Ticking Time Bomb

The past two days have been um, different. My little love bug is being a little terror! So it's about 3 weeks until her 3rd Birthday and I'm totally convinced it's not the Terrible Twos, it's most definitely the Terrible Threes! She is not being bad, per say...but crazy, sneaky, silly, rowdy, argumentative; I could go on.

Let me give you a couple of examples:

Yesterday, as I was blow drying my hair, I opened the bathroom door to find her slathered in Vick's Vapor Rub! "Look Mommy, lotion!" Oh boy...even though we bathed she looked like a grease monkey for the rest of the day.

As we are standing in the check out at the store, she had her back to me...As I peeked around her I found her opening a pack of Mentos! So of course I had to buy them, but she did not have one. ;-) I decided to share them with my bible study!

My phone rings, this monkey goes wild. Screaming, jumping, climbing all over me! What in the world...

I could go on with examples as well, but I won't. I know my nerves are a little short these days, so maybe it's just me. With all of this craziness she still looks at me with a smile on her face and says "Mommy....I love you!" Brings it all back together.

Speaking of Time...

I have a new little project! Let's just call it wall decor for Ethan's room. I will reveal the whole thing soon, but for now here is a couple of sneak peaks:

Goodwill find for .49 cents

A little paint...

The first coat!

Life AFTER Kids...

Is pretty amazing!

Don't get me wrong it is definitely hard, we have been through so many struggles. It's a new kind of responsibility, but at the end of the day it is so gratifying! But do you remember the days of just you and the Hubby or even just you, when life was a party?? It was a weekend ritual to eat out, you saw friends on a weekly basis, you both worked full-time jobs and money was never an issue....

When Ella came into our lives a lot of things changed. We both still worked, but time was precious and learned to spent our weekends at home. Don't get me wrong, we still played! We have some amazing family that is so willing to help us and spend time with our daughter, but lately we have become a lot more home bound and even including our Bean in anything we do. I guess you could say, we are becoming mentally prepared for two kids...

The Hubby laughs at me when I get so gitty about going out, with our family! Ella hasn't always been the easiest child to take to dinner, but lately we have had these family date nights that is such a treat... But something always happens, sickness. I try to make excuses, but you know when to call it quits. To me going out as a family is such a prize and being home all day, I look so forward to the company. Which brings me to life AFTER kids, how funny is it that things change so much. The things we look forward to now, the family time we crave.... It's all part of that unseen plan. Life after kids, I wouldn't change a thing!

Ethan John and Some Quality Girl Time!

Yesterday was a big day for Ethan and me! We both had a task at hand that needed to be very successful. I needed to pass my glucose test, in which I will get results for next week, and he needed to show his spine!

At 20 weeks, Ethan was immobile...curled up in a ball and not going to move for anything. Thank God he was proud enough to let us know we were having a precious baby boy! Since he was so snug, my Doctor requested another ultra sound to get the rest of his spinal views.

1. Spine is very important and it comforted me to know that everything was A.O.K.
2. I was thrilled to get to see my boy again!

Ethan really put on a performance for us yesterday! It may have been because I had just chugged pure sugar, but nonetheless he was a Rock Star...

(3D picture: mouth, nose, eyes, arms around face)

(3D: Same Image, maybe a little more of the face)

Thanks to my girlfriend Holly Jane, I knew to ask for some 3D images! WOW, is all I can say. I love it! It was hard to get a great 3D image of Ethan because his arms were hugging his face and his cord was right in that area too.

(Ultra Sound: Profile)

This is where my Rock Star comes in...

(U/S: Lateral View... "Hi Mom!")

I laughed so hard! What a cheese. He was yawning, moving his mouth, sticking his tongue out all things that a baby does. I just wanted to scoop him out and hold him right then and there and kiss is little yawning mouth! But he needs to stay just where he's at for now!

(Right Foot, I believe)

After my ultra sound, I had to do my blood work for my glucose. The Lab Tech assured me that pulling samples of blood is much more accurate than the good ole' finger prick, so I have a good chance in passing! (Let's hope so...) After that I had a great visit with Dr. J and she was very pleased with my progress. I've gained about 14 pounds, which she was was good, but I just laughed...Oh My Word! I still have 3 months to go.

After my appointment, I did some shopping and even bought some blue hangers for Ethan's closet. Yes, I got really excited about coat hangers! Then I met up with one of my best girlfriends to celebrate getting old. Since this time last year we have wanted to do one of those painting classes, but it just never happened... So this year with both of us turning 30, we were determined to go paint! It was so much fun, it was also pretty stressful. We left there saying "At least we can say we did it!"

Erin and I with our Master Pieces!

A Work in Progress!

It was such a great day! And some time away that I so badly needed!

There was a prediction for snow in Middle Tennessee! Looks like they nailed this one ;-)

We woke up to 6" or 7" inches of snow this morning. It's beautiful! Ella was eager to head outside, so we did...But the real fun came when Daddy got home. We broke out the sled and the coveralls and had a blast!

Ella loved sledding and did it over and over and over....
But got a little tired walking back up the hill! I cracked up at how Jeramy just scooped her up, she didn't care, she wasn't walking :-)
So the trick to sledding is to "wear down the path!" That way you will go REALLY fast. This particular path went between the trees so me, being over-protective, had to go stand down there just in case she strayed from the "path." Meanwhile, I thought it was a great time for a video!

What time is it? Resolution Time!!!

It's the new year and everybody sets new goals. Some of them are meant to be broken and some goals will go on to be routines within our daily lives. I've never been one to say "In 2011, I am going to be in the best shape of my life..." and so on, however I do always have it on my mind to do better than the year before! January 1, 2011 I felt inspired and inclined to do some sort of exercise. It didn't happen but that is one of the biggest resolutions set in a new year. What was your resolution? Spoken or unspoken.

Being six months pregnant, I should already have an exercise routine in place, but I don't. My first trimester was filled with sickness, homework and of course a lovely two year old! Everything besides those 3 things in my life were neglected. Husband and Housework were a thing of the past. The dishes got done only when there were none left or something smelt really bad and the laundry sat in a pile behind my couch. So needless to say I was not going to go for a walk!

So all of this talk about New Years Resolution has me thinking... Since I can't be an aerobic queen, what am I going to do in this new year? Besides birth a child, raise a 2 year old and love a most giving husband. What I have decided and what I have already accomplished greatly in this year is keeping my home in order, while doing the above listed items! I have these friends and sisters, that I'm not naming names, who keep an immaculate home and here I am praying that my neighbor doesn't stop by to see the mess we live in! For whatever reason, I have emptied my sink daily this week and folded and put away laundry, picked up toys and made beds....The hubby is enjoying my efforts as well as I. Maybe I'm just feeling really good this week, but I hope I can make this more of a daily routine. In a perfect world, there is no reason why I shouldn't already be doing these daily chores and for now this is my resolution!

Thousands of Millions? You Say....

I wanted to make some changes on my blog and one of those changes was the name of my blog. I feel like I am in a new season in my life these days and I am so blessed to be here! Last year, when we chose for me to stay home with Ella, I joined a group called MOPS(Mothers of Preschoolers). I decided to become part of this group to meet people in my area. Even though I had lived here for 5 yrs, I worked in a different town and had no connections right here. It has been an amazing opportunity! I have met some wonderful Mothers and friends. This year I was asked to take a leadership role in our Group. One of our Mommies made a difficult decision to go back to work and I was asked to fulfill her "Publicity" position. This turned out to be one of those answered prayers, that maybe you didn't want answered... or was to shy to volunteer to do something like this on my own. Publicity and I go hand in hand and God knew that this would be a great area for me to give and to grow! Even though I had a full plate, I accepted the offer and have been blessed so many times over.


(Some of my MOPS friends)

I have recently began a daily devotional, given to me by my dear friend and MOPS Director. On Day 2, it talked about Rebekah and how she was told in Genesis 24:60 to "be thou the Mother of thousands of millions..." Obviously Rebekah did not mother that many children, but she did mother two incredible children that influenced many. As a Mother of young children, I really want to share God's promises with my little ones and pray that my children will go on to influence thousands of millions. I can't imagine any great blessing in a Mother's life!

When I read this story, I knew that it was going to be one that would stay in my heart for a long time. As I grow spiritually, I want my children and even my husband to grow as well. This new season in my life is a struggle at times, but it is up to me and my actions to make sure that my children live and learn to be a follower of Jesus Christ. So through our life and through our actions, I hope that some day we will influence thousands of millions...

What's That U Say...

You've missed me ;-) Well I've missed you too!

Now that school is over for me for a while, I am needing an outlet. So it occurred to me that Once Upon a Time.... I had a blog! What better way to share the exciting happenings of my life. Let me take you back a minute; last time I blogged, was about May...Mother's Day I believe. That was a hard year for us as a family, but boy did we have an incredible summer! We camped, we went to the beach, we went floating on the river and so on, It really was a great time for us. August comes around and we find ourselves trying for another baby. September hits us with a BOOM! Baby and School. 3 online classes and one sick Momma! Hello. September through November were rough. December rolls around, school is almost out, Momma's feeling good, Daddy is happier with Momma, Ella is being a trooper and we find out that a little BOY will be joining us around the end of April. You still with me...

So I'm thankful last semester is over and decided to not go back for the Spring Semester due to baby and all. Holidays have come and gone and it seems as if I'm playing the waiting game. Not really, we have a lot to keep us busy! So let me show how big our little Ella has gotten:

Christmas Eve

Christmas at Gramma & Pop's!

She had a wonderful Christmas with all of her Grandparents!

Excited to open presents...

So glad to see you again and I hope you will come back ;-) I love blogging and expressing my thoughts! Now I'd like to leave you with a little "Eye Candy!"

Ella (24 weeks)

Big Momma's in the House! I'm definitely bigger then I was with Ella. Wow! Don't judge...hehehe There are a lot of round things in this picture... Can you spot all 3 of them?

Ethan (24 weeks)
(my ball, my belly and my booty)

Now which ones Bigger? Ha! Please don't answer that!