So I'll Remember: Morning Snuggle.

Birdie,

This morning, your Dad let me sleep in a bit while you two ate breakfast before he had to leave for work. You were just so broken-hearted when he closed the door and left for the day. I pulled you up into bed with me where you whimpered for a little while, whispering, "Dadoo...Dadoo?" until you decided to snuggle up in my neck, wrap my arm around your waist, and fall asleep. So random, and so wonderful. You slept like this, all spooned up with me, for about 45 minutes. You laughed a few times in your sleep, and when you woke up suddenly, you BEAMED up at me as if to say, "Oh, hello Mom, I'm so glad you're here!" It was precious. We have rarely napped/slept in the same bed (except when you were tiny), so I soaked up every sweet second.

I want to remember this morning, Baby. I loved it.

Mommy

The Day I Almost Killed My Husband.

Russell: "So, our electric bill came in the mail today."

Me: "Oh?"

Russell: "Yeeaaah, it was a little high this month with all the extra A/C we've been running. We might need to cut back a little..."

Me: (Springing off the couch to put him in a choke hold for threatening my blessed air conditioning) "NEVER!!! You can't be serious!!! I am ALWAYS HOT!!! I'll not let you do it!!!"

Russell: (After being released from my stellar Half Nelson and massaging his windpipe back into working order) "No, no. I meant let's try and cut back on groceries or something to make up the difference."

Me: (Plopping back down onto the couch) "Oh. Sure. We can do that."

Russell: (Eyeing me suspiciously while slowly backing out the room, careful not to make any sudden movements) "Ok, great. Glad we had this talk. Um, love you."

Lesson learned. NEVER. EVER. EVER threaten to take away a pregnant woman's air conditioning in the middle of the hottest summer in the entire history of the world.

Ever.

E.V.E.R.

Your windpipe might get crushed.

;)

The Funnies.

When I left for college, one of the ways my Mom made sure to remind me of home and that she was thinking about me was to send care packages up to the school. Each box or envelope was filled with little pick-me-ups: coupons for grabbing groceries, post-it's with "reasons why I love you" written on them, snacks, etc. Nothing expensive, but always thoughtful.

One of my favorite things to find inside the package were my Mom's clippings from the funnies section of the paper. Sometimes she'd even save up a whole series of comics spanning weeks just so I could see a storyline or funny situation play out. The tradition of sending little thinking-of-you packages has continued into my married years, and I especially look forward to these thoughtful deliveries since my Mom and I now live hours apart.

I've started saving some of the funnies that she sends and then mailing them on to my friends. As I've grown up, the focus of the comics Mom would clip for me have changed from teen angst to Mom angst, and I know that my girlfriends can relate to the later these days! ;) I love to send these on and hopefully pass on the little chuckle that the comics bring to my week.

Here's one "funny" that came in the mail recently, and I actually belly-laughed. This is SO MY LIFE (along with probably every parent out there...!). Friday night. Exhausted. Going to bed early. Always something coming early the next day...

And loving every minute.

:)

Enjoy!

(Might have to click on the comic in order to enlarge...scanned kinda small.)

Help Me: The Vegetable Edition.

(First, thank you all so much for your encouragement regarding my previous post. Makes me smile to know I'm not alone...nor exceptionally weird. And hormonal.)

;)

Well, it finally happened. The mystique and allure of the blessed veggie food pouches has worn off. Those little beauties fulfilled E's daily veggie requirement (and then some on a good day!), and they warded off the inevitable Mom-Guilt of not providing enough vegetables on her plate each day. She has always had a weird texture thing with food, and she will hardly pick up anything slimy or wet and put it in her mouth. Sliced veggies = usually slimy and wet. Bummer. Anywho, the veggie food pouches were such a hit for months and months...and now, no such luck. She'll eat a carrot here and there of her own volition, and I've snuck veggies into little sandwiches for her...but still. I'd like to maintain a little more nutritional balance than just fruit and carbs. (She's Mommy's girl in that way....!).

So, here's my request for help:

Any tips, tricks or miraculous solutions you've found for incorporating vegetables into your kiddo's daily diet? I'm willing to try just about anything! :)

Thanks, friends!

Me and You, and You and Me.

Blame it on the hormones, but I've been feeling these huge, crashing waves of Mom Guilt lately. The closer we get to welcoming Baby D into our lives, I find myself feeling guilty for what this will do to E's little life as she knows it. The rational (and, let's be honest, less-hormonal) side of me knows that giving E a sibling is one of the greatest things I can do for her. She will have a built-in buddy, she'll learn important lessons like sharing and being thoughtful towards someone, and D will just round out our family in so many good and pleasing ways.

But then I think about how E never asked for any of this. I think ahead to the constant demands of a nursing newborn, and I can't help but wonder how in the world I'll still have time and energy and emotional space and physical ability to give E the love and attention she needs. I mean, we don't spoil her by any means and are quite adamant about teaching obedience and discipline from an early age. But she's all we have right now, so we DO give her a lot of attention. Why wouldn't we? I just can't help thinking how her little heart is going to be broken when Mommy can't snuggle up as many times in a day as she wants me to or when she is just going to be left to play on her own while I have to tend to the new little lady in our lives.

I know, I know. These are all things she'll get used to, and I'll get used to, and we'll get used to.

But, for now, when I don't really know what any of this is going to 'look' like, I can't help a few tears from slipping out as I sort of mourn the loss of this one-on-one only time I've been lucky enough to spend with E. She is my buddy, my tiny shadow, and I just feel like I'm going to miss her. A lot.

(Crying. Right now. Told you.)

NONE of this is to say I'm dreading welcoming D into our family or regretting our decision to expand our family. Not at all. In fact, I can hardly wait until she gets here. It feels right and peaceful and whole.

I guess I'm just overwhelmed by that age old question of how will I divide my heart and time and energy and attention between TWO little loves?

From what I hear, your heart and love just get bigger and more all-encompassing with each child. And I'm sure that's true.

But today I'm a little sad. And feeling a little guilty.

And now I'm going to go snuggle my girl.

:)

A Day in the Life: Beating the Heat.

We spent the weekend with my in-laws for July 4th, and it was so much fun! Of course, E had a lovely time being adored by all, and this exhausted preggo Mommy enjoyed the many willing and helpful hands of family throughout the course of our stay. :)

It was a hot weekend, so, what's a girl to do?

Strip down to her diaper and run through the sprinkler, of course!

(She's "hiding"...so stealthy, I know.)

;)

Oh to be unencumbered by society's need for the bonds of clothing and to be free to run around in my skivvies through a blessedly cooling sprinkler.

Ahhhhhh.

Don't worry.

I won't actually do it.

Well, probably not.

;)

So I'll Remember: The Giggles.

Birdie,

Tonight when we went into your room so I could rock you and read a couple of books before bed, you were so squirmy and being so silly. You knocked the book out of my hand on accident while trying to whip around and show me your bunny with wide eyes. For some reason, your raised eyebrows, your fat little fist balled up around your bunny, and your insistent grunt that I acknowledge the bunny made me bust out into a fit of the giggles. I could NOT stop giggling at you! It was one of those times when the giggles just took over, and, before I knew it, you couldn't stop giggling either! You were doing your deep chuckle behind your paci, looking expectantly at me to see if I'd burst into another round of laughter...and this kept up for a good 15 minutes. For no real reason! Oh my. We were both crying by the end, still giggling...and then you sighed, snuggled up into my neck, patted my arm, and closed your eyes.

Oh. What a sweet little moment.

Don't want to forget that one, my love.

Mommy

When You Know Family Pics Are Over...

Yep. That's a wrap.

;)

Hope you had a lovely holiday weekend, friends.

More from this crew's adventures to come...

:)