Family Fun FHE x 3

Yesterday for F.H.E. we decided to have a family fun date night. It was a great way to have one last hurrah as a family of three since that is all changing soon in a couple of days. Just as I guessed, Addison loved every minute of it. It was hard not to take pictures every time she moved/blinked since everything she does just seems so adorable lately. I'm guessing that may be her biggest adjustment when brother comes is learning to share the attention. I'm quickly realizing just how much time we devote to just her. So much so that I've made it a point to have little "craft projects" for her to do one-on-one with either Mommy/Daddy/or Grandma once baby brother comes home for good. Hopefully that helps her adjust a little better.

Anyway, back to our date...we started it off by snagging Dad from work to have our last doctor appointment for baby brother (inside the belly at least). Addison has been coming with us on these appointments for the last month and she loves it. All I have to mention is that we are going to the doctor and she just starts jabbering away..."Doctor, Baby Budder, Daddy". She even tries to steal away my seat on the doctor's table once we arrive. Luckily, she gets her turn once I'm done and dressed. It was adorable, Daddy laid her up there, strapped a couple of the velcro bands around her, and pushed on her tummy and listened to her "baby budder" - surprisingly she was loving every minute of it. She was thrilled to be just like Mommy.

Later that evening we started phase #2 of our family date and hit up the local miniature golf course...in the HEAT of the afternoon. (Can I just say I'm soooo OVER this heat!) Anyway, we had a blast but we quickly turned an 18 hole course into a 5 hole course. We didn't keep score, played one-handed, and hurriedly moved along to the final hole while trying to let Addison have her moment of chasing her golf ball and waiting patiently while she tried to hit it in. We were all a sweaty mess afterward but she wasn't even phased by the heat. She still loved every minute of it. Daddy and Mommy were just dying to get inside to some A/C. And that we did.

She's very particular in that she has to hit the golf ball with the very tip of her club. It takes some time to align it just right. Daddy kept trying to show her how to hit it with the side of the club but she wasn't having it. She's very determined to do it her own way - so we waited...and waited.

She quickly decided that wherever the ball went, she would follow. Here she is climbing through the rock cave in pursuit of her golf ball.

Next, we headed over to the arcade and spent some quarters and racked up some tickets to spend on some cheap souvenirs. Luckily just the blinking lights, sounds, and cheap toys gets Addison excited. Daddy too, since he was getting hooked on a game of chance and couldn't walk away. Mommy just needed her one shot at Skee-ball and then she was content just resting her aching feet while sitting and watching Daddy & Addison.

Cooling down with some ice cream. Daddy is much nicer than Mommy is when it comes to messy stuff. I kept trying to feed her myself while she is very intent on doing it herself. She and Daddy won out and she got to feed herself. I just keep seeing the sticky and the stains with every bite but I guess she'll never learn how to eat if I'm trying to do it for her. You live, you learn right? It's hard to give up control!

Riding her favorite - the mini-carousel. She's growing up so much. I don't have to hover by her to make sure she holds on. Sniff sniff.

And last but not least, the cheap loot we spent our tickets on. Luckily it's all amazing to her. John got her some wrist-bands that had soccer balls on them and she LOVED them. It was hilarious to see her walking while holding her wrists together - as if they had to be touching to look cute. She's hilarious to watch sometimes!

It was such a fun way to spend time together and it definitely made me realize that life will be changing VERY soon...for the better of course! We can't wait to welcome this little guy to our family. I think he will fit in just perfectly. And I think Addison will blow us all away with her ability to be such a good big sister.

**Before I forget, I want to document the latest developments w/Addison as we prepare for this next step in our family. I don't know if it's because I'm trying to soak her up even more lately or she has just turned up the adorability factor - but either way she is just growing by leaps and bounds and is SUCH a good girly. Seriously, her bad moments are so few and far between I can't remember the last time we encountered one.

Instance #1: Randomly, I've been trying to explain more about how life will change once baby brother gets here. Just to see how much she understands and retains. I tell her all about how he'll be "this big" (while holding my hands apart), how he'll cry sometimes, and he'll sleep, and we'll put him in the swing, and we'll have to change his diapers, and Mommy will need her help. At first I thought she was just humoring me but later that same day she was relaying to me all the information I had just shared with her. She says "Mommy...baby budder....dis big (holding her hands out)....he kies...pee pee in da potty...put in da sing." I'm quite amazed at how much she really gets. I do have to explain that he won't be as skilled as her with the potty just yet. I'm sure she'll learn all too quickly where/how to find diapers for him when Mommy needs her to.

Instance #2: Within the past few days she has gotten soooo much cuddlier. She's always been a good cuddle bug but lately she actually ASKS for them. This morning, the first thing she said when she crawled into my bed was "Mommy....tuddles...tuddles" like she was desperately needing them. And frankly that's a HUGE step when she usually asks for her milk asap. I happily obliged and just hugged, and squeezed, and kissed on her and she just lay there trying to get closer and closer. She even stays by me for a longer time and doesn't seem to tire of it like she used to. We spent most of today just giving her tuddles....and I was definitely soaking up the moment while it lasted. She'll even ask for hugs and hold her arms out. It's so adorable and honestly I hope she never outgrows it. John is secretly hoping that he'll still get to cuddle with her when she's in her 20's...we'll see how that goes. She's a fun one to cuddle with so I'm secretly hoping so too.

Instance #3: She is a little mini-me. Case in point: Mommy always cleans/puts things away as she goes while Daddy just throws it to the side (until Mommy finds it herself ;-). Lately, I've noticed when we get home, Addison will not only take off her shoes but will place them right next to her dresser in a perfectly straight line. Even when Daddy was getting her ready for bed last night, he took off her shirt and tossed it on the ground and she immediately got off the bed, picked it up, and ran to put it in the hamper. And tonight, she had to put her toys away before Daddy could put her to bed....even though he didn't ask her to. I love how helpful she is during the day, she's always wanting to put things in the hamper (usually Daddy's socks) and she's so willing to put things where I ask her to...the kitchen, the trash, etc. I hope she will always think helping is fun! Just the other day I was asking her to hand me some clothes off the floor so I could throw them in the washing machine. But, she got sooo frustrated because she wanted to pick them up and throw them in the hamper. While helpful, she is also a stubborn little girly - and wouldn't give them to me and instead kept saying "Hamper! Hamper!"

Instance #4: Her stubborn-ness. I think she gets a double dose - from Mommy AND Daddy. She will argue with you til the cows come home and she does NOT budge. For example, she calls blueberries - "gapes". John decided to teach her their real name one night for dinner (they both LOVE their blueberries). So, he kept telling her they were blueberries and she kept arguing back "No....GAPES!" You'd think the more he pushed, she would just give in but that little girly stuck to her guns and to this day still calls them "gapes". And again, anytime she goes potty she keeps calling the "poo-poo's", "pee-pee's". So while I sat and waited for her to do her business today, I kept trying to tell her they were "poo-poo's" and she was belligerent in telling me they were "pee-pee's". We argued about it for a good few minutes and she would NOT budge. It's hilarious but mystifying at the same time. I asked her where she got her stubborn-ness, from Mommy or Daddy and she quickly told me "Mommy!" Lol....whoopsie...guess I shouldn't have asked!

Instance #5: She's an avid block-builder. This is the lone toy that can consume the most amount of her time. Just building, and re-building, over and over. It's nice for Mom too so I can get something done and keep her occupied at the same time. She's very in to building castles and houses. And just absolutely LOVES when you compliment her on them. She'll happily show me her finished product and I'll go on and on and exclaim "Addison, that is a beautiful castle!" (and honestly they are quite impressive for a 2 year old) and she'll immediately respond with "Thanks Moooommmm!" in the most adorable voice. Similar to the "It's shake n bake and I heppped!" commercial. She's been saying the funniest things in the funniest ways lately - it cracks us up!

Showered With Love

I wore black on purpose. However, even though it is a very forgiving color, it alone cannot hide my huge baby belly...or my puffy face. Oh well, it was worth a try!

I almost forgot...but didn't. Earlier this month, my wonderful in-laws and friends threw me a beautiful baby shower for this baby boy. I'm very lucky since this is technically my 2nd child, even though he is our first boy. But even more luckier once you see just how much they did for little ole me....and baby. It was a wonderful shower and I am always so thankful to see how many people care about me, help, show-up, etc etc. I'm not one that feels most comfortable in the spotlight but I'm grateful for friends that still make sure I'm in it every once in awhile.

The theme was brought to you by Sarah (along with most everything else). It was decorated in a Bee theme and it was just adorable. Everything down to the nitty gritty details had to do with bees. I loved it!

A one-shot glance at the treats table. This doesn't even include the array of delicious foods behind the camera that were waiting to be eaten. Sarah is a decoratist - I'm coining that word...just for her.

Cupcakes by the wonderful Courtney. She is Sarah's BFF who I'm also adopting. She must really love me because she made these herself! They look professional don't they? They were just as delicious as they were beautiful!

A beehive diaper cake! I must say I've never ever had my own diaper cake. It was on my wish list - and now I have enough diapers to last this little guy through his first 3 days at home! Thanks Sarah!

See how serious she is about her parties/decorations? She even coordinates the beverages around the Bee theme!

Josie & Mama Jean posing for the camera. They too were sooo helpful with the shower. Josie put together a fun candy matching game - using her artistic abilities. Mama Jean helped with the set-up, take-down, and food as well. I'm definitely loved!

April & Erin joined in on the fun - and the helping! Yep, they are both pregnant too - it's in the water I guess!

What wasn't shown were the scores of other friends that came to shower me with love and gifts. Plus lots of help as well. It was a great evening and I always feel so special when I get to see first hand just how many people care about me. Thanks so much for everyone that came and helped! It was definitely a fun night full of family, fun, friends, food, and laughter!!

Going Out With A Bang!

So, it must be said...I am still preggo. My due date (the 25th) came and went with nothing eventful happening. I spent the day before my due date, at my doctor's office watching him shaking his head and saying..."Still a 1.5, not effaced...hmmmm". We even went as far as to set an induction date. September 1st - so at least I have an official countdown date. That should help right? Eh, somewhat...it still seems kinda far away. Not to mention that ANY day past the beloved due date seems like E.T.E.R.N.I.T.Y.!! My doctor has mentioned from the get go that going overdue was likely - especially since I did w/Addison. So I should have been prepared mentally right? Eh, I still cried when I realized it was going to happen again. Just a little - but I'm entitled right? Kinda dissappointed in my body and it's lack of ability to kick a baby out on it's own. I know it's probably more healthy to be "positive-minded" and to order my request of a natural labor in the universe - but mostly I'm being realistic and realizing my body just doesn't like a schedule.....ever.

So, I'm doing the only thing one hugely, overdue, pregnant, woman can do. Living it up for the next week! Woohoo! It's gonna be sooo exciting it'll go down in the record books folks. I'm eating anything/everything I please. Cleaning/nesting up a storm (and to be honest I did have a few more things on my "to-do before baby comes" list). Catching some extra Zzzz's (when I don't have to roll this huge belly around). And having just plain old fun in the meantime. That means LOTS of dates: Mommy/Addison dates, Family dates, and even a GNO thrown in there for good measure. Must.Occupy.My.Mind. At least until September 1st. Then I'll be one happy woman.

After I reserved this past Thursday (my original due-date) for moping around, we finally busted out and started partying Friday. Addison and I took a last minute jaunt on our own lunch date. What was on the menu? Any pregnant woman's dream:

FRIED PICKLES!! :D

I found a restaurant - Slim Chickens - that makes them soooo good. John's actually been a fan of the restaurant for many moons but I wasn't sold until I noticed the menu not only had fried pickles - but fried okra to boot! Lets just say I'm now a card carrying punch card holder....and it's already halfway filled. I've had many random cravings this pregnancy but this one beats them all. And I'm not even going to contemplate how many calories they contain - I'm just popping them back with not a care in the world.

I was tempted to call John and have him meet us at the restaurant for a last minute lunch but decided he was probably too busy. When Addison and I walked in to make our order, she kept saying "Daddy, Daddy" and I thought - that'd be hilarious if we just ran into him. I just assumed she associated the restaurant with him since he was usually with us when we came. But just as I stepped up to place my order, guess who sidled up next to us? Yep, Daddy! Addison must have wished him there. It was a fun excuse to enjoy a lunch date with Daddy and Brad and Addison and I. I even graciously offered one of my fried pickles to each person - just one of course. ;-)

Then, Friday night I spent moaning and groaning assuming the fried pickles were not sitting pretty with me. However, I soon realized it could likely be some mild contractions. I had a few symptoms to make me (and our wonderful Doula - Sarah) think so. It's not fun feeling crampy and nauseous but it did help spending the night wondering if this is how natural labor begins. John was a very good support and we laid around and timed them while dreaming if "this was really it!" Sadly, they went away but I did get some good sleep. And I'm not ready to discount the pains entirely - I still think something may be looming around the corner.

In the meantime, it definitely motivated me to step up my nesting gene Saturday. We've spent the morning getting LOTS done so now I feel better about leaving the house behind if the hospital calls our name. And if need be, I can even find a few more things to do before Thursday if little boy decides to wait longer.

So, in summary, I'm trying to maintain a positive attitude, keep myself busy, and not dwell on the fact that I'm still HUGELY pregnant. What's left on the horizon? A Girl's Night Out dinner/movie tonight, possibly church tomorrow, a last doctor's appointment on Monday for my non-stress test, a family FHE date night at Putt Putt on Monday night. Finishing the dwindling "to-do list". Plus, I'm sure I see more fried pickles in my future of course. And to think....at the end of it all, we'll FINALLY get to meet this little guy! Less than a week and counting! A very fun and exciting week at that! :D

The Man Of The Day

This past Monday we got to celebrate Daddy's birthday! It was a fun and exciting day for all of us and Mommy was definitely grateful that baby boy Hufford didn't pick THAT day to be born. Envisioning years and years of trying to celebrate two separate people and birthdays on the same day for the rest of our lives - was not ideal to me. Granted if it had happened I would have come to terms with it. But just soooo glad it didn't.

Addison and I sent Daddy on to work that morning and then went about our day getting the last minute details taken care of. We ran a few errands and picked up his yummy cake. Then we were lucky enough to swing by and pick him up from work for an impromptu lunch date. And even better, he got permission to play hookie for the rest of the afternoon from work. And of course what did we do with our time? One of his favorite wishes: to spend the afternoon at a movie matinee eating corn and kicking back. We couldn't find anything we were dying to see so we opted for "Captain America" and luckily only shared the theater with two other lone guys. It was right at Addison's nap but no matter how hard I tried, she wasn't planning on sleeping. She enjoyed wandering the aisles while we enjoyed sitting back and watching the movie. It was cute but not the best out there by any means. I spent most of my time fretting about the cake sitting in the mini-van all by it's lonesome - luckily it survived.

After the movie we headed home and Addison and Daddy napped while I started cooking the famous "Skyline Chili" for dinner that evening. Mama Jean and Papa Joe were able to come over and visit and celebrate with us. The Skyline was delish and the company was even more wonderful. We got to watch Daddy open all of his presents - with Addison's help of course and we even got to sing to him and help blow out his candles. Addison is a professional birthday helper - she knows the ropes on unwrapping presents and blowing out candles. I don't think we'll ever have to worry about doing it all ourselves for the rest of our lives at this rate. So grateful for her.

Daddy enjoyed some Chicago Bears attire: A hoodie, a hat, a t-shirt, some relaxing pajama bottoms, and a Bears Fan plaque to adorn our walls with and a soon-to-be-released FIFA 2012 game. Can you tell he's just a little excited for football season to come? Now he's ready to sit back and cheer them on! He even got lucky and got to watch them that evening for one of their pre-games. Sadly they didn't win it but at least he still managed to enjoy his Birthday festivities.

Here are a few pictures of our exciting day.

Enjoying the movies and the poppies.

We are so very grateful that Daddy was born sooo long ago ;-). It's nice to be able to celebrate his birth but I think I spend almost every day celebrating him being born. At least in my own head and I sometimes try to make it a point to verbalize it. I'm very grateful to be lucky enough to be his wife. And I'm very glad that he can be the Daddy to my kids. He's a very very good one. One of my favorite things is to see just how much Addison loves to bask in his attention and love and soak it all up. She absolutely LOVES to wrestle with him any time of the day. So much so that if he stops wrestling, she'll lay down next to him, wiggle closer and closer to him, until he gets the hint and picks up the wrestling again. She is a little John-essa and I love it!

Happy Birthday John!

Walkin' A Mile

Technically, I don't think Addison could walk a mile in either of these pair of shoes....especially Daddy's steel toe boots. But she'd sure look cute just trying!

Daddy's Boots: She kept saying "Mommy...heavy, Mommy....heavy."

Mommy's flats.

I'm assuming every Mother dreams of the day their little girl plays dress-up in their high heels. However, seeing as this Mommy doesn't wear high-heels, these will just have to do. She's very much into playing pretend these days and spends a lot of time with her babies and in Mommy and Daddy's closet. At least she doesn't play favorites - she splits her time between her "work boots" and her "girly shoes." And she has turned into quite the girly girl lately. Her walk now always consists of a booty shake from side to side wherever she goes. (Sashay....Shawntay)


And speaking of pretend - look how talented she is! She has always loved playing with her blocks but the other day when I glanced over at her "cassow" and/or "howse" I was pretty amazed. I haven't ever seen her creations actually resemble a castle or house until now! I'll pretend it isn't because she's had so much more practice time since Mommy is usually pretty immobile lately and can't get down on the ground and play with her. Yes, that's right - we'll just call her smart instead ;-).

Kicking back at the end of a long day at the office.

Apparently, in her ample free time she also likes to study up on the game of golf and learn some tricks to perfect her swing. This was the result of Daddy getting her ready for bed. And yes, he SWEARS this was not staged. I guess she's just that obsessed with golf lately. Nothing like sitting down on the throne and perusing through the latest periodical. Sigh.

Lest I Forget

I feel the need to let blog-land know that I'm still alive....still kicking....and so is this baby - STILL from the inside of the belly though. Technically, I'm still 1 week from my actual due date but it doesn't help that all the pregnant people I know (which is a lot) are having their babies. TWO of them weren't even due until after me! Yeah, I know....life isn't fair. Apparently my body likes my babies to be well-done so I should at least come to terms with it right? We'll see.

So, I've had a little time on my hands to reflect (yes, even while crazily nesting away for the past two weeks surprisingly) and there are lots of things I want to not forget when/if the day comes for this little guy to make his entry into this big world. Which, yes, I prefer my babies on the outside as opposed to the inside. Read on and you'll see why...

Bathroom Breaks: Really, I can't wait to not go through a bajillion rolls of toilet paper in a 24 hour day. I miss the luxury of not having to go every 5 minutes and only two drips at a time. I envy those who have regular bladders. Poor Addison doesn't quite understand why Mommy asks her if she needs to use the potty every 5 minutes. I guess I just assume since I do that everyone must right? How easy it is to forget how often a normal bladder functions. I can't wait to remember a few weeks from now. Addison has started to become annoyed with my frequent inquiries....so much so that now when I ask if she needs to use the potty she shouts at me in a stern voice "No!" Which introduces our next life lesson of politeness vs. rudeness. She's learning quickly to say "No tanks" and even "Tanks" w/everything - it's cute really.

Following The Rules: (um yeah, this one isn't so much pregnancy related) I have found proof again that Addison is indeed my child. While part of me always loves those discoveries - this one worries me at times. She is 100% a rule follower....as was I (and still am). Don't get me wrong, I LOVE it 95% of the time. I never have to fear her defying me or anything I say for that matter. I say it - she obeys it...nice right? Except, I'm afraid it makes her too timid at times. Case in point: She asks me before she does a.n.y.t.h.i.n.g. "Mommy, can I walk on the rocks?" "Mommy, can I pick up my toy?" "Mommy, can I read this book?" I promise she does this all on her own - I don't beat my child. It's cute at first but I worry that she won't gain the confidence she needs to just jump in and do it because she wants to and not wait for permission. Growing up I always worried about upsetting others.....too much in my opinion. And I see how sensitive she is and how even the smallest moments where we get on to her - she gets really sad and cries. Hopefully, she and I can work through this together through the years and learn to bust out of the mold just a bit. Maybe we can consult Daddy for advice - he definitely wasn't a rule follower growing up - just ask the policemen he sassed and the mother he disobeyed and the house he frequently snuck out of. He was ALL boy and then some.

Heartburn: Addison was born with a TON of hair. So much so that it curled down the back of her chubby little neck. We could have probably put it in a ponytail when we took her home from the hospital. For this reason, I am a believer in the theory that pregnancy heartburn = babies with LOTS of hair. And, again I'm banking on this one to have a shaggy mane of his own. I'm guessing those genetics come from John. So pretty much since day one of this pregnancy I've dealt with some horrendous heartburn. In the beginning I tried to medicate myself but it just proved fruitless. Now I just deal with it. And one way I do that is to belch like a trucker. It's not a pretty sight - but neither are 90% of the side effects that pregnancy provides. Thankfully I do most of my belching in the privacy of my own home. Addison thinks it's hilarious and shocking at the same time. I just can't wait until I can pass gas the normal way like everyone else.

Insomnia: If you check the time stamp of this post you'll realize I'm currently battling a bout of insomnia - yet again. I don't remember having this symptom w/Addison but it is NOT fun to be wide awake when the rest of the house is sawing logs. The first few times it happened to me I got so frustrated with it all that I burst into tears. And lets just say that reaction didn't necessarily drive me to sleepy land either. There isn't much worse out there than laying awake and trying to will yourself to sleep. I realize this is a typical occurrence in the last few weeks of pregnancy but unfortunately I got the added privilege of enjoying it in the early months as well. By the time my body is ready to rest, the baby will be on the outside of me and wide awake. So nice that we get to take turns at this eh?

Hip Pain: Moving around freely and without pain - sigh...those were the good ole days. Anytime I sit in a position for more than 5 minutes my body will tighten up and take a good 10 minutes to get moving again. Hobbling around and wincing in pain is getting old at this point of the game. There have even been a few times where I was a fool and actually sat my pregnant self on the floor. Needless to say, Addison got a bit worried when she saw me unable to get up. I got pretty worried myself to be frank with ya. Even tonight, as we packed Addison's "Grandpa/Grandma Visit-Bag" I absentmindedly plopped myself right on the ground. Funny how those memories come flooding back when it's time to try and get up again. And why do I do this on the few times when John isn't even home to help me? Have you ever seen a two year old try her hardest to pull on Mommy's finger with a worried look on her face?

Hormones: I'm a bawler (yeah that's with a "wl" not an "ll"). More so when I'm pregnant but yes I tend to here and there even when I'm un-pregnant. Sweet Addison will look at my tears and come love and hug on me and say "Mommy.....sad." What do I say to her when 90% of the time I don't even know what is causing the tears? Poor John doesn't get much response either when he's asking what is wrong. However, he has learned quickly this time around to give me different/better responses. "It's okay" "You can just cry - you don't have to figure it out" "Just soak in a bath and relax" etc. etc. Even as a girl, it can be so confusing to have tears and emotions come from absolutely nothing. I'm the one pouring the flood gates and I usually can't figure out what is going on. So strange.

Elephant-itis: Yep, I have it again. I didn't think I'd swell with this one....but I did. Granted both times my swelling only occurs in the last couple of weeks of pregnancy so I'll take it. But it does look mighty nasty - not to mention it doesn't feel good. It does help me pull in sympathy votes w/John though. Whenever I'm needing some attention, I'll just plop my fat nasty feet in his vicinity and point it out to him. He feels for me and sometimes even rubs them! :D It's not attractive when you can take off your shoe and still see the imprint of where it once was.

Cranky-itis: Yeah, I have this symptom too. Poor Addison deals with the brunt of it since she's at home w/me all day. I thought most of it was due to the insanely hot temperatures and me being insanely pregnant. But, now that the temps have cooled down, I still have it. At this point, I'm not so much as trying to fix it as I'm allowing myself permission to endure the next couple of weeks with it. I do keep promising Addison that the "Fun Mommy" will be back soon. This crazy lady that gripes at any/everything is only temporary. Addison deals with it well and I hope she really knows that the Mommy that will play on the ground with her and give her endless amounts of cuddles and attention and free time....is right around the corner.

Braxton Hicks: These seem to be the ONLY contractions my body has ever decided to have on it's very own. And frankly, this time around they are a lot more frequent than when I was pregnant w/Addison. Every time I google the symptoms everyone says they are painless. Whuh? Pain-LESS? Feeling like a two-ton sumo wrestler is sitting on your chest is not my idea of painless. Every muscle in your body tightening and your belly getting rock hard - isn't exactly painless. And lets add the latest symptom of throbbing pain in my muscles all the way up the back of my neck and head - that's definitely not painless. Apparently they affect everything in my body except actual dilation. Which could still be why I'm still sitting at a 1.5 currently.

Personal Space: I don't have it anymore and haven't had it for a long time. I have a constant bowling ball sitting on top of me. And I was even a big fan of personal space even before pregnancy. So, needless to say, I'm not the nicest when anyone outside of my stomach infringes upon my space. Addison doesn't really understand why exactly she can't come hang on me anytime she pleases. And I can't find the nice words to say that "I love you but don't touch me" (remember she's pretty sensitive). It's gotten so bad now that John knows when I give the look to help clear the area around me asap. He's turning into such a good mind-reader lately.

So, in summary, those are the current thoughts/pains of my mind. It sounds like I'm not grateful for this little life inside me and honestly I am. Especially when I know of good friends that struggle with infertility and/or loss. I can't imagine how difficult that must be. It does make me grateful at times to enjoy the blessings of the pain. But, again, if I could have my way, I'd rather deal with the sleepless nights and have the baby in my arms than in my belly once it's done cooking. Here's to hoping that happens sometime next week. :D

The Hills Are Alive...

No, technically we weren't frolicking through the daisies and hills belting this tune out at the top of our lungs....but we came close. Instead we were dining on dinner while enjoying the local rendition of the play at the Rogers Little Theater. Much better listening to THEM sing than us - not saying that a few in our group didn't give it their best shot though.

I had decided it was time we expose ourselves to the arts again so John and I booked tickets for our date-night outing to see "The Sound of Music" at the Rogers Little Theater. And luckily, we were able to talk Brad & Dana into joining us so we didn't have to make awkward dinner conversation with complete strangers (again). Brad's sister Jenny even joined us at the last minute to make our outing that much more exciting.

If you've ever seen plays on Broadway, this doesn't necessarily meet that "level" - but it is a nice break from the typical "movie/dinner date" every once in awhile. And we do have some pretty amazing local talent folks - whodathunk? My personal favorite was the little girl who played the role of the youngest child - Gretl. She was a.door.a.bull and could out-sing most of the cast to boot. I guess I'm always amazed when teeny tiny people can perform/sing so well.....especially when that is definitely NOT a talent of mine. It took all I could muster to not run up to the stage and squish her cute little cheeks or put her in my pocket and take her home w/me.

Neither John nor I had ever actually seen the movie or the play - and yes we were mocked repeatedly by our dinner guests/friends. I understood the general plot and knew most of the songs just by picking them up through the years but of course never knew where exactly they originated from until that night. Overall, we were pleasantly....pleased. It was a fun time and I'm glad we got to go and experience it. Every time we enjoy the arts, I always leave dreaming of a trip to Broadway to see more. My dream list consists of: Phantom, Les Mis, and Wicked (again). Hopefully someday I can go on the voyage and check those babies off my list....at least maybe even a traveling group?

Our captivating dinner company, Brad, Dana, and Jenny.

John and I. At this point, I was about to eat off my left arm I was starving so much. They send you through the buffet line one row at a time - and apparently we drew the short straw. Surely, they know what consequences that can have on a severely pregnant woman? I hope they got the picture as I managed to dish up enough portions to feed a small army when it was finally our turn.

This Is The Life

Okay, I must confess, I'm one lucky lady. Especially at this stage in the pregnancy. Not only do I get many night outs and breaks but I also get nice foot rubs. Check out my viewpoint from this past Sunday afternoon. (And lets not focus on the fact that my legs have now turned into sausages okay?)


This past Sunday I got to enjoy yet another foot rub from Daddy & Addison. I've capitalized on the fact that this little girly loves to put on "Otions" (lotions). She actually almost trumps the Daddy in knowing just how to rub those tiny little fingers in between and around the toes....her natural ability is quite impressive!

She has also turned into a "mini-me" as of late which is hilarious at times. Now that I'm in my last month of pregnancy (random shout-out: Woot!) I've increased in the aches and pains department and thus can't help but vocalize them as well.

Mostly, during the day as I hobble around in pain, Addison also joins in with me - as if she were also pregnant and achy as well. When I grunt as I stand up, she's next to me grunting and standing up as well. When I moan while I walk/hobble and wait for my joints to catch up, she's behind me doing the same thing. It's so nice (and hilarious) to have someone who feels my pain! Just today, I was laying on the bed and rubbing lotion on my aching feet and she was my mirror image. Side by side, sitting the exact same way, rubbing her feet and moaning just like me. It's hilarious to watch and makes me realize maybe I'm a little too vocal about the recent aches and pains......nah who am I kidding? I deserve to be heard dangit! :P

She's also very sympathetic to my needs. She has turned into my little assistant. I no longer have to bend over and pick things up. She happily will stop what she's doing to fulfill my request and pick it up to hand to me, or put in the trash, or put away, etc. She'll even assist me in pulling me up off the couch, the bed, etc. She must realize just how much work it takes to be pregnant at this point. Ahhhhhh, soooo glad I had a girl first. She's going to be a great mini-nanny when this baby boy arrives. :D

Through The Year

I can't help but belt out this song when I read the title of this post. However, technically I should change the words to...."Through the Yeeeeaaarrrr - and a half." John started the tradition and I merely continue it. At 6 months old Addison had tubes put in her ears. Scary for this Mom at the time but soooo worth it as well. Anyway, every 6 months since then we've been back for follow-up appointments to check and see if they are still in, gone, etc. So, once again I've decided to document our 3rd installment of the doctor's chair picture so everyone can see just how grown up she's gotten since our first visit.

Roughly 6 months old. Just a week after her successful surgery. She's sooo tiny!


The 1 year post surgery follow-up (1 1/2 years old) .....she's growing up too fast!

And last but not least, our big girly at her 1 1/2 year follow-up (2 years old). She's turned into such a little girl!

And stay tuned for the next 6 month follow-up. As of this last visit, she still has one tube holding on in there which should fall out soon. She's done amazingly well with both the tubes and getting her regular check-ups from the doctor. I always walk away amazed at how well she sits and lets him do his thing.

Looking through all these pictures makes me miss those chubby baby days when she was sooo little. I love watching her grow up but it's so hard at the same time. However, it does get me excited to get ready to watch baby brother go through the same phases.

Two of a Kind

It seems that John and Addison go on more dates than this Mommy can even keep up with in documenting them! I won't complain though. It's so nice to have some time relaxing by myself while those two go off on their adventures. Addison is lucky to have such a great Dad and I'm lucky that I was able to give her such a great Dad. Because, it WAS all my doing ya know! Seriously though, I found John....he didn't find me.....and I'm thankful everyday that I did find him, and that he didn't ignore my random email way back almost 5 years ago.

So, first things first, Addison enjoyed going to her first youth dance. Yes, at 2 years old mind you! John's church calling is with the 14 year old boys in our ward so he went to help out with a dance/activity and decided to bring Addison as his date at the last minute. Of course, that involved Mommy and Addison rushing around at the last minute to get her dressed just so for her big night out and have every hair in place and even fancy shoes to boot. Yes, secretly we both love this little primping moment....prepping for dates. Luckily they are just with Dad at this point. I fear the day we are getting her ready for dates with other boys!

Testing her abilities with the Hula Hoop. I'm guessing she did wonderfully since she really knows how to shake that booty at home.

One of her dance partners of the night and also one of her favorite babysitters. They even share the same name. It's no coincidence they get along so well.

I'm guessing Daddy and Addison shared a dance or two as well but since he was the sole picture taker, I have nothing to show. They of course topped off the evening with a McD's ice cream cone as a night cap. Daddy is much nicer than Mommy, he lets her hold her OWN ice cream cone. She's been jabbering about that moment ever since. Such a fun date!

And of course, not even a week or two later, the two were off again on another adventure. Mommy got to enjoy a GNO (Girls Night Out, to the late person) and Daddy enjoyed a "Man Date" with his friend Tommy and his kiddos as Mommy was busy dining with Tommy's wife (her friend) as well. Yep, it's a communal event around these parts. Of course the man date included the kiddos while the wives were kid-free (we know how to work it, we are smart ladies after all!) Apparently a fun time was had by all, and John obeyed well when I requested pictures of their man date.

Addison and Bentley chasing each other around the play place. They have about 2 years between them but they LOVE to play together so it works well.

Addison on the slide. Yes, this is the play place that Mommy never lets her go in for fear she won't come out. Again, Daddy is cooler than Mommy.

And this is Addison's future boyfriend, Coops (yes, she picked out that nickname for him, how romantic! ;-). He's a few months younger but we'll look past that. Oh plus she cries (okay SOBS) anytime he's even in her presence or looking at her, but then she'll jabber about him non-stop when he's not around. Girls are so confusing!