Valentines Day 2013

This Valentines Day marked the start of a yucky cold for me and Emery. That day, I could tell Ems was starting to get a little cold, but didn't think it was too bad. I, myself, was just having a super-tired, nauseous, pregnant type of day. Fast forward to today and you can find both me and Emery laying on the couch, surrounded by enormous piles of Kleenex (just kidding. Kinda. I do occasionally lift my head-throbbing, nose-snotting, sneezing, coughing, 25-week pregnant self off the couch to throw them away). My pediatrician told me that other than giving Ems a half dose of Mucinex, there's nothing over-the-counter that's really "safe" for her to take in combating the common cold. So I guess we're kind of in the same boat, me being pregnant and not being able to take good drugs, and her being too little to take them.  At least we have each other! She napped on me today for over 2 hours, while I layed on the couch, watching a movie. Sickness brings out sweet snuggles along with the snot :)

Back to Valentine's Day...it managed to be not a huge failure. We went ahead with our planned "family fondue night" once Pete got home and helped me make it. Yummy, cheesy, garlic-y goodness (recipe here). I have everything for the chocolate-y, dessert round...but that hasn't quite come to fruition, yet. Luckily, Peter brought me chocolates and flowers the night before Valentines Day and we got to hang out a bit when he got home from scouts, so I feel like we had a little pre-V-day celebration before the tiredness and then colds came on. I sure love that guy! Here's a few photos to document our Valentines Day of 2013.

So, the fondue pot says "chocolate." I think it might be better suited for chocolate than cheese, but it still worked fine. I found this Williams-Sonoma fondue pot at Goodwill for 5.65 and it looked brand new! Woohoo! Hopefully we get to try it out with chocolate soon!

This girl is into her accessories, and apparently thinks the camera case is pretty fashionable. She thought she was so cool after she put it on.

I gave Emery some bubble bath and little gifts (every girl deserves to be pampered on the day of love), so she enjoyed her first real bubble bath that night. I'd say it was a success, and since then, persuading her to want to take a bath has been much easier :)

Play Dough Singing

While cooking in the kitchen, I was listening to Emery (playing with play dough in the dining room) and realized that she sang "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" all the way through by herself. Twice! May sound trivial, but it was the first time I had ever heard her sing a song the whole way through by herself. Naturally, I couldn't get as good of a version on video...but, nonetheless, here's some entertainment for you.

Em's rendition of "Twinkle Twinkle":

And her rendition of "Once There Was A Person/Snowman" because, naturally, if you happen upon a cookie cutter in the shape of a person, you should sing about it:

And it's a...

That's right! A boy! Can't say I was surprised, since my entire family on both sides was so certain it would be a boy, but I was surprised to find that I was excited about having a boy! That sounds terrible...don't judge, k? I'm just partial to little girls because of my sweet Ems. I guess that will change! We've lived up the girly, frilly, pink fun of having a girl and both me and Pete are feeling so grateful to welcome a little boy into our family. Can't wait!

I'm glad that Pete was able to take a couple hours off work to come with me and Emery to the appointment, because I don't think I ever would have found suite whatever on floor whatever of gigantic building whatever that our ultrasound appointment was at. Even with Pete, we had a tricky business finding our car afterward. Emery loved watching "pictures" of the baby and sat still, as quiet as a mouse, throughout the whole ultrasound. It was so fun to have our little family together, watching the one about to join us! When asked, Emery predicted the baby would be a "brother" and the ultrasound tech announced it to us by saying, "she's right!"

It's so nice to know that all body parts, organs, etc. are developing and measuring normally! Due date of June 12 looks right on, and baby is measuring in the 65th percentile for size. I also had a little "VBAC consultation" with the doctor and feel so happy to be with providers that are set on making that happen.

Now to think of a name... :)

 

January in Review

Pete has started full-time clinical at Gwinnett Medical Center, a small, acute rehab facility in Duluth. He is really liking his time there, and I am loving all the time he has at home---free of the usual homework and studying. Not only does he share his funny stories (everything from learning the fox trot from a confused, 87 year old lady, to being sworn at by old men), but he always has some kind of coupon, grocery shopping tip, or cool website to tell me about. Apparently he works with all women and they're really into finding deals and such. I'm loving the tricks they pass along via Pete!

In fact, I jumped on the homemade laundry detergent bandwagon that everyone and their dog seems to be on, and I must say I'm quite pleased! This is The Year of the Budget in our little home, so I'm always open to ideas when it comes to saving money.

Emery is still cute and fun and little and, sometimes, exhausting :) It's good to be back in the swing of our weekly routine together---grocery shopping, play group, storytime at the library, exercising with friends or walking to the park, going to the aquarium, etc. I've been thinking how nice it is to have fun, happy times together. I realize that, come June and baby #2, our world will be changing quite a bit, so I'm soaking up my little Emery girl as much as possible (which is a lot...seeing as how she hates nursery and I can count on one hand the amount of babysitters she's happy to stay with).

Highlights of this month: rocking at our grocery budget and planning weekly menus. A fun Flea Market adventure with Lindsay and buying a dresser to refurbish into a TV stand {still waiting to see if that was a smart decision...but the process was fun}! Taking Emery to "Monkey Joe's" and watching her jump and flop and slide! Selling my big black Ikea Expedit Bookcase on Craigslist in 25 minutes. Finger painting with Emery. Going to the zoo as a family. Enjoying a school-stress free husband. Feeling the prevalent acrobatics of baby #2 the time. Video chatting with family.

Lowlights of the month: going to bed too late on way too many nights. Eating way too many sweets (hmm...but I could argue that as a highlight). Not having a place to store the gazillion books that were on the shelf I sold (and having the clutter in my room make me crazy). Starting to feel quite whale-like in size...not a good sign for only being halfway there! Having a crazy dream about my belly and uterus splitting open and not getting to the hospital in time to save the baby. Whew. Having some post-vacation/January blues at the beginning of the month.

And because I'm lazy, lame cell phone pics is all you get.

Pete and a guy's pet vulture whom he met in the Deep South shooting guns with the scouts---Steph 14 inches lighter (hair)

Ems asleep on the plane ride home to GA---Petting sheep at the Atlanta Zoo---Sliding at the playground

Eats bread dough like nobody's business---Playing at Monkey Joe's---Being crazy