The Addington Outpost: 2014

28 weeks

7:50 PM

Veggie of the week: a LARGE eggplant. Declan weighs around 2.5lbs, and his lil blinking eyes now have eyelashes! Big development over this week and into those to come is brain development. He is moving SO much now! When I'm sitting quietly I can watch my whole tummy jump with his strong movements. Braxton Hicks contractions continue to occur regularly. They are quite strong, so I have to take a moment to let it pass. I seem to have alot of "just give me one moment"'s . . .Lord have mercy coz soon this baby boy will be the size of a watermelon!

I've decided that being pregnant over the holidays is a good thing - with my organs being shoved into my diaphragm, there is little room to indulge. I walked away from Christmas not gaining a single pound! In fact I've been sitting at the same weigh gain for several weeks now.

Total weight gain: 15.5lbs
Maternity clothes? oh yeah. But stretchy clothes will forever be my favorite. When I've mustered enough energy to stuff myself into pair of jeans, I find myself longing for those stretchy leggings. Jeans normally last about 2 hours before being replaced by something more breathable.
Stretch marks? I don't think so. 2 weeks ago I came across of a new recipe for whipped coconut oil - love that stuff!
Sleep: it's okay, but mother nature is prepping me for all nighters.

Best moment this week: Christmas! It was pretty special :)

Miss Anything? Sushi on most days. For some reason I only crave sushi when I'm pregnant.
Movement: So much!

Food cravings: Not really this week
Gender: BOY :)
Symptoms: I need to get my lazy self back into yoga. My lower back will thank me. So will my body when March makes an appearance!

Belly Button in or out? Out. Totally out.
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody : Happy.
Looking forward to: Celebrating 10 years of marriage with my best bud! He sure does make our world a special one. 10 years ago we stood on a white sandy beach, shortly before sunset, and vowed to love each other through it all. . .and we've done just that. Loved each other through the joys and the tears, through long nights, and days that were way too short. Moments of frustration...and hours of endless peace. We've seen the world together, we've shared dreams, then watched them grow. Had a baby, gained one angel, and now celebrating the existence of another little life. God is good!

27 Weeks

10:30 AM

26 weeks

12:51 PM

If we're being mathematically correct - I am officially in my 3rd trimester!

And I'll be finishing the trimester out alone as Natalie had her little bubs this week :) We knew Arabelle would make an early appearance as Natalie has had numerous prenatal issues which started with her going into pre term labor at about 29 weeks. She's been on bedrest since we got back from Mexico, so an early, healthy baby has been a relief for them. Lil Arabelle is truly adorable - and TINY!! When you hold her you can barely believe her size!

This week kicked off ALOT of braxton hicks contractions. Round ligament pain is also at a new level. Although with little Declan measuring the size of a lettuce head, I'm not surprised my abdominal muscles are protesting - they're stretching out to max capacity. . .and then hello, he grows a little more and I'm reminded of the incredible design of our bodies. I believe Arabelle's arrival has given us a new realization that we're having a baby! (coz you know, this belly wasn't a big enough reminder :) )

We've been in the festive mood over here. . .Christmas music playing each evening to the sparkle of the Christmas tree. The house smells of cinnamon and apples, and I'm keeping the hot chocolate industry in business. Ever since Chloe and I celebrated our birthday's she'd found a new love for saying "happy birthday". We're using this to our advantage given the season, so we're teaching her all about Jesus and his birthday. She is soaking it up like a little sponge! I was reading her the story of Mary and Joseph at nap time yesterday and we were having a very in depth discussion over the donkey that carried Mary (she loves animals remember). . .much to my amazement, on the way to school this morning Chloe had a sudden light bulb moment where she remembered the donkey, so we talked about the donkey all the way to school. He is becoming a very famous donkey in the Addington household.

Before we sign off on week 26, here is a little snap shot of Arabelle when she was only a few hours old. . .so much beauty in a new life!

25 Weeks

1:45 PM

Last time we took a belly picture together we were sitting on the beaches of old Mexico. I was 15 weeks and Natalie was 25. Now here we are 10 weeks later! No more bikinis - instead bundled for warmth!

Declan measures the size of a cauliflower this week. He has been SO active. I've determined he is a very light sleeper as he wakes for the smallest sound. This week he also learned which was is up and which way is down. Pretty neat hey? So now he'll know when he's hanging upside down kicking me in the ribs. . .

This weekend we celebrated my 31st birthday. I was laying under my covers that morning soaking up the warmth of my bed while Jon and Chloe were busy in the kitchen making coffee and I could hear them chatting back and forth between them...next I hear Chloe's little pitter patter on the hardwood floor as she makes her way to our room. She goes on her tiptoes and leans into me and says "Happy Birthday Mommy!". There is no better way to wake up on your birthday - EVER! It was a special day all round that ended with Jon and I enjoying a quiet evening on the town together. We had a calm and relaxing dinner that was not punctuated by Bah Bah Black Sheep, or Old McDonald Had A Farm :) While we happily enjoy a 2 year olds' interjections, it was also good to sit across from my life long partner while we talked about our dreams, hopes, plans and what the next 3 months means to us.

This weekend we also brought our Christmas tree home! Chloe had an absolute blast at the Christmas Tree farm - in fact I don't think she stopped once...there was just too much excitement! Once home, we warmed ourselves up by the fire as we tangled christmas tree lights. Yes, tangled...she was SO fascinated by the lights that the 4 strings of carefully wrapped christmas lights became a huge pile of glowing bulbs that took me 30 minutes to untangle later :) When we had our little gal safely tucked in for the night we finished lighting the tree. It is officially up and glowing...and we are ready for the holiday season!

24 weeks

6:19 PM

23 Weeks

7:23 PM

This is Declan - from mommy's view. He is the size of a grapefruit - a 1lb 7 oz grapefruit. He is measuring in the 57th percentile for weight, and a few days ahead of what the calendar calls for. We got to see our sweet baby boy on Friday. . .that extra ultrasound that was planned when they found a calcium deposit on Declan's heart at 19 weeks. Our appointment started off a little rocky, as the ultrasound tech immediately picked up on the calcium deposit and told us Declan needed additional analysis on his anatomy i.e screening for Trisomy 13, 18 and Downs. It was a sickening feeling, but our doctor walked in a few minutes later and announced Declan is 100% perfect! I kept asking "so I don't have to worry?"...he said "Nope, not even 0.0001%". That was a good feeling.

I've spent alot of time this past week getting Declan's room decorated. I wanted to incorporate a few hand painted wall hangings in there. This past Sunday was one of those typical rainy Fall days, so we pulled out the paint and canvas, and let our 2 year old create with color. . .the result is a beautiful swirl of color that translates into Chloe's master piece of love! As soon as I get it up on the wall I'll take a picture for you to see.

We're hosting Thanksgiving this year. . .we're literally going to have a houseful! Snow showers on Thursday - perfect timing as we'll be around the fire, sipping apple cider. Our baby girl also turns 2 this weekend. Age one you're just grateful to have made it there with all members of the family still accounted for. Age two. . .man, it's a bit of a tear jerker knowing she's growing up so quickly! She's so much fun, has us laughing and swept up in her world of discovery. She's been learning manners at school, specifically how to address adults. Much to our amusement she's picked up on calling EVERYONE "miss". I noticed it this weekend when our niece Hailey was with us, Chloe would run after Hailey calling her Miss Hailey. Then suddenly it was Miss Mommy, can I please have a drink, Miss Mommy, please come here. My folks were over for dinner and she was addressing my mom as Miss Granny. She's hilarious! Then tonight we had to make a quick run to the store and as soon as Jon was out of sight she said " Miss Mommy, where is Miss Daddy?"I nearly died laughing! ALL EVENING LONG Jon as been "Miss Daddy".

Week 23 has drawn to a close, we came out a few pounds fatter, moving a little slower, but it was a good week knowing our little boy is going to be all right. The other morning I hopped on the scale as I was getting ready. . .much to my shock I realized I have gained 12 lbs (8 to 12 overnight), so I was expressing my shock to Chloe. She stood there listening to me as I explained this to her. As soon as I was finished she says. . .Mommy you're still cute. She melts my heart y'all!

Happy Thanksgiving!

22 weeks

5:17 PM

21 Weeks

6:34 PM

Declan and I had a good week in California. Despite it being business travel, I thoroughly enjoyed a little bit of rest too. It was guilt-free rest too! Jon had everything under control here at home, and he'd send me these sweet little messages letting me know that everything was going fine and to just enjoy my time away. I was so grateful as it meant I could enjoy a nice deep bath and read my book knowing my world was ticking along just fine without me. At the back of my mind I knew this would be my last bit of "me time" before the introduction of another little person in our lives. Quiet evenings are not lonely - they're a good time to recharge those batteries!

This week our little babes learned to gulp down several ounces of fluid - this for hydration and nutrition! On the topic of food - he has taste buds so can taste what I eat. He is also the size of a pomegranate! A big one, I would like to add. He has really gained strength in his movements and there are times when I get a good knee to the gut.

We're making really good progress on Declan's baby room. While I was away Jon had his room painted. Crib is set up, and other furniture moved in. I'll post some pictures in the coming weeks.

Total weight gain: 6lbs +
Maternity clothes? Yes, and lots of stretchy clothes too.
Stretch marks? I'm starting to think I won't escape this pregnancy without them. I've upped my water intake and coconut oil in an effort to assist.
Sleep: Still recovering from jet lag so I've been dragging. This weekend I enjoyed nice long naps with Chloe.

Best moment this week: I flew back late on Friday just so I could be here when Chloe woke up on Saturday morning. That for sure was the best moment this week! Close 2nds - finishing a book in 4 days! Whoa what? Yea! This was a first in 2 years. Also, being back in the arms of my #1. He is my treasure.

Miss Anything? Not this week.
Movement: So much movement! He kicks a lot. Rolls a lot.

Food cravings: Fruit. Big time. Also, Gatorade. In fact when I get up from here, that is where I am headed...straight to get a big cold glass of Gatorade!
Gender: BOY :)
Symptoms: lower back pain has improved significantly. Thanks to a few yoga moves.

Belly Button in or out? Out.
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody : Happy.
Looking forward to: Is it too early to say I'm looking forward to Declan's arrival, sleeping on my tummy again and being able to bend down without my organs being squashed? Coz I'm looking forward to all of those. Also looking forward to being able to breathe normally again.

20 Weeks

7:38 PM

19 Weeks . . .AND. . .

6:30 PM

18 Weeks

6:26 PM

17 weeks

5:44 PM

This week our trio has battled a little cold virus. I was hoping we'd all feel better by now but it's apparent we are still under its spell. This is a tough little virus coz Jon and I always manage to dodge them...but it got us this time.

So despite feeling under the weather we did have a big event occur this week. Wednesday evening we made the decision to begin Chloe's transition into her big girl bed. This may seem like a non event - but it's H.U.G.E! As we moved her crib out of her room and into the baby's room. . .and brought in her big girl bed I was AMAZED that we were at this point with Chloe. How is she old enough for this? Last night was her first night in her new bed and she adjusted a lot better than we thought. Only took a 2nd visit to her room to calm her back down and settle her back in for the night...she slept a whopping 11 hours after that! Tonight she fell asleep as her little head hit the pillow. No second visit. Fingers crossed it carries on like this :)

So here I am. . .17 weeks. I'm definitely moving slower this week and needing to rest just a little more. I feel like such a wimp! But I found its easier to listen to your body than fight it. After reading our baby website it turns out though that I'm right on track for this type of exhaustion as the baby is rapidly increasing in size...and so am I. In fact we should see some higher numbers on the scale in the very near future. So what is baby's size you might ask? She/he is the size of an onion! Just over 5 inches long (crown to rump) and his/her soft bone is starting the strengthen. The baby is also starting to put some meat on those bones...and some fat.

Total weight gain: 4.5lbs
Maternity clothes? As I work from home now I've found it easier to ditch the jeans and general wardrobe attire and just go with clothes that stretch.
Stretch marks? none yet!
Sleep: Not too bad.

Best moment this week: Jon was finally able to feel the baby move :)

Miss Anything? Not this week.
Movement: she/he rolls and flips ever so gently. In fact all his/her movement is gentle and calm.

Food cravings: I'm back on my pickle diet. Love pickles.
Gender: We decided, after much much much debate, that YES we will find out the gender! So we'll know in the next 2 weeks if this papoose is a girl or boy!
Symptoms: SI joint/lower back pain

Belly Button in or out? Out.
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody : Happy.
Looking forward to: I have a doctor's appointment this week. . .this will also allow for us to schedule the BIG ultrasound appointment - 20 weeks. Can you believe that? We are almost 1/2 way there!

16 weeks

1:09 PM

We're back from the land of sunshine and sand! Good baby growing weather down in the Caribbean. We spent the week with my older sister and her family - my older sister is also expecting a baby so we lined up our belly's for a few bump shots and this is what week 16 and week 26 look like side by side. . .

During our 10 days of R&R I learned:

1. Hammocking is a MUST for pregnant women - takes the strain off those hips and back.
2. Mexico has the BEST limes. . .hands down. Thus, I traded my pickle craving for a lime craving.
3. It's much better spending the day in a bikini rather than trying to squeeze this belly into any item of clothing.
4. It takes exactly 8.5 days for Chloe to adjust to sea weed...and 3 days to adjust to coconuts on the beach. She was pretty sure those fallen coconuts were a reason to let off blood curdling screams.
5. I need to brush up on my first aid and response to emergencies...Chloe slipped in the shower and her little head connected with a sharp step. Could have been a hundred times worse, but it reminded me that I am a terrible nurse and end up in worse state than the injured.
6. Crabs remind me of spiders. I hate spiders. Chloe loves crabs.
7. We limit electronics in our house. . .but sometimes the ipad is a gift from heaven! {free toddler entertainment when mommy and daddy are just exhausted}
8. Our family of three probably had our last family holiday as just us. . .next time lil Chlo-worm will have a small little playmate.

Total weight gain: was 1.5lbs. Up from that I am sure coz this bubs is growing!
Maternity clothes? Still sporting the belly band. I'm sure now that I've traded the bikini for Autumn clothes I will have to make several adjustments.
Stretch marks? none yet!
Sleep: Better now that I'm back in my own bed :) Our beach bungalow was open air so no such thing as air con...whew...that a toughy when it's hot and pregnant!

Best moment this week: Can't beat a Caribbean holiday. . .but if I had to choose I would say it was the moment Chloe first made the connection there is a baby in my belly. Since then she's been asking to feel "mommy's baby". On the plane ride home she lent over and asked if she could feel the "baby Chloe". . .it was pretty cute :)

Miss Anything? Not this week.
Movement: Movement has picked up. This baby still isn't the mover Chloe was, as he/she tends to "roll" more rather than wiggle and kick.

Food cravings: LIMES, LIMES and more LIMES, please.
Gender: Well technically we can find out now...but we're waiting...and now I'm wondering if we should have the ULTIMATE surprise and wait until the birth to find out the baby's gender! Still trying to convince Jon :)
Symptoms: SI joint pain mainly.

Belly Button in or out? Out.
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody : Happy Happy.
Looking forward to: Settling into Fall now that vacation is behind us. Time to whip out the apples and caramel! I'm also looking forward to pulling out my warm clothes! We stepped off the plane in Knoxville in shorts and flip flops only to realize we were SERIOUSLY under dressed! The adjustment to cold weather is a shock :)

14 Weeks

5:27 PM

14 weeks was a good week. Doctor's appointment went well on Monday morning. I heard the baby's heart beat for the first time!! What a MAGICAL sound! The baby is still seemingly calm and moves minimally. The most movement I feel is when I lie on my back and the baby comes forward. She/he fits perfectly in my palm if I lay my hand over the little baby bump. Makes sense coz the baby is the size of a LEMON! Our little one can suck their thumb and wiggle their toes :) The baby has also doubled in size from last week.

Big excitement in our little house as we're booked and packed for vacation! It's going to be a very early morning for us on Wednesday morning as we awake our little Chlo worm, snuggle her into her car seat and drive to the airport: destination Mexico! She LOVES airplanes and will constantly point them out in the sky. She is fully aware what it means when mommy says we're going to go on an airplane and will fly high in the sky - but she thinks that is a horrid idea. In fact yesterday she said she's rather stay with Granny than go in the airplane. Our flights may be interesting :)

Little Chloe is a real character. Her vocab is incredible and she carries a lot of my accent. She is my little shadow and even answers for me in most cases when someone asks me a question. She has gotten into a habit of calling her daddy "Jon" when she needs something. If she's in her crib and wants out she calls "Jon..Jon!". Or when she's in the shower and ready to get out it's "Jon...Jon!". Despite it being completely hilarious, we are trying to break her of this habit.

Total weight gain: 1.5lbs
Maternity clothes? Mainly a belly band. I also bought a Blanqi as I've had TERRIBLE hip and back pain. Hoping this helps hold everything together for the next 6 months.
Stretch marks? none yet!
Sleep: I've been converted. I'm now a side sleeper :)

Best moment this week: hearing the baby's heart beat!

Miss Anything? Not this week.
Movement: I've been feeling very very slight movement.

Food cravings: Fresh fruit. Pickles less but the craving is still present.
Gender: We find out at the end of October!
Symptoms: SI joint pain mainly.

Belly Button in or out? Out.
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody : Happy Happy as the vacation bags are lined up in the hallway!
Looking forward to: Feeling the Caribbean breeze, sand between my toes...waking up each morning to the sound of the ocean and spending a full 12 days together. Last vacation before #2 arrives?

Hope you all have a wonderful week! I'll catch you on week 16!

13 Weeks

7:09 PM

Fall has officially arrived! Our first chilly day of the season. We spent the day building Chloe's playground, to the crackle and pop of the fire pit. Yeah, it was that chilly!

It was a long week for us. I left for Canada before the sun was up on Monday morning. . .leaving behind a sick little bubs. Heart wrenching! Sunday night our household got zero sleep and that zero sleep was continued for another 2 more nights for Jon and Chloe. Each time I spoke to them they were more exhausted that before as sleep and rest were not found. My mom and Jon's sister stepped in big time and helped Jon out. I was SO grateful to have them both! Wednesday afternoon Chloe started feeling better and Wednesday night the first night of sleep for Jon and Chloe. Just in time for mommy to come home on Thursday!

I've started feeling very uncomfortable this week. Clothes are getting tighter and thanks to Relaxin my hips and general joints are getting just a little bit too loose for comfort!

Total weight gain: I'm sure it's no longer zero. I'll find out at my next appointment.
Maternity clothes? I pulled them out this evening...it's about that time!
Stretch marks? none yet!
Sleep: Well, sleep is kinda difficult. I'm still trying to convince myself that I'll get a good nights sleep as a side sleeper.

Best moment this week: coming HOME!!

Miss Anything? Not this week.
Movement: I've been feeling very very slight movement. So far this baby is not the crazy Olympic swimmer Chloe was.

Food cravings: Fresh fruit and pickles still.
Anything making you queasy or sick: red meat, coffee AND ESPECIALLY salsa and fresh tomatoes. Oh, and I forgot to mention - the color red too. I CANNOT handle the color red. I had the exact same thing with Chloe when I was pregnant. True fact: In my first trimester with Chloe we had JUST painted our living room a brick red color and it made me SO ill i couldn't bare to look at it. So Jon had to re-paint the entire space. Holds true for today. As a result I have NOTHING red in my house.
Gender: We find out at the end of October!
Symptoms: fatigue is better - still present but not as bad.

And finally, a little snapshot of Chloe enjoying her playground this afternoon. I envision HOURS of entertainment!

12 Weeks

6:41 PM

Here we are! At the count down! March is only a few short months away and we have a lot to achieve before then. . .First off, the baby is the size of a PLUM! The baby is considered fully-formed too! Her/his sole purpose is to grow bigger and stronger from this point forward as the baby's vital organs and systems are already in place and many organs even starting to function. How incredible is this?

I know better than to compare, but take it from me - no two pregnancies are the same. I guess I thought I was an exception...or perhaps I never thought about it which is why it was a shock when I was hit with terrible nausea that took me down - and kept me down from 6 to about 11.5 weeks. It was tough. Fatigue was a lot worse too but I don't know if it's coz I had a 21 month old to keep up with at the same time. I have a HUGE respect for mommies with more than one baby!!

Everything else sums up like this:

Total weight gain: zero pounds.
Maternity clothes? Not yet...although I have left the top button undone on most of my jeans to accommodate this growing belly.
Stretch marks? none yet!
Sleep: It's official...I am no longer a tummy sleeper. I now sleep with about 5 pillows strategically placed around my side of the bed to help me adjust as I find a new sleeping position.

Best moment this week: a toddler that sleeps in! For the past TWO weekends we've thoroughly enjoyed a worn out toddler coz this means we get a nice sleep in the next morning :) It's magic people...pure magic.

Miss Anything? Sushi & wine with dinner...and deli sandwiches. And brie cheese. And jumping on the trampoline. Other than that, I'm good :)
Movement: none yet! With Chloe I felt her first movement at 11 weeks.

Food cravings: Fresh Fruit and Pickles. Confession here...I ate an ENTIRE jar of pickles in 24 hours. 1/2 of the jar in one sitting. (and it was a BIG jar of pickles!!)
Anything making you queasy or sick: red meat, coffee AND ESPECIALLY salsa and fresh tomatoes.
Gender: We find out at the end of October!
Symptoms: lots of fatigue, sore back and hips (eesh, this early on!?)

Belly Button in or out? Out. Yup, already.
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody : Happy most of the time although hormones certainly change that happy mood in an instant! (poor Jon).
Looking forward to: Thursday evening. I'll be in Canada this week on business. . .and this marks the LONGEST I've been away from Chloe. I'm trying to see the best in this and realize that it will do my mommy soul some good to get away, enjoy a nice long bath each evening, have the ability to eat at least ONE warm meal a day and actually finish my morning tea.

Chloe.

6:01 PM

. . .

9:50 AM

Soon we will wear Indian feathers and be called by our new tribal names...

6:37 PM

When you're in the mood for demolition it always feels like tearing something down is the right thing to do. Re-building is where it gets complicated. This is where we found ourselves. The deck on our house needed replacing - well technically it was fine, but Jon thought it could benefit from being introduced to a couple hundred 2x4's, screws and a drill - typical ingredients for a renovation. So we tore our deck down. And Jackson, who swings on the side of being overly sensitive about renovations, got extremely upset about his deck being destroyed. He is a creature of habit and does not like to sway from this. He "verbalizes" his disgust for change by puking...and pooping. Both way too much. So we attempted to get the deck rebuilt in a few days - but that didn't happen - and I ended up cleaning up way to much poop and puke. 3 weeks later, it is finally done. Jackson did finally adjust to exiting the house from the garage side door, instead of the french doors. However we had to retrain Gabe to exit through the french doors as he felt he was now entitled to only using the garage side door. A bit of an inconvenience when each dog prefers to exit out of their preferred door.

As for me it seems I prefer to blog when temperatures are unseasonably low. Red bud winter passed a few weeks back - and we are now on the tail end of dogwood winter. The worst yet as we were under a freeze watch for this one. Everyone covered their budding plants in sheets. This always makes for an interesting neighborhood look. Kind of like a weird horror show of misshapen humans hunched over with sheets draped over them. In my mind anyway. Weird, unsettling shapes will not haunt our neighborhood tonight - freeze watch is over. NOW - it is hammock season! We've hung hammocks off our new pergola, all in an effort to encourage down time in the evenings. Since hanging the hammocks we've only had one warm evening...but tonight will make two! We'll tuck the bubs in bed and we'll climb into our hammocks and sway to the quiet static of the baby monitor.

We bought Chloe a teepee a couple months ago {mainly for mommy, says daddy}. We have SO much fun in this thing. I've been on the hunt for a really soft throw rugs and cushions - found them this past weekend. Seriously, this is the most comfy pozi in the house now. This evening Chloe and I spent over an hour laying in our teepee like Indian Princesses. Granted I'm completely oversized for it, but it's even more comical seeing Jon hunkered down in there reading books and painting nails {yes, it has been witnessed :) }

And finally, a picture from a few days ago. The trees were blooming like crazy!

Warm weather returns - this time for good. We're going to get some planting on! I have the excitement of a beginner as we're going small scale farming people... {oh and please send your best gardening tips...I may need them...}

Spring Storms and General Thoughts

6:06 PM

We are under the spell of redbud winter. A cold spell in Spring that is based on the tree bloom. These are the cold days where you're glad you didn't get overly excited during the warmth of the early spring days - and plant your Spring and Summer garden.

I remember a couple of weeks ago when we were enveloped in snow, I said to Jon - I cannot wait for the warmth of Spring - and those wonderful Spring thunderstorms! Mother Nature got a good giggle as she sent our first Spring thunderstorm at 6am in the morning...after a very late and long night of teething in our little household. It was the night Jon and I climbed in to bed for an early retirement to the day. A rarity for us. We had just turned off the night, wiggled into that perfect spot...enjoying the cool comfort of the sheets...just settling in nicely, when suddenly the monitor light comes alive - the sound of a crying baby pierces the night...and your first thought "for real?..." and you wait for bubs to settle back into her sleep and it does not come. Instead you spend the next 2 hours rocking and comforting...when you finally make it back to bed, you clock a max of 4 hours sleep before Mother Nature sends a loud clap of thunder that rocks the house, followed by lightening and ... the all time favorite - hail. For a solid 45 minutes we were deafened by our first Spring thunderstorm.

The evening before the storm we did drag the tiller out of hiding. We tilled the land in preparation for Spring planting. Seedlings will go in soon. I captured this, as well as other regular moments in our days that I froze in time. Here they are :-

There was one particular lunch hour when I came home and basked in the warmth of the sunshine. As I lay in the sun I had an urge to grab my camera and take some macro photography of the blooming bradford pears in our back garden. I stood at the base of the tree, bees swarming after the sweet nectar and I looked up...

Spring is a beautiful sight. So much life. We just have to take the time to look around...to look up. There are moments when I feel I might cave from the sheer stress of my job, other moments when I get wrapped up in worry, or consumed with a particular detail in our lives....but when I stop...pause..and appreciate what God has placed right under my nose, it is better for that moment. The last 3 weeks I've had to put a lot more effort in pausing myself to appreciate the beauty around me.

It's important to pause. We all need this.

@ sixteen months

10:04 AM

Starting the weekend off with some humor.

I was talking to a friend about this very topic a couple days ago...and one thing I've learned is you can always tell the waiters who have kids, and those that don't by how quickly they bring your food...and check. Before Chloe was born Jon and I enjoyed our dining experiences...they were relaxing...enjoyable...and occurred frequently. We are the complete opposite now - we rarely choose to eat out and when we do it's not so that we can sit and relax - it's the achieve the main goal of filling that empty tummy and dashing before we cause complete chaos! Kids are unpredictable - and for some reason their desire to mash food into every crevice of the high chair, or smear 10 layers of their meal across the table, occurs when you are in public.

I'll take it though. Despite our restaurant experiences becoming messier, it also means she's 16 months old now, and she is learning and developing so fast. She adores books - and will choose a book over a toy any time of the day. Through our reading and constant repetition she is identifying and saying a lot of words. She is still partial to ducks - and is alway quick to point one out. But when it comes to the sounds of the animals, it's the sheep she favors.

At 16 months old, these are her words:

"God made me" is her FIRST 3 word sentence! We have a series of books that goes through everything God made - and the final sentence is "and God made me!". A couple of mornings ago, I was sitting on the carpet reading with Chloe before school, and as I read the last sentence, she looked up and said with much excitement "God made me!". Sweet child :)

In the coming weeks she'll be able to add airplane to her vocab. Throw in a hippo, elephant...lion and some special family members! Along with the house and all the contents required to travel with a small toddler, we are packing some extra sanity for the 30 hour plane ride...

ps. we are now accepting advice on how to travel internationally with a 16 month old.