Friends!!

The other morning we had the windows open to cool it down. Croix heard what sounded like some kids. He starts yelling friends! Runs out side friends, friends!  Makes me excited for him to have a sister, a friend.  I've tried to teach him to be friendly, nice, welcoming and including to others.  I think he does a great job.  He also now things everyone is a friend.  Which is great at the playground in our neighborhood, not so great at the grocery store when he thinks, creepy, random guys are friends.  How do I teach Croix "stranger danger" and to be friendly and kind?  How do I teach a friendly two year old stranger danger period?  It makes me a little sad We live in such a time that not everyone is a friend, and you just don't know who you can trust, and you can never be too careful when it comes to your children.

Little Helper

This has been Croix's name lately, my little helper. Which is great and good most of the time. Of course it's always easier and faster to do things myself. But I know he needs to learn and I might as well take advantage of his helpful spirit while he still has it. Some of his helpfulness is encouraged, some, discouraged, and some a surprise.

He's helped give Daddy a massage

Helped me do the dishes

(dang self timer focus!)

And wash a helicopter

Make sure everyone (including Woody) is fed.  He loves to help cook!  The other day we ended up with a little pepper in our sugar cookies, good thing we couldn't really tell.

Sweeping the floor with my baster

Making sure the toilet paper is protected by the best sheriff around.

He helps out with loading the dishewasher

Mater and Francesco, loaded and ready for the wash

He also helps with the laundry

Scout, Thomas, Clarabelle & Annie, Not pictured were also Francesco and Mater, they must be dirty.

He loves to close the microwave door and push start.

I love my little man and the helper he is becoming.  He's doing so well at cleaning up.  He'll take his dishes over to the sink after meal.  Never gives me a hard time about cleaning up (unless he's not done playing).  He is a sweet boy!

Fun Friday

The weather has been to die for here lately.  A couple of weeks ago Brent took the afternoon off and met us at the zoo.

Croix was hollering at Brent to check out the giraffes.

Checking out the tiger

Taking a little rest with Mommy, we both needed it!  (I made Brent be the "photographer" I need to be in some pictures of our family outings!)

The dragon was cool....my bump is too :)

Leaving the zoo Croix loved the yellow car as much as any animal!

Then we headed to the park over at the Tempe Town Lake for a picnic dinner.

Croix loved chasing the birds.

We saw planes.

And trains (didn't catch a picture of the train but we were so close to the track!), little boy heaven!

Walking with Daddy, making funny faces.

How I love these two!  It makes my heart melt a little to think about it!  I love simple little things like this, just spending time together, enjoying each other.  There's not much in the world I'd rather do!

What Happened to My Blog??

I posted how I was a "guest blogger" on a friends blog.  It was really fun.  It was fun to sit and think about what I was going to write.  To try and be witty and funny.  To put my thoughts down in a more organized thoughtful manner.  I think that's how I used to blog.  Now it seems it's more been just get it out and get it down, before I forget, or while I have time.  There weren't a lot of comments on my post but the few made me happy, really happy!  At first I thought man am I so vain and shallow that comments on a blog telling me how funny I was just completely made my day.  But as I thought about it I realized it was more then just the comments.  I've always been/wanted to be a writer.  I've always enjoyed writing and imagined someday writing a book.  Until I have a great idea and tons of time to write, blogging has been my creative writing outlet.  Before blogs existed it was journaling.  I can't even tell you how many journals I have! 

So I love to write, but my blog has turned into a total Mommy blog.  Not that there is one thing wrong with that, it just doesn't quite feel like me. I wondered, what happened to my blog?  I thought about how I used to blog write, it was better.  Not that I felt like our life was better or what I wrote about was better, just the way I wrote.  It's funny, with how much more in love with my life that I am now than I was then, I should be even that much a greater writer!

I feel our blog should be more reflective of who I am.  I know I can still document our lives, Croix's learning and adventures, and still have my voice come out.  I also think I need to have a few more posts just about life and thoughts.  So this is my new goal, let my voice come out a little stronger through the words I use to document our lives. 

Guest Blogger

I got to be a guest blogger over here at the Pregnant Post Office.  If you enjoy an honest laugh about pregnancy go check it out.  I'm pretty sure my post will have you laughing (in my humble opinion!)

Gas-gasm

You know what I absolutely love the most about being pregnant?  (When I say love really I mean the thing I completely hate)  Gas.  You know how it just happens, if you’re like me, all the time.  I’ve turned into that nasty old person I hate at the grocery store.  I happily let one rip while picking my produce, because if it’s coming out, it’s not going to make me miserable staying in!  I’ve gotten to the point, I don’t care if it smells, if people hear me, or know it’s me, I just don’t want to get to that point where I feel like I’m going to explode if I don’t let it out.  Yeah I’ve gotten to be nasty like that.  And no, I don’t care, and I don’t care what you think about that. 

If you’ve ever been pregnant you probably understand why.  If you’ve never been pregnant or were just lucky enough to not have miserable gas let me tell you why I couldn’t care less what anyone thinks about me as long as the gas is coming out.

If it doesn’t come out it’s staying in!  Let me tell you a little what that feels like.  A little like someone crammed a giant ball into your stomach (let us not forget there is already a baby growing in there taking up the majority of the room, so this ball is in addition to the uterus containing the human you are growing).  It is covered in acid that is eating you alive from the inside out.  You know the only way to alleviate the pain caused by the giant acid bomb is to burp or fart.  So that’s pretty much all you want to do in life is burp or fart.  Every move you make hurts, laying down, sitting, pretty much just being alive.  You start to feel a little unhuman as your body is being taken over by the pain.   As this giant ball moves it hurts more, in other places.  You feel it moving and know relief has to be coming, it’s working its way out.

Finally the point comes where you just let one rip.  A giant fart that would make any hillbilly proud.  This is what I call a gas-gasm.  Why?  Because it’s a little reminiscent of an orgasm.  How in the world is passing gas, like an orgasm?  Well let me tell you.  You have to build up to an orgasm, you build up to it, you feel it coming, and you can’t wait for it.  Then all of the sudden….WHAM!  Best feeling EVER!!!  You might even sigh or let out a light moan after.  Oh the joy of an orgasm.  Same with pregnant gas.  It builds up, you can feel it coming, and you just can’t wait for it.  The RIPPPPP!  Best feeling EVER!!!!  No more pain.  You’re human again.  You might even let out a sigh, or little moan of relief.  You just had a gas-gasm!

Now if only orgasms could occur as often during pregnancy as gas-gasms do, that would be lovely now wouldn’t it!!!!

Just Us

I've been surprised by the feelings I've been having lately.  I find myself a little sad.  Sad to know this time of just Croix is going to end soon.  Certainly not sad to be having another baby, but just realizing this special time where it's just us, is almost over.  I love all the snuggles, and kisses, all the time playing.  Eating lunch together, going on all of our errands.  It's kind of fun just us.  It feels special.  We have a great routine.  Life is easy and predictable.  We're good together.  I can't wait for our little family to grow.  To have another little one to love.  In the mean time, I'm relishing every moment with just Croix!

Valentines Day

I never really liked Valentines Day.  I always felt like it was a manufactured holiday.  Even after getting married I felt the same way.  (So it wasn't a bitter single thing)  The past couple years it's started to grow on  me.  What's so wrong with a day to really remember the ones you love.  To be thankful for the love in your life.  To me this stretches beyond a spouse or boyfriend.  There is love in my life from other family members, friends,  random people can put a happy smile on my face and make me appreciate love (like the elderly couple holding hands through the grocery store).
  Now I think, I don't want chocolates or flowers, I'm not going to buy stupid cards, but I will appreciate the love in my life.

This year Croix and I wrote 50 things we love about Brent.  We put some of them in balloons, some on hearts we cut out.  I put up some streamers.  Our living room was full of love. 

I had a hard time keeping Croix from popping the balloons until Brent got home.  When Brent finally got home and Croix could pop the balloons I would tell him "now go give Daddy his love".  It was fun.

This morning when we got up Croix wanted to go downstairs and "get some love" <3.  It was as much for Croix to decorate, as it was for Brent. 

We were lucky enough to have Brent's Mom come watch Croix for us so we could go out.  So for the first time in the 7 years that we've been together we went out ON Valentines Day.

To Quote The Format:
"I love love!  I love being in love!"

18 Week Pics

I decided to do an AM and PM pic, since I feel like my belly doubles in size through out the day.
Here's my handy photography work with the camera set to self time balancing on the couch.

Here I am at the end of the day.  Not quite as dramatic as it feels, but you can still see the difference.

I'm in that totally awesome phase where I don't quite totally look pregnant.  Maternity pants won't stay up, maternity shirts won't stay down.  I'm rummaging my wardrobe for those perfect tops.  But to be honest mostly just stick to sweat pants!

Today we gave a friend a ride home from church and out of the blue Croix starts telling her about his baby sister.  Too adorable!  He's going to be a great big brother!

Movie Night

Last night we had a family date night, in celebration of Valentines Day.  We pulled out the air mattress, brought down some pillows and snuggled up.  We had a wonderfully unhealthy dinner of potato chips and dip, little cheesy sausages,  and pizza. So naughty but oh so good.  We munched as we watched Cars 2, Croix's current favorite movie.  It was so much fun.  We'll have to do it again for sure!

After we put Croix down Brent and I snuggled up and enjoyed a grown up movie.  It was a great date!

PS. We went to the grocery store to get all the food for our dinner, since we don't typically have junk like that around the house.  I went in dirty pj's, with no make up, and not wearing a bra.  So of course we saw 4 different ward members!  Never fails!