Cliche mommy

Well, I've done it, I've become a cliche already.

You know how people talk about the "poor second child" and how there are far less pictures taken of him/her than the firstborn?

Already, that's me. I'm that mommy.

I think we consistently started taking belly shots when I was around 20 weeks pregnant with Addie. We did take a shot a couple of weeks ago when I was 20 weeks, which was this:
 

 Not the most flattering, really, if you ask me, but there it is. We were out at the beach for Addie's birthday and it was just a little windy.

I've also been terrible at chronicling my doctor's visits, how I've been feeling, what's been going on in our lives, etc. Because I have the tendency to be pretty picky regarding just about anything, when I was pregnant with Addie I had to find just the right pregnancy book for recording these things. While I could just get the same one this time around (and I've looked but haven't found it again), I finally realized that the days and weeks are quickly passing and just bought a cute little journal, one that I can hopefully turn into a respectable pregnancy book for this little sister. One that, when she is finally able to read it years from now, won't make her feel slighted for not having a "proper" book.

So, hopefully this is the beginning of a better, non-cliche account of this pregnancy. And, here's to the foresight that I will be much better about these things when she actually gets here. Or, have I forgotten that then I will be sleep-deprived, nursing every few hours and in general just a little stir crazy? Ah, well, we'll see.

I am thankful for our beautiful panhandle weather.

Addie's birthday wrap up

Celebrating Addie's birthday gets more fun each year. For her first birthday we celebrated with north and south parties -  one with family in Illinois and another with friends in Wewa. Last year we spent the day, just the three of us.

This year I debated on having a party but I also had a loud voice in my head telling me how much fun she would have at this age with a party. I really knew she would love it so I started some planning. But first...

I wrote a little about what we did for Addie's birthday on her day. Here are some of the photos that go along with our trip to the beach and lunch out to celebrate.

Hope you birds are hungry!

Kite flying on a perfectly windy day.

Bird feeding pro.

Perfecting the throw.

Pigtails a flyin'.

Running, a favorite past time of this birthday girl.

Brr!

Yep, that's her, flying it all by herself.

Time for a parting snack...

...before hitting up some pizza for lunch.

Just plain tired.

A few presents with mom and dad.

We had a fun, sweet day celebrating with Addie on her birthday, but her party was yet to come. Thanks to Pinterest, I had some ideas to help along my not-so-creative brain for her rainbow-themed party. I enjoy having people over and I had a lot of fun putting the party together, with Sabian's help. Although at this stage in the pregnancy game I was pretty tired afterward, we had a great time and Addie enjoyed having her friends over for some fun and a little cake, too.

I was pretty excited about one particular Pinterest experiement, rainbow Mason jar cakes. My goal was to make them as party favors to give each family to take home with them. The first few pictures document that little process, which, I am happy to say, was successful and fun.

Homemade bubbles + dispenser = sticky kiddos!

Proof that I am, in fact, pregnant. Oh, and cute little Emily, too!

Addie & sweet friend Ivory await the birthday wishes.

Rainbow cakes on the right, bags o' rainbows & pots of "gold" on the left.

The set up, pre guests.

I might be a little obsessed with yarn  pom poms. I have a few on Addie's cake, some on the table and more hanging from the window that are hidden in the picture above. Easy to make, once I get to making them I keep thinking of other ways to use them. 

So there's a little taste of Addie's celebrations. I am so thankful for her. I'm also thankful my Mason jar cakes worked!

Baby Chaney #2

I failed to follow up quickly on my baby gender post, taking for granted that most of my loyal blog readers are also Facebook friends.

For those of you (and I thank you) who may not be my Facebook friends, and for history's sake...

...it's a girl!

We went to the doctor's office still with no gut feeling, but we'd been hearing "It's a boy, I just know it's a boy," from everyone, that it was hard not to lean in that direction. At first the baby wasn't being too cooperative so the ultrasound tech would check other things and then go back to check for a clearer view. This happened a couple of times before it was pretty clear that Addie is going to have a little sister.

A little surprised? Yes. Disappointed? No. We are so excited to welcome another little girl into our family. I'm not sure Addie knew what to think at first but once we told her all of the things she could teach her little sister, she got really excited, and will talk about those things every now and then.

So here we are, in the middle of the name game. Girl names are harder for me. Adelaide was the first and only girl name we had and we decided in the car after her gender ultrasound. We may have come to the same easy conclusion this time around, but we're not 100% yet. We know for sure we want to incorporate Sabian's great grandmother's middle name, but we're working on the first. Stay tuned...

With all of the creative gender reveals that are floating around these days I considered doing one and including it as party of Addie's birthday party this weekend, but trying to keep the secret got the best of us. I'm excited to plan for this little girl.

Addie took some photos in the waiting room that day:

And here she is celebrating with ice cream at Cold Stone. If a little sister means ice cream, I'm pretty sure she'll be okay with it.
 

I am thankful for Sabian and Addie and for this little girl we will meet in a few months!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Adelaide!

Today, we celebrated.

Before the day slips away, I just wanted to take a minute to wish my sweet Adelaide a happy birthday in the blogosphere. It will be years before she reads any of this, but that's okay.

I so clearly remember the day we said hello to Addie. Today we remembered the events of the morning she was born and I told her all about going to the hospital and waiting and then having her and what happened afterward. She understood some of it, will understand more as she grows older, but listened to the story quietly until we were finished.

Today we ran up and down the beach, we fed the birds, flew a kite, made a couple of new friends on the beach, took her for pizza for lunch (her request) and had a little present/cupcake celebration later at home. This weekend we will celebrate again with a few friends and more cake.

I love when Addie says, "That's exciting!" when I tell her something she's happy to hear about.

I love when she says, "Hey guys, guys!" when she is trying to get mine and Sabian's attention.

I love her super tight, arms-wrapped-all-the-way-around-my-neck hugs. They've been pretty frequent lately.

I love how her imagination is growing in leaps and bounds.

I love how she loves to be around people and always "wants to say hi."

I love how, today, a little while after opening some clothes from Mimi (my mom), she kept running back to her room, then to the living room wearing a new article of clothing, showing them off to us.

This last one, as cute as it was, hit me with the realization...she's growing up. She is a little girl. She is her own little person. She is uniquely Adelaide and she's growing right before my eyes. I don't want to miss it and I'm so glad I'm sitting on the front row.

Adelaide, I love you and had such a fun day with you. Even on our challenging days I see how you are learning and growing and I am so proud of you. I am so thankful God chose me to be your mommy.

I am so thankful for Addie!

 

Gender mystery

When I was pregnant with Addie it wasn't until a few weeks or so before we found out she was a she that I really started thinking along the lines that we could be having a girl. All along I, for some reason, just always felt we'd have boys. 


And then I got that gut feeling that we were having a girl. I remember watching the DVD of her ultrasound that evening and sitting at the computer I cried and felt so connected to her, my daughter, this little girl growing inside my body. Before I knew she was a girl I might have thought, "What would I do with a girl?" But at that moment I thought, "I can't wait to meet this little girl."


I'm so proud of who Addie is and her little (often BIG) personality is growing more and more each day.


Now, in less than twelve hours we'll find out if Addie will have a little brother or little sister. As excited as I am to know, to be honest, I am anxious to know that this baby is healthy. I have no real concerns, but just an overwhelming feeling of simply wanting to know that everything is moving along as it should in there. It will also be so good to see this little one moving around on the screen and to point out little feet and hands to Addie.


Even more, I so look forwarding to meeting this baby and introducing him or her to Addie. I'm sure in no time she'll be teaching her sibling to do things like this:

Stay tuned...


I am thankful for this fun anticipation and for a morning appointment so that we don't have to wait all day!

Internet wasteland

Our internet is not working. Has not been working since January. You know how when you're watching a DVD that skips and it just keeps stopping and starting, stopping and starting, and you are missing snippets of dialogue? It's one of the most frustrating things to me. 

This has been our internet for going on three months. Yes, we are on the phone with the cable company every week. Check that - Sabian is on the phone with them. One of the most patient people I know, but even this is getting on his nerves. Yes, they are reimbursing us each week this continues. Sure, $25 cable bills each month are great, but working internet is nice, too.

I've stolen away to Sabian's office at church for some internet/alone time. I've allotted myself an hour to check all of my frequented sites, trying to remember everyone I wanted to contact and everything I wanted to check. I'll inevitably forget something and someone and remember when I get home. But, while I am here, I'll quickly update you on Life.

Over the weekend we returned from a quick trip away to attend a friend's wedding. More than attend, the bride and groom asked Sabian to perform the ceremony, which he humbly accepted. Nicole is a friend of mine who has visited us twice since we've lived here. In fact, I believe she was our first non-family visitor. Nicole's family went to my home church in Illinois years ago, when I was really young. She has two older sisters I remember from that time, but Nicole and I connected when she moved to Belleville around the time Sabian and I got married. She needed an apartment, I was moving out of mine, and a friendship was born. I love Nicole. She is real, she is down to earth, she is sincere. I was so happy to be present as she walked down the aisle (looking bee-yoo-tiful) to meet her groom and start a wonderful life together. I am so excited for Nicole and Derek and was so glad they asked Sabian (who did a great, sweet job) to do their ceremony.


At the same time we were able to stay with our former pastor and his wife and had some really good time of catching up with them. They are such wonderful people and teachers and we've learned a lot from them. I am thankful for their influence on our lives.


The trip felt packed and fast, but it was good to have a change of scenery. I was really needing it. Addie was a great traveling buddy despite a cough she developed before we left (go figure).


Now we're in the midst of wrapping our minds around Addie's third birthday on Monday and planning a little party for her. And, in just two days, we'll find out whether she will welcome a brother or sister in July. Busy, exciting days ahead for us.


As far as pregnancy related news, all seems to be "normal" these days. I am feeling much better but still have some not so great feeling days, still pretty tired overall, but anxious to find out the gender of this little one. I've started feeling jabs and kicks, which is always such an awesome thing. It's what I missed most about not being pregnant when I had Addie, but was so glad she was here when we had her that of course, holding her was wonderful. Soon I will have to resign myself to shelling out a little money for some maternity clothes. I guess yoga pants won't cut it on a Sunday morning.


That's about what I have time for. One grainy iPod photo for you of Addie trying on my boots while "helping" me pack for last week's trip. Sweet girl.

I am thankful for our doctor's appointment on Thursday!