my awesome husband

Last week I overheard my husband on the phone, after which he admittedly denied. So, as we discussed it, it became apparent that he had something up his sleeve. It is hard to know that, and not know what it is! But I tried trickery, and schmoozing, and just old fashioned talk it out of him, but got nothing. So...I waited.

On Friday afternoon I got an email saying that maybe we shouldn't do pizza for dinner after all. I knew something fishy was going on! Then at 5:30 he pulled up with a BABYSITTER! I was literally in gym pants and a t-shirt, and my hair in a weird ponytail. It was so fun! So I went upstairs and changed, and he explained everything, and then we went out! We ate at a Chinese buffet, which I thought was all we were doing, but then we went to a movie also. We saw 21 with Kevin Spady, which was pretty good. It was really fun to be out, as a surprise, and be out of the house after 9:30, together. It was so fun. It was just a blast to not know what he was planning, and to have such a good time. He rocks, doesn't he?

Then we did errands on Saturday. We had a fire that night and watched two episodes of Lost.

On Sunday we got some paint, and painted our living room, and most of the upstairs loft area. It was my first time painting, so I had to have a few lessons. Jesse, however, is a painting pro, and did awesome. He trimmed at least half of the downstairs area while I gave Emma a bath, then had some ice cream and talked on the phone while she played until bed. I know, my part is rough. He doesn't even need tape to trim! I'm pretty lucky, I tell you. We had fun though, and we are really happy with the color. The kitchen is next. It is going to be a much bigger job, but will be so cool when it is done.

catch up...

On our way to South Dakota, we stopped at a Walmart near Vermillion to stretch our legs. Emma was pretty happy about it. She loves to shop, what can I say?






My tomato plants are doing well, I transplanted them this weekend.




This is a box that I got from a used furniture store. I painted in white and am going to stencil something on. I am also going to see if I can get someone to make a lid for it.

The adventures of Wed, March 19th

This is the tree in backyard.

that had some

issues with the rain. It's

kind of scary that it was

dead enough to fall

without wind or a severe

storm, just rain!

This morning was bath day, so we got all the stuff ready. I always put everything you need on the toilet, like clothes. Emma is in this stage of loving to throw stuff, or put stuff in, or take it out. So, lo and behold, I wasn't paying attention, and look over, and there are her clean clothes, in the bathtub! She looks very pleased, doesn't she?

She had a good bath though...she likes to share her duck. Ahh....

So we have a very happy and clean baby. :)

Pictures

This is an outfit that Aunt Leah got Emma. Uncle Ben, as well as Jesse, think that it looks like a ninja outfit. And, apparently so do I when I wear this black ensemble. So, here is Ninja Emma sneaking up on Ninja Anne. I didn't see it coming...
















She loves the scooter ride...
































Chilling in the new car seat. This is comfort.
















Kind of looks like I am interrupting her reading time, pardon me.

Emma steps

Last week Emma took a few good steps, on a couple different occasions. Yesterday she took a few more. She will also walk with only one of my hands, rather than two. Sometimes she gets in a hurry and reaches up for my other one, and she looks at me with this look like, come one, we have to go. All these firsts, so exciting. But they also bring an end to something, they replace the way you have been doing it. So when she walks, there will be one last time when she needs me to help her. And when she eats by herself with a spoon, I'll give her one last bite. It's the way it must be, the design of life constitutes change, it happens all the time. Even the most miraculous design has some bittersweet points in it. This is the best time, she is so sweet, and concerned about people she knows, she wants to play with us and give us things and laugh with us. She wants us to follow her, to not walk away, to just be with her. It's innocence. It's a different love then you find other places, she doesn't have the emotional ability to understand why she loves, but she does. Obviously some of it is getting fed and cared for, but she is pretty attached too.

She is also playing with corn starch that spilled this morning.

Ahhh....the life of a baby.

Our backyard looks like a swamp, and the neighbor's tree had a big piece fall off. It rained all day yesterday, almost like Seattle! It will be nice when the sun comes out and it really dries up back there, and we can walk on the grass without sinking.

We are traveling to South Dakota this weekend. It will be fun. We are taking the van, so that should make it really comfortable. Now all I need is a tv in there, and I'll be set ;) Ok, maybe not, but it does feel long! I am going to splurge and get a couple magazines, that always makes it fun. I can't read in the car, but magazines don't bother me. It's not so much constant reading, more looking and flipping. It will be a nice long weekend, so we're excited.

I never know what to title these...

Today is Monday. I didn't move very quickly in the morning. Emma woke up at six, so we tag teamed, Jess changed her diaper and I got a bottle. She never really went back to sleep. So that felt early to me. Let's be real people, that was early for me.



We got a car seat over the weekend and installed it last night. It never goes as fast as I think it will. But, we did it! And we don't have to mess with it for 15 more pounds.



Emma ate really well today, so I am excited. There are days when she eats bread, popcorn, cheese, and that may be it. But she had oatmeal, yogurt, over half an orange, pear, peas, chicken, and bread. Oh, and cheese. So I feel like we achieved something.



I went to the gym and walked. My two favorite ladies in the babysitting room are leaving, so I am sad about that. It's so hard to leave your kids somewhere, and when they can't talk and tell you that the lady sat me down and didn't pay any attention to me, you wonder if the lady just sat her down and didn't pay any attention to her. But in most cases it's fine.


I am on a smoothie kick the last few days. I don't remember what I used the blender for when I got it out a few weeks ago, but I have used it several times in the last few days. I went to Sonic last week, and thought that I should try to make a smoothie at home. So I did, and they are really good, just as good as the Sonic one, if not better. Tonight I was decadent and put a scoop of ice cream in, and it was delicious. Mmmm. But the others have been yogurt, a banana, ice and a little milk if needed. Walla. Smoothie extraordinaire.

Friday~

I am supposed to be doing homework. I am thinking about my answer. ;)

Today I took the van to get new tires and an alignment. It took a long time, but it was really worth it. I have never had a such a drastic different in the way a vehicle drives. They showed me a diagram of the tires before the alignment, and they were all going in different directions, so no wonder it drove so bad. I think the mileage should improve some also, so all in all a good day, if you don't mind dropping a chunk of change at Tires Plus. But these things need to be done, and we shouldn't have to put tires on either vehicle for a long time. I walked around Target to pass the time. I only had the stroller, so couldn't get everything I wanted. I actually had to put a canister set down, and few minutes later I saw an employee picking it up to return to it's correct spot. I was kind of embarrassed. But Emma was walking behind the stroller and they belonged on the other side of the store. Sorry Target employee, I'll do better next time.

Picture time...

Tuesday it was really nice out. Emma was going to have some chex, but then she was really interested in my orange. I gave her a little piece, but she didn't want that. She wanted the half. So I let her, and she did pretty well. I think she liked biting and chewing.





She sat on my lap, so I was doing some no aim action...it took a few tries.

Then we went to the flat area, and she "drove" her new little car around. She really likes it. She zips around pretty well. It's fun outside because she has to work a little. It went well. In a few minutes though, she had a total meltdown, the cause is still unknown.

This is the first ultrasound picture, at eight weeks. It's kind of blobby, but the clump is baby, and the left side is the head. The black is just extra space in the "baby room". The heart was strong, and everything was developing normally.

And this is 16 weeks, from yesterday. I went for a regular checkup, and my doctor was doing a c-section and they didn't know how long she would be gone. They thought I could just reschedule for my next appointment. I asked if we could just listen to the heart. I get so worried, and this time in particular because you don't feel a lot of movement yet, and you go a month between checkups. So they just did an ultrasound. The heartbeat was good, and everything looks good. It is a profile picture, with baby looking up, the head on the left, with a big belly. And the placenta looks huge to me! But they didn't act concerned so I'm sure it's fine.

But the exciting part was they were able to tell gender! I wasn't expecting it, so there was no anticipation at all. It was just as exciting and intense and magical as the first time. It was sad because Jess wasn't there, but I showed him right away and we got to be excited together. It's amazing. It makes it so real, this connection is so much stronger. Now that I have found out a couple times, I don't think I will ever be able to wait. And, for me, (everyone is different and this may not be so) I don't feel at all like I am losing out somehow by not waiting, like it is taking away a surprise, or that it isn't supposed to be this way. It is just this moment when you have a mini meeting of your little baby, and you just can't wait to have the full meeting. To hold, to rock, to feed, to dress, to pass off to daddy, he he. And, you know me, blubbery Anne, I cried, of course. They go from this little grain of rice to an Emma, who scoots up the stairs in a flash if you let your guard down.

So, it's been a good week.

Oh, do you want to know what it is?

Ok, so the second post of the day.

We did our own taxes! Yea! We were both a little sceptical, (one more than the other) because we got so much paperwork in the mail. We had forms that we had no idea what to do with. But we went to the free website, which actually costs 14 bucks, and it was really easy! So we just saved a boat load of money! It feels really good to do something yourself that someone else was going to charge you for. So, we spent pretty much our whole evening doing them, and Jess has to go back to the office to print some stuff, but they are done!

I highly recommend it. We just googled free taxes and found it. Good luck~

I met a lady recently through I group I am in, and she shared with us that her father was sick. He had cancer, and they were hoping he would get well enough to receive chemo, and prolong his life a year or more. She spoke of him with such love, such genuine care, that one could not help but be moved. This gentle soul that she prayed for, and asked us to pray for, was unable to overcome the physical battle, and passed away on Sunday. I did not know him, I never met him. I barely know her, but for some reason I am really touched by them. Isn't it funny how that happens? I read the on-line journal of his sickness, and just cried. He was giving, and funny, and courageous. He didn't want his family to have to make hard medical decisions, he made them himself. He didn't want his family to go through what he was, he was glad it was him. It seems so sudden, he got sick, and he just couldn't get well.

Today is a quiet day for me. I prayed, I read scripture for today, I am just thinking. It is so cliche to say that life is short, and that we should be thankful for each day, but it is cliche because it is so so true. Life is delicate. We can't really shape it, we try, but it's not our job. Courage is necessary to trust that your life if full, no matter the length. Prayer is needed to ensure that you give of yourself what is asked, no matter how hard. Humility is needed to forgive and to love, no matter the circumstance. These are all things I strive for. Sometimes I need to really give myself a reality check, it is so easy to get caught up in this worldly world. To want a better this, a new that, more of whatever, less of the bothersome. But I am reminded through this beautiful life and this touching relationship that this lady is so gracious to allow me to glimpse, that these things are not important. If it isn't going to matter on that day, I need to let go of it today.

There are things I wish were different. I could spend a lot of time wishing, couldn't we all? There is a lot that will never be different, and things that will never be the same. Our life evolves, moves, changes, we grow. I pray that God allow me to be strong where I am and in who I am, I pray that I love those around me as I should, I pray that on this day, I appreciate all I have, and that on the day when that changes, I am able to celebrate the joy through the grief, as this family is demonstrating so well.