What a busy weekend!!

Friday, my mom and I went to Arlington to get another look at our tiny baby boy.

An old neighbor of mine posted on Facebook that one of her offices was needing pregnant volunteers to get a free sonogram so that this office could complete their ACR training.

I took her up on the offer.

I was hoping that it would be a 4D, or at least get a ton of pictures...
but it was more of a diagnostic sono.

The sonographer was so sweet and she talked to me the whole time.
It was sweet watching our little guy drink and move.
I was glad my mom got to see him.

She said I transmitted sound really well so she looked him over from head to toe, for quite a while-- getting tons of pics for her certification.

She said I was having contractions all during the sonogram... but I couldn't feel them.
(so maybe I actually did have a few during Maddox's pregnancy-- even though I never felt a-one!)
That hard flat table, on the other hand... I felt it!

We only got 2 pictures... neither very clear.
But it was still fun, nonetheless.

That night Lance and I met some of our favorite friends [Wendy and Mark] for dinner at a new taco place in Decatur and then went back to her house for a last minute spray tan!

We laughed a lot.
It made me thankful that Lance is on days now--
I missed nights like those!

Saturday, We had prenatal pictures with Candi Coated Photography.
I don't want to sound boastful, but seriously-- they are so goooooood.  :)
I can not wait to see all that she was able to come up with... because of the ones she has shown me thus far-- I am in love!!
She is seriously amazing.  And incredibly sweet. (Like so sweet and easy to talk to that I forgot it was our first time to meet.  She felt like an old friend!)

She posted a couple here: Get Coated
And I think I can share this link, with a few others: maybe??
If not... she thinks she will have them all done and mailed out by the end of this week-- so I will share then!!

But here's the funny thing:
Candi and Lance went to school together-- but had probably not talked/ seen/ thought about each other in 10 years.
Flash forward::
A few years ago, Lance and I went into this furniture store to buy a desk.
The sales-guy was very nice and gave us a really good deal.
Then his wife happened to roll into the store, and started talking to us as if we already knew her (but we didn't).
Come to find out... they went to church with Candi, and Candi had found my Myspace (back when I had one) through Lance's page and would read my blog on there!
She had shown them our wedding pics-- and they ended up using our friend Wesley to do their wedding because they like our pics!
And at their wedding Candi met Wesley and decided she wanted to go into photography!!

...And there's the full circle!  ;)

I already can't wait for future sessions!
Check her out if you are in the area!

Sunday was our baby shower!
I feel blessed beyond words to all of the people who came and blessed our sweet boy with gifts!
I love everything we got...
I am truly thankful.

I can not wait to unpack and organize.  (Its all in my living room floor right now!)
I am tickled to my core to the 4 girls who threw me the shower for my double jogging stroller!

Today I had my 33 week appointment.
(It was suppose to be last Wednesday but they had to move me to today-- so I am off)
I had lost a pound.
Beckham's heart rate was 130.
My blood pressure was great.
I actually had questions for the first time this pregnancy-- only to find out those localized pains I have had were just contractions.
And as long as they aren't consistent, and as long as they go away (even if they are painful) then we don't have to worry.
So I won't!

I go again next Wednesday to get back on track.

I can not believe we only have 7 weeks left.
Nuts.
Absolutely nuts.

Pretty as a princess

 

Maddox went to bed upset last night because he "wanted to be a princess".  

I told him only girls can be princesses-- that he could be a prince.

He was tired and whiny and persistently said no.  He wanted to be a princess!

Each time I would correct him, the tears would flow...

Maybe I should have let it go...

But where's the line?

He finally got it together and said, "then I am the king!"

I said, "that will work!"

***

I had forgot about the internal struggle I had faced around the holidays.

Last night re-lit the flame.

I had 2 friends with little girls Maddox's age post pictures of their little beauties in Buzz Lightyear costumes on Facebook.

The comments were sweet and funny... Even though their girls preferred a boy character over the princess stuff that they had received for Christmas.

I too, thought they were adorable.

But my heart hurt for Maddox.

He loved Dora and Kai Lan around that time, but I didn't dare share our love for a girl character, for fear of the back lash that could follow.

And to post a pic of him as a little Chinese dressed girl on Facebook... (not that we own such an outfit) but can you imagine the controversy?

I hate that at 2, there are so many social standards already.

I don't want to cram boy- boy-boy down his throat, because I don't want to change the sweet little soul that he has.

I have never feared that he will be the "mean-kid" at school... it's just not in his cards.

He is too carrying and worried about other people's feelings for that.

I do worry however, about whats too far?

Where's the line?

Is it okay that he wore my sister's birthday tiara and called himself a king a few weeks ago??  (the picture above)

--I think so.

The tears over wanting to be a princess last night...

--I don't know?!

I do believe there are boundaries...

And this isn't a daily or weekly issue either.

It is just fresh on my mind after last nights tears.

He loves boy things. 

And when put into a setting with Cambrie a while back, Kimberly and I laughed that Maddox automatically ran to the car track and Cambrie ran to the kitchen... but at some point during play-- I think they both played a little on both sides of the margin.

And that's normal... right?!

There's not much that makes Maddox happier that throwing rocks in the pond, riding on the tractor and carrying his tools everywhere-- just in case there's something to be fixed.

(even if he has re-named his tools:  Pinch, wiggle wrench, ricker-ricker-three-thousand, and a hose-raider.)

He loves playing baseball with his daddy... catch with Pop... throw "coconuts" (acorns)... and will play cars for hours. 

His Buzz, Woody, and "toy" (the little alien character from Toy Story) are never far from reach... 

so I think we are fine.

But does the rest of the world agree?

Oh the struggles of motherhood....

I'm off to cut his hair.




P.S.
This "princess" is out of control:

Too early to nest?

I spent Saturday night in a bath of hot water, legs cramping and my left arm numb.
Somewhere during that bath, my stomach started cramping and hurting and then without notice, I was hurling from the bathtub to the toilet.

My sister had stayed the night with us, and despite calling out for help-- no one came.
No one awoke.
Snoring from all ends of the house...
Peaceful, painless sleep--  from everyone but me.

Thankfully this was not labor...
We still have 8 weeks (give or take)

But practice proves failure in this house!

I woke up Sunday covered in pee.

I forgot to take Maddox to the potty before bed, and I knew the inevitable was going to happen.  (In our bed)
He made it to 7:30 before the mess was made... but this was only his 2nd time to wet the bed since we started underwear-at-night about a month ago, so I think he's done really well.

Despite the mess, I also woke up with a bound of energy that I have not seen in, well, 8 months or so!

I started in Maddox's room with a trash bag.
I removed every broken toy, every toy with multiple parts, every toy from a kid's meal, every flash card, and anything else that tickled my fancy.

I organized his toys into bins: balls/ sports stuff, music/ instrument stuff, cars/ planes/ tractors/ trains/ automobiles, and then miscellaneous.

It felt so good I kept going.

By the time Lance made it home I was deep within my nesting/ spring cleaning-- there was no stopping me.

He threw up an idea about going to the range to shoot-- and I was fine with that.
"--If you aren't feeling my mojo, get out of my way!!"

But his guilt overtook and he stayed to help.

He cleaned up outside, and together we changed the kitchen sink.
Literally.

I nudged the process onto his plate...
and 2 minutes into it, he was saying bad words and talking about how old and pitiful this house was, etc...
Basically, he couldn't fit up under the cabinet to get the piece he needed-- so his efforts were getting him no where.

...So I crawled under there.
Belly and all.
And I rocked that sink!  ;)

I am creative.
I love to be artsy/ or crafty...
But Mr. Fix It.... not so much.

However, you can add it to my resume--
We got it done!!

I tried to talk Lance into a picture for the blog baby book...
But he declined out of embarrassment!

It felt so good to do the dishes with water pressure stronger than I can spit.
Call was fabulous yesterday.
And going to bed in clean sheets and an organized house,
was absolutely incredible!

Today the energy is gone.
I knew it would be.
I have taken a bath, made breakfast and lunch, put dinner in the crockpot, and washed Maddox's sheets and blankets. (from a jellied biscuit accident, not urine this time)... but other than that-- today, I have sat.

And I'm cool with that.

....Until the next time!

We're getting there!

I have never had problems sleeping.
Ever.
As a matter of fact, I consider it a favorite past time of mine!!

I worried when I was pregnant with Maddox, about giving up my sleep...
But I lucked out with a child who loves him some sleep as much as his mommy!

And now there's Beckham, and this child is not a fan.

Lance gets up between 3:45 and 4:00... and though he tries to be quiet, he wakes me.
And once I am awake, Beckham goes to karate practice.
And I am up.
Maddox was a roller and gentle kicker...
Beckham is an acrobat!

....and that's why I am blogging at 6:00am!

***
We are 31 weeks now.
Time is flying by.

I would be lying if I told you that I was ready for his arrival.
I am terrified.

I mean I am ready to hold a tiny baby...
kiss his sweet puckered lips...
and pat his diapered hiney-- pooched straight to the sky, legs tucked under himself.

I am excited to breast feed again,
and smell that newborn smell, that they loose so quickly.

But I am not ready, however, to stare at a bassinet all night long, terrified he may stop breathing.
Wake up every 2 hours.
And chase a 2 year old under complete exhaustion.

It just feels like two will be so much more difficult than one.
And I am okay (at this point) if the next 9 weeks drag a little!

For the 1st year of Maddox's life, Lance worked from home.
I always had 4 hands, I never went anywhere without him.
I don't think I carried his infant carrier more than a handful of times, ever.
Lance woke up with me at almost every feed, even though I breastfed.
To burp and hold him while I switched sides.
And he rocked him to sleep every night while I went on to bed.

I was a very lucky girl.

This time it will be so different.
And different is terrifying to me!

***
Tuesday night I stayed home from work.
My allergies had me drowning and I was more tired than I think I had been in years.
I had a few Braxton Hicks contractions throughout the day. (something completely new to me this pregnancy) and I just wanted rest.
So with some encouragement from my husband, I had a friend cover my shift.

My sweet baby boy knew that I was not feeling the best, and sang me this sweet song.
Isn't he the greatest?!

That night, Lance and I went to bed and I could not get comfortable.
I felt bad because Lance had to get up for a school on gangs and whatnot that next morning, but I could not stay still.

Around 4:00am I was awoken with a horrible pain in my right lower side.
It was a pain I recognized-- something that has happened to me 2 or 3 other times in the last few weeks-- but the other times have always been on my left upper side.
This pain, has to be nerve related, because though my stomach gets tight like a Braxton Hicks-- it is localized to a small specific area and hurts.
It even hurts to touch my skin or move when it happens.
It's very strange.
(and on my list of questions for my next OB visit.)

Without thinking, I shrieked out in my sleep!!
Lance jumped up and said, "what's wrong?!"
I responded almost in tears, telling him I was having one of those pains in my stomach and couldn't move.
He, obviously still asleep, responded with, "don't do that to me babe-- I thought I had over-slept!!"
And rolled back over.

If I could have moved, I would have knocked his head off!!

We laughed about it the next day-- but I now am hoping I am just past-due and induced again.
I don't think we are ready for "labor" at home.

It might cause us to over-sleep!  ;)

I'm back!

Lance and my stepdad spent all of last Wednesday under our house fixing the pipes.
The high on Wednesday was like 12.
I felt so bad for them, and their frozen bums, but after about 6 hours under there, they had fixed all of the pipes.
(Or so they thought)

We had to stay at my mom's through Friday because we couldn't turn the water back on until the temperatures could stay above freezing.

Saturday my brother came to help too, and they made some final fixes under this old farm house.
We were able to "move back home" Saturday-- with running water.

I have never been so excited to do laundry!  ...But my kitchen sink still has no water pressure.
Doing the dishes is still a bit of a beating.

***
The snow interupted my 30 week appointment with Dr. Deem.
Luckily they were able to reschedule me to the following day.
Beckham's heart sounded great.
(Maddox thought it sounded like bubbles)
I gained another 8 pounds.
Two weeks with mom's cooking, I'm sure played a part.
But I was so sad.
I still am.
I have now gained 27 pounds.  (7 pounds more than I delivered Maddox at, and still have 10 weeks to go)
However I started this pregnancy 9 pounds bigger, so I haven't reached my big number yet.
But I am very close.

***
I cancelled my prenatal pictures this Saturday.
With the water still not fixed, and our land rather muddy after all of the snow... I thought I should reschedule.
It will give me a little more time to get my outfits together.
And hopefully re-gain some confidence.
I am now set to do them the 26th... the day before my shower.
Candi is awesome, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with.

***
I still can not comment on people's blogs from my home computer.
What am I doing wrong?
It is driving me crazy!

(edit::  I logged in under the safari browser rather than Firefox and it worked... I always use Firefox to browse the internet but a few months ago, it stopped allowing me to open the stats tab or adjust anything under design.  --From now on do I just need to use a different browser, or is there a simple fix to my blogger glitches with Firefox??)

***
Yesterday was Valentine's Day.
My husband brought me home flowers, double dipped strawberries from Candy Haven and a very sweet card.
(I couldn't help but attack the berries before I could get a picture taken!  ...and I even shared a couple with Maddox-- even though I really didn't want to!)

Lance posted a sweet little comment on my FB.  (Probably silly to even mention, but he never comments on my FB-- so I know it was out of his comfort zone, therefor it made me feel special.)
I love Valentine's Day.
I could care less if it is a "Hallmark Holiday"...
...it really isn't about the gifts ...or dinner.
It's just about feeling special and excited to see what surprises will come my way that day.
And to know that, for at least this one day of the year,  I am on his mind all day.
To know: He put me before himself today.

Maddox and I made Lance chocolate dipped pretzels, and a homemade card.
And we bought him a Browning jacket.  (a sale find at Dillard's this weekend)

I have posted this before: but here are a few reasons I love my husband.

***
Maddox enjoyed Valentine's Day as well.

He got a card with money from my Nana.
He enjoyed putting his cash into his piggy bank... and he has carried around the card for days, reading it like it was a story book!

My dad and step-mom also sent a bag of goodies.  Candy, vanilla heart-shaped peeps (which were sooo good, I made him share) and 2 foam swords.
He has been a pirate for days now!!

***
Lance is going to help his mom move into her house today.
She has been staying with a friend (about 10 minutes from us), but her house finally came available to move into.
We have not seen her.
Not since July when she drove down to keep my niece and nephew for a week.
So hopefully once things settle down she can come visit.

Maddox has changed so much since July-- and so has my mid-section.
It'll be fun for her to see him bigger!

***
I am so tired.
Like first trimester tired.
I try not to pull the pregnancy card.
But I. Am. Exhausted.
With Maddox's pregnancy it was all about me.
"Where do you want to eat?"... "What can I help you with?" ... "Take it easy, you're pregnant."
This pregnancy is a lot different.
I am not complaining.
Overall, it is very easy.
But a 2 year old changed things.
And I need rest.

***
With that said, I am going down for a nap.
I am so far behind in blogging that I think it will take me a while to catch back up.
But I will.

No change.

I am still stuck at mom's...
Still without water.

Even though we are neighbors... the acreage between us means I have high-speed, normal-people internet.
They don't.
I have been using their air-card...
but for whatever reason, I can't comment back on your blogs.
I am reading.  :)
...And commenting in my head!

As for the water situation:
I am not complaining about being at my mom's... honestly I think I am the last person bothered by the water mess or living situation.

But I know Lance is overwhelmed.  (The text about the house being on fire kind of gave me the hint)
And even though my mom says she doesn't mind us here.... I have known her for almost 27 years...  she's starting to mind.

Our landlord is like 80 and tight, tight, tight.
She has not called a plumber to fix the problem, nor has she taken any initiative to do so.
If she were a random 40 year old man, I would be going hormone-crazy on her at this point.
But for some reason, I feel like I would be out of line complaining since she's old.

The crawl space under this million year old house is also tight.
Tight, tight, tight. ::but literally not metaphorically.
And my husband is shaped more like an apple rather than a banana.
As is my dad.

We have a skinny friend, who will hopefully help fix the bust tonight...
but this hardly seems like this should be our issue-- since we are renters.
We need water.
And my mom needs her house back.
I guess we will make the fixing our issue.

Stay tuned.

What else is there to talk about...

More snow!!!

I think I am the only person who hasn't minded all of this weather.
I have enjoyed being trapped in with all the help I could ask for, with no agenda, with tons of food, and no way to spend unneeded money!

I still took call from home, and it was busy.
My family might be one of the loudest families God ever created so that did make it difficult at times.  If I did the 'wave- my- hands- as-if- I- were- warning- someone- they- were- about- to- be- hit- by- a- bus' motion once, I did it a million times.  I also kept doing the 'big- eyed- firm- snap' at them too... but it got me no where.  My mom kept saying, "Go in another room!!" (in which I did) but my point was this:  If I can train a 2 year old to hush when I am on the phone with a patient... why can't a group of adults talk in their inside voices by the same rule?
I got through it.  Call wasn't horrible.  I made the same amount of money that I would have if we had been open for night clinic, I just didn't have a gas bill to go along with it!

Maddox is 15 days strong in the potty training department... still waking up dry (I think 11 consecutive mornings now), and no accidents during the day.
He's a pro!

I have ate better this week than I have in years... home cooked breakfasts, lunches and dinners-- with mom's homemade hot sauce and a Sam's club size container of cookie dough to bake cookies out of.
I'll see the damage next week at my 30 week appointment-- but for now, who cares?!

Maddox woke up with a new saying this morning: Oh my gosh!!  Are you serious?!
It was funny the first few times, but now I am kind of over it.

My FB is full of people hating their lives right now!
I made a post about how I am enjoying all of this time and then hoped later I didn't offend anyone.
I know that if we had been back in Haslet-- Lance making it in to work everyday and my mom 30 miles away-- I too, would have been going nuts!  I am a home-body, but I hate being alone.  (Maddox doesn't count)

Five days of snow on the ground is uncomprehendable in Texas!
I posted Day 1 in pictures...
I thought I would catch you up on day 2 through 5.

Day 2 and 3 we stayed in pjs all day-- looked pitiful, played cards, and attempted this puzzle (which still isn't completely finished)...

Day 4 brought more snow.
Pop made Maddox a sled out of a box and rope and the boys took turns dragging him around.
So we ventured out to play.

The sled finally gave way, but the boy's wheels kept turning...
Soon, the knee board was out of the boat and being pulled behind the truck.
It sounds way more dangerous than it really was.

We (as in all people under 40 and not pregnant) had a blast riding!
Us old and knocked up folks had just as much fun taking pictures and listening to shrieks of giggling!

Every time someone would get off the knee board, Maddox would race to get on for his turn.
Finally his daddy took him for a very slow ride.

He never stopped smiling.

Last night, as we were about to start yet another round of Spades, my brother called from work.
Randi was at home with the kids and water was gushing everywhere.
Lance, David and Jesse hopped in the truck and headed over.
They got the water shut off and headed back in.
On their way back, they decided to stop by our house and check our pipes as well.
David said kitty-baby (the cat we inherited with the farm house) came swimming by in floaties!
We too had a water line break.

Lance grabbed us clothes and back to mom's we went.

My husband can be called a lot of things...
but handy man is not something he would put on his resume.
My brother is getting his fixed now and then our friend Buster is coming out and hopefully he and my brother will have ours working again by tonight.

Notice the lack of panic on my part!
All because my mom is my neighbor, and going home fixes everything.
Our propane went out:: I went to mom's.
Our water lines busted:: I went to mom's.
My sweatshirt shrunk to a 2T (or maybe my body swelled to an XXL):: I went to mom's.

Day 5 is today.
I woke up this morning and "mom's" is empty.
Now I am starting to panic.
I have no car here.
And a 2 year old is where I will get my best source of conversation.
I'm ready to get out of this house!!
I told you I am a homebody as long as I am not alone.
I am alone.

The snow on the ground is finally starting to melt.
Lance made it in to work today.

I traded my Saturday for a Sunday in the office in hopes to miss all of this frozen precipitation.
So I hope it is all gone by 7:00 in the morning.
(Although I have no shame in calling in if it is still slick...)
I live a million miles away, I haven't called in- in well over a year and I am 7 months pregnant for Pete's sake.

Here's to hoping!

Happy Saturday, y'all!!

February SNOW.

Yesterday morning we woke up at 3:45, so I could watch the news and Lance could get in the shower and get ready for work.
I had gone to bed somewhere around midnight after being on call until 11:00.
And then up at around 3:00 watching sleet hit the wall of windows in our house.
I was tired, but too worried about Lance's 54 mile drive to work.
Lance attempted the drive in but his visibility was about 2 feet and he was only able to make it a few miles from our house before he realized it was a lost cause.
He ended up turning around and coming home.

So we played.

And we played...

And we played...

Lance drove me around so I could take pictures, and every time I rolled down my window to grab a shot-- Maddox stuck his tongue out from the back seat.

He said he was catching snow flakes on his tongue...
An that they tasted like the ocean!!
...That boy!

I can not remember a time that we have seen this low of temperatures...
and the snow was more like powder, rather than the wet stuff we typically get.
There was no snow mans built...
But lots of snow balls being thrown.

 

We put together puzzles at my moms, ate chicken and dumplings and sat by the fire, enjoying our day together.

Last night we went back home and our house was freezing.

We cranked the heater, threw the heating blanket on the bed and set the faucets to a steady drip.

This morning we woke up and the heater was still roaring strong but it was a toasty 59 degrees in our house!

The faucet was no longer dripping water but we had a nice big snow cone of slush in the bottom of the sink.

I put my feet on the hard wood floors and realized real quick, I was heading back to my moms!!

Lance agreed that was best and told me to get dressed.

After putting on a sweatshirt, and it fitting like a youth small, I went into hormone take-over.

I was done with the snow.

I was done.

Lance wanted to help me feel better-- and asked what he could do to help.

Without even thinking, my mouth said, "I need donuts!"

And my sweet husband fulfilled my request!

We spent today here:

With a roaring fire.

A 3 hour nap.

Chocolate chip cookies.

And mom's cooking.

I will not being going home tonight.