Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Can't believe I've made it

I'm officially full term today. I can't believe I'm here, it seems like just yesterday and also ages ago when I saw those 2 blue lines show up on my pregnancy test. I've got two more weeks until my c section but getting to 37 weeks is always reassuring to know the baby would be ok outside the womb at this point, I just hope he stays put until the 12th! I've slowly been knocking out our baby to do list and getting everything ready for him...I think I'll be a lot more prepared than I was with Colin. I'm hoping to get everything done by this weekend so I can then spend the rest of the time just relaxing before the business of a newborn takes over. A massage, pedicure and haircut will definitely be on next weeks agenda. And maybe staying in my pjs a lot more...my maternity wardrobe has definitely dwindled, between this cold weather and my huge belly barely anything fits now! 

Sunday, January 26, 2014

What we've been up to

 Colin is in school 5 Mornings a week since the beginning Of this month. So far it's going well...I was able to keep him in his Mothers Day Out that he's been in since we moved here, which is on Tuesdays and Thursdays mornings at a local church. Then on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings he goes to a Montessori school around the corner from our house. So far, I really like his teacher there and the Montessori concept and he seems to like it too, there are sometimes some tears about wanting to stay home with Mommy ( which reminds me of my Opa telling me stories of how he never wanted to go to school because he wanted to stay home with his Mommy) but those tears have gotten less and less as the month as gone on and he's gotten more used to it. I do have some guilt over sending him, but at 3 years old and with baby brother on the way, I know it's for the best. Plus he is always happy when I pick him up and tells me " I had a fun day Mommy, that makes me happy"...which is funny because he used to just say " I had a fun day Mommy" and I would respond with "that makes me happy" but now he says that too. He is talking up a storm and is pretty hilarious..one of my favorite phrases is when he tells me "great idea mommy!!" haha! 
Colin's other favorite activities lately are playing with play-doh, doing puzzles, cutting paper with his own scissors, and painting with water colors..these have all been good activities as we've spent more time indoors since it's so cold outside. 

We also got back from a 5 day unexpected trip for my Opa's memorial service. Colin has no grasp on the concept that Opa is gone, which is expected at his age.I just hope he'll hold at least one memory of Opa. I was really glad to go home, if this trip hadn't come up we would have gone from the beginning of December until the end of April without a trip to Florida, which is entirely too long. We spent most of the 5 days catching up with family that came in town including my cousins from Wisconsin and my cousin Juliet from England who I rarely get to see and whom Colin loved playing with. He also really enjoys cousin Julia from Wisconsin too. Most of our trip was spent with family but we were able to squeeze in a little friend time too and a trip to the Gasparilla Children's parade.
A little less than 3 weeks now until Colin is joined by a little brother, we can't wait to meet him but I am soaking up the down time while Colin is in school and all the one one time with him before my attention is divided! 

Playing with his play-doh

Kisses for Juliet


A morning at Busch Gardens 

Catching beads at the Gasparilla Children's parade

Getting a shoulder ride with cousin Julia

Walking down to parade with Hayley, Anna and Clark

Sunday, January 12, 2014

1 month until Delivery day!

Dear baby boy,
We still don't have a name for you. Your Dad and I have a list of names and we most likely will be naming you in the hospital! You sure do like to kick in my tummy, you are a very active little guy! You are kicking me on my right side as I write this.I love it though and am anxious for you to come out so we can finally meet you! What will you look like? What will your personality be? I have no idea, but I know me, your Daddy, your big brother and the rest of your family can't wait to meet you, hold you and snuggle you! Keep growing and we'll meet you soon! 



Friday, January 3, 2014

Vail Trip

We just got back on Wednesday from a glorious week of skiing in Vail...well everyone skiied except me :) Vail at Christmas time is the most magical place...the mountains, the snow and the twinkling Christmas lights everywhere are really spectacular.
Colin took to skiing pretty well. The first day on the slopes Evan and I took him to the bunny hill just to see if he was willing and excited to ski, and for the most part he was. We'd ride the magic carpet about half way up and then Evan would push him down the hill and I would catch him. He did pretty good, just didn't quite grasp the idea of the "pizza" and couldn't stop. He did love to go "faster and faster" and had a blast riding the chair lift and magic carpet. We enrolled him in ski school  ( thanks Ken and Lydia)and he spent four morning learning the basics. By the end, the instructors said he had started doing the pizza, so progress!
He'd cry a bit when I dropped him off each morning, but when I picked him up he was happy and told me he'd had a fun day.
We ate so much good food, my favorite part of the trip, a nice perk for an 8 month old girl like myself! I also was treated to some spa time, which was such a nice luxury to relax and get pampered a bit.
There is so much more to tell of our time there, but I'll just let the pictures show the fun!





























Christmas 2013 recap

I can recall only one Christmas away from Florida, which was when I was still in college and we went to London to visit my cousins for the holiday.
 So for my second Christmas away, it was actually nice to do something a little different.
With Colin nearly 3 this Christmas, he really "got" everything. We read lots of  books in the weeks leading up to Christmas about the birth of Jesus and of course Santa, Rudolph and Frosty the Snowman. This was the first year the Elf on the Shelf came to visit ( we names him Toodles) and Colin would look for him every morning. He also understood Santa lived at the North Pole and if he was a very good boy he would receive presents from his Christmas morning.
 The Saturday before Christmas, our neighbors had a nice Christmas party where we got to eat good food and catch up with our Little Rock friends before we headed to Vail for the holiday.
Since we were flying out to Vail Christmas morning, Santa came to our house on Christmas Eve morning. The night before, I told Colin he was coming and we set out some sugar cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. I awoke before Colin and excitedly went into his room to wake him up so he could see what Santa brought him. He loved his yellow motorcycle and spent most of the day playing with his new toys. That evening we went to a 6pm Christmas Eve service. Evan and Colin had spent the last 2 days with a stomach bug ( that I miraculously escaped) so we decided to have Colin come into the service with us, a first. He did absolutely wonderful...listened to the music, sat quietly and never really got loud or whiny. I was very proud of him. After the service, we drove around to look at Christmas lights and made phone calls to say Merry Christmas to my family. Then on Christmas morning, we were off bright and early to Vail!







 
And a little video of the action