Random updates:

Let me apologize in advance... this blog is going to be all over the place.

Crazy Texas Weather.
Remember that 80 degree weather we had last week?

Well, it is gone now.
In a big way.
We are predicted to get snow tomorrow.
Snow.
And wind chills down to -10 degrees!
Only in Texas, can temperatures change so drastically within hours!
I went to my mom's house for dinner last night in a dress and flip flops,  and left a few hours later bundled up in coat.

Though last week brought a few beautiful days, I am still miserable in its aftermath.
I hope the freeze kills whatever pollen is making my eyes feel like itchy razor blades and stops my sneezy-sneezies.  (Maddox's words, not mine)

And I hope my husband can fix the propane fireplaces, (which decided to go out today) because I think we are going to need them!


Are you ready for some football??
Wednesday evening, the hubster and I were going to have a date in Sundance square.
Dinner and football.
He has been talking for months about how ESPN is broadcasting from Fort Worth and he wanted to go take part in that and see all of the Superbowl hoopla--
We aren't super-huge fans of either team playing, but the Superbowl doesn't come to your hometown every day either, so we wanted to take part in a little bit of the excitement!
(Not to mention my husband is a bit of a sports freak, in general!)
With negative wind-chills, I think we are going to have to cancel.
He might want to be hard-core and still go... but he will have to find another date to ride along!
I am not well equipped for freezing temps.


3:45 comes early.
We are truly enjoying Lance's new schedule.
We feel like normal families now who eat dinner together, watch tv together, and play together before bed.
(even though by about 6:00, Dad's a bust!)
He gets off work at 2:00 so we have plenty of time to do all of the above every day before settling down for some Wheel of Fortune!.
To complain about any of this is a bit dramatic, but with Lance's new wake up time (of 3:45am) comes a bed time of around 9:00 or so.

And an early wake up time of 7:00am, by my child.

I am not  morning person.
At all.
Maddox (and his parents) have always slept somewhere between 9:00 and 10:30.
So for 2 1/2 years, I have been spoiled to this unorthodox schedule.

Lance worked nights.
As did I.
Though I only go in to work 3 nights a week, there are other nights during the week that I am on call until 11:00 and am up entering calls into the system until midnight or so...
and Maddox adapted to our schedules.

So this 7:00 craziness feels sooooooo early to me.
I know its a better schedule for him.
And good preparation for baby Beckham.
But it is still hard for me to adapt to.  (since my schedule did not change at all)
I am tired.
I should be napping with my boy now.




Potty planner.
Maddox has now been in underwear for 10 days!

His last accident was at Babies R Us, last Wednesday.
He has even woke up dry the last 4 mornings!!!
I don't know when most people get rid of the nightly pull-up, but I think we may be close?!
Or maybe not?!
Again, I don't know the rules 'al 'la pullups!

He doesn't ask for a sticker or M&M anymore, its just what we do.
We go potty.
We praise a little.
Then we go back to playing.
If he poops, he does usually tell me that we need to call Gigi and tell her about it, but other than that-- he acts as if he's an old pro.

This has been a way easier experience than I ever anticipated.
[Thanks again, mom!]


Tri-lingual ?
Maddox occasionally talks in Chinese.
It is usually one of 3 phrases...
It weirds me out a little but Lance thinks its hilarious.
We were never sure what he was saying, we just hoped to Nick Jr. that we weren't being cursed at!

A week ago or so, my husband's friend (who, apparently worked in a Chinese restaurant for 3 years in HS) came over.  Like a weird-o, Maddox shouted out some Kai Lan as a greeting, rather than the traditional English hello.
My husband's friend, without ever missing a beat, responded back in Chinese.
It was funny and awkward all at the same time.
But for the first time, we were assured that Maddox was just talking some friendly Chinese, and we didn't have to sedate him before our next dinner at Golden Moon!

He now has moved on to Spanish.
I don't know that he has said any Spanish phrases yet...
But randomly he will call something its Spanish name.

A week or so ago, he was sitting in Lance's lap and grabbed his hand.
He counted out all five fingers in spanish, perfectly, as if it was something we had been working on.
Random.
So now we are working on 6-10.  Why not?
Thanks Dora.

Maybe we watch too much Nick Jr.?


Getting closer...
Next week I start my bi-monthly OB appointments.
I'll be thirty weeks on Monday.
This process is flying by.

Hobby Lobby already has their Easter stuff out!!
...meaning its almost April. 
[I do realize they put their Christmas stuff out in July.  But still.]

I have my maternity pictures scheduled for February 12th.
And my sweet friends are throwing me a shower on February 27th.


Then its March.

See?!  April 20th will be here before we know it.
I hope we are ready!

[insert a level of anxiety here]




Something besides pop-tarts and super donuts!
I finally have a healthy craving.
Meet my salad.

'

[I may or may not have had a cherry pop tart along with it]


For now...
I am done.
The husband  is home and dinner is just about finished in the crock pot.
I am praying that I have a mild night at night clinic.
But seeing that Flu season is here... that's an empty hope!

What a beautiful day!

 I took Maddox outside to play today, since it was over 70 degrees here in Texas.

 In January.

 January and February have always been my 2 worst months for allergies, so I knew what I was getting myself into.

 But how could I deny him of throwing rocks, walking to the mail box, sliding, and being an everyday super hero... in this gorgeous weather?!

He had a blast.

And I am laid up in bed, eyes swollen, nose pouring, loaded with Benadryl and surrounded by used tissues.

But it was all worth it.

Reason #873 our Gigi rocks!!

Over the last 4 1/2 months, my mom has kept Maddox for me 2 nights a week while I work.  She would also keep him on Saturdays for about an hour while Lance and I's schedules missed each other coming and going.

As of Saturday, that all changed!

Lance was moved to days, meaning that my mom no longer has to help us during the week, however Saturdays went from a one hour to a 6 hour ordeal!

This past Saturday was our first shot at the new experience.
We tried talking Maddox into staying the night with mom so I didn't have to run him to her at 7:00 am but he wasn't having it!!

So instead, I let him sleep until the last minute, then bundled him up in blankets, scooped him into frigid temperatures and ran him around the corner to my mom without him even waking.

He snuggled up to her until about 10:00 and then she woke him up because she had to run to Weatherford.
Just as she was getting him dressed, she realized I forgot to pack an important item.

Diapers.

We are neighbors, and she has a key to my house so she could have taken the easy road and ran here for a few diapers on her way out.

Instead she did what I have been needing to do for a while.
She told him we were out!!

He threw a fit... the same fit that I always resort to diapers from... but without another option, he finally put his big boy underwear on.
And sat in his car seat for an hour, ran errands, ate lunch at a restaurant, and made it an hour home in his car seat, without an accident!

I feel a little silly gloating about it...
Since, remember we started potty training here and we talked more about it here and went into public the first time in undies here, and then I called us trained here....

and then we regressed.

I had a conversation with Dr Hayward a while back, and she was sure this was all about him trying to stay my baby, and that he was feeling the pressure of Beckham already.
Maybe she reached that synopsis after I explained that our conversations went something like:  "You're a big boy... you use big boy underwear"
Maddox: "No.  I am little.  Little boys wear diapers."
 Or, "Maddox, you are not a baby.  Baby's wear diapers."
"Yes momma, I am a baby.  I like my diapers."

She thought I just needed to get hard nosed on him, take the diapers out of the house and fight through the disagreements.

A discussion with another physician I work for was quite the opposite.
Acknowledge his feelings... reassure him... and let this fall on his watch.  He will come around.
She said she really thought he would regress once the baby got here anyway and we would be doing this all over again.
Her kids were both 3 and she thought it was easier that way.
Just wait.

Her tactic was easier... I liked it better.
I was fine with his diapers... as long as the rest of the world didn't make me feel like a loser!
We would just wait.

Then Gigi interfered.
Thankfully!

We are on our 5th day, diaper free!!
With only one accident yesterday.  "A rock" in his underwear, he called it!

We have a sticker chart for when he goes tee-tee.

And mini M&Ms for a poo poo!!

I have been putting pull-ups at night, but he wakes up wet every morning.

A couple of nights ago, I had a late night at work.
Maddox and Lance were already in bed when I made it in, but Maddox was still awake.
I said, "Hey buddy... did Daddy remember to put a pull up on you?"
He responded in the most beat-down voice ever: "yeah, but its for grils."
I pulled back his pjs to see this:

A swim diaper!
A girl's swim diaper at that!!
Maddox pitifully says: "see, it has a mermaid on it.  I think its Ellie's."

I got a good giggle out of it, but had to wake Lance up and tell him what he did.
Lance said, "well, he kept telling me that it was suppose to have race cars on it but I didn't see any of those."

Geese.

They are suppose to look more like this Daddy!

And pull ups actually absorb liquid.
Can you imagine the mess we would have had by morning with that silly swim diaper?!

So we are on day 5.
And I am heading to Babies R Us in a bit to register....

Here's to hoping he keeps up his dry streak!!!

And that the anxiety of underwear in public doesn't do me in!!

And the nominees are....

Kerri at The Pleasures of my Life nominated me for maybe my first award ever!!  ;)
I followed Kerri anonymously for a while, and finally spoke up and commented on a blog about shoes for her son!
There are a few blogs that I get excited when I see that they have a new post and she is one of those on my list!!
She is ridiculously creative... organized... and has an adorable little tennis-playing boy!
Check her out!!
(Thanks for the award Kerri!-- I think I may have shrieked out loud when I read my name!)  ;)

The rules for this award are simple:

• Post and link back to the person who awarded you this award! (see above)
• Share 7 things about yourself!
• Award 5 bloggers who have "Stylish" blogs!

About me:

1. I try very hard to be stylish.  (On a budget)  I think that even if I were a millionaire, I would still shop for  the deal!  I have a few friends that make fun of me for this but the majority of them want my tips!!  As for my put-together-package of style: My friends are great to compliment me, come to me for my opinion on their outfits and make me feel like I do a decent job in this department...   However the men in my life do not.  Lance tells me he loves me a million times a day-- he laughs with me-- and chats with me like best friends do... but he never, I tell you never compliments me.  Its a 9 year joke between us.  (apparently he "is always thinking it, just doesn't think to say it")  Yesterday, I wore this new top>>   Maddox told me that I needed a haircut and said I looked like a square!!  But he went on to say he, "loves squares!"  ...There he goes with those back-handed compliments again!!!  :)  Thanks son... I think?!
2. I love photography.  I could look through pictures for hours!  I have a relatively nice camera and 3 different lenses, and had plans to master the art of photography myself.  I wanted this camera for a long time and even got up at 4:00am to fight the Black Friday crazies to get it for Christmas 2009. I love- love- love taking pictures... but I am not good at it, at all.  I don't know the rules of photography.  I over-artsy- edit every picture I take...  I yearn to be better.  I just need me-time!  I have thousands and thousands of pictures saved that I have taken, and I have literally printed off less than 10.  True story.  When we move back to Haslet, I have big plans to cover an entire wall in my living room with my favorite black and whites. 
3. I am 28 weeks pregnant [as of today] with our second son.  When not pregnant, I am a highly emotional person.  I cry alot.  I laugh a lot. I am extremely anxious.  I have never been on any type of mood-stimulant, but I assume that pregnancy for me -is like Wellbutrin for the rest of the world.  I honestly asked my OBGYN after giving birth to Maddox if I could get on the HCG shot (the hormone your body produces when you are pregnant) so that I could continue feeling this sane.  She wouldn't do it!  But again, I am enjoying my plateau of emotions-- I have less than 3 months left, and I will be a nut again, I am sure!! This pregnancy is flying by!  I love being a momma and growing kids in my belly might just be a favorite past time of mine!  Baby Beckham is quite the mover.  Maddox was never this busy in the belly.  I wonder if this will carry over into childhood?  Maddox is boy to his soul and is busy even when he is sleeping-- so if Beckham tops that... we might be in trouble!
4. I am a pretty picky eater.  I very easily could be a vegetarian-- or better yet-- a soup-only-eater.  And my husband is a meat and potatoes type of boy.  It makes dinner interesting...   I do not eat ground beef.  (Or anything ground for that matter.)  So when I see a recipe that looks yum, but is made with ground meat... I automatically try and think of a way to bring it to my table.  I usually give up and resort back to the same-ol, same-ols!!
5. I am not an animal person.  Which isn't fair.  I loved my little 3 lb Macy-dog.  So much that I have a hard time looking at pictures of her.  I just don't think I ever want to get close to something that is guaranteed to die before I do.  I think it is like setting myself up to failure.  
6. I rarely check the voicemail on my phone.  I usually wait until there are about 8 or so on there and then I delete them all at once.  Remember that in case you leave something important on my voicemail... I am not ignoring you--- I am ignoring everyone!
7. I love decaf sweet tea.  I love make-up.  I love fall.  I love summer days at the lake.  I will take a fun-filled day with my family over a date night, any day.  I have extra-large tonsils.  I over-use chapstick.  I love being a nurse.  I don't have any tattoos, and the only thing I have ever pierced on my body is my ears. I am sarcastic and silly.  I love my friends.  I am fat as a toad right now and am praying that breast feeding alone does the trick again, because I do not work out.  I love to compliment strangers and hate to think I have upset someone.  I am not a drinker (at all) but I have craved some red wine or a Joe Ts margarita this entire pregnancy.  I enjoy life and love love love my family, as nuts as they all are!!  I am random.  And am a blogger addict!!

Now on to nominations:

I follow more people anonymously than I do openly-- which I guess makes me a creep!
Until opening up to Kerri, I really didn't understand how people meet other bloggers... I am still getting there!
I hope it is okay to pass the nominations on to people that I don't really even know-- but here goes!!
Here are a few that I get excited to see them pop up on my wall:

• Kristen at Vest Chapters, a good friend of mine-- and a mommy of 2 beautiful girls.  (We met as young married couples... got pregnant together... and shared many emotions of life and parenting with eachother as we open each chapter in our books of life.)  She is who got me in to blogging.  Her photography is awesome! Check her out!
• Nicolle at Boyds Crazy Mama, a new friend that found me through Kerri!  She too is an awesome photographer and is awesome at telling her story!  Her little boy Boyd, and Maddox are very close in age so it is easy for me to relate to her posts!
• Amy at High Strung Musings, my history teacher from high school.  She is brand new to blogging but is working it out!  I am anxious to follow her journey as a blogger-friend, rather than a student!
• Jill at Kenny and Jill, I am a silent stalker so she doesn't know that I secretly yearn to be like her!!  I LOVED her maternity pics and if I were trendy and whimsical like her, I would attempt some of her shots with my prenatal session in a few weeks-- but I'm not.  So I'll just gaze at her's, and pretend!  :)
• Heather at The World of Williams.  Again, another blog that I quietly follow.  We are both pregnant right now with little boys, so for that, I feel like I can relate to her.  She too, is an amazing photographer-- I honestly just wish she posted more!! 

Faith of a child....

I almost got a bath by myself tonight.
Almost.
I have only gotten a handful of baths within the last 2 1/2 years- without a splash partner, a cluster of toys, and a temperature unreasonable enough to share.
Just a handful.

Tonight I set out for a soak alone.

I sneezed 873 times today, peed my pants twice, and my face is swollen and raw from snot.
I needed me-time.
(and a bladder tuck)

Maddox argued at first, tried taking his pjs off, and finally gave in to the idea that he was on the sidelines...

We had a few conversations that tickled me while I soaked:

Maddox: [giggles as he looks into the bath at me]

Me: "What's so funny?"

him: "You body looks like Mickey Mouse Club House!!"

[referring to my boobies and belly being the only thing that sticks above the water]

Me: [laughs hysterically]

Maddox: "Who does Baby Beckham look like?"

Me: "I don't know, you think maybe Daddy?"

Maddox: [looks sideways at my large belly]

 "No... I think he looks like an oval."

Me: [again, laughing hard]

I finally undressed him and let him join me.

He is so fun...

and before too long he will be too old to take baths with me.

I cherish these moments.

(Even though I yearn for alone time too)

Children are so innocent and sweet... and persistent.
I need be more child-like.

***
Yesterday I spent a lot of the day crying.
I didn't want to have 2 negative posts in a row, so I was tempted to not share.
But this is my blog.
My place of honesty.

I'm just keeping it real!  ;)

I had planned on spending the day celebrating me.
Reading more of my daily Bible...
making my burp cloths...
and keeping my house clean-- through it all, because a few of my husband's friends were coming by after work.  (celebrating his last night on nights!!)

Instead, I cried...
a lot.
At the drop of a hat.

I honestly believe that happiness is a choice...
and whole-heartedly, I wanted to choose happiness.
But I couldn't.

I played with Maddox--

I attempted a burp cloth... which I didn't finish...
(And it definitely could have come out better.)

And finally, I resorted to baking cupcakes-- which will always make a chunky girl smile!

***
Rumor has it that my company may do away with night clinic here in the near future.
Night clinic is how I gain a paycheck.
I work Saturday mornings, but that will stop once I have the baby.

So if night clinic becomes a thing of the past--
So will my employment with a company that I love.

The 3 nights a week I work, make up the bulk of my income.

I will have to start over with a job search--
One that can compete with the money I make now.
One works with mine and my husband's schedule the way that this one does.

I refuse to put 2 kids in daycare.
Financially it just doesn't make sense.

***
Emotionally, I could not get a grip.

Maddox hates to see anyone upset... but especially me.
He told me not to cry.
He told me I was beautiful.
And he told me I was a "great gril"
(He will make a great husband one day!)

But I couldn't stop the worry.
Nor the non-stop tears.

And his reassurance just made me feel that much more pathetic.

***
I recently just read the book, Heaven is for Real
From this book I gained an awesome story-- but bigger than that, I have changed the way I pray.

Jesus loves the children.
That's what the child in the book says.

And children pray unlike adults.
They are more faithful.

Matthew 18:3 (New World Translation) "and said: "Truly I say to you, Unless You turn around and become as young children, you will by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens."

I can not change the situation that I may be facing.

I have prided myself on the lack of anxiety I have carried this pregnancy, and it irritates me to my core that I am this anxious, upset, and unsure over something that at this point is still just a possibility.

***
I feel like I have done my part.

2009.
Sucked.
We fought a hard fight.
We learned a lot about each other, our marriage, how to be more frugal and appreciate the small things in life. We learned that things are not what make up our happiness.
I realized that everyone has a story-- and no one has everything. Though some are flourishing in some areas, they are sure to be starving in others.  That's life.
I learned to be happy with us.  With what we have.
We found out that people can't help you unless you are completely honest and don't sugar-coat your situation.
We were reminded that we have a great support system of family and real-true friends around us.
We are loved.

***
So I already know all of that.
I don't need to learn it again.

***
I am going to have the faith of a child.

I am going to pray that God will provide and that we will not be affected financially from whatever the future holds.
And I am going to believe he will.

In child-like faith...
We will be okay.

I would like a re-do.

Tonight I was on call.

It was horrible.

Every page, basically the same symptoms.
Every parent, thinking that their child was the sickest child ever.
The other 1/2 of the calls not urgent enough to page a nurse over anyhow.
But I answered them all with patience, as if I wasn't drowning.

That noise that my beeper makes, screeching out-- over and over and over-- not stopping.

I managed to throw together some cheese enchiladas, toss a package of Lipton Spanish rice with some water and throw it in the microwave and open a can of beans in between pulling my hair out.

Dinner.

I picked up toys 5 or 550 times in between pages.
I loaded and unloaded the dishwasher.
Twice.

But mostly I looked forward to 11:00.

When I go off call.

And when Lance gets home.

***
I was standing as Lance came in the door, eager to vent about my call and engage in adult conversation where I wasn't needed or a record on repeat.

Instead, I was handed his tea and his newspaper, not a word one spoken to me.
(Not our typical routine)

He picked up Maddox and snuggled him and talked to him about his day.
(yes, my kid goes to bed super-late)

Sweet, it's true...
but I just stood there.
Holding my husband's crap.
Ignored.

I told him that there was plenty of dinner left so he could take it tomorrow but he went into asking about a shirt that I accidentally turned pink a month ago.

"Would a magic eraser take it out?"
"How about this oxy clean?"
"Should I soak it in hot water or cold water?"

Maddox chimed in, as if Lance wasn't being annoying enough, to ask me for his Mickey Mouse chapstick 632 times.
I gave it to him.
(Mainly because if anyone else asked me a question, I was going to pull my own ear off.)

Lance and I somehow transitioned the red-shirt conversation into one about money.
How?
Who knows.
But it wasn't a team-worked conversation-- more of a finger pointing, excuse-making type conversation.
Short lived, but annoying nonetheless.

I grabbed a book and climbed into bed.
I am tired.
(my glucose test came back good but I was anemic and was put on extra iron.  No big deal, but it explains why I feel like I am back in my first trimester again)

I was looking forward to 11:00 and my break.
Lance didn't bring it home.
I'm going to bed.

Lance didn't stop.
From the utility room he casually says, "I hate this house.  I can not wait to go back to Haslet."
[We just agreed to another 7 months here]

"...this house is just not organized, its old, and it is never going to feel like home."

I respond, "I'm not a good housewife when I am pregnant.  This house is old. What's your point?"

Which turned into a conversation about me taking everything too personal.

I realized somewhere in that moment that I didn't get the chapstick back from Maddox.
A quick trip to his room revealed a slippery boy reeking of vanilla.
The chapstick mess was actually the easier part.
The shrill- type cry and the screaming for his Mickey Mouse chapstick about sent me over the edge.
But it didn't.
I swabbed him with a towel, put him under his sheets and back to my bed I went.

Breathe Holly.

I hear sup-sups (that sound they make with the inhale after they have been crying) and pitter patter feet coming my way.
[please go to your daddy....]

but instead he climbed up next to me,
pulled my headband off of my head,
and snapped it in 2 trying to put it on his own head.

And the crying re-started.

[I would like to clock out now.]

***
Lance came in here a second ago to kiss me and ask me why I am so upset tonight....
He was trying to snuggle up to me and chat like we are friends.
We aren't friends tonight.

No sir, we are far from friends right now.

[I bet if we would have started with a conversation about my day, (like I do his as soon as I get the phone call telling me he is off work every night) I would have got to skip the part where I felt like a servant, as if my job-- was just a cup of coffee, like a bad housekeeper, a poor excuse for a mom, and a wife-- unable to organize and make her family feel content-- and would probably be sleeping now.]

Amazingly, he doesn't recall the night anything like I do.
He rarely does.

He thinks we are BFF.
.....And I'm thinking about pulling his hair just as he starts snoring. ;)

How blissful it must be to be a man.

How un-blissful these pregnant hormones are....

I would like a re-do.

What a wonderful Friday!

This morning we woke up to a slew of visitors in the front field.
I was running around trying to find my extended lens for my camera-- but they kept moving.
I didn't want to open the front door because (even though they were at the very front of the property) I didn't want to scare them away--
so I apologize for the fuzzy picture-- taken through my living room window-- that I tried to zoom in on edit but it really didn't help... there were about 8 white-tailed deer in the pasture.

For lunch, Lance, Maddox and I had a date with the Byford family in South Lake.

We ate yummy Cheesecake Factory, where Kimberly and I shared Thai lettuce wraps and avocado eggrolls.  The eggrolls were a bust but the lettuce wraps were fabulous as always!
We split a kids meal between Cambrie and Maddox, but we should have just ordered a plate of fries, since (other than bread) that's all they ate!
Lance went with a bacon cheeseburger and Chad the chicken tacos, but we all left FULL!

After lunch, we headed to a play date at The Indoor Safari Park.
Kimberly found the place for us but neither of us had ever been before.
At $10 a child for unlimited play (and us 4 adults; FREE) it was a great time!
I don't think there were ever more than 8 kids in there the entire time!!

Our $10 let us play as much put-put as we wanted...

Unlimited sliding, ball pit and jump time...

And all of the puzzles, play kitchens, train tracks, cars, and rocking horses they could handle...

 They got to ride the train twice...

(the second time they got to sit in the very front!)

And they each got to ride one of these crazy animals!

(They are the strangest things I have ever seen... their feet have tiny wheels on them but they take steps like a real animal....They aren't on a track, the worker-man just walks besides the animal and steers it to keep it going round and round the arena)

But the kid's loved them!

After about 2 hours or so of play, we decided we were finished!

The kids could have played a few more hours...
but us 6 1/2 month pregnant mommas, were done!

So we left.
Maddox was asleep after about 5 minutes in his carseat.
But not without saying some, um- sweet? things about me to his daddy first!

I ran into the Radio Shack next door to exchange the Iphone that I kept on Wednesday for store credit... (I got $70 and some change at this store-- rather than $6... GO ME!!)

Lance said that Maddox said, "I love my mommy."
Lance replied, "she's very sweet isn't she?"
Maddox said, "Her body is shaped like a gril, she has brown hair, and a nose like Woody.  I love her."

[Gril= girl... not like a Webster grill or else I would definitely be offended! ...but Woody's nose??  Gosh, thanks son!]

He was already asleep when I got back in the car to verify ...but I think this was a compliment!

*****
I work in the morning... (but I always enjoy Saturdays at work)
And am on call this Sunday.  (which I can assume will not be enjoyable-- but not much beats working from home-- so it is hard to complain)

Lance goes back to work tomorrow-- but this will be his last Saturday evening to work!!  (He goes on days next Saturday!!)

My mom is enjoying her first weekend away with her new club, Sisters on the Fly.  Although, I will miss her company tomorrow night, I hope she is having a great time!!

Hope everyone enjoys their weekend!!

12 on 12

I follow a blog who did this on the 10th. (10 on 10)

And I thought it was such a cool idea!!

Apparently other bloggers do this (on the 10th) but I have never seen it before.

I wanted to join in on the fun but I knew that if I waited until next month, 

it would be a long lost idea!

"The object is to take a picture for ten twelve consecutive hours on the tenth twelfth of the month.

The purpose is to find the beauty in ordinary moments in our life."

So here we go!

(my pictures were taken within the hour rather than on it, starting around 9ish-- with my phone) 

Breakfast:

Oatmeal, jellied toast, a banana, and of course-- chocolate milk.

Playing around:

in his monkey hat

Bath time:

but mostly play!

Nap time:

on the way to Dr Deem's office

 

 Drinking my glucose:

for my 26 week appointment.

[In a pair of glasses that my husband and mom absolutely hate!]

I had gained another 7lbs (I gained 8 at this one with Maddox)

...bringing my total weight gain to 19lbs. 

(the EXACT same total weight gain at this point with Maddox)

Lets cross our fingers that I only gain 5 more and then lose 4 before birth just like I did with Maddox too!

...Or I'll gain another 19-- who knows!!! 

My blood pressure was perfect and my baby's heart rate was 142.

Lunch:

at Chilis

Maddox woke up after my appointment and the first thing out of his mouth was 

"Chili's is my favorite!"

He kind of trumped my craving for a Potbellies sandwich or Mimi's quiche and buttermilk spiced muffin.

 Academy:

There was a line going out the door and along the sidewalk in the freezing temperatures.

Apparently the TX Rangers were there signing autographs.

I was thankful that Maddox is only 2 and couldn't ask to wait in that line.

(just yet anyway!)

This is a picture of "Handy Manny and his gril", and where they waited while mommy pottied!

 

 Radio Shack:

Where I (once again) traded in my old Iphones for credit!

Last time I went in to make the trade, I was on call that night.  I found out that I could only buy a new phone through our government agent so I would have had to drive an hour home, find a phone that worked well enough to use that night-- and for the next 3-5 days-- until my new phone came in the mail.

So I had them refund me, and I went home.

Today, he originally gave me $160 for both (just like the other man did last time) and then a "helpful" co-worker decided that it fell into another category, due to a tiny crack where you plug in the charger, decreasing its value to $6.

I just kept the second phone.

But not without resentment!

Birthday card to my father-in-law:

Inside we officially shared our baby's name, as a birthday present to him.

Beckham Harold Erwin

(he was given my FIL's middle name)

Dinner:

At Dos Chili's with my husband's side of the family.

And these yummy cupcakes that my SIL brought from Brownie Points as dessert!

(Lance vomited in the parking lot before we went in, hopefully because his stomach hurt and not because he is thinking about changing the name on me once again!!)

8:00

When I typically go on call on Wednesday nights.

Thankful, that this month my partner Chanda picked up a few more days of call.

Meaning, that tonight --- I am off!

12th hour::  

Logging onto Blogger, ready to post this blog.

EXCITED to see that part of my New Year goal is coming true!
A new blogger friend-- within a community of blogging buddies!!

Nice to meet you Nicolle!

I've read through a few of your blogs and I can't wait to follow your blogging journey! 

(If I didn't scare you away by making you the highlight of hour 12?!!)