A Diversion--Baby Shopping

I'm blogging about baby shopping as a diversion to my racing thoughts about my kiddos taking their big reading and math TAKS tests the next couple of days. We could really use your prayers on Tuesday for math and Wednesday for reading. We have worked hard...the kids, me, support staff. Now, it just needs to all come together! I'm really tired. Micah helped me start getting our flower bed ready yesterday (man, it was much easier years before...those core muscles are vital!). I came in from outside one tired girl, and then woke up at 3 in the morning with Braxton Hicks. Man, those can be painful!

On Saturday, Micah and I went to register at Target. I let him have the gun. At one point, he asked, "Does everything have to be pink?" I do like other colors in the spectrum. I just really like pink. I also registered at Pottery Barn Baby...I could one of everything in there! So now, I'm set. I've been asked over and over if I've registered so now I can say, "Yes!"

Here are some other fun baby websites I've been drooling over for all those that love looking at baby websites!

Church/Festive attire
http://www.strasburgchildren.com/shop/infants.asp

All sorts of fun stuff here!
http://www.annabean.com/

Possible diaper bag I'm looking at...nice and neutral for mommy and daddy.
http://www.monogramshophouston.com/store/viewItem.asp?idproduct=133&cat=8056#

Much love,

The Produce Aisle

Caroline at 29 weeks is now the size of a squash...or so says one of the weekly emails I receive letting me know what should be happening and to expect. As for me, I am working with two cantaloupes and a watermelon. I won't elaborate any further as you might have already figured that one out.

Rain, rain finally went away. Sunshine was finally BACK today! Thank goodness! I had a pretty rotten day on Friday at school. I was glad to have a really full weekend. It started by attending MOPS or Mothers of Preschools. They let me attend. I call myself a Pre-Mop and soak in all the advice and good laughs. Most are my friends and around my age. We had a guest speaker about gardening. I could have sat for hours listening to her speak. I could have asked a million questions. I LOVED it! After that, I earned bonus wife points by attending the Tech Spring Game. Normally, I would have been quite excited to attend. However, it was pretty chilly. By mid-April, I'm over being cold. OVER IT! Stick a fork in me, I'm done! Then, heartburn stuck after I had a delicious hamburger. Followed by projectile vomit. Now, if that doesn't take your mind off of TAKS stress, I don't know what will. Man, this new heartburn business is the "pits." Whew! I seriously wondered if I was going into labor. I started having Braxton Hicks last week pretty mild. But when you couple gas and heartburn with it, I seriously wondered if we needed to turn around and make a pit stop at UMC. Several hours later and many bathroom visits later, all was well. I even woke up at the crack of dawn ready for church. After church we had lunch with friends and then Karli came over with Reagan for an afternoon visit. After some cleaning and a surprise snow cone from Kim, I'm now in bed typing away almost ready for bedtime!

And, a prayer request. I just ask that you you would pray for peace for my job and students during the TAKS season, peace for our home sale, peace in my sleep, and in general peace. I have been generally feeling overwhelmed. I go along life fine for about a week, but about once a week, fear comes all over me. Fear of the unknown. I could make excuses about wanting to nest and plan, but I know God is working for the good. So, I ask for the prayer of peace.

Much love,

Seven Months

I have reached the third trimester! Yippee!!! Caroline has been moving A LOT in my tummy. I relish it. I am now at the point where I try to wear a dress everyday...so much more comfortable and nonbinding! And, the great thing is that so many of them are not maternity just with an empire waist which will be great as I take baby weight off after Miss Caroline makes her arrival. Speaking of which, my sister, Karli called earlier in the week to let me know she's made it back to her size four clothes after having a baby last June. I'm sitting looking at those sizes in brightly colored shorts and skirts in the drawers thinking, "I wonder if that will ever fit again." She's lost her baby weight twice. Really, I'm not too stressed about it. It's just something I see often as I open my drawers and closet and try to figure out what to wear. Until then, keep growing Miss Caroline!


If I had any pride left, I just lost another morsel of it today. I was wearing a little dress, and I went to pick up Micah's dry cleaning after work. I'm walking out of the cleaners on the main street in town, and a gust of wind came along and blew up my dress. My whole tail end was exposed to the store. Luckily, I had his clothes covering my front. Spring in West Texas.

Micah has to have a professional photo made for the new gig this week. I asked him what kind of smile he thought he was going to give. He was being serious when he gave this smile that he doesn't normally do. I just laughed and said, "Really?" So now, it's become quite the joke around the house. Did you ever see the Friends episode where Chandler kept ruining the pictures because of his smile? It's like that. He's purposefully making these ridiculous smiles around the house. I tried to get him to let me take pictures to show y'all how funny he's being. The best way I can describe it--a mischievous rat looking for cheese. He refused. I suppose his pride is still in tact. And, he's smile will be beautiful tomorrow. I love the laughing until you have to wipe tears from your eyes.

Reproduction in the neighborhood. We have rabbits all around. They have had a fruitful year. I like them...really cute! Now, as for the cat that was in heat and woke me up a couple of nights ago...go away. Super creepy. I don't like your kind. Go away. Not much longer before the frogs begin to make their appearance.

Much love,

Week 27 Updates

I went in for a sonogram yesterday. Love hearing her sweet heartbeat. Good and strong at 155 beats a minute. She was even moving a bit during the sonogram. Her arms and hands were up by her face. After I asked, "Is she still a girl?" And saw clear confirmation that she was a little girl I went and ordered a pretty girly crib.

Sleeping is becoming challenging. I have been having weird, vivid dreams lately. Last night, I dreamed that a bird with a giant, wide beak was poking out the eyes of Sissy Bouche, our family Boston Terrier. Dodger was outside, too, but had yet to have his eyes gouged out. I woke up totally freaked out and had trouble going back to sleep. I also have had a couple of dreams about just being an incredibly frazzled, incompetent parent. Scary. I am about to push Micah out of bed with all the pillows surrounding and supporting me from rolling here and there. I'm not quite as snuggly anymore with all of the extra propping here and there. My center of gravity is also changed. Getting up out of bed is more like a rolling over and out. Sitting straight up from a lying position is hard. I didn't know how much we use our core muscles.

Then, last night another home showing. I think that was the 8th or 9th.

Much love,

The Trees are in Bloom

I love this warming trend. Trees are in bloom. Ahhhh! So great. Maybe the last of the snow and ice is over.

I'm not really in a bloggy kind of mood so I think I'll just list.

a. Today at work someone left fun Parenting magazines in my mailbox. How thoughtful. I got home and the corner was dogeared for an article titled "Mama Sutra." Maybe they read it? Maybe they think I need a little somethin', somethin'. It made me smile. And, don't you love thoughtful people?

b. Going for a sonogram tomorrow. I love, love, love the sonograms. I love seeing her. I can't wait to see how much she's grown in the last seven weeks.

c. Caroline has been kicking and squirming around quite a bit in my tummy. What a fabulous feeling. I don't even mind it in the middle of the night. In fact, I lie awake to keep feeling her move.

d. Speaking of her kicking, the first time I saw her moving through my clothes was during Easter service. Really. I kept thinking about new life and how Jesus gave us life everlasting. Then, tears. I had previously been crying at the top of the service after I opened the program and Micah's parents had a special Easter lily for "the promise of Caroline Grace." Precious.

e. Speaking of tears, I cried at the Roloff's Big World graduation ceremony last night. Really? I cry, a lot. I try to contain it to my home.

f. I also go potty...frequently. So glad that I'm only across the hall from the faculty bathroom.

g. Three weeks from TAKS.

h. Dodger has gone to Midland for a vacation with Mitch and Sherry. I miss his evening cuddles, but I know it makes showing the house much easier so I don't have to run home and fetch him. It really is a huge help and one less thing to have to think about.

i. Wasn't Easter beautiful? We spent it in Midland. Great company and food, but a brief visit.

Much love,