The Backseat Singer

A friend and I were just laughing about how easily kids are amused. They get so excited about the littlest things. But yesterday I realized that I am also very easily amused by the little things my kids do. I guess it is a proud parent thing, but it is just so fun to watch what new things they learn and the new things they can do.
Mese and I tend to keep the same c.d. playing in the van for weeks at a time. We have had this one compilation in there for about a month now and yesterday as we were driving home from Drew's birthday party Marlowe's favorite, the "guitar song", came on again. This time, to our surprise, she was singing along. It was sooooooo cute. We didn't know she had learned almost all the words to the chorus. Mese and I just kept looking at each other and giggling. We would slowly and subtly turn the volume down so we could hear her more clearly and we played the song over and over again. We just kept smiling and giggling. I know it doesn't sound like that big of a deal. I'm sure all kids do this, but, like I said, it is so fun when it is your own kid and you get to watch every little moment. It is very exciting.

GEELA Give Away

To all my fellow mothers and anyone who knows a mommy I just want to tell you about a give away my sister's company is doing. She makes baby slings, breastfeeding covers, and a bunch of other stuff. You can check it all out on their blog, plus you can enter to win one of two forty dollar gift certificates they are giving away. but you have to hurry. The last day is tomorrow. All you have to do is click on "julia's baby creations" under my friends list. The first post you see is called "Stephmodo Giveaway" and you can click on the link with the word "here." All you have to do is post a comment and you are automatically entered in the give away. Good luck.

It MIGHT be another girl

I know it has been a really long time since I have updated my blog. I apologize. This pregnancy has been kinda rough. But I am starting to feel a little bit better, luckily. I had a doctor's appointment yesterday and my doctor does an ultrasound every time I go. This time I told him that if he thinks he sees the sex of the baby to let me know a.s.a.p. He said right now, if he had to guess, he thinks it is a girl, but that he would give me a much more accurate opinion when I go back for my "full" ultrasound. I am looking forward to that because I am still not exactly sure of my due date. It keeps going up and down according to the measurements he takes of the baby when he does these ultrasounds. Kinda frustrating. I never know exactly how far along I am. But for now I am sticking with the due date that is furthest away, March 7th, because I don't want to get my hopes up too soon. Marlowe came ten days late and I hated the frustration of having a due date that was too early. I went back and started looking at pictures of my first baby girl and I am getting excited, but trying not to get too attached to the idea that it is a girl. I have heard a lot of stories of people being told it is a girl and then it turns into a boy. You know what I mean. Any way, these are some of the pictures. They grow up too fast.

I'M SEEING DOUBLE

SATURDAY MORNING AT ABOUT FOUR IN THE MORNING I GOT UP TO USE THE BATHROOM AND I DECIDED IT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO TAKE A PREGNANCY TEST SINCE I AM ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATE. AFTER A MINUTE OR TWO I LOOKED AT THE TEST AND SURE ENOUGH I SAW THE DOUBLE PINK LINES. I AM PREGNANT. I HAVE NOT GONE TO THE DOCTOR YET, BUT I AM PRETTY SURE I AM PREGNANT. WE KINDA PLANNED IT, BUT NOW THAT IT IS REAL I KINDA THINK WE ARE CRAZY. IF MY CALCULATIONS ARE CORRECT, MARLOWE WON'T EVEN BE THREE YET WHEN THIS BABY IS BORN. IT WILL BE FUN, THOUGH. THREE KIDS IN THREE YEARS. YEP, WE ARE CRAZY. MASON IS GONNA BE A BIG BROTHER. HE'S NOT MY BABY ANY MORE.

HAPPY FOUR YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO US!!

JUNE 25TH OF THIS YEAR MARKED OUR 4 YEAR ANNIVERSARY. MAY I JUST SAY THAT MY HUSBAND IS THE BEST. I AM GOING TO BE DOING A LITTLE BRAGGING ABOUT HIM. HE WENT ALL OUT AND GAVE ME A WONDERFUL ANNIVERSARY GIFT. HE TOLD ME ABOUT TWO WEEKS PRIOR THAT HE ARRANGED FOR US TO STAY IN THE AGUA CALIENTE HOTEL IN RANCHO MIRAGE. 3 DAYS AND 2 NIGHTS. HE EVEN ARRANGED THE BABY-SITTER AND EVERYTHING. I AM SO PROUD OF HIM. SO, AFTER TWO LONG WEEKS FILLED WITH ANTICIPATION PASSED BY, OUR ANNIVERSARY FINALLY CAME AND HE MADE A WHOLE DAY OF IT. ON TOP OF THE HOTEL TRIP HE TOOK ME SHOPPING AT THE CABAZON OUTLET MALL. HE BOUGHT ME THE LOVELY OUTFIT PICTURED ABOVE ALONG WITH A FEW OTHERS AND HE TOOK ME INTO A SHOE STORE AND MADE ME SIT THERE WHILE HE PROCEEDED TO BRING ME PAIR AFTER PAIR OF SHOES THAT HE THOUGHT I WOULD LIKE AND THAT WOULD LOOK GOOD ON ME. WE FINALLY DECIDED ON THIS LOVELY RED PAIR. I JUST LOVE RED SHOES. I FEEL SO FEMININE IN THEM. NORMALLY I WOULD NEVER SPEND $40.00 ON A PAIR OF SHOES. I KNOW THAT PROBABLY SOUNDS LIKE PENNIES TO SOME, BUT I AM A VERY THRIFTY GIRL, USUALLY. IT WAS FUN TO LET HIM SPOIL ME. I FELT LIKE A PRINCESS. TO TOP IT OFF WE WENT TO THE GODIVA CHOCOLATE STORE AND INDULGED IN THE MOST DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE DIPPED STRAWBERRIES I HAVE EVER TASTED. THE HOTEL WAS BEAUTIFUL. A FLAT SCREEN HD T.V. NOT ONLY COMES IN THE ROOM, BUT IN THE BATHROOM AS WELL. THE TUB WAS HUGE. THE BED WAS SOOOOOO COMFORTABLE. WE SWAM IN THE BEAUTIFUL POOL AND ATE WAY TOO MUCH AT THE BUFFET TWO NIGHTS IN A ROW. NOT BY MY CHOICE. I FEEL LIKE I GAINED TWENTY POUNDS. WE WENT TO A MOVIE. WE HAD NOT DONE THAT IN ABOUT TWO YEARS. AS YOU CAN SEE THIS WAS A MUCH NEEDED VACATION. DESPITE ALL THE SPOILING, THE BEST PART WAS JUST SPENDING QUALITY TIME WITH MY BEST FRIEND WITHOUT THE DISTRACTIONS OF THE KIDS. THANK YOU TO GRANDMA AND AUNTIE NIA FOR WATCHING THE KIDS SO WE COULD HAVE THIS TIME TO OURSELVES. AND A HUGE THANK YOU TO MY HUBBY. IT IS DEFINITELY WORTH INVESTING IN OUR RELATIONSHIP.

A Home of Our Own

Many of you know that we had been living with my in-laws for the last year and 9 months. It can be so hard to have two separate families under the same roof. I am forever grateful to my in-laws and all that they put up with for the time we were there. I know it was hard at times for both of us. Anyways, luckily, we finally have a home of our own again. We are back at the lamplighter apartments. I know it is not a house, but I am just so grateful to have a place to call our own again. I told Mese that I would stay for the next ten years if we had to. Hopefully that won't be the case. So I guess I just have a fetish with taking pictures of my kids while in the bath. I know you can't really tell that it is a new bathroom, but it's all the pictures I have right now of the new place. Our kids adjusted really well to their new room, thankfully. They love having space for their toys and I love that they have their own closet and I don't have to share mine. Well, they still have to share theirs with the food storage, but they don't know the difference. I love it. Hopefully we can eventually get everyone over for dinner some time.

RETREAT

WOW, THIS IS THE PERFECT FOLLOW UP TO MY LAST ENTRY. I JUST GOT BACK FROM OUR ANNUAL COUSIN'S RETREAT. WE STAYED AT THE BEAUTIFUL FALCON RIDGE HOTEL IN MESQUITE, NV. IT IS A TIME TO RELAX, REJUVENATE, REFOCUS AND GET RE-ACQUAINTED WITH FAMILY MEMBERS YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IN A LONG TIME. THANK YOU TO MY WONDERFUL COUSINS AMBER, MELISSA, AND SIMCAH WHO PLANNED A FABULOUS AND FUN WEEKEND FOR US. I HAD A BLAST. THANK YOU TO MY BROTHER AND SISTER, MILES AND COLETTE, FOR WATCHING MY KIDS AND ESPECIALLY THANK YOU TO MY ADORABLE HUBBY FOR ALL THE HARD WORK YOU DID WITH THE KIDS WHILE I WAS AWAY. I LOVE YOU.
YEAH, I WOULD DEFINITELY SUGGEST A RETREAT. PLAN ONE WITH YOUR SISTERS AND COUSINS. IT IS SO MUCH FUN. I CAME HOME WITH SO MUCH ENTHUSIASM ABOUT MY JOB AS A WIFE AND MOM. NOT THAT I DON'T LOVE BEING A MOM, BUT IT WAS AWESOME TO GAIN STRENGTH FROM HEARING THAT EVERY ONE ELSE YOU LOVE AND LOOK UP TO IS GOING THROUGH THE SAME THINGS YOU ARE AND THEY ARE SURVIVING. YOU WILL LAUGH A TON. THE JACUZZI WAS BROKEN SO WE ALL TOOK TURNS SQUISHING IN TO THE EXTRA LARGE BATH WITH JETS THAT WAS IN THE SUITE THEY GAVE US. WE LAUGHED, WE CRIED, AND WE FELT THE SPIRIT. I LOVE RETREATING.