club who were able to go, but we sure had a ball! He gave a great talk and Q & A - completely nice, humble, funny guy! This was his debut book, so it was interesting with him being a brand new author. He's also from the Seattle area (where the book takes place) so that just makes him even cooler. Anyway, I had never been to one of these, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! If you haven't read the book, you should. Yay!

My source of sanity at night...

...two huge body pillows from Costco for $11.50 each. Best $23 bucks I've spent in a while...

Can't get enough of you

Really soaking up these last days of it being just Kristie & I before her little brother comes. (Wow, I can't believe she's going to have a little brother!) I can't get over how much she's grown up and how much fun we can have together as girly girls. The other day we got a book in the mail from a friend for Kristie, called "Will you still love me?" So sweet! It's all about a new baby coming to the family - Kristie, I sure won't love you any less! Like it says in the book, I'll love you even more!

This is what she was doing one morning when I came in to get her, on the left of the collage. Just chillin' with blanket on her head. Gosh she cracks me up! (And I still can't get over her adorable feet.)

(I finally painted her fingernails for the first time!! I always figured she wouldn't let me paint them like she does her toes, but she just sat so still and let them dry!) She specifically asked for blue polish on her feet and orange on her hands! Aw, so grown up. =) Sooo fun doing this with her!

Getting ready for Valentine's day! We didn't have any red paint or red glitter, so we made some colored sugar! You just put a cup of sugar in a jar and a bunch of drops of food coloring & shake it together. Easy peasy!

Playin' around with her old car seat before we got rid of it. (It expired in '09.) Look how much you've grown!)

We missed letter day one week, so we did it at home ourselves. J is for jewelry! We tried on all of mommy's jewelry, then glued beads to the letter J. =) (She's so careful with crafts, it's adorable!)

Helping me out one day. Thank you!!

Making good ol' chocolate chip cookies. I always seem to have enough energy to bake! Dinner on the other hand...

Kristie and some friends

Aside from letter days, we spend lots of time hanging out at Mindy's house. She has two cute kiddos, Alestair & Emmet and watches Maddy usually everyday. So they have lots of fun hangin' out. =)

Kristie my dear, I just adore you!

NST days

My OB was worried about my blood pressure since it's been up and down, and I had a history of it being high with my pregnancy w/Kristie. So since beginning of January I'd been doing non-stress tests (NSTs) twice a week. Thankfully as of this month we switched it to once a week because they've been perfect and so has my blood pressure. Last month regular OB appts were every other week, and this month they're every week, so Kristie and I feel like we live at the Pavillion for Women & Children where both appts are. The morning valet person knows Kristie & I quite well by now, it's funny. Luckily, NSTs are kinda fun. I sick back & relax in a nice room with a view and get to listen to Joel's heartbeat for a half an hour (and watch my bare belly move around.) Kristie enjoys it as well believe it or not. She brings her little backpack full of stuff to keep her busy and she's just happy as a clam to chill in a chair. And she adores going on the elevator. In fact when we get there, she says "Go to #4?" which is the floor we go to. Haha!

Anyway, everything's looking good and normal. And as far as regular OB appts go, I'm measuring right on at 37 weeks. Can't believe we're in the home stretch now! This Saturday I'll be 2 weeks away from my due date! (The 26th!)

Here we are at one of the NSTs. =)

SHEnanigans Alice in Wonderland Photo Shoot

Wow, what an awesome shoot! The theme for January was "Fairy Tales" and our group did Alice in Wonderland. It turned out soooo super cute and I was so lucky to take pictures of my absolutely gorgeous friends. Jason's uncles Mike & Geoff let us shoot at their house in Seattle - (which is my dream house) and their yard is just perfect for this type of theme. We also lucked out on a sunny day! This was kinda my last hoorah for a little bit before Joel's born, so thanks ladies for being there and getting so into it! (Click on the collages to enlarge.)

Click here to see the facebook album on the Silly Girls United page for all the full sized individual pictures!

Some days Kristie asks me to take pictures of her - and when I do, she'll go to a different spot and ask me to take another one while she poses. So cute! I wish she'd do this all the time!

Baby Shower for Joel!

What a fun shower! My two best friends, Katie & Kali and my sis-in-law Leslie threw it for me! It was green, blue & froggy themed - I adore that for boy stuff! It was held at Kali's parent's lovely house and we had fun eating some delicious food, playing cute games and eating the amazing cake Katie, Kali & Les made together! I got the cutest little boy things, and it just got me more and more excited for Joel to get here! Thanks so much gals!!!

How cute is this cake?! Honestly!

Kaci made an adorable diaper cake!

Growth Ultrasound

A few weeks ago I had an ultrasound to check on Joel's growth. I just love seeing his cute little face and wiggly body. Everything is looking absolutely perfect, and he was measuring two weeks ahead! (I was 33 weeks, and he was measuring 35.) He was about 5 lbs 4 oz and in the 80th percentile. Can you believe they can tell these things? The technician pointed out a fat roll on his neck! AW! And she pointed out fuzzy hair on his head. Oh dear, that just killed me. He's head down and just perfect. Goodness that got me excited! Afterwards in the excitement, Kristie and I went to McDonald's for lunch. =) I don't take her there often so it was a special treat! It was fun, just the two of us. We sat at a table in the play area, ate our lovely lunch together with smiles on our face and she played on the play thing by herself! (Usually she makes me go in with her. So I was verrrry happy about that.) Man it was fun. =) Anyway, good ultrasound, can't wait to see you soon Joel!!

Whoopie Pies!

In December, Kristie and I made whoopie pies for a girls night. Man it's fun baking with her! (This was when we were still potty training, hence the underwear. That ship has sailed. =)) She was really good at licking the batter. And it was pretty much the cutest thing hearing her say "Makin' whoopie pies!" I would make these over and over again just so we can say it!