15 month old piranha

I called John today to tell him about my worries that CPS might call us concerned about the bite marks on Jack's arms - the bite marks left by none other than his little baby sister. It started off as once in awhile when she was pissed at him taking something. Ok, fine - you can't talk and you're frustrated...I get it. But - two days ago she got Jack twice within an hour timeframe, which clearly caused concern that this problem is becoming increasingly worse. Then yesterday as we're leaving the library, big girl wants to walk out to the parking lot herself; I go to pick her up, and what does she do? Yup - pulls out those fangs and goes for blood. I kneal down, tell her no (as we're in public, so I can't smack her in the mouth like I'd like), and immediately the woman behind me asks "Oooh...you going through the biting stage?" While I was embarassed by this eyewitness account, I was relieved to hear that this may just be a stage that will pass. In the meantime, she suggested next time it happens I should bite back. So...look out my sweet little piranha!

16 weeks

So I'm definitely feeling the baby move! I wasn't sure for the last week, but these last two days have made me positive...very excited!! My belly is starting to grow, although when I look at it in this picture I realize it's barely noticeable. That didn't stop Jack from asking as he pointed to my belly however: "is that big thing the baby?" Leave it to him to ask something like that!

I went to the doctor this morning and brought Kingsley with me, who was of course a huge hit. She looked adorable (as always),a nd was on her best behavior, until a small bit of crying at the phlebotomist, but who's not scared of them?? I weighed in at 114lbs, which means I've gained 7 lbs so far (if I estimate my starting weight at 107). The baby's heart rate was 150 and in less than 3 more weeks we'll have an ultrasound to find out for sure if it's a girl!

Too Cute Tuesdays

Seeing as Jack JUST got a little booboo on his toe this afternoon, which of course made the entire world stop, I was so excited to find this on etsy (recommended by mommy moment). So cute! Plus - it would totally come in handy during my forever-ongoing quest to achieve organization (both in my purse and everything beyond).

Oh my gosh...too cute! When John's cousin had twins, we bought them what I thought were the cutest shirts to buy for twins - an "I'm Olivia, he's Tyler" and an "I'm Tyler, she's Olivia" onesie. But - I think I found ones that top that. One says "I love" and the other says "you". Oh my gosh - love them!! Maybe when baby #3 is born, I could get these for the kids to wear to the hospital?? oooooh!!! yes! One will wear "I love" and the other will wear "you, ----" (filled in with whatever we name the baby". (Found the shirts on lepetitkids.com - they're made by Petit Bateau).

Also loving the idea of "wordless wednesdays" (came across this on Thrifty Craft Mama, where she just posts her favorite picture from the day, without writing anything) and the idea of "work of art wednesday" (from because I love doing projects with the kids, but don't always make the time for them, particularly since Kingsley is still into eating crafts vs. making them).

Dad

I got out of a bubble bath with both babies, feeling like it was a really good day and night. Our bath was super cute...Jack showed off his new skill of dunking his whole head in the water, while Kingsley giggled at me doing 'this little piggie' to her toes. We pretended my bed was a pirate ship, and as we were looking for pirate treasure...Dad called.

Fun night...done. We talked for a minute, and then he shared the news that he's been diagnosed with Stage 1 Bladder Cancer. He'll start treatment when he gets back east in the next few weeks. I of course was hysterical, to which mom blamed on hormones. I on the other hand can't figure out what about the sentence My dad has cancer is NOT serious/upsetting/scary/life-changing/rattling/you-fill-in-the-word.

Happy Earth Day!

Jack picked this tree out himself and helped me plant it (using a paint roller?). We bought one for Kingsley too, but haven't gotten that one in the ground yet. I hope to plant a tree for each child each year on Earth Day - we all loved this, and how cute is it going to be to watch them grow with their trees?!

My big girl's haircut and my baby girl moving?

My beautiful baby girl got her first real haircut today. I've trimmed it a few times, but John had been on me for months to get it cut and "clean up the ends". I just couldn't decide if I wanted to let it grow just a little longer so it could fit in a ponytail, or cut it into a little bob. Well - ended up bringing her to Dolittle's today where she sat like a big girl in a firetruck and got a totally adorable, big girl bob. I LOVE it! Of course I couldn't resist buying her a big new bow to go with her little 'do! Despite Jack's first reaction of "Kingsley looks like a boy", I think she couldn't look more like a girl and/or more adorable.

I continue to assume baby #3 is a girl, since my forehead looks like a mogul mountain and the ultrasound tech gave us a 90% yes on it being a girl. So...I've titled this blog "my girls" because I'm almost positive I felt the baby move for the first time two days ago. I wrote it off thinking I just was imagining it, but then again last night I'm almost positive I felt it again as I was laying in bed. Can't wait to relax tonight and am really hoping to feel it again! So exciting...

...and a project finisher!

Totally beaming with pride!!! Absolutely LOVE the new shelves we made for Jack's room. LOVE!

We may have had to take three trips in total to Lowe's, and I may have wanted to lock Kingsley inside the house so I could work, and John may have been thinking the whole time that this was supposed to be MY project instead of OURS, but by the time Jack got up from his nap...we were ready to mount them to the wall. They look amazing, and what's even better is Jack loves them. I chose about 15 of his (and my) favorites to display, so he has a really easy time picking out books and recognizing all of his different choices. And did I mention they look amazing?

I'm a project starter...

Jack continues to ask for the same books over and over again. We're on a Runaway Bunny and Wish for a Fish kick at the moment. Two weeks ago it was Truck Stuck and The Mitten. Last month it was still Christmas books. Despite having 50+ books on his book shelf, he never really seems to pick out different ones, which has got me to thinking. Maybe we need a better way to display his books? I love the book racks from PBKids and Land of Nod, but am not in love with their prices. So...google to the rescue - I have found a project on OhDeeDoh (one of my favorite blogs) with a DIY book shelf project. I'm totally inspired and insist on completing my own. Immediately.

As John and I walk through the aisles of Lowe's and I continue to add items I need for the project, he puts an end to it by saying..."See, this is what you do." And when I ask him what he means, he goes on to say that I like to start projects but never really finish them. Case in point - the dining room chairs I decided to reupholster over a month ago, which are still sitting in the dining room with the new beautiful fabric laying neatly next to them. Fine - point taken.

But, I am now more determined than ever to finish this one...today.

Knocked Up

Seriously...is this movie just as funny when you're not pregnant, because it's pretty f-ing funny right now! Have definitely laughed several times out loud from the "I know we're supposed to be nice to each other right now, but I'm having a really hard time right now; I'm really struggling" to "I've sacrificed my vagina". Funny stuff!

Share the News

We told Mimi and Papa about baby #3, which actually went better than expected! Mimi seemed genuinely excited, and Papa said he needed to sit down. As we told them, Jack listened in on the conversation and he too learned of our news. He, of course, had lots of questions. Is it a girl or boy? What does it look like? What clothes is it wearing? Does it have hair? My favorite question came when he asked to see the baby. I lifted my shirt, he looked around on my belly, and was clearly confused. He scanned down to the little freckle on my belly button, tried desperately to look through it and then asked - is that a teeny tiny hole to see the baby?

He has since kissed the belly several times, and even got his sister to kiss it (since she copies just about everything he does).

Easter Sunday

Easter was completely fun! Okay - so we missed church (totally didn't do ou homework, and showed up to mass an hour late), but the kids looked adorable, we had amazing food at the club for brunch, and the day couldn't have been more beautiful.

I think I enjoyed making their Easter baskets more than you're supposed to enjoy that, but putting everything together was so fun! So - to see Jack run down in the morning with a look of both excitement and shock was thrilling! He loved everything in his basket, from the new movie to the candy to the motorcylce and monster trucks. Kingsley's basket was a success too - she loved her new flower towel (the first pink towel I've bought), and of course our little fatty was psyched to find candy. She also loved some of Jack's monster trucks, particularly the pink one. I was feeling a little badly about not getting her some of her own, but big brother Jack did a great job sharing.

How Young is Too Young?

Kingsley saw a plastic surgeon for the first (and John says last) time today. She's 14 months. Is that too young???

No, but seriously - it was emotional, scary and eye-opening day. I turned my back for a moment and Kingsley fell off the couch onto the train table. Her head immediately started bleeding, and the two of us burst into tears. I ran to get John, and for the next 30 minutes we went back and forth deciding if we needed to go to the ER. We decided better safe than sorry, and sure enough were told that she'd definitely need stitches - at least 6. We asked for a plastic surgeon, since that's what we've always been told to do if there's a cut on your child's face, though we were definitely confronted with some resistance. Nonetheless, Dr. Criswell came and reassured us we made the right decision to use her - for many reasons (i.e. dissolvable stitches, anesthesia vs. two nurses holding Kingsley down by the arms, doing two layers of stitches, etc). I wish I'd had my camera to take a picture of our little princess in her hospital gown. She was a total trooper - definitely cried less than I did.

The first of several

I've decided Easter is going to be, if it isn't already, my favorite holiday. What could be better than beautiful weather, adorable clothes, tons of pictures, and an abundance of candy? In my world...pretty much nothing.

Today the kids went on their first of several Easter egg hunts. Kingsley picked up one egg, and of course our little "fatty" wanted her piece of chocolate opened immediately. (I found her later walking around stealing jellybeans out of other kids' baskets). Jack was so excited to gather up as many eggs as he could find - somehow knowing to shake the eggs before keeping them in an effort to decide what was inside. The hunt only lasted a few moments, but that was enough to keep him asking for the rest of the day if we could do more egg hunts. His wish will come true - this week he'll have one with school, and on Saturday we'll have one at the club. More pictures to come!!

Growin' up

"When I grow up to be a man, I wanna go to work with Daddy to see what kinds a things there are there."

"Maybe when Kingsley grows up she won't eat playdoh." ~ Jack (3.3 yrs)

Beginning to look a lot like Spring??

I'm DEFINITELY ready for warm weather now that it's March. So - I spent the early part of this morning requesting books from the library about Easter and spring, and go figure - it is now DUMPING snow!! I thought March in the Carolinas was supposed to be beatiful?

Jack, however, is not as quick to let go of the winter. He still asks to read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas ALL the time, so tonight after I read the book and put him to bed he asked if it could be Christmas tomorrow. I explained to him that Easter will be our next holiday, and began to explain the Easter Bunny, which made him super excited; before I turned the lights off, I looked one last time at him just to see that huge grin across his face.

The excitement clearly lasted all night, because first thing the next morning he ran downstairs, jumped on our bed and exclaimed: "Daddy, Daddy! It's gonna be lobster tomorrow and the lobster bunny is gonna come!" God, he couldn't be ANY cuter!

Busy Little Valentine

Valentine's Day is two days away, and things have been pretty wild around here. First, Jack and I have been preparing for his V-day festivities at school. We had a lot of fun breaking up crayons and creating new heart shaped ones for his friends. I continually had to remind him they were to give as presents at the party, since he was most interested in using them himself. The idea must have gotten through his head though, because the first thing he said when he woke up this morning was "Is the party ready for me yet?" He wore a pink gingham button down with a red sweater to school and looked simply dashing! His teachers raved about how cute his Valentines were, although he thought the candies he received from his friends were equally exciting! Of course we both dug into all of them!

To make Valentine's just a little more fun...we got the unbelievable surprise of pregnancy #3!! Yup - took the first test in the Borders bathroom while Kingsley toilet papered the entire place, and then took a confirmation test upon John's request this morning. WOW.

The first of many...

Around the time when Jack was 18 months, I picked up a journal for him that I vowed to write in on a monthly basis. I hadn't really kept a baby book for him, assuming I'd remember all the special moments. But, the "oh my gosh, that's so cute" moments started piling up, and I knew there was no way I'd be able to remember all of them. So - I bought a red journal at Target, wrote a little note to him on the first page, and began jotting down as many special things as I could. I wrote about his first sentence: "dog eat cheese", and about pumpkin picking, counting to 5, loving the color yellow, playing with trucks, and just about anything else.

January quickly came, and so too did Kingsley. I kept up with Jack's journal for awhile thereafter and even bought a flower journal for his sister, swearing I would write in their individual journals regularly. Well...Kingsley has now turned 1 and I have yet to put pen to paper for her, and Jack's last entry is from June of '09. The lack of writing is DEFINITELY not from lack of special moments, because every day has more than one of them. In fact, there's no real reason I've been slacking other than being a busy and tired mom of two. But - I want to remember these moments, and want them recorded for my babies so they can see how wonderful they've always been and how happy they've made John & me.

So - here is the first of many blogs about our little family, and about the moments that make it so very special.