18 weeks

At 18 weeks I feel like there isn't really a lot to report.  I feel so much like my "normal" self that I find myself forgetting about even being pregnant!  The little flutters are getting more frequent to remind me though.  :)

Holiday Countdowns

It's no secret by now that I love me some countdowns!  And... seeing as Stella is a little version of me in so many ways, it's no surprise that she loves them too.  I always find that they make it easier for her to judge time.  Last night she asked me if I'd make her a countdown to Bob again this year (our Elf on the Shelf).  She loves to mark a big "X" through each box at the end of the day!  Since she doesn't have a great grasp of days and has no concept really of DATES, I use pictures for each day to help her indentify them.  Here's ours for this year:

She also asked if we could do Santa's beard countdown again this year.  Last year I made one but this year I found one already done online and just printed it out.  I like that it has numbered spots for the cottonballs!

 I think that the more little things we do the easier the wait is!

Other than an advent calender (which we do up big), does your family have anything you do to help the little ones with the wait?  I'm always looking for new ideas to try out!

Happy LOOONG weekend, I'm off for some fun with one of my favorite people!

17 weeks

Finding time to put on the pregnancy dress, set up the camera, and try to take a picture while its light out is proving difficult. A quick cell phone shot I can handle!

Still down a few pounds, still in regular clothes, and the nausea is gone. This stage of pregnancy really does kick butt!

Week 16

There's a line in Father of the Bride (the fiance goes to the bar after they fight about a blender and her dad goes to talk to him).  The dad tells him that Annie comes from a long-line of over-reactors but that with each generation it lessens so their children may actually have a shot at turning out normal.  This is my family except with worrying!

I'm never at a loss of things to worry and stress out about.  Add to that a 3rd, and unplanned, pregnancy and I have been freaking out about SOMETHING since August 13!

The two things that are at the top of my list most of the time are how Lucy's going to adjust (she's just so darn little and still needs so very much), and how in the HELL I'm ever going to be able to do anything or go anyplace again.  I'm so very glad that at least Stella can buckle herself into her carseat and I don't have to worry about her running off while in a store. I wonder if it would be too much to ask for her to carry the baby into stores in the infant seat so I can carry Lu and the diaper bag? :)  IF I manage to get us all into a store without any incidents in the parking lot, how exactly do people get both kids into the grocery cart and have room for their um... groceries maybe?  I'm going to have to buy everything at Target just because they have those crazy big carts!

Ok, I can use a pack for one of them and put the other in the cart.  That will work right?  Let's just hope I never actually need to make more than one stop or just a quick little stop.  It's going to take me twice as long to get kids buckled/unbuckled, into packs, safely across parking lots than 90% of my errands take.  It's exhausting just to think about.

Things have actually been getting a bit easier around here (at least until the last 2 weeks when Lucy has gotten super clingy and throws a fit if I put her down... that should be fun with a newborn).  Lucy can play a bit more independently, and several times I've thought, "Oh man, and now we have to start all over!"

I'm already missing sleep and showers!  While Stella's not exactly old enough to do much to help, (oh how I'd love somebody in the house just to hold a baby for 30 minutes a day) I'm SO grateful that she's not younger than she is.  3 under 3 sounds like a recipe for the crazy house to me!

Please know that my worries are NOT IN ANY WAY and indication that I'm not supremely aware of how blessed we are and grateful for it every. single. day.  I know, believe me, I know!

Knits!



Maybe it's the fall weather, but I've found my knitting groove again and I'm SO VERY HAPPY about it! There's something so relaxing about putting my feet up (for a few minutes) at the end of the night with a fire going and my knitting.  I also admit that I enjoy wearing handknits and I REALLY love seeing my babies in something that I knit them.  I love knowing the time and love that went into picking just the right the pattern and yarn for them as well as the love that goes into each stitch.  It makes them so special to me.  I have each and everything saved for them to put on their own littles if they choose.

My favorite finished knit in a LONG time was a dress (which ended up being more of a tunic) for Lucy.  I adore the pattern and color.  I wish I had finished it earlier so she would have been able to wear it a bit more.  The first time she wore it to a family function she went crazy on berries and got berry juice all over it - I'm still trying to see if I can save it!

I'm sure you've seen the boot cuffs that are all over Pinterest.  I've heard people say that you can make them out of sweater sleeves, but there are some CUTE patterns for knit cuffs too!  This was my first pair, but most definitely not my last.

And finally, (for today) an ear warmer.  I think these are ADORABLE on the right person with the right hair.  Neither of which I have.  I tried to fake some bangs for the picture and pulled back some of my hair and I actually like it, but I don't think I'd ever have the guts to actually wear it anyplace.  Jim's cousin asked me if she could buy a pair of boot cuffs from me and then last week she asked if she could pay me to make her an ear warmer. We both loved this pattern and it turned out to be CRAZY easy. This would be the perfect first knitting project for someone who's been wanting to learn.  It's small and you just knit a rectangle.  When you're done you sew the two ends together and then wrap yarn around the seam to hide it.  It's kind of strange making something that someboday wants to PAY for, but once in a while it would be kind of fun.



I'm finishing up Lucy's hat for Trick o Treating, then it's another of these, more boot cuffs, hats for the family, maybe a mitten Christmas garland, and Stella's been begging me to work on her blanket.  Also, as soon as we find out if this little one is a he or  a she I can start knitting for them!  Normally, such a long "to-do" list would stress me out, but with knitting I love having a long line of things waiting for me!

Happy Hump Day!

Food and a fall picture dump!

First of all, let me vent about food for just a minute.  I didn't have issues with being sick with either of the girls.  Sadly, that wasn't the case this time around.  I seem to be over most of my nausea, but I can't seem to get past some of the aversions. Typically, Jim and I have very different tastes in food.  I'd love to eat veggies/pasta (ok, and cereal) for dinner every night and he's a meat eater.  Usually we can kind of work around it.  I can eat ground turkey and boneless skinless chicken breast so most dinners involve those and once in a while I'll make him something like meatloaf or a steak or he'll BBQ meat for himself and I'll just eat the rest of the dinner.

Lately I haven't wanted ANYTHING to do with any kind of meat. Since I try to do crockpot meals about twice a week during the school year it's made it difficult. I've made several dinners that would normally be ok and about half way through making it I know I'm never going to be able to eat it.  All I can think of to eat for dinner is the normal veggies/pasta or curry/Thai.  Meal planning has become a total nightmare!

Anyway, enough of the "poor me". We had a great little fall family day today.  We went to the pumpkin patch, stopped by a bridge I'd been wanting to take pictures on forever, and then carved pumpkins after dinner. The girls are both whooped! I didn't edit any pictures (because I'd have never gotten them posted - that's just the way life's going right now!) I have knitting sitting here next to me calling my name. ;)

And a note: this little 1 1/2 year old REFUSES to look at the camera!

And one more note: What the heck is going on with Blogger?  Everytime I check a preview it has a different font!  I have no idea what ugly thing you're seeing - sorry!

We were telling her to move her arms and she yelled at us, "I'M COLD!"

14

 As the weather gets darker earlier these pictures are going to get harder and harder to get.  ISO was cranked to 3200 and IT SHOWS!  :(

Of course, my baby wanted in on the picture taking action.  Love this sweet and silly little pea!