Lately...

We are alive...I know you were real worried about us! :) It's been a few weeks & even though we have been very busy the blog hasn't been neglected just b/c of lack of time which is part of it but it is FULL again. I haven't had a bit of extra time to try to work on the new one much less try to clean out some duplicated pics from way back when I didn't realize that there was a picasa web album out there with all the pics I ever downloaded on here. I'm just as disappointed as you are to not have new pics up!

But as the blog continues to fall behind, we continue to get closer to Miss Caroline's arrival. :) I am 36 wks tomorrow & feeling as prego as ever!! I started swelling around my ankles a few weeks back but it would come & go. Now I've almost gotten to the point where I can't get rid of it unless I have my feet propped up all the time which who has time for that?!? I never really swelled with C but he was born in March & not the middle of the summer. It still is hard to be comfortable with your CANKLES feeling like they are about to exlode not to mention the extra water weight down there. But I'm making it.

As I type (with legs elevated), it sounds like a construction site above my head as I hear J working away on our demo/reconstruction upstairs. He began last w/e & it is really coming along. I have already been documenting the project thru pics which will hopefully appear on here at some point or probably the new blog. He has become quite the handyman & is doing a fantastic job!

Speaking of last w/e...some of my closest friends were so sweet to throw me a "sprinkle" to celebrate Caroline's pending arrival!!! We had a great time & she got some fun things! Sat. night, 3 of my pledge sisters & I stayed at Ross Bridge to celebrate all of us turning 30 this year...I'm not quite there yet...14 days & counting! :) The hotel was booked & the pool looked like a water park but we had a great time laying out, chowing down on some food & even went out downtown til later than I thought I would being 35 wks prego...it was great though & I had a blast hanging out with my girls that all live out of town!!

We head to the dr Tues to find out if I am measuring anything & that is when my weekly appts will start. No one thinks I'm going to make it to 40 wks like I did with C but we'll see...the dr says if you normally go that far with the 1st, you will with the 2nd. If that's the case then I will probably be getting induced again on my due date - 8/29. The funny thing is all the people I knew who were due in Aug, all had their babies this past Fri, well 3 of them...can you believe it?!? One was a planned c-section so we knew that one was happening but the other two were due 8/11 & 8/17 & just went into labor that day. The other one that was due 8/1 had her baby Mon. So I'm the only one left. :) One of the babies Daddy's birthday was Fri too so now they get to share a b'day. :)

Another funny thing...y'all probably don't remember this (devoted blog followers) but way back when I was 38 wks with C I posted THIS post. It was about how J & I went & had japanese & our fortune cookies talked about "doing something different this coming w/e" which ended up not being exactly right but we did get induced that Mon. Well C spent the night out last night with my mom (we were supposed to go to a wedding in Huntsville but with my swelling & J having his big project we decided against it) so we went out to Sumo for dinner last night. And here are our fortune cookies...I opened mine first & it said "You will soon get something special b/c of your charm" which could be anything but J's said "Next week at this time, something good is coming your way!". So once again if the fortunes are right we might be mtg sweet Caroline early this time around. I would almost be 37 wks so we hope that isn't the case but you never know. Oh & we finally decided on her middle name but I can't put it on here yet b/c we haven't told all the family. I'll do my best to post after my appt on Tues.

I'm off to finish sewing her bed skirt...happy HOT Sunday to all!!

I wear my sunglasses...

...on top of my head like mommy & daddy!

Another random shot from when I was trying to do my 'homework' for my photography class...I realized this was a bad idea to try to get 3 different shots of a toddler in the same place with the same background. He looks so much like J to me in this pic! This precious boy has my heart!

Our 4th of July w/e

We had a reasonably laid back w/e. Sat. morning we met Kerri & Daniel & fam at the McWane Center for a little play time with Carter & Callie. They had a great time on every floor & then we all went & had lunch at Newk's (my 1st time to eat there; can you believe it?! & it was delish!) before heading home for a nap.

C checking out the touch shark/stingray tank...

A couple of these pegs ended up taking a trip around with us...

They have a fun little maze & C only got stumped once. He loved it & I think would've totally gone thru it by himself...I could barely keep up with him!

D & J built some fun tunnels & forts...

Sat. night our neighborhood held it's annual event with a patriotic parade of unique cars led by a fire engine thru the neighborhood to the country club for BBQ, fireworks and fun. They had a moonwalk or "bouncy" according to C & he enjoyed getting in & out & lounging inside (see pic below) while the 'big' kids bounced him around. He is just like his Daddy & likes to just sit & observe.  Sorry for the net & not so great pics...these were taken on my phone.

Finally getting a chance to bounce on his own when no one else was in it!

The firetruck stopped by the festivities for a visit...C's love!!

Daddy & C waiting on the fireworks to start...he's getting good at this smiling thing! :)

He 'stole' this huge glow stick from these little teenage girls sitting next to us talking about "how to get a guy to like you" & such...too bad they ran off b/c I was really enjoying eavesdropping on their entertaining convo. :)

My photography class has been going great & the teacher showed us how to take fireworks pics so I took my first stab at it...I think they turned out pretty well. You can basically hold open the shutter & catch as much or as little of the fireworks as you want. Some of them would have turned out better if I had a tripod...I guess I need to add that to my camera accessories wishlist.

Doing a little practice on C while he twirled the glow stick...

C loved them & could have cared less about the loud booms...some of them were pretty intense even though we were a good distance from the launch site. It amazes me the noises he doesn't really like (vacuums, the stand mixer, hair dryer, etc) but could care less about loud thunder, lightning, fireworks, etc.

My mom took C Sun morning to church which allowed us some time to get some things done around the house. I met them on Mon morning at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church which has a huge outdoor 4th of July celebration/carnival with games, cake walks, BBQ, music, raffles, etc. I didn't take one pic b/c it was either scorching hot or it rained for a bit but we hung in there & he really enjoyed pulling the floating ducks out of the baby pool for prizes (his prize of choice was bouncy balls which we now have 5 or 6) & going fishing for prizes, bean bag toss, putt putt, etc. After a good nap we contemplated either going to the Barons game (which ended up having a rain delay) to watch the fireworks after or going to see Thunder on the Mountain but both were so late @ 9pm or later that we decided against it. C has been sleeping much better...Hooray!...& hasn't woken up in the middle of the night since Fri. He talks about the "magic" gate anytime he sees it & wants to make sure it is closed, so it's working like a charm. :) Now if I could just get him to sleep in a little longer that would be great but I'll take what I can get.

I hope everyone had an enjoyable & relaxing 4th!!

The "magic" gate

J got the gate installed at the top of the stairs yesterday & we told C that it was his "magic" gate that would help him sleep through the night & keep him safe (so he doesn't fall down the stairs in the middle of the night in the dark). So far it seems like it worked like a charm & it is now mommy's "miracle" gate. :) I never heard a peep out of him last night & as far as I can tell he wasn't up until 6:45. J did find him outside his door right at the gate but barely making a noise. All I can say is I hope it isn't just a one night deal & that this will get him back in his normal sleeping routine (fingers are crossed). I do feel so refreshed today...I'm really not one to normally complain but this mama hasn't been sleeping great anyway which is to be expected at 32 wks but with these frequent late night visits or crying multiple times a night, it has really been wearing me down. I hope everyone has a wonderful July 4th w/e!!