Back to School Time!

It is hard for me to imagine, but Ethan is starting Mother's Day Out next week. *Cue crazy emotions about how time really goes way too fast* With baby number two making his/her appearance later this year and no family around this time, I knew this would be our perfect answer. It will give me time to spend one on one with the new baby and it will give Ethan time to do some more growing and learning outside of the home. As much as it pains me to put him in someone else's care, I know it is time for him to start learning how to make friends. 


My husband is constantly making fun of me because I keep referring to MDO as school. I know it isn't really school, but I also know it's the beginning of what will soon be right around the corner. First it will be this, then preschool and then before you know it they will be in kindergarten. Life speeds by so much faster these days it's scary.


In brighter news I have a confession to make....


One of my absolute FAVORITE things to do is buy school supplies. Yep, chalk it up as a guilty pleasure, but I always peruse the school aisles everytime this time of year rolls around. While Ethan isn't quite ready for me to really get my shop on, there were a few things he needed that I really enjoyed buying.


It is mind boggling to me, but apparently there is going to be a group nap session at MDO. Please excuse me as I die of laughter. Let's just say I'm glad it's them and not me that's going to be trying to get my child to nap crib less with other children in the room. 

Lamb & Ivy Nap Mat, Brown Monkey 

He also of course needed a little backpack and lunchbox. My mom had purchased a Stephen and Joseph backpack for him some time back so all I needed was the perfect little matching lunchbox. Seriously I died at the amount of cuteness when I got him to "try them on". I promise I will get a first day of "school" picture so you all can melt too.

Finally he needed some labels for the sippy cups he will be taking with him. I fell in love with all the choices from Kiddo Tags. Mine just arrived yesterday and I couldn't be happier. I would show a picture of mine, but they have my phone number plastered all over them and to protect myself from internet crazies (no, not you..them, I promise.) I'll refrain. I ended up getting the deluxe labels for his sippys, shoe dots so we don't lose that expensive footwear, and clothing tags to go inside his jackets once it gets a little cooler out. 

I seriously searched a long time to find the perfect deal and wouldn't you know that two weeks after I purchased them that plum district came out with an amazing deal? If you need tags, I certainly recommend these. I can't vouch for how durable they are since I've yet to use them, but I can certainly vouch for their cuteness. 

Right now on Plum District you can get $40 worth of labels for $20. Just click this link to buy! Also you can get an extra 25% if you use the promo code FLASH31 before 5PM PST today. And as an extra bonus....you can use the code "referral" on the Kiddo Tags site for an extra 20% off. 

Now that's a good deal folks....get shopping!

 




*** All thoughts and opinions are my own. I happily own all of the products I have mentioned above. If you click through the links to purchase these items Amazon and Plum District will compensate me a small amount for referring you through the links. Now go shop, shop, shop....I've got MDO to pay for :) ***

Mommy's Little Helper

As soon as I chose this title I couldn't help but instantly think of the song Mother's Little Helper by the Rolling Stones (Are you singing it now? Probably not.), but alas that is certainly not what I am talking about. Although some days....I probably could be tempted! Kidding....mostly....ok 99% kidding...maybe 98%.


Let's just move on.


Over the past month Ethan has become very interested in everything Michael and I are doing. He copies us getting ready, he wants to eat/drink what we do, but mostly he wants to help with whatever task is at hand. He "helps" me swiffer the floors, mows the driveway when daddy mows the lawn and always wants to help feed Lola although I'm pretty sure that's because he's more interested in sneaking a bite or two of her food along the way. Thank goodness it's organic right?


Lately though it's turned into more than that. He thinks he must help me with EVERYTHING: loading the dryer, unloading the dishwasher, helping me cook, pushing the cart at the store. It may make everything take a bajillion times longer than it usually would, but I'm still encouraging it.


At this point I may not need the help, but I know that when I'm obesely pregnant or have a newborn in my arms, I'm going to need this little guys help no matter how long it takes. I see a wonderful paci/bottle retriever in my future! 


And no, I'm not using my kid. Ok, maybe slightly. But honestly? I really have high hopes that it will help him transition better into the role of big brother. I'm not sure how E will react to a little competition around the house, but I'm hoping that by making sure he has a role in the whole thing that it will make the transition easier. 


Let's just hope this mommy's little helper routine continues on into his teens. :)

Wordless Wednesday: Ethan at 20 Months

I'm behind. What's new? Ethan is truly on the verge of 22 months *cue 2nd birthday party panic attack* but I'm a few months behind on his monthly updates. Here is a look back at what he was doing at 20 months old....

Baby #2 - Week 18 in the Making

Not going to lie, I had to look back through my emails from Babycenter to figure out how far along I was this week. We can chalk it up to pregnancy forgetfulness of the curse of not being the first pregnancy. Either way, I'm not proud of myself for not remembering, but I have a feeling it's only going to get worse. I did weekly updates when I was pregnant with Ethan, but seriously it was like pulling teeth to get myself to do them so I previously decided that these updates would be a little more spontaneous. Probably another reason I never exactly remember how far along I am. 

There isn't a whole lot of change to report this week. The biggest news is that I have hopefully found a new doctor...another downside of moving. My first appointment with him is next Friday and I'm really hoping it works out. Let's face it, at that point I'll be halfway through this pregnancy and doctor dating is really not something I want to be doing. Other than that, everything mostly feels the same. I'm bigger, I feel fatter and my craving for sweets are back (although in small doses rather than mass quantities thank God!). 

We will hopefully be finding out the gender of this baby in two weeks so I'm going to put a little poll to the right hand side of the blog so you guys can place your votes! As far as what I think??? Well, everybody has been telling me that they believe this baby is a girl. I have even received one baby gift specifically for a girl (confident much?). So on that note, I'm voting boy. Somebody has to cheer the other side on right?

Here I am at 19 Weeks with Ethan...just to compare. Definitely wearing non-maternity pants there! I think I'm looking a little more spread out this time...maybe? Not too much difference though.

Total Weight Gained: I don't want to be completely weight focused but I also really don't want to gain 40 pounds again this go around. I'm up to 8 pounds in weight gain at this point and still not to my pre-E weight. I'm trying to drink lots of water to curb some of my random snacking and I'm trying to eat some of my crazy cravings in moderation. We shall see though. I'm definitely feeling a little more weight in my face this week which is so not a good sign.

Sleep: Sometimes I find it a little hard to go to sleep these days, but I'm still sleeping pretty well.

Best Moment of the Week: Finally getting in some more maternity clothing options. Minus the fact that the only pair of shorts left available on Old Navy were the 3 inch options. Yeah, my thighs are looking hot in those. NOT! And why are good capri jeans so freaking hard to find? Moving on...

Belly Button: Still flattish. 

Labor Signs: Nope.

Movement: Not as much as earlier on...obviously I'm dying to hear the heartbeat again to make sure everything is still a-okay, but I'm trying to practice patience and faith here. 

Food Craving: Sweets are making a comeback in smaller doses. Every now and then I get random cravings. Last night I just had to have cheetos and oreos. Yep, junk food here I come. Can we switch that to some healthy stuff baby? Please? 

What I Miss: Honestly? I miss my pre-pregnant body. I'm very thankful for this pregnancy obviously, but let's just say being pregnant is not my favorite feeling in the world. 

What I'm Looking Forward to: Same as last time...finding a new doctor and finding out the gender!

Don't forget to vote (Poll is on top right of the side bar) :)

Moving from Ethan's Perspective

From the very beginning I was worried about how Ethan would take moving not just from one house to another but moving away from all the friends and family he's ever known. Yes, toddlers are fairly resilient, but this move has certainly not been overlooked by Ethan.

Putting him in that box was the only way to get unpacked.
He loved it...for about 10 minutes...which we all know is a lifetime in toddler minutes.

Our transition period of living in temporary housing was definitely the hardest time for Ethan and well, to be honest, all of us. We were back and forth a lot and our transition housing wasn't exactly what any of us were used to. There was no groove, there was no stable everyday activity and this all left Ethan out of sorts. His behavior most certainly reflected his unstable environment. 


I think one of the hardest parts of moving with a toddler is not being able to communicate with them what is going on. They are old enough to recognize the change, but unable to fully understand it. Hence, the acting out. Almost immediately after we moved into our new home, his behavior went back to normal. 


Something I really underestimated was just how much he would miss his grandparents. I knew he had a strong connection with them, but I didn't know how much he was capable of actually "missing" them and their routine appearances in his life. I have all of my photos on a slideshow screensaver and he fell in love with watching it while we were in our transition home. He would constantly ask me to watch the "babies". It's hilarious, but I'm still not sure he actually knows the "babies" are all him, but he did know that his favorite grandparents were there. Shortly before we moved into our new house we purchased an iPad and now his favorite thing to do is watch home videos on it. He could care less about Dora or any type of game. He just wants to watch home videos over and over. 

Apparently he learned how to take pictures of himself after getting tired of watching the "babies". Another one of the many reasons I'm thankful for the iPad.

It breaks my heart that he misses his family so badly, but it also warms my heart to know that he loves them so much. We are lucky to have family that makes the effort to come visit. Of course, it isn't the same, but Ethan truly cherishes every moment of them being here when they can be. 

Bloggers 411

I'm joining up with Becky for a little bloggy interview. Even if you've been reading for awhile there are probably a few things on here you don't know about me. If you feel so inclined, head on over to From Mrs. to Mama and join in on the fun!

1. How long have you been blogging? And what got you started on blogging? Has your blog changed?


My first blog entry was posted in November 2008. I can't honestly remember exactly how I got the idea to blog, but I do know that at the time I was really in need of an outlet and this blog provided me with just that and has been my outlet ever since.  My blog has come a long way since 2008 (or so I would like to think). I began blogging as a newlywed, through my first pregnancy, several moves, as a new mom and I'll soon be blogging as a mom of two. I've virtually met many new blog friends that have provided me support with real life friends couldn't. It's amazing how many people can relate to exactly what you are going through and I'm so glad blogging has provided me with that. 

2. Did you go to college? If so where, and what did you study?

Both my husband and I are UT Vols! Ethan definitely has a little orange in his blood for sure. I graduated with a major in marketing and a minor in management. I did put my degree to use for 3 years in sales before becoming a full time mommy. I never really see myself going back to work for anyone other than myself, but you never know what the future holds. 

3. Where have you traveled?

Orange Beach, Alabama - (Yearly)

St. Lucia - (Honeymoon 2008)

Jamaica - (2009)

San Francisco - (One of my favorite trips - 2009)

Siesta Key, FL - (2010)

Wyoming - (2011)

4. If you won the lottery, what would be the first thing you would buy?


Hmm...this one is surprisingly tough. I'm sure I'd splurge on some clothes and furniture, but I tend to be fairly practical and would probably doing boring responsible stuff like payoff the house and put money away for E. I'm sure I'd travel and find a good cause to donate to as well. I wouldn't be one to run out and buy a fancy new car....the first day anyways ;)

5. What are your 3 biggest pet peeves?


1. Having to repeat myself.
2. People who are full of themselves.
3. Listening to people chew.

6. What is your favorite movie?


When Harry Met Sally. Hands down favorite. I could watch it over and over again. I love the idea of people weaving in and out of your life and having it all tie together in a pretty little bow at the end.

7. What is your drink of choice; wine, beer, or liquor. Or Water, Soda, Tea?


I have a favorite in each category...


Wine: Chateau St. Michelle Riesling. I'm a white wine gal, red wine just doesn't do it for me. 


Beer: Budlight although I'm really not picky here as long as it is a light beer. I can't really do more than one of a flavored beer. It's just not right.


Liquor: Honestly, I'm a much more fun drunk on wine or beer. Liquor doesn't look so good on me for the most part. I can handle one fish bowl frozen Strawberry Margarita (although I will fall asleep on the ride home), on vacation I must have a Miami-Vice, and I've been known to be able to  put away several apple-tini's. In fact, it was my signature drink at our wedding.  Other than that...I try to steer clear of the liquor.


Water, Soda, Tea: I gave up all caffeine this year (minus my mandatory sweet tea) so sodas are out. I try to drink more water, but really I don't drink that much liquid in general. I know...odd.

8. What is something you enjoy to do when you have me time?


Blogging is my me time. I do like to cook when I don't have a toddler screaming at me and I like to be crafty when I have uninterrupted time. I also like to read before bed and usually if I get a quiet moment, I'll probably make some sort of list. I'm a list gal for sure.

9. If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, which store would it be?


Oh God, I have to pick one??? Can I cheat and pick Amazon.com? It has everything, no shipping, no taxes and I don't have to leave my house. Absolutely perfect.

10. Share with us an embarrassing moment of your past? Or present.


See number 7. I don't have too many awfully embarrassing moments unless liquor was involved and really...those stories aren't for sharing. Live and learn right?

11. What day would you love to relive again?


Besides reliving the absolute best days of my life (aka E's birth, our wedding...the biggies)? This is going to sound lame, but I'd love to relive my high school days. There would be certain little things I would change, but for the most part, I loved everything about high school. It was a good time for me.

12. If your life was turned into a movie... what actor would play you?


Erm....pass? 

13. What are the jobs you had in high school/college/the early years?


In high school I worked in the ticket office for the TN Walking Horse Celebration. We had a ridiculous archaic booking system that did not revolve around computers. It involved two different books and file cards...yes, file cards. I so could have reorganized that place and completely eliminated several jobs including my own. 


In college I worked at Victoria Secret and was always way to embarrassed to do anyones bra measurements. Why I thought working there was a good idea for me is beyond me. I did score a lot of free pretty bras though. 


I also worked at Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Also awkwardly suited for me considering I hate driving cars that aren't my own. It terrifies me that I might wreck it. I'd rather just be in charge of wrecking my own stuff. Also, it totally freaked me out having to make small talk with complete strangers that I was alone in the car with. If you know me, you know I'm not a great small talker...that's why I have my hubby. He's definitely the more friendly half.

14. Show us a picture from high school or college.

AXO - Square Dance - 2006

You wouldn't recognize me from high school. Let's just say I had some major curly hair and could have used some eye brow plucking. I'd post a pic, but sadly Kodak Gallery has closed and yet to transfer all my pictures to Shutterfly and I'm way to lazy to use the scanner.

15. If you could travel anywhere in the world, all expenses paid, where would you go?


I'd love to travel ALL of Europe. Honestly, it would be a dream trip. Also I'd love to do an African safari, but traveling to Africa mildly scares me.

16. Show us the most current picture of you or you, or your family, or anything of meaning to you.

This pic is from our last vacation just a few weeks ago. I'm currently 17 weeks pregnant with number two! So this was officially our last beach trip as a family of 3! 

17. Where do you see your life 5 years from now?


I see my life being much the same, but crazier and with more children. I've always wanted 4 kids, but we will see how two goes first! Eventually I'd love to have a business all my own, but for now I'm content with doing the mommy thing.

Doomsday 2013?

I know I've mentioned before that pregnancy has a strangely calming effect on me. I'm usually a little more relaxed, a little more go with the flow. It is nice for me and I'm sure everyone else around me as I'm normally all worked up about some sort of project or what not in my everyday non pregnant life. However with this pregnancy I do have one crazy (and possibly irrational) fear.


My pregnancy radar is predicting one crazy blizzard this winter. It will come with very icy, non-travelable roads and electrical outages that will last for days. Yes my friends, here in the southern state of Tennessee we will be having a great snow/ice storm while I will be helplessly at home with a newborn and toddler who are both dependent on milk.


I've already been browsing snow boats (yes, I'm seriously crazy as temps are still in the upper 90's here) and I've been pressuring my husband to buy us an ungodly expensive generator to make sure we have heat, an oven, a fridge and of course wi-fi to survive with. I'll be damned if that liquid-gold gets spoiled due to a crazy power outage. We must save the milk people!


I kept thinking that this crazy fear might subside, but no, I feel it is just growing stronger. I'm pretty sure I will refuse to have this baby without a generator in our possession. I will also be hoarding away canned food and other non-perishables like a squirrel collects nuts for winter.


I remember crazily stocking my freezer with numerous frozen meals before Ethan was born, but I'm pretty sure I'm about to take this to a whole different level. Please tell me they make medication for this. My husband is starting to get concerned.

Today is Definitely the 13th

You know it is Friday the 13th when...

- First thing in the morning you step in a pile of dog poo and come very close to busting your rear end in a river of pee.

- Your son also decides it would be a good idea to make his own river of pee on the hardwood floor.

- You realize you scheduled a pick up today for some returns only to remember you have no clue where your packing tape is packed. This leads to meticulously recycling packing tape off of the mountains of boxes in your garage because you refuse to go to the post office.

- The power goes out for no apparent reason at all leading you to escape to another personal hell....Walmart.

- You arrive at the checkout lane with a weeks worth of groceries only to realize you left your wallet on the kitchen counter.

- You try to forget your worries at McDonalds (a guilty pleasure) only to find a line wrapped around the building and your child....is screaming the entire time.

- You are hurriedly trying to clean up for your guests arrival only to discover your son has grabbed a pen out of the drawer and colored ALL OVER the dining room walls.

The worst part is....

This day is nowhere near over. 

Getting My Groove Back

I feel like it has been forever since I have just sat down to write without a certain agenda. There has been so much catching up to do that I haven't really been able to accurately capture what is currently going on in life. So, here it goes.


14 days post move-in, there are still boxes upon boxes in the house. I've unpacked all of downstairs, but have yet to really touch the upstairs, minus Ethan's room of course. Please note that "unpacked" means that stuff is out of the box...it most certainly does not mean organized and properly put away. In fact, our master bedroom floor is still littered with random items that have yet to find a home.

We have our first guests coming on Friday and let's just say we are no where near ready. I did forewarn that there is still quite a bit left undone at this point, but I'm pretty sure they would like their bed to be more than just simply assembled. Although I do think I get points for having it assembled. We won't mention the fact, that the movers actually did this for me. No worries, the bed will get made. Everything has been washed and ready to put on. As for the boxes? Um, they will make great side tables right? 


This delusional calmness in me is OBVIOUSLY a clear indicator that I am pregnant in case that last bump picture didn't do it for you, this abnormal, laid back attitude of mine certainly should. Pregnancy strangely makes me calm and rational....for the most part.

I have to admit that I haven't been putting that much pressure on myself to get everything done all at once. I merely aimed to get things semi-livable and mostly focused on getting our family back into a routine. We have been "misplaced" so to speak for so long that we really just needed for things to be normal again and I think I have accomplished that. I have a whole post I want to do on toddlers and moving, but I will say that I can tell such a difference in Ethan now that we are more settled.


I think I am finally getting back into the groove of life and it feels so good. I'm still in the process of trying to find a new OBGYN, but I did get another biggie off my list this morning. I secured a spot for Ethan in Mother's Day Out for twice a week starting in August. Although I'm somewhat sad to have him go, I do think it will be the best for both of us, especially when number two comes along. I look forward to watching him make new little friends and I'm hoping this will also help Michael and I get a little more plugged into our new surroundings as well.


Overall things have been going wonderfully. Moving has obviously been stressful, but in a way it has also slowed things down for us. It really is just the three of us here currently. No family or friend obligations. And while it is lonely at times, it has given us the opportunity to refocus on just us. Our little family of three. And that? That has been so good.

Vacationing and Toddlerhood

There are days where I feel like all I do is say "No" and many of those "No's" are to the exact same action over and over again. Today is one of those days. I have literally had to stop what I was doing and pray for patience. 


Toddlerhood is one crazy beast for sure. The trying times are abundant, but thankfully they are balanced with equally abundant if not even more bountiful precious moments that instantaneously make you forget how hard this stage can be. 


A few weeks ago we were lucky enough to go on a vacation with my family. I chuckle when I describe this as a vacation because in all honesty, the toddler factor actually ended up making it quite a bit of work too. That said, I could not imagine a beach vacation without this little guy. He also made it a ton of fun!

Ethan was in love with the beach this year. He surprisingly didn't mind be covered in sand and never even got upset if it got in his eyes. He helped me put on his sunscreen everyday and was determined to swim in the big pool like all the big kids. 

He learned to kick and splash. He even tried to pick up a beach girlfriend or two although they were a bit too old for him. We have determined his type to be Barbie doll look a-likes. And this little guy? He is one picky man. Not just any blonde will do lol. He would smile real big and wave with both hands doing his best to melt their hearts. I think we might have a little heartbreaker on our hands one day.

Even though this vacation had its fair share of pits full of 4AM wake up calls and nights where no one got to peacefully eat their dinner, we did manage to have an abundance of fun. I'm slowly learning how to manage this beast called toddlerhood. I'm doing my best to embrace the precious moments, to really soak them up and learning to go more with the flow. 

It should be interesting to see what the next year brings with two in tow. While I know it won't be "easy", I am sure that it will be full of fun and precious moments that I will not want to forget. 

Round and Round

This summer heat has really been getting to us all. It seems like we haven't had a break from it in a few good weeks. Lately we have taken to hiding indoors as being out in the heat for even a few minutes can completely wipe me out. 


Right before we left our old home for good, we took one more trip to the Nashville Zoo with Michael's parents. We hadn't been since last year when E was around 6 months old so it was basically like his first time all over again. That is one of the cool things about kids isn't it? It's always new with every age. 


Ethan is obviously still at that age where he isn't really into anything specifically yet, but at the same time, he's into everything. I have to admit I'm always wondering just what is going to be that one thing that really excites him. Will he want to be a pilot? A soccer player? A chef? Or perhaps he will be into science?

His daddy is so thrilled to always be showing him new "manly things" like playing with his tools, digging holes in the backyard, putting on big boy deodorant....my kid is obsessed with "putting on deodorant". Don't ask, I don't know...at least he won't be the smelly kid in class. No one wants to be that guy.

I digress.

There are times though when I wonder just what I will bring to the table for Ethan. You see, I don't have a lot of special talents beyond being able to cook, clean and make a great dessert. And while, those things will be somewhat important for him to learn, I wish I had that one thing that I could share that he would carry on with him forever.

One of my hopes is just to show him the world and all the wonderful opportunities and fun things it can hold. I've always felt the strong urge to travel and just simply experience more things around me and now, Ethan is good excuse to do just that. 

I can't tell you how much my heart leaped when I saw the carousal at the zoo. I've always loved carousals...there is something just simply magical about them. It was one of the top things I'd wanted to do with E while he was young. Well, that and those amazing swings they use to have at Opryland that don't exist anymore. I use to ride those swings over and over. But again....I digress. The carousal though...it was the next best thing. 

I overheard Michael asking his mom if she wanted to take E and suddenly my own 2 year old self came out as I exclaimed "No! I want to take him!". She probably thought I was crazy, but I had to be the one (thankfully she's a sweet person and didn't mind letting me have my chance). I normally don't mind letting Ethan experience some firsts with others, but this experience...it was mine. And his of course. It's all about him right?

After we anxiously awaited our turn, we went around and round the carousal trying to pick out the perfect animal. We sat on 3 different ones before we finally landed on the monkey. 

He was a little unsure at first. I'm pretty sure he was getting tired of waiting on it to start. Obviously patience is not one of his strong suits just yet. Before long though, we were off and both of us were having a blast.

We went round and round. He was laughing and just having a blast. It's truly a memory that I will never forget. I could have ridden that carousal a million times over. 

Baby #2 - 15 Weeks in the Making

The first trimester of nausea and tiredness is officially behind me and let's just say that it disappeared just in time for all the craziness that has been going on around here lately. Honestly this past week I've been having a hard time even remembering that I'm pregnant. Well, until I try to put on clothes at least. Maternity shorts are currently in route to my doorstep!

Total Weight Gained: I know this should be an easy one to answer, but I'm debating my actual start weight. I was at the lowest of low weight (16 pounds lighter pre-Ethan) when I visited the doctor back in December after my chemical pregnancy. For some reason they are counting that weight as my first OB visit weight meaning that I've gained 10 pounds. Weight-wise I know I was a good 5 pounds heavier (probably a more healthy weight for me) when I actually visited them for the first time for this pregnancy so I'm thinking I'd rather start there...meaning 5 pounds gained total so far. I'm hoping to gain only 30 this time around instead of the 40 I gained with Ethan so fingers crossed!

Sleep: If Ethan would allow, I could sleep so much more than I am already. I do wake up in the early morning needing to pee, but I do my best to hold it until official wake up time. I have a hard time going back to sleep if I get up.

Best Moment of the Week: Hearing our baby's heartbeat last week! I will admit that we had a little scare. The doctor was having an incredibly hard time finding the heartbeat. So much so that she started asking me the scary questions of "Has your nausea disappeared?" "Have your pregnancy symptoms subsided?" all of which I answered a hesitant yes to. The only thing that saved my sanity was the fact that over vacation the previous week I had definitely felt movement. She finally found a heartbeat, a steady 151. Both her and I are a little suspicious of me possibly being further along than we originally thought. This baby is carrying very high and obviously feeling movement at this point is somewhat strange. I'm hoping our next ultrasound will really put my due date in stone though.

Belly Button: Flattening out!

Labor Signs: Obviously no.

Movement: Yes! Well, I haven't felt much this week, but last week this baby was definitely moving about a ton. Occasionally he/she will ball up one side causing some discomfort, but I'm looking forward to more movement as it's always reassuring.

Food Craving: The first trimester I was not into sweets at all or meat for that matter either. Thankfully this trimester everything seems to be back in play although sweets are still not my favorite thing which is completely unusual for me. A bite or two of whatever sweet thing is available is usually enough for me. So much for ingesting a whole bag of sour patch kids in one night. My tongue and my body thank this baby for this temporary life change.

What I Miss: Being skinny. It took so long to get back and now here I am again busting out of my pants. I'm also going to miss my doctor as I'm currently in search for a new one thanks to the move. Since I'll probably end up being a scheduled c-section I'm not quite sure why I can't just keep the doctor I currently have. A 4 hour drive isn't THAT big of a deal...right? 

Yeahhhhh, no one else bought that argument either.

What I'm Looking Forward to: Finding a new doctor and finding out the gender of baby #2! 

Closing a door...

Whenever we move from a home I always make sure to do a final walk-through. It's not to check for forgotten items, but more to say my goodbyes to each room and try to make sure I remember all the important memories that happened there. I close each door as I leave each room and finally leave the house making sure to look back just once when we drive away.


There's something so final about selling a home. As happy as you are to move on, it's incredibly so sad to know that you can never go back. Even if you did, things would not be the same. Moving is so final in that way and sometimes I have a hard time closing doors.


I have to admit I felt strangely unattached to this home. It always just felt like a transitional place. I still haven't quite put my finger on why. Maybe it was because it wasn't particularly our style, maybe it was because we never really had a chance to do anything to make it ours, or maybe it was just because the whole time we were there you could describe our lives as simply transitional. Whatever it was I was sure I would be very unemotional about leaving that house.

I had asked my dad to come over the day we were scheduled to move to help me keep Ethan out of the movers way. There were moments when I wondered just what exactly was going through E's mind when things were being hauled out of the house. At one point he saw his little silver car being put on the truck and yelled "I need! I need! I need!". I felt so helpless not being able to explain what was going on these last few months, but he is so resilient, two seconds later he was distracted by a ball and everything was fine. The movers finally got his room cleaned out and we were able to put him down for a nap  in the pack n play. 


The movers finished up their job before E finished his nap so dad and I quickly cleaned up and twiddled our thumbs waiting for little boy to wake up. As I sat in our empty living room I started thinking about all of the special memories that had happened there. I revisited the crazy newborn days of walking him around that living room and just praying to see the sunrise so I could justify a cup of coffee and consider one day officially behind me. I remembered Ethan's first two Christmas's in that living room and how different each were. I decided it was time to do my final walk through. Apparently I did need to say goodbye to this house after all.

Living Room

Kitchen

I'll Always Remember: 

- Whipping up my first batches of baby food.

- Baking my little heart out for Ethan's first birthday.

- Eating many of our first family dinners at the kitchen table.

- Washing a million and one bottles to only wash a million more.

Dining Room

I'll Always Remember:

- Taking this room from poop brown to neon green (oops) and finally ending up with this happy yellow.

- Hosting our first Christmas dinner with more friends and family than our table could comfortably hold.

- All the birthday cakes I made for family to celebrate their special days.

Backyard

I'll Always Remember

- Ethan's fabulous first birthday.

- Building our first gardens.

- Laying Ethan in the grass for the very first time.

Master Bedroom

I'll Always Remember

- Laying awake the night before Ethan's scheduled delivery.

- Taking nightly baths with my ice cream sunday's while pregnant (which probably explains that extra 10 pounds I gained).

- Listening to Ethan make his first little sounds while laying in bed.

Ethan's Nursery

I'll Always Remember

- All the love and creativity I poured into making this room for Ethan. I will definitely miss this room the most.

- Rocking him and singing to him in the nursery.

- Watching Ethan learn, play and explore in the comfort of his own room.

I know that I can never revisit this house, but I'm thankful that I can take the memories with me. It may not have been my favorite house of all the ones we have lived in, but there were certainly many important things that happened there. It will always be remembered as Ethan's first house. The house in which we became known as mom and dad.