Finally Wednesday!

Wednesday is usually or Storytime day, but there's no Storytime this week. The Muffin and I are about to leave for a nearby city for a T.arget run and a drop off at the consignment shop. I'm going to use the cash from the too-pretty-to-get-rid-of-but-new-baby-will-never-wear clothes to buy a few new baby essentials that we need. Unfortunately, this list may have an addition of adult diapers! We'll be spending lots of time in the car and I have to pee a lot. Needless to say, I'm so tired of going to the bathroom that diapers are popping into my mind all the time.

Muffin and I have had a really nice week, but she's missing her Daddy...really bad. I miss Big Daddy too, but I can deal with it. Well, sort of. He has to work this Saturday, so we're going to visit him at my mom and dad's this evening. Miss Muffinhead is super excited! She's already asking to eat dinner at the Chicken Sandwich place with Big Daddy and they just happen to have great Sweet Tea, so I think it's a date.

Big Daddy is taking Monday off work to attend our Kindermusik class, Muff's pre-op with the ENT and my midwife appointment with Wesley (yes, Wesley's a girl!!). We have lots of things to discuss about VBAC's and such before the appointment. Big Daddy being able to be there makes me feel much less-stressed.

Now, if I can just make it through the next 39 or so days. Yes, I said 39!!

Happy Hump Day!

What I Learned This Week

I'm joining JoLynne's carnival this week. Here's a little list of What I Learned This Week.

-Hearing a three year old tell the story of Jesus' Resurrection using a piece of turkey and a slice of cheese makes you so thankful that you bought The Jesus Storybook Bible and that you take her to a great church.
-Having great mommy-friends is priceless.
-Finally asking someone what to tell The Muffin about the dead caterpillar made me feel so much better.
-Pregnant + hot weather= swollen feet
-Cupcakes make my Muffin happy.
-There's never enough time on the weekend when that's the only time I get to see Big Daddy.
-I should always have a little cash on hand for when the ice cream truck makes an appearance on our street.
-You really do get tired of people asking when you're baby is due, what you're having and then saying that you are so much bigger than the last time they saw you. (And FYI- the barber from yesterday predicts it's a boy!)
-Pregnant + hot weather = swollen feet Did I already say that??
-Sleep is rated way too highly.
-Having The Muffin fall asleep with her head on my belly makes me want to freeze time.

Second Post of the Day

And this, is the three year old girl that I love. Notice how the flip flops are way too big?? That's the way she likes them. Oh, and they don't match?? She likes it that way, too. She actually has shoes that match this dress and they used to be her favorite flip flops because they are also too big and Callie gave them too her. With her birthday came new shoes and tons of new clothes. I have a feeling she'll soon pick a favorite article of clothing to replace the "hot pink pants"...stay tuned.Now, back to the post.

So, The Muffin had a fun and exciting party. I wasn't up for a big party with friends, so we had a little party with only family. It nearly did me in. Not that it was elaborate or anything, but I'm pregnant and tire easily. Her closet is full and I need to sort through all of her summer clothes from last year and decide what to keep and what to consign...the same thing for Baby Ellie (assuming that "it"is in fact a girl!). Both girls have an abundance of clothes, so I've decided to keep the nice, Sunday clothes and my favorites and consign the things that I don't absolutely love. Tough decisions to make!

Today, The Muffin and I went to Kindermusik and then went to the barber shop with the mommies and their boys. After that, we went out to lunch. The kids behaved well, but I'm pretty sure that the entire restaurant was happy when we left.

3 toddlers + 3 stay at home mommies that don't get out a lot = one rowdy table

I really needed time with my girlfriends and Maggie enjoyed going out with her boyfriends, too.

This week is sort of the calm before the storm for me! Next Monday The Muffin has a doctor's appointment at 1:30, followed by my (now weekly!!!) midwife appointment at 2:30. She usually naps from 1-3:00, so this should be interesting. On Tuesday we'll be going to our local hospital for her pre-op work and then she'll be having surgery on Thursday to remove the bilateral ventilation tubes in her ears. And did I mention that I'm a single mom during the week??? Big Daddy has offered to take time off work, but I'm going to try and do either Monday or Thursday on my own. My mommy-friend, April, has offered to help me on surgery day. She's pregnant with an almost three year old of her own, so we would probably just end up crouched together in a corner crying! Seriously. I'm praying that we'll go to the ENT on Monday and the tubes will have miraculously fallen out! The surgery to remove them is just as minor as inserting them was, but my baby is almost two years older and she's NOT going to like this whole experience at all. Having her taken away by doctors and nurses is not going to be easy on either of us. I'm hormonal and cry easily and she's...a drama queen.

The weeks from now until Baby E makes her (or his) appearance seem to be a blur of doctor and midwife appointments. That being said, I'm not going to be around much. I'm going to try and take a little more time for myself: put my feet up (Big Daddy's orders), nest and maybe pack up a few things for moving in the future. Big Daddy and I also have some decisions to make regarding our current living situation. I'm praying that our house will sell soon to make all of our decisions a little easier.

So, please say a prayer for The Muffin's surgery next Thursday. And then that I make it through all of these appointments without losing my mind or overdoing it. And pray that Big Daddy and I make decisions that are going to be best for us and our little, growing family. And pray that our houses sells soon.

The Baby Belly- Week 34

Our Baby-to-be is around 5 pounds now and approximately 18 inches long! I'm too lazy to take a real belly picture, so here's a shot from yesterday's party.

After three days of birthday preparation and celebration and time spent on my feet, they are swollen and I officially have no ankles or "cankles" as Big Daddy likes to say. I had two men at church ask me when my due date was. Men don't normally ask this, so I'm thinking that I have the "ready to pop" look or they noticed the way that I walk and my lovely "cankles". Either way, I understand why women say that they are ready to have their babies. I want Baby E to bake for the full 40 weeks, but I understand why expectant mommies say they are ready.

I had the oppurtunity to talk with the wife of our Associate Pastor for Families after our Sunday school class yesterday. I needed some advice on how to discusss omething with The Muffin. She had been praying over a dead caterpillar for a while and when she realized it was gone (the rain washed it away) she assumed that Jesus had raised it from the dead. I think her exact words were "it is risen, it is risen, the stone just rooolllllllled away"...or something like that. Since baking the resurrection biscuits she loves the Easter story. You should hear her version using a piece of turkey as the tomb and a slice of cheese as Jesus. Needless to say, she's brilliant and fascinating!

Anyway...after church yesterday we had lunch and then I prepped for the party. After everyone left, I loaded the dishwasher, washed a sink full of party dishes, swept, mopped, and vacuumed so that I wouldn't have so much to do today (as a single again parent). Then, we headed over to Big Daddy's friends' house for...male bonding, I guess. The Muffin played with her friend and I held the sweetest baby and chatted with the other mommy. Big Daddy and his friend went outside and played with guns. A good time was had by all, but we didn't leave until 8:30. We came home, tag-teamed The Muffin's bath and then I put her to bed. Big Daddy loaded the car for his week away and I tried to put my megaginormous feet up to reduce the swelling...and folded a load of laundry.

The Muffin has several new outfits and shoes, but she quickly picked out a dress for Kindermusik today with no drama. A picture and another post will follow later today.

Three

It's official, The Muffin is three years old!

She didn't sleep well last night and woke up early, so we started our celebration by cuddling in bed and singing "Happy Birthday". She even wanted us to sing to her feet!

After breakfast I hid her birthday presents around the living room for her to find.

I think her favorite was the "Glinda" B.arbie.

This is a thankful three year old!

We had a rough day due to lack of sleep and then Muff woke up after only an hour nap. Luckily, her "Gammy Gladys" came by with a few presents.

I had started baking cupcakes (chocolate) during naptime. After they cooled I put the pink (strawberry) frosting on and The Muffin sprinkled them.

Big Daddy and The Muffin went to the grocery store to get a couple of things that I needed to cook dinner. They surprised me with a dozen pink roses. I've had a very stressful and difficult week and these really made me feel better. The Muffin thought it would be nice if Glinda stood with the roses.

After dinner, we surprised The Muffin with a cupcake, complete with candles.

She loved it!

She ended her special day at a neighbor's birthday party. She was so tired and went fast to sleep after her bath and a little t.v.

And tomorrow, she'll be partying with some of my family. I think she's going to like being three!

Happy Birthday,Dear Muffin

At 12:28pm, you will officially be three years old, sweet Muffin!

Making your entrance! Your first picture!

Getting all cleaned up so that you could meet Daddy.

Your first full day at home and your first trip to Wal.mart at 4 days old. This is before the non-stop crying started.

Just a little bit about you now that you're three!!

Your favorite foods are asparagus, broccoli, lima beans, tomatoes, potatoes, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, peanut butter and banana sandwiches, corn dogs, chocolate, candy, ice cream, pomegranate, apples, Asian pears, red grapes, strawberries and cantaloupe.

You still love Slumbers, but have (just his week) rejected Hippopotamus and the pink bear that Gammy Gladys gave you for Easter.

You still love your "Baby Bop blanket" and stopped sleeping with the "Tigger blanket" in favor of your D.isney Princess sheet. Just this week you started sleeping on your regular pillow case in stead of your pillow sham.

You love church, learning and talking about Jesus and praying for people.

You love books and singing songs.

You love feeling Baby E kick and you talk about how your baby kicks and makes you have to pee.

I told you how baby's really come out.

You love to help and try to do everything just like me and Daddy.

You really enjoy taking showers with me when Daddy's not here for bath and I sort of love it too.

You love looking at pictures and telling dramatic stories about what you see.

At your naptime everyday, we cuddle and sing "Jesus Loves Me", "Jesus Loves the Little Children", "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star", "Deep and Wide" and "You Are My Sunshine".

I could go on and on and tell you for days and days how much we love you, but I'm not going to. You are so special to us and we love you more than words could ever say.

Sometimes I know exactly what you'll say or do or how you'll react to something and I feel like I know you so well. I look into your eyes and I see the sweet little girl that you are becoming and realize that here 's so much more to learn about you. Daddy and I love learning more about you everyday.

Happy Birthday, Sweet Child.

This Week

This week has been so busy and it's only getting busier!
Monday- After Kindermusik, Muff went to Nana & Pawpaw's. My midwife appointment went well. Peg says that Baby E is in the correct (head down) position and we discussed my labor and delivery wishes...and I maybe broke down and cried...just a little bit. Peg always seems to do everything right and know exactly what to say. (She didn't mention any dramatic weight gain and I didn't ask) She made me feel so much better and promised that we'll do everything possible to have a VBAC. She also gave me the consent form for a VBAC and we went over all of the hospital procedures. (I'll have to be constantly monitored and will only be able to be up and about or in the whirlpool if the portable monitor is working that day.) Big Daddy still has to do his research on all of the possible risks and then we'll make sure together that this is what we want. In the end all we really want is our baby and we'd like for him or her to be as healthy as possible. I want at least one of us to be able to witness the birth this time, whether it's a vaginal delivery or a c-section. Most of all, I'm at peace with either one.
After my appointment, I wrapped The Muffin's birthday presents. I'm so excited about hiding them all over the house for her to find on Saturday!
The day was topped off with dinner out (at Sir Pizza, Tara) with Big Daddy. The Muffin missed her nap and slept through our whole meal. This will probably count as the last date night before we become the parents of two.
Tuesday- The Muffin and I came home and then went shopping to buy flowers for the deck. We went for a nice, long walk together.
Wednesday- Storytime at the library and then a trip to the grocery store. We went out after dinner, just to mess around a bit.
Thursday- So far, I've cleaned the upstairs and put out weedkiller on the front yard. The Muffin played in her sandbox and watered a tree with her watering can. Muff and I went out for lunch and ice cream and then across the street to visit our neighbor. Now that The Muffin is finally asleep, I'm going to finish the weedkiller, change clothes and plant myself on the couch with a baby magazine...and drink a small glass of Diet Cherry Dr. Pepper, because I love it.
Friday- I'll clean the downstairs and count the hours and minutes until Big Daddy gets here. I'm starting to get the hang of loving Fridays again!

Almost Wordless, Almost Wednesday

The ice cream truck's first visit of the year!



Fuzzy-haired monkey.


My two sweethearts.

Chicky shirt. Striped gauchos. Boots.

All ready for church (in her "favorite" dress) AND wearing a hairbow!

Heartwarming

Sometimes, I truly feel overwhelmed by how much I love Big Daddy. Things went relatively well without him here last week, but I missed just having him around. I don't mind sleeping alone and I like having the bed all to myself, but I love falling asleep next to him.
The Muffin and I attended our Kindermusik class and then I drove to our meeting place to meet Nana so that she could watch her while I go to my OB appointment and take care of a little birthday business. Big Daddy called and asked me to print off a couple of emails for him. He had also sent a text message to our email. All it said was, "I forgot my lunch." For some reason, my heart just melted. I had just finished eating the lunch that he'd left behind, so my message back was, "I just ate it." I love this man.

The Baby Belly- Week 33

Our Baby-to-be is a little over 4 pounds and nearly 18 inches long! She's busy working on her central nervous system and getting excited about meeting her Mommy, Daddy and Big Sister! I can tell that my belly has grown over the last week because of a couple of broken veins that have just appeared. I feel SO big! And I swear my butt is not completely flat like this picture makes it look! Big Daddy and I are talking about potential summer vacation possibilities to take with our Muffin and Baby E in tow. One of many "firsts" as a family of four!

Tomorrow, I have an appointment with my midwife, Peggy. She's the one who attended my scheduled induction when we were waiting on The Muffin. My OB office has been so busy that this will be the first time I've had an appointment with her during this pregnancy.

Tomorrow is also the 3 year anniversary of the day before The Muffin's due date. This whole week I know that my mind will be flooded with what was happening in our lives three years ago and what almost happened and what we would have done if we'd lost our sweet Muffin. I remember April 20 because it was the day before my due date and my midwives "knew" that I'd be in L&D before my next appointment on Monday. My membranes were stripped again and Big Daddy and I spent the weekend hoping and praying that I would go into labor naturally. Thank Goodness the Lord doesn't answer all of our prayers! Ive just sent off my donation to the IVPF in Muffin's honor, so it's officially her birthday week.

Things to be thankful for this Thursday

Sweetly, sleeping toddler.

Text messages from Big Daddy.

The three shades of hot pink that made my Muffin somewhat happy this morning.

This girl when she's hard at work.

Even though the Ellie Belly gets in my way, causes me discomfort and makes me feel like a cow, I'm thankful for it. This sweet baby provides lots of entertainment for me and The Muffin. Baby E seems to put on her best shows in the mornings and evenings!And because I'm all about keeping it real, I'm sharing the bare Ellie Belly at almost 33 weeks...linea nigra, big, blue veins and all. Remember, the camera adds ten pounds.

This is what a good day looks like...

The Muffin with her frog mask from Storytime. You can't really see that it has red lipstick and hot pink "finger" nail polish.

So, after all of my worries being put down on paper (so to speak) this morning things seem better.
Miss Muffinhead has had a pretty good day minus a very tiny upset about hot pink pants this morning. Her favorite pair were dirty and then her alternate pair got wet, so she had to wear jeans. I was relieved because hot pink pants do not match a white shirt with blue, purple and green butterflies on it. I was willing to let her outfit of choice so that I wouldn't have to deal with any tantrums before Storytime. After the library, we headed to Wally World to pick up a few necessities and I bought her a hot pink jacket and pant set on clearance. I bought a size too big so that she'll be able to wear it his fall. I have a feeling she's going to insist on hot pink clothes for a while. Yesterday she picked out her favorite hot pink pants and a hot pink t-shirt. The shirt is just a shade different, so it clashes, but she was tickled with her ensemble. She paired that outfit with blue and green flip flops and her big, puffy white coat with fur around the hood. It was lovely! I don't mind letting her express herself through her clothes, but I try to influence her choices so that they match and I draw the line at church clothes. And if you wonder why I said "hot pink pants" every single time it's because that is what they're called around here: hot pink pants.

And, thanks for your sweet words of encouragement!!

And this is the post we'll call "Worried Wednesday"

I think that's an appropriate name, "Worried Wednesday". (I'm actually not posting twice in one day because I set the "Wordless" post to auto-publish just so that I could share a few pictures.) I'm hoping that I'll feel like doing a "Thankful Thursday" tomorrow. Once I get all of the worry out of my mind it's so much easier to focus on the positive things.
It's now a little after 5:30 and I've been up for a while worrying and praying. The Muffin and I had a rough day yesterday and I'm once again wondering how I'll manage her and a newborn baby at the same time. I realize lots of people do it, but I never have. I also don't live beside of my parents or my husband's parents or have any family within about an hours drive. Once you add in the situation that Big Daddy and I are currently in, I feel like I'm the only person who has ever had to do this. Of course, I realize that I'm not and that my situation could be so much worse. I feel like everyone says "things will be fine" and "you'll manage" but, unless that someone has been in the same situation, I really don't find a lot of comfort in their words. I decided to make a list and just let it go. (This is sort of like when I send Big Daddy an email that's not so nice, I don't care if he reads it or responds, but I have to get it off my chest and imagine that he did in fact read it.)
So, after all of that rambling, here are some of my worries.

-The Muffin- I know that she is having a hard time without her Daddy and she doesn't understand what's going on. She had several tantrums yesterday and each one ended with us praying and her saying, "I just miss my Daddy".(I think she's manipulating me, but it doesn't really matter) She wants me to do fun things that my Ellie-Belly will not physically allow me to do. She's going to hopefully welcome a sister (or brother) and that will only complicate her complicated, little life. And yes, I know that children are resilient, but this is my Muffin. I taught preschool for forever and I know how hard changes like the ones that we're dealing with can be on toddlers.
-Big Daddy and I are under a lot of stress right now and we have been so ill with each other. We're not filing for divorce or anything, but it would be nice if things were better when we're together. I also want his job to go well, so that things will be a little easier for him.
-That whole labor and delivery thing. I hope that our Baby-to-be is born healthy and without any added drama. I've just decided to give the labor and delivery part over to God and go with the flow. I hope that the Baby-to-be comes at a time that's convenient for the people who are planning to be there. (I realize this is mostly out of my control!) I hope my sister can take off from work and that Cousin Callie will be out of school. I hope my mom will be able to come and wait in the waiting room with Maggie and Bubba and the other people that are approved to be at the hospital. I hope that Big Daddy will be there or I'm going to have a hard time birthing a baby and taking care of Muff at the same time. (Just kidding! I'll enlist the help of our friend, Linda or Gammy Gladys or our neighbors before I attempt to birth a baby and care for Muff at the same time.)
-I hope I'm able to breastfeed this time. This should probably be the least of my worries right now, but it's one of the things that made me feel so bad with The Muffin. I think I'm more prepared for how hard it can be and will be a little more relaxed about caring for a newborn on my own. Not having to wash and make bottles would also help with my next little worry. In the end, a happy, healthy baby that's not hungry is what I want.
-Who will wash dishes, prepare meals, clean house and wash, fold and put away the laundry?- I think the answer to this is clear...I will if I have time or it will just go undone for a while. Right now, Muff loves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and corndogs. I usually feed her more nutritious foods, but she may be eating her "sometimes" foods a little more. She loved the veggie pasta with tomato sauce and creamed spinach I fixed her last night. It was an easy meal, so I'll try to remember that one too. Having the house on the market has totally changed my housekeeping style. I do more everyday so that the house pretty much always looks fresh and clean. It really takes very little time and effort, so I hope to keep this routine up. Once again, probably a crazy thing to worry about, but for me, a clean house is a much happier house.
-Post-Partum Depression- I'm about 99% sure I had PPD last time, but I never really talked about it or addressed it with my midwives. I finally came out of my fog when Muff was 5 months old and I joined the vasa previa email group. I had so many issues from The Muffin's birth that it almost drove me crazy. I felt like Big Daddy and I had pulled off the heist of a lifetime when we left he hospital with our little Muffin, still fresh from the oven. I had an unrealistic worry that "they" would take her away from me each time I took her to the pediatrician for a check-up. I always felt relieved that I'd managed to keep her again! I can laugh about it now, but at the time it was a genuine worry. This time, I'll be glad to ask my midwives for a little help if I think I need it and I'm already planning on talking to Peg about PPD at my next appointment. I'll also ask for help from those people who offer it if I need it.
-The House- I'd like for it to sell really soon so that we can just move on. I love our house, neighbors and neighborhood and it will be hard to leave, but we need this to happen.
Last, but not least...
-The Baby-to-be- I pray that she (or he) is born safely, healthy and at or very close to full term. I hope that this baby is easier to take care of than our sweet Muffin was. I hope that we're able to be the family that God wants us to be and raise this baby and The Muffin the right way.

I think that's all for now. I should feel better now, right?
I do.

Wordlesss Wednesday

What I Learned This Week

I'm participating in Jo-Lynne's "What I Learned This Week" carnival at Musings of A Housewife again this week.

-Even though The Muffin behaved well, there is a very good reason why she only gets professional portraits taken about once a year. I just can't handle it and we take plenty of pictures on a daily basis anyway.
-I get stressed out easily.
-Never, ever, ever go to the men's bathroom at a gun shop. The next time I can't hold it, I'll slip outside and pee behind the building.
-The Muffin would "really like" to have a pink rifle.
-Lunch at P.anera doesn't happen often enough.
-Little girls can hide Easter eggs forever.
-Allergies and pollen just don't mix.
-Funny things can be found under my car seats.
-I have very little clothing that currently fits right. My "Ellie Belly" just makes everything uncomfortable.
-I could totally live in my pajama pants.
-A great, comfortable bra is priceless.
-Absence makes the heart grow fonder...even when the presence of your spouse seems to get on your last nerve. I'm hopelessly devoted to Big Daddy.

Back Home

The Muffin and I arrived home from Nana & Pawpaw's about an hour ago. Cousin Callie was out of school today, so Muff was sad to leave. She was exhausted and fell asleep about 10 minutes into our hour-long drive home. She's asleep now, so I'm goofing off because this may be my only free time until tomorrow.
Me, Mom and the girls went to get groceries this morning and I bought a new pair of pj's for when I come home from the hospital. I'm hoping that Big Daddy and I will actually have a few days together at home after the birth to hang out with our girls (assuming that the Baby-to-be is infact a girl!) and I'll be able to stay in pj's. I'm hoping that we will not have any surprises that cause for an extended hospital stay like the last time.
We had a happy Easter with morning church services and then lunch with my family. Afterwards, we had an Easter egg hunt and a small baby sprinkle. The Muffin opened the presents for Baby Ellie and enjoyed eating mints. After we take a bath tonight, we're going to spend some time straightening up the Baby-to be's room and putting the new stuff in place. Muff was excited to see her great auntie and her cousins, but missed Auntie Lisa & Uncle Wade. Hopefully, Aunt Lisa will be well for our next visit.
Big Daddy and I also took an hour or so to look at lots and land for sale. We are a little picky and pickings are slim so hopefully, something will work out. We are so anxious to sell our house so that we can move on with our lives. Until then, Big Daddy is building our house in his head! Please pray that our house will sell soon so that we can all be together!

The Baby Belly- Week 32

WOW!! Just 8 more weeks (or so) to go!! No picture this week, but I might have some Easter pictures to share a little later.

Our sweet Baby-to-be is nearly 17 inches long and weighs around 4 pounds! The baby moves around so much, but soon there won't be enough room to move so freely. I have times where I feel just like the baby is trying to poke it's way out with what feels like elbows and knees pressing against my sides. Although I've been increasingly uncomfortable lately, I am cherishing ever little move that this sweet baby makes. I know it will be all too soon that I'll be holding her in my arms and will not be feeling her every move.

I'm still a little anxious about all that's ahead of us. I'm looking forward to seeing the baby at our next ultrasound and hoping that everything checks out okay. I feel like I'm surrounded by sick little babies and it seems like more and more of a miracle to have a normal delivery and a healthy baby. With everything that happened last time, I keep telling myself that things have to go better for us with this delivery. Our sweet Muffin is such a miracle and a blessing and we truly do not know what in the world we'd do without her. Even though Ellie hasn't made her debut, (and hopefully will bake for several weeks longer) we already have such a bond with her and love her more than we could ever describe.

Good Friday

Since today was Good Friday, Big Daddy had the day of from work. We were able to have a somewhat lazy morning and spend the day together as a family.
The Muffin and I started out with a Friday morning tea party. (note to self, we are out of Earl Grey, must.buy. more.) We discussed the true meaning of Easter and how Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Anything after that and she just gets confused. We played grocery store while getting ready for our day and then headed to the gun shop...because it was Good Friday and all. Muff LOVES the gun shop and I tolerate it pretty well. While Big Daddy was getting his stuff together, Muff and I people-watched and she had a special Easter egg sucker. After that excitement, we went to P.anera for lunch. It was so yummy! The Muffin behaved so well and we had a nice, leisurely lunch. We walked over to the pet store and a few other shops before heading home.
The rest of the afternoon was spent just being at home together. It was just what I needed. We have no plans for tomorrow, but Sunday we'll go to church and then off to Nana & Pawpaw's for lunch.

Almost Wordless Wednesday

The hat that Daddy just couldn't resist when he saw it at the D.ollar Tree.

Of course, Muff had to wear it to church even though she'd never wear a hat that actually matched her outfit.

At least it matches her summer pajamas.


And yes, she wears shoes ALL the time, unlike her Mama and Daddy.

Lazy and Lonely

I'm really far from lazy, but I long to be lazy. I swear I've gone up and down the stairs a thousand times today. My back is hurting, my feet want to be rubbed and Baby E is kicking like crazy...that's the best part of right now. As for the lonely part...I'm just feeling lonely.

The Muffin started out extremely grumpy. I asked if she was tired from the 4+ times (from 11:56 pm to 3.40am) that she woke up during the night. In the most aggravated voice she said, "I didn't wake you up, you woke me up!". We continued to bicker back and forth and down the stairs into the kitchen for at least ten minutes before her mood changed. I decided that we should go out for the morning. We went to Wally World and had a delightful shopping experience. We came home had lunch, play time and Muff took a nap. When she woke up we headed to the grocery store for a couple of things that we forgot yesterday. The rest of the evening was pretty pleasant and uneventful other than watching the C.harlie B.rown Easter special.

We'll be going to visit Big Daddy (and my family) tomorrow. We are leaving after our Storytime Egg Hunt. I realized this morning just how many funny things that The Muffin does during the day. I normally tell Big Daddy about them over dinner, but when he's not here, I just forget about them. I sat down during Muff's nap and sent him an email with a few of her cutest moments and a little update as to what was going on around here.
Here's a little excerpt:

-You know how my belly pokes out from below my shirt and above my pj pants? Muffin was in the middle of telling me something and said, "Oh! Your belly is sticking out. It's getting so big.". She adjusted my shirt and then it slid back up and she said "Oh, no." in an aggravated voice. We've started calling my belly "The Ellie Belly".

-She had a big temper tantrum over what jacket to wear this morning. After I finally had her all fixed and put her in the car I asked what was making her cry. In her most pitiful voice said, "I just miss my Daddy". I'm sure she was just saying it so that I'd feel sorry for her...which I did.

-She saw the Disney Princess Spaghetti O's at Wal-Mart and asked for some. When we were eating them at lunch she said they were really tasty and tasted like princesses.

-I swear our yard looks greener after yesterday's rain. They mowed Mary's yard today and it looks thick, lush and not like it was full of weeds at all.

-Cinnamon toast may be the new chocolate chip pancake. How exciting is that !?!

And right now you're thinking, "That girl has some kind of excitng life!".

What I Learned This Week

I'm finally back to the "What I learned This Week" carnival at Musings of a Housewife. I'd like to say that I've been too busy to participate, but I haven't been that busy...just pregnant and lazy.


-The Muffin will be all too happy to wear a hat if it doesn't match any of her oufits...except her summer pajamas. (Tomorrow, there will be a picture to prove it)
-Hot pink is possibly Muff's favorite color. Every single day for the past week, she has wanted to wear "hot pink pants". I've let her wear the same " pants" at least six-eight times. They are really little C.irco leggings from T.arget.
-We're lost when Big Daddy's away. We don't need him, but we want him...bad.
-I need to remember that I'm pregnant. I have days where I feel great and other days where I'm so tired because I felt great the day before and totally did too much.
-Pajama pants are the only pants that I'm remotely comfortable in. I'm tempted to wear them out when we go for walks.
-The Muffin wants to live with Nana and Pawpaw, but only if Mommy and Daddy can go too.

The Baby Belly- Week 31

Our Baby-to-be is approximately 17 inches long and weighs nearly 4 pounds!! I can feel elbows, knees and feet poking around in my belly. Sometimes I think that the baby is knocking on my tummy! I have so many aches and pains, but I'm trying to enjoy every minute of feeling this sweet baby move around, just in case it is our last. And in case you're wondering if we secretly have plans for more babies, I'm not sure we really know. Big Daddy says he isn't so sure that he can go through another pregnancy. I'm not sure that I want to go through another one, but I cannot imagine never doing it again.

This may be the most comfortable maternity shirt ever! It makes me look megaginormous, but it's super-comfy and I love the color. I think it's part mu-mu or something, but it's O.ld N.avy Maternity and it was super-dee-duper cheap.

Our Saturday

Getting ready to go to the children's Easter celebration at church.

The Muffin and Big Daddy making a "Resurrection Biscuit"...yummy!

An action shot of me and The Muffin looking for Easter eggs. It's a bad picture, but we're hardly ever photographed together because I'm the family photographer...and a giant cow.

Muff was so happy to find each one of her eggs!

Muff loved playing on the church playground!

I didn't take pictures of the finished "Resurrection Biscuits" because Big Daddy and I devoured it while Muff was eating baby cupcakes and iced cookies. She enjoyed eating under the huge stained glass windows in the fellowship hall. I also left out the pictures of the adult egg toss. Big Daddy reluctantly played along and came away without any egg on him. His partner, was not so lucky.

The Muffin knows that Jesus died on the cross and knows that he "came back" but that's really about as far as we've gotten. She finds crosses everywhere that we go and says, "That's like the cross where Jesus died". I hope that she'll understand what Easter is really about and not get into this crazy bunny stuff.

For dinner, we were invited to eat at a neighbor's house. That means I got out of cooking tonight and we can use tomorrow as our "eat out day". With Big Daddy being with my Mom & Dad most of the week, I'll feel like it's necessary to fix him home-cooked meals all weekend. I'm sure he'll think her cooking is better, but he'll still think my hamburgers are #1!