Oh yeah...

We definitely had a great Christmas. How could we not with this beautiful child to entertain us?


NOT that she was good the entire weekend, but...I won't complain.

Try to post more later, super busy!!!

Better Late Than Never

OK, I'm finally posting some photos from the company Christmas party and my latest pregnancy photo.


Yes, only 32 weeks. But that means I only have 7 weeks to go. YIKES!!!



Me and my wonderful Hubby, Kenneth. On our second "date" since Ashleigh was born. (Yes, you read that right. We're homebodies!)



Me & my Rachel!!!



This is the entire advertising department. Well, almost...2 people were missing. But these are the crazy folks I spend 40 hours a week with!!

Takin' a Break

I decided that for this post, I'd take a break from talking about Ashleigh, Abby, pregnancy, family life, my bahumbug mood, etc.

I thought I'd share with you two actors I think are really hot right now.


This is Julian McMahon. I had trouble finding any photos that really do him justice, to be honest this one doesn't really either. But you get the idea. Hot, hot, hot! Especially if you've seen him on Nip/Tuck.


This wonderful man is David Boreanaz, who plays Agent Booth on Fox Network's show "Bones." It just struck me a few weeks ago that he's really good looking. And something about those eyes.....sigh.....

But Kenneth is still my NUMBER ONE MAN! And we are secure enough in our marriage that we can let eachother know when we think members of the opposite sex are attractive. I mean, he knows I've had the hots for Hugh Jackman for years! We're married, not dead, after all!

Birthday Party Photos

Well, the party went very well, I think. At least everyone said so. And Ashleigh certainly got lots of wonderful gifts. And she loved her cake. Almost as much as the Dora and Boots that were stuck on top!

Friday night Kenneth had to work late, so Ashleigh and I had a girl's night out. This included last minute items for the Birthday Party and a trip to the ever-popular McDonalds! I snapped this after we got home; I think she was as tired as I was!


My first attempt at a homemade birthday cake. It didn't turn out quite as I'd hoped, but it sure did taste good!


She was Mommy's little helper all morning long!


This was the best shot I got during the Happy Birthday song. She blew her candle out really quick, on the first try!


She was ready to taste her cake, and decided it was "yummy."


Even though she loved all her gifts, she got the most excited about her tricycle when Kenneth brought it in.


My Mom gave her this pillow & pillowcase to match the bedding set my in-laws gave Ashleigh. She decided she was sleepy, so she used tissue paper as a blanket and entertained us by "snoring" for a few minutes.


My parents gave her this table & chairs which she loves as well!


After opening her gifts and playing with some toys for awhile, she had to get back to the yummy cake!

Christmas Pics

Here are some "character shots" from our Christmas photo shoot last night. They show what a little nut our big girl is! Love the adorable shot Kenneth got of her playing with the little rocking horse; my Mom gave that to me when I was young...

Can't belive she's 2 years old today!!! Got lots to do for the birthday party tomorrow!
Have a great weekend...

A Sneak Peek

All was well at the doctor's visit yesterday. Abby and I are both doing great. She weighed 3lbs. 15 oz. yesterday. Might as well say 4lbs., right?

Anyway, here are some photos:



I wish she'd have moved her hand, but I will definitely take this!

A Little (big) Comparison

OK, here's a comparison of how I look today compared to how I looked on my due date with Ashleigh.

Whew!!



P.S. If anything, I weigh LESS in today's photo than in the 2004 photo. Notice how the jeans are looser? Same jeans, same shirt.

Yes, I'm still here...

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile, but I'm a busy and tired girl. But here's a rundown recent events (that I can remember!)

::Haircut and color on Saturday, Nov. 18th. Hair is a little darker (not drastically) and shorter-about collar bone length.

::Last OB visit was OK. Abby weighed about 3 lbs. A little big for her age, but within the normal range. Heart rate, etc. were good. My BP was a little high, but not bad. The doc said my amniotic fluid was "borderline low" so I go back Dec. 6th for another ultrasound. I go from not really worried to totally freaked out about this development.

::Started getting the dreaded itchy-scratchy throat/cough combo the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and felt pretty crappy on Turkey Day.

::Was better by Saturday for all my family to visit, just in time for Ashleigh to be sick with a crazy fever-spiking virus. She played just a little bit with her cousin, but not alot. She was a big time Mama's girl. But she was wonderful Sunday. At least Cory and Josh got to see her in her usual play hard mode.

::That's really about it. Now you see why I haven't posted!

Oh! The ceiling fixture in our kitchen bit the dust Saturday afternoon. I'm hoping to talk Kenneth into replacing it Sunday. I think proper lighting is very important in the kitchen! (We have lots of "task lighting" so I'm not cooking in the dark!

Another tidbit: I decided after much deliberation to forgo my big ole 7.5' tree this year. Just not enough time or energy. AND Ashleigh is a bit of a Christmas Tree terrorist. Many of my mother-in-law's ornaments met their death on Monday. So I got a 4.5' pre-lit tree and it's on top of a piece of furniture in the living room. It's not a Charlie Brown tree, it's nice and full. The only problem is most of my ornaments are really big, so I can't use them. And I'm not using those colored glass balls because my daughter seems to think they taste good. I've got to find a way to add some more color and I think I'll be done with that.

This weekend, in addition to making more progress on the nursery, a little trip to Tupelo is in order. Have to go to Hobby Lobby to get canvases, etc. to paint for Abby's room. I'm so ashamed. I think all Ashleigh's paintings were finished by this point! Man, I'm getting stressed just thinking about it. We still have to paint the walls!!!

Another thing, my sweet child has lost her mind. Also known as the terrible twos or learning boundaries, trying to gain independance...I don't care what you call it. She's went nuts! All is well one moment, then she's crying or whining and won't/can't tell you why. She'll ask for something, then doesn't want it. Gives you something, then is furious because you took it...it's very trying to say the least. I've had some moments where I'm convinced I'm a horrible mother, but I remind myself (or get Kenneth to remind me) that it's just a phase, this too shall pass. But I feel so darned guilty for feeling so frustrated with her! I just want to shake her, yell at her, give her the butt-whipping of a lifetime...you get the point. But I've realized something today: I'm NOT a bad Mom because I don't do that stuff to her. Don't get me wrong, she'll get a swat on her hand or leg but that hurts her feelings more than anything. (And if you don't believe in that-save your breath-I'm old school and believe spankings never hurt anyone. Not beatings-just a spanking.) I just think that parents are human (and I'm a pregnant one at that) and that no matter how much you love your cute little offspring it's perfectly normal for them to drive you bonkers when they are at this psycho time in their lives. (and I know this won't be the only psycho phase she goes through) But as long as I don't physically/emotionally abuse her and she always knows that she is loved I'm doing alright. Because the worst thing that's going to happen to her when she throws herself down to throw a fit because she's been corrected is maybe a bump on the head if she's overly dramatic.

OK, there's a long post to do you awhile! ; )

Only 27 Weeks?

Yep. That's me today. I am 27 weeks and 1 day pregnant. I hate to even tell my people my due date at this point because I really look like I could go into labor at any moment! The common reaction I get now is, "You'll never make it to February!" I certainly feel alot closer to my due date, that's for sure. I'll have to post some comparison photos so you can see just how much bigger I am this time around. Oddly, I don't weigh more. Hmmm.....

Random Thoughts...

::I feel like I kinda look like Jabba the Hut these days. I'm sure I'm not THAT grotesque, but I feel that way, just the same.

::I think some of my shoes make me look like an elf. My black loafer-type and brown loafer-type shoes (that are becoming a staple of my pregnancy wardrobe) are curling up at the toes a bit. I'm sure nobody notices, but the make me feel a little like an elf. Especially the black ones, they're worse.

::On the subject of elves, I know what Santa feels like when he laughs and his belly shakes like a bowlful of jelly.

::I'm getting so excited about Ashleigh's birthday and Christmas. She's getting some things I know she'll really like. She's really getting into imaginative play, so I'm sure after Christmas, we'll be cooking and doing all sorts of things with her new goodies!

::I think some of my co-workers and I should form a posse to catch the toilet paper bandit(s). I'm referring to the person(s) who always leave an empty roll on the holder. I mean, are they in that big a hurry? Take the time, put a new roll on. It's not hard. We have the same kind of holders that are common in homes across the country. While we're at it, we need to find the person(s) who regularly leave in ungodly stench in the restroom and make sure they get the medical attention they obviously need. Trust me, it is foul!

::A week or so ago I bought new eyeliner and mascara because what I had was old and bothering my eyes. I was way to excited about trying it out the next morning. Rather than thinking that's sad, I prefer to think I'm easy to please. I'm sure Kenneth would disagree. ; )

::I'm looking forward to a nice weekend. My parents are coming to visit tomorrow and that's especially exciting because I really didn't expect them to make the trip this soon after my Mom's total knee replacement. She's doing really well. If I can just get her to sit down a bit while they're here.

::I'm still in the ohmigosh-how're-we-gonna-get-the-nursery-completed frame of mind, but not as bad now. I've come to the realization that everything really WILL be OK.

::Gotta find some tv time. My DVR is getting all full...

It's NOT just my imagination...

My belly really is MUCH larger this pregnancy. For those of you not in the know on pregnancy doctor visits, the doctor measures your uterus from top to bottom and it should measure about 1 cm per week of pregnancy. I usually measured 1-2 weeks "big" with Ashleigh, meaning I might measure 25.5cm at 24 weeks. Not a big deal.

WELL. Today I am 26 weeks pregnant. BUT my uterus measures 30!!! Oh my God. This doesn't mean anything is wrong, because all my bloodwork came back perfect (as in no gestational diabetes, YAY!!!) and Abby is definitely doing well. Dr. Chaney thinks she might be a soccer player, the way she started kicking and wiggling when he tried to listen to her heartbeat.

All this "bigness" really means is 1) I get a much wanted ultrasound in 2 weeks; and 2) He hinted at an earlier C-section.

As for the #1, I had already asked him for another one because I can NOT shake this nagging feeling that Abby is actually a Mason. Never felt gender-doubt with Ashleigh and I'm probably just being crazy. Their sonographer has an EXCELLENT track record, so I really have no reason to doubt her. She was sure our little baby is a girl.

As for the #2, AAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let me explain. I'm already freaked out that I am scheduled to have a baby three months from today. There's just so much to get done before she arrives! And I have holiday festivities taking up time that I feel I don't have. And to think I could have even LESS time? It freaks me out. Just...ALOT!! But it'll all be alright. It always is. We have all the essentials (except little bitty diapers) and the baby bed is still up in Ashleigh's room. But you know me, I want everything done just the way I want it.

Cute Ashleigh Story
This morning it was really foggy at our house. Probably the foggiest it's ever been since she's old enough to notice such things. Well, I never could understand what she was calling the fog, but she would stick her finger up in the air, then put it in her mouth and say it was yummy. And we couldn't leave until I had tasted the yummy fog too. And this was another moment when I realized what a total Mom I am: I didn't feel the least bit silly standing there with my almost-2-year-old, tasting the fog with my finger and telling her that yes it was very yummy. Then the pregnancy hormones kick in and I get all sad because I know these moments won't last forever.

Halloween

Well, things have been a little crazy and Ashleigh and I have both been a little under the weather this week, BUT here are some photos of our little fairy princess:






And this one isn't blurry...it's a special effect...the fairy effect... ; )

Another week goes by

I've had all sorts of random thoughts flowing through my mind lately. Not helped by the fact that I spent a good chunk of time cuddling a sickly toddler this weekend. Or going to my niece's 2nd birthday party which reminded me very much what my life will be like very soon. A 2-year-old of our own in just over a month; and a newborn of our own in just over 3 months. Oh. My. God. How will ever get ready for Abby's arrival? There's so much to be done and things keep getting in the way. Like steam cleaning the living room carpet where Ashleigh was sick. But enough of that talk...

Everyone ready for Halloween? I am. I'm going to be a pregnant woman. I've been working on the costume for over 6 months now. ; ) Hope Ashleigh is up to trick-or-treating. We're only planning on about 3 houses anyway, so it's not like we're planning an all-night event. She was sick last year and didn't get to trick-or-treat, so if we don't get to go this year, I'll seriously consider not even getting a costume next year!

Kenneth had to dig a grave this weekend. Yep, a real, in-the-cemetery to put someone's grandfather in grave. Not from scratch, mind you, he hasn't started a second career. He and his Dad went by the cemetery where Kenneth's grandparents are buried and noticed this grave (for a funeral that afternoon) was half-way done, to put it nicely. So they went and got some shovels and finished it up. You might call it a nice thing to do, good deed for the week/year/month, but you know what I call it? Karma! See that morning, he made a comment about me attending to my maidly duties when I was mopping (he was joking) so I told him that's what he gets!

Well, I better go. Sick little girl to take care of...

I know it's been awhile...

but I'm past making excuses. I'm busy, pregnant and tired. ; )

It's too bad too, because over the past week or so I've actually had some good/interesting ideas for blog entries. Too bad I've forgotten them...

So as usual, I'll just subject you to some photos!

My sweet little nephew, Aidan Riley He's a month old now, but this was taken the day he came home from the hospital.


This is a look I get from Ashleigh quite a bit. One of her funny little laughs


OK, I know these aren't National Geographic material, but for me to have taken them at dusk, through our patio door from quite a distance without a tripod, I think I did OK.


Being a fairy princess is hard work! I got this Halloween costume for Ashleigh earlier this week and one of our sales reps thought that Ashleigh asleep in her costume would be perfect for an ad she was doing. Well, the "pretend" to sleep thing wasn't going to work so this morning, I took her PJ's off, put her costume on her and snapped away! She never woke up during the whole thing. I can't imagine sleeping through all that, can you?


23 weeks (and 2 days) I just want it to be know that I really don't like this photo, but it's not the photographer's fault (Rachel). BUT I've put taking it off for over a week so I knew I just had to suck it up and take care of it today. So here I am, very humpty-dumpty like.


We have a pretty full weekend planned. Saturday, a small family-reunion type gathering and Sunday is my company's family picnic. The weather is supposed to be nice and cool-ish, so I'm excited about the outdoor activities. I can do without the hotness of summer, thank you very much!

Loving the Cooler Weather

Fall is making a guest appearance in North Mississippi and I am enjoying it tremendously. The sky is the most beautiful shade of blue, the high's supposed to be in the mid-60's and there's just enough of a breeze to put some pep in your step. Or make some people bundle up like Eskimos. But we'll discuss the "freezy-weezy's another time.

I wish the leaves were turning a bit more already. I'm going to try to get some good outdoor shots of Ashleigh this weekend. We haven't had a photo shoot in quite awhile. It's also time for my next "belly shot" so maybe I can work that in too. And as always, I plan to make more progress in making our extra room Abby's room. (Bet you'll all be glad when I get THAT done!)

I've had lots of random thoughts lately (even more than the Forest Gump tirade) but they're just a little too random and jumbled to even try to sort out here. So I'll fill you in on my latest doctor's appointment, which was yesterday.

First off, all is well. Abby's heart rate was 151 (perfect) and I was a little alarmed by my blood pressure, 138/80, the doctor didn't mention it. I know that's not really too high, but last month it was 112/60! Quite a jump, I think... I did have a little scare though. I had some bleeding Thursday morning. I didn't freak out, and even debated on telling the doctor because I knew he'd want to "investigate" and I just really wasn't wanting to do that yesterday. But of course, the well-being of my child overrides any silly modesty and shyness on my part, so I told him. And he investigated. And found absolutely nothing wrong. And trust me, he looked. And looked. I have a sneaking suspicion (dread) that the stupid bladder infection is STILL here and causing the trouble. Guess I'll know in a couple of days. He also told me that weird back/hip pain think was sciatic nerve irritation. That's just great! I just pray that by following his tips and suggestions it won't turn into that excruciating, shooting down my leg pain. That would really suck! But then again, what's a little pain for a beautiful darling child? Totally worth it to me!

Another weekend gone...

I had a mild panic attack over the weekend. Well, maybe that's being a little over dramatic, but I did freak out a little bit. It all started with a book I just finished about a home for "troubled" teenage girls and then I watched some shows this weekend that coincidentally carried a similar theme: kids messed up by their parents actions or inaction, etc.

So I started thinking about how you never really know how your children will turn out. Ashleigh is growing up in a home filled with love, as will her baby sister. We're already teaching her right from wrong in addition to her alphabet, numbers and colors. She's good now, but she's not even two. How will she be 16 years from now? There is absolutely no way to know and that drives me a little nuts. I just have to have faith that all the love we give our children will be enough to smooth over all the mistakes we're bound to make and our children will turn out to be wonderful people.

Otherwise, our weekend was good. Had lots of fun family time AND I was quite productive. Finished moving all the scrapbooking stuff into its new home. That might not sound like a big deal, but it was-trust me. That, in addition to all my regular chores added up to a busy weekend. I did take a long nap with Ashleigh Saturday afternoon, though. MAN, that was nice.

Totally unrelated random thought:
Am I the only one who just flat out doesn't like the movie Forest Gump? The only reason I watched it once was because we were at someone's house watching it on video and I couldn't escape. The whole movie was just irritating to me AND I think Jenny was a 'ho. I did not cry when she died. (This thought came to mind because Kenneth flipped past it this weekend. Ugh!)

Just a little list...

Today I am:
-Feeling like I have some ugly, ratty looking hair
-Really enjoying Nickelback. (I know, a few weeks ago it was Faith Hill, go figure!)
-Tired of having so much excess mucus in my head.
-Upset that the dreaded middle of the night pregnancy induced leg cramps have already started. At 21 weeks. Joy.
-Really enjoying feeling Abby moving around.
-Looking forward to the weekend.
-Wishing I'd be HALF as productive as I wish I'd be this weekend
-Resigned to the fact that I'll be a little productive this weekend BUT I'll spend lots of time with Kenneth and Ashleigh and that's WAY more important! Right?
-Glad Kenneth is home after 2 nights away for a work thing AND touched that he brought me two gifts! A beautiful pair of silver hoop earrings and a cool copper cross necklace.
-Still a little "wowed" that Kenneth complimented my hair last night when I got home.


I also feel the need to share with everyone that I truly believe that McDonald's Double Cheeseburgers (of the $1 menu fame) are truly a gift from God. I'm not joking folks. I could eat them several times a day. They are so wonderfully cheesy and good. And cheap. Now if they could just make the fat grams and calories go away I'd be set. Those pesky health issues keep me from eating them very often and that's really hard when you're pregnant and you truly believe you will DIE if you don't have one. Oh the sacrifices I make for my unborn daughter... ; )

Monday Evening

Note: this was written several days ago but I couldn't get the photos to upload!
Well Monday night was actually a good night. I didn't have to cook and Kenneth, Ashleigh and I spent alot of time together. That makes for quite a winning evening in my book. Even IF I got to help Kenneth fill out 30+ pages of a crazy form. We had fun with it and that's all that matters, right? Watched a few season premiers last night; have the rest recorded. Thank GOD we decided to get DVR. It's a wonderful thing. Truly. It removes all the stress of trying to watch a show at a certain time. I can record an 8:00 or 9:00 and then watch it after Ashleigh's asleep; over the weekend folding laundry, whatever. OK, enough of my love of technological advances...

First, here's a photo of me at 4.5 months:


Ashleigh looking all cute in one of her Daddy's shirts from his high school days:

Another weekend comes to an end...

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Mine was alright, pretty laid back. Trying to get more of that doctor-prescribed rest. BLAH! I know that some of you are probably wishing a doctor would tell you to get more rest, but I just don’t really have time for that right now. But I’ll do as I’m told since I have little Abby depending on me.

“Exciting” highlights of my weekend include:
::Stepping on one of Ashleigh’s toys and bruising the bottom of my foot. Think I also bruised that tendon that runs down the bottom of your foot because it’s still throbbing today. Trying not to be too obvious with my limp--I work with people who have real health problems...
::Accident prone that I seemed to be, I also sliced my thumb peeling potatoes.
::Made some really yummy chocolate chip cookies.
::Made a big dent in the recordings I’d saved on my DVR. Actually got around to watching Monster-in-Law! (I know, I’m pitifully behind!)
::Of course, the really good thing this weekend was getting to spend lots of time with Kenneth and Ashleigh!

In other news, ; ) Abby is really starting to make her presence known! Her movements are getting stronger every day. This afternoon I almost giggled because the way she was moving, it was tickling. This pregnancy is SO different than the last, but one thing hasn't changed. I wonder constantly about what Abby will look like, what kind of personality she'll have, if she'll have the horrible acid reflux (exorcist baby) that Ashleigh had, etc.

I'll try to upload some more photos soon. We have some cute ones of Ashleigh in one of Kenneth's old Led Zepplin t-shirts!

Here She Is!

The photo I promised yesterday. Even though it's not incredibly clear, there's our little girl. I thought I'd save her a little dignity and not post her privates for all the world to see. ; )

Not much to report; just busy here at work. "Smoke Break" over!

And now we know...

We'll be adding another girl to our happy home!

Our sweet little daughter now weighs 7oz. And she is a major wiggle worm. I don't feel it all yet, but the sonographer had trouble getting good, clear photos because she wouldn't stay still. Makes for good video though. I'll try to post a pic or two tomorrow.

Kenneth was really hoping for a son, but I think he'll adjust to the idea of being the only man in the house soon enough. I'll really try to play up the advantages to him, like how we already have so many clothes for a girl... ;)

Just wanted to get the news out, think I'll sign off for now. I ended up being at the doctor's office for most of the day for a variety of reasons and I'm pooped. AND it's time to start dinner.

And now we know...

We'll be adding another girl to our happy home!

Our sweet little daughter now weighs 7oz. And she is a major wiggle worm. I don't feel it all yet, but the sonographer had trouble getting good, clear photos because she wouldn't stay still. Makes for good video though. I'll try to post a pic or two tomorrow.

Kenneth was really hoping for a son, but I think he'll adjust to the idea of being the only man in the house soon enough. I'll really try to play up the advantages to him, like how we already have so many clothes for a girl... ;)

Just wanted to get the news out, think I'll sign off for now. I ended up being at the doctor's office for most of the day for a variety of reasons and I'm pooped. AND it's time to start dinner.

TGIF

Well, I'm sure glad it's Friday! (Like most people, I'm sure.)

I'm feeling much better than yesterday; thank God!

It was a pretty quiet evening at the Taylor home last night. I watched a Discovery Health show last nigh, From Conception to Birth, I think was the name of it. OH MY GOD!!! And please keep in mind that this bit of freaking out is from a woman who watched every birthing show I could find when pregnant with Ashleigh and prayed I wouldn't have a C-section. Well, last night just re-affirmed my commitment to keep my scheduled C-section this time around. I'd had this little, itsy, bitsy, tiny little notion in the back of my mind that IF I actually started dialating, etc. and went into labor this time, I might just go with the flow and give the "regular" way a chance. (I didn't say natural, because some people might think I mean without drugs and you can bet your booty that ain't gonna happen!) But thanks to Discovery Health, no way. Nope. Not that it wouldn't be worth it, but I'll just stick with what I know.

This morning was actually fun at home. Ashleigh woke up early (just before 6am) in a good mood and Kenneth and I were in good moods as well. They were playing when I got out of the shower and the sounds of them laughing made me so happy.

No big plans this weekend. Just a trip to Tupelo to see my Mom in the hospital. She had a total knee replacement Tuesday and was able to get into the recovery unit or whatever they call it. She'll get about a week of intensive physical therapy before she goes home. I'm excited about that because even though she's doing really well, this means she'll do even better! It will be interesting to see how Ashleigh does in the hospital, though. Considering how she freaks out at the doctor's office. Guess we'll just play that by ear...

I'm also very excited about Monday morning: we have an ultrasound appointment about 10:15. So the next time you hear from me, I'll probably be telling you if we'll be having a boy or girl!!! I'm so excited!!! I need to revisit a website I found that lists all sorts of wive's tales to determine the gender. I need to do them this weekend so I can see how accurate they are!

Have a great weekend!

Bad Mood Outta Nowhere

Don't you just hate it when you are cranky and don't even know why? I suppose I can blame it on hormones or something, but I sure do hate to blame bad things on the sweet little child growing inside me.

Hitting a small deer on the way to work didn't help matters, I'm sure. It was just a little bitty baby--didn't damage my car at all, just hurt my feelings. And the deer, of course. Then a stupid squirrel killed itself my running under my truck too! I dread the drive home...

I just hate blah days, don't you?

What is it about those Hispanic kids?

First of all, let me just say I bet you got the wrong idea when you read my title. There will be nothing derogatory in this post, I promise!

The kids I'm talking about are Dora the Explorer and her cousin Diego, who has his own show.


They're cute, have interesting characters and are very educational. I'm sure Dora is responsible for my 21 month old's ability to correctly count to 10. While both shows can become very tiring to me (I watch with her often and ask her questions, etc. to make it more interactive) Ashleigh never gets tired of them. She asks to watch them all the time and has quite a fit when I tell her no. And I tell her no quite a bit because I don't want her to watch tv all the time. (And sometimes there are shows Mommy wants to watch. Like House and Nip/Tuck, for example.)

What the whole point of this is, I wonder how Nick Jr. came across something that is so addictive to little ones. And I mean addictive like crack or something. Not that I'm complaining--I can use that to my advantage when necessary. But I'm afraid it's not going to be too long before telling Ashleigh that Dora and Diego have went to sleep isn't going to cut it!

I suppose I should just count my blessings that she isn't ga-ga over something that irritates me to death. And remind myself not to go too overboard on the "Dora" stuff for her birthday and Christmas because she probably won't even like them this time next year...

{Totally unrelated side note}
Less than a week until we know if we'll be having a boy or girl!! I'm really excited because I can't stand NOT knowing, but dread it just a little because that will mean no excuses for not getting in gear and cleaning out that room for the nursery. Ugh...

All Is Well...Pretty Much

Sorry I haven't posted in so long! I'm sure your'll all just dying to hear about my boring, ordinary life. (Don't get me wrong-I love my life, drama-free!)

I was sick, then Ashleigh was REALLY sick, had to go to the doctor and all that. Tried a new pediatrician and really like this one. Don't get me wrong, I really like the father/son team I'd been taking her to, BUT it's just such a large practice that I felt we were getting lost in the shuffle way too often. I didn't get angry with them and officially "move her"or anything like that, just thought I'd give someone else a try. I think I might stick with this one. We'll see....

And we've been busy here, amplified by the upcoming holiday and me missing work so no time for blogging!

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

I think mine will be nice. I just have to get over the fact that my friend/cousin is arriving at my home about the same time as me tonight and our home is NOT visitor ready. Especially not overnight visitor ready. It's not horrible. It's more of the "I wish I'd known you were dropping by and I'd have straightened up" kind of thing. But she is my friend AND she's family, so I don't think she'll be too judgemental. Especially since she wants to help me clean Saturday to prepare for the arrival of my family on Sunday.

I just hope Kenneth took the trash out this morning....

Well, it's almost time to begin my weekend--ya'll be safe!

Today I Am

::Feeling great
::Really into my Faith Hill mix on my iTunes
::Comfortably busy
::Looking good (according to my coworkers-not my opinion)
::Feeling like my tummy is enormous
::Absolutely, 100% sure that I'm feeling Peanut move occasionally. YAY!!!
::Tired of being broke (too bad that isn't likely to change)
::Thankful for all the blessings in my life
::Totally in love with my husband--he really is great
::Enjoying every minute I can with our daughter; she's just so darn cute and sweet!
::Thankful for all my wonderful friends
::Thinking I need to be a better friend by keeping in touch better
::Wishing I had someone to clean my house and cook dinner every night (but there's that broke thing...)
::Enjoying my job, but at the same time wishing I could be a stay at home mom, at least part time (that money thing again!)

Hope everyone is doing well!

Little Peanut

Well, we still don't know if Peanut will be dressed in pink or blue, but things are looking good health wise! From crown to rump our little one measures 3.25", which is quite a change from .75" 5 weeks ago! (If memory serves me right about the measurement during my first ultrasound.) Everything looks great with the baby and his/her cozy little home in my uterus. My next appointment is September 11 (I know...) and then we should know if Ashleigh will have a brother or sister. And also, surprising to me, my C-section has been scheduled for February 8th!

Things are good with me too! I got some prescription sinus medicine AND found out I have a bladder infection so I of course got meds for that too. By Saturday morning I felt like a new woman! Felt great Sunday too. Feel pretty good today, BUT since I threw up (LOTS) about 15 minutes after taking my wonder drugs, not AS good as I probably would have otherwise.

Saturday we had a wonderful time at Caiden's birthday party. Ashleigh and Caiden played in the pool and I was very diligent with sunscreen so there was no sunburn. Not even a tan line! ; ) Ashleigh also got to play on their swingset, which was a big treat for her. To my knowledge, it was the first time she'd been down a slide. (Sliding board to you Yankee people-ha ha!)

Sunday was very productive in the areas of grocery shopping, house cleaning and good old playing and hanging out.

It was a great weekend, just WAY to short!

This and That

I've had so many random thoughts the past few days, and of course, since I didn't write them down, they're gone...probably forever. But here are a few:

::When I get old, I hope I'm not one of those old women who look like they just got through sucking on a lemon. I mean, has their life really been THAT bad?

::I washed a glass by hand last night for the first time in years. I'll wash plastic cups, but little scared of the glass. I've got a big old scar on my left index finger to show why. The boogers are wicked if they break while your hand is in it!

::It still amazes me how much I love my daughter. I really didn't even know that kind of love existed. And I love lots of people. It's just different when it's your child. And humbling to know my Mom feels the same toward me.

::I don't really get the whole "being stressed out" thing. I mean, over some things-like life and death situations-sure. But work? Not really. And that's not just the Prozac talking, either. I learned a long time ago it's just not worth it.

::I'm such a pregnant geek. I'm all excited because the doctor's office called yesterday and moved my appointment from 10 to 8 Friday morning. So I'll get my ultrasound 2 hours earlier!! I can do without the poking and prodding that will come after on this visit, but I'm all about an ultrasound. She MIGHT be able to tell the gender, but I'm trying really hard not to get my hopes up. I'm sure we'll have to wait on that until next month. ; (

Enough of my idle ramblings...here are some photos!

Ashleigh riding around "our property" ; ) with her Daddy on the 4-wheeler. She loves it!



Looking pretty at the baby shower Sunday afternoon:


Our girl loves her ravioli! AND cutting up for the camera...

Get Real

OK, after my last post, which was a bit of a downer, I just had to share this.

I was looking at some pregnancy website stuff, and was looking at the exercise related stuff. Because while I am quite certain I won't overdo it, a girl's gotta be sure, right?

Well, one little "tip" said to weigh yourself before and after you work out and to drink 2 glasses of water for every pound they lost during their workout.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

HA! I say.

I'm pretty darn sure that I have never lost a pound of sweat during a workout. Ever. Much less during pregnancy. I mean, I'm all about the AC and fans. And if I start sweating buckets...well, it's time for the cool down.

Of course, this could be why my maternity clothes are large and extra-large rather than medium, but...oh well. I'm not going to sweat away POUNDS of fluid. Not voluntarily anyway.

Have a cool weekend!

So much for feeling better...

Thursday I thought I might die. OK, not really. But if I hadn't been able to sleep most of the day, I'd probably have wished at least a temporary, non-harmful coma.

Headache doesn't even describe what I felt. It wasn't a migraine, although most people who haven't had a real migraine would say it was. This morning it was much better, only to begin throwing up. Great. Luckily, that didn't last too long, and I think I'm on my way to feeling kinda-sorta good. Hope so, we've got a visit to my family scheduled for tomorrow!

I feel sort of petty even complaining about my minor ailments, though.

I have a friend that I work with that needs everyone's thoughts and prayers.

She just turned 30 this spring, which makes all these health problems even more troubling. She was first diagnosed with heart disease, then it was later determined she also has kidney disease. She's been in the hospital all week and will be there a good bit longer, it seems as they run more tests. I'm sure that she will be fine in the long run, it's just so scary for anyone, especially someone as young as her to have all these problems. And all the waiting is so hard, because you can't really deal with anything until you know what exactly you're up against.

I have another friend who's 32 who's just had her second chemo treatment...

It's so easy to get discouraged, but I will stay positive.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Could it be?

Dare I hope? Could it be?

This is day number two of feeling good. REALLY GOOD. I mean, I still get tired and winded more easily and all that fun stuff, but no headache (knock on wood). No sickness or anything. Well, brushing my teeth is a little tricky still, but otherwise, all is well.

I felt so good yesterday...get this: I worked out. This is something I did regularly before getting pregnant, but I haven't been able to even think about it for about, oh...3 months! I plan on working out again tonight, too. Look out world! ; )

So could this all mean that my all-day-long-think-you're-gonna-die sickness might be coming to an end? I sure hope so. I hate feeling like crap. I have stuff to do. Like clean out an entire room and closet to make room for the little one causing all the changes. And try to get my daughter to crawl into her toddler bed and fall alseep on her own and stay there all night long. Then work on potty training again. Because this first go around just hasn't worked AT ALL!

Sweet Baby Girl

First off, let me say that my daughter is normally dressed! But I decided to let her have some ketchup with her french fries and really didn't want another ruined shirt!




She loves to color these days! This particular session, however, she decided she'd rather color herself...then as always happens when she gets bored, she starts to eat them!! I hate it when she does that and take them away as soon as I realize what she's done, but I'm pretty sure eating crayons hasn't killed a child yet!



Ashleigh got a special treat a couple of weeks ago when her Mamaw took her to McDonald's for a Happy Meal. Doesn't she look like a little heathen in her do-rag?


Several weeks ago, I got Caiden's toddler bed from Rachel. Ashleigh hasn't slept in it nearly enough, but she sure loves to play in it!! If she ever gets quiet and I have to go looking for her, I almost always find her with some of her stuffed animals in her bed.