Pondering

31 weeks

31 weeks

32 weeks

32 1/2 weeks

34 1/2 weeks

I am 35 weeks pregnant today.  I've been pondering the fact that I am only 5 weeks from the due date, 2 weeks from the "okay to go" window, and 6 weeks from when I was hoping that the baby would actually decide to come (September).  Everything is looking good.  Baby is head down.  He/she is very active and I'm getting elbowed and kneed A LOT which is starting to hurt more too as the baby is getting bigger and stronger.  This little one is all up front so it's easy to see when a leg is stretched or the baby is moving around as my tummy moves in waves.  Fun to watch...but painful. : )  5 weeks away and the anticipation and excitement is overflowing as I can't wait to find out who the next member of our family is going to be.

And this little girl...

  

turns two years old in about 2 1/2 weeks and I can't believe that.

So much to look forward to next month (or hopefully next month and the beginning of September!) : )

April Pics

I can't catch up....on life.  The baby is due in about 6 weeks and I don't have...anything...together.  So I'm just going to post pics from the last few months and I'll try to give any highlights that I can.

These first two are actually from March but they are pretty sweet.

Maggie has hazel eyes like mine that change colors (blue, green, gray) by what she wears.  I love her blue eyes here and her tiny little lips.  We had hot cocco and yogurt covered pretzels this cold day for a fun snack.

Easter dresses.  We didn't get any great shots unfortunately.  These were taken in a rush before church and later when we tried to take more the girls were super grumpy and uncooperative.  Natalie loved to twirl in hers.  She was so excited about the yellow dress (her fav color) and she really did look like the sweetest southern belle. 

Natalie's silly face

A pancake morning with whip cream.

Natalie asks almost everyday, "Mom, can I dress up?"  which means can I put on my high heels.  She also loves to put bows in her hair...all over. : )  Here is one of her self do's.  "I look fancy!"

Big Grins

A Picture of Papa and Mama by Natalie

4th of July

We enjoyed having Papa home with us for four days.  Some of the weekend was busy with doing a little more painting in the house (two walls left for the time being, yay!) and unpacking some boxes.  Sunday afternoon we took a drive up the Poudre Canyon and went on a little hike up this beautiful trail that followed alongside the river.

The river is crankin' this year.

Monday, the fourth, we went to breakfast  at Snooze's and then walked to Old Town Square for some music (apparently our 4th tradition since we did the same thing last year we realized).  It was super hot, though, and Maggie looked like she was going to pass out so we went home and hung around the house for a bit, took late naps, and then walked to Larkburger for dinner.  We enjoyed homemade chocolate marshmallow fudge pops afterward.  Super yummy but probably not worth the cost to make them.  Don't get me wrong--I'm all about homemade and trying new things but you can probably buy a box of fudgecicles from the store for the same price or less once you buy the half and half and heavy whipping cream.  BUT...like I said, super yummy!

Here's the recipe (from our local dairy, Morning Fresh) if you want to try it:

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup half n half

1 cup choco chips

1 cup mini marshmallows

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

In a saucepan over low heat, combine the cream, half n half, choco chips and marshmallows.  Heat, stirring constantly, until the chips and mallows are melted.  Transfer the mixture to a blender, being sure to scrape the chocolate from the bottom of the pan.  Add the vanilla and salt, then puree for 30 seconds, or until smooth.  Divide the misture in frozen pop molds and freeze for several hours.

The girls stayed up late to catch the 9:30pm fireworks show.  I think they liked it.  Maggie didn't say much but kept her attention fixed to the sky.  Poor girl.  Despite bug spray and other precautions, the mosquitos think she is too sweet to pass up.  Natalie oohed and ahhed and helped us name each kind of fireworks, ie. sprinkles, fairies, porcupine.

We are blessed beyond words to have the freedom and luxuries that we have.

Happy 4th of July!

Natalie's early phrases

I want to save these so that I will remember some of Natalie's common early phrases.  I hope I can still "hear" them when I read them as I get older.


A list of some common Natalie phrases:

Oh yeah?
Yep!
Whoa!
Hmm...
Oh wow!
No Ma-ma (Maggie)
I need hand
C'mon!
Giddy Up, Cowboy!
Mama/Papa, what are you doing? (It's like "Are we there yet?" for toddlers.)
This Mama?
Mama, what are we doin' tonight?
Ma-ma Jane!Come with me.
Let me do it!
I don't like it or I do like it!
Oh my goodness!

Sight for Sore Eyes

Okay, I was saving this pic to mail to some of you, but that might take forever so I'm giving in and putting it here because it's ADORABLE and I can't wait any longer!  Thanks for the fashion eyewear, Auntie.  The girls always get comments when they wear them.  I love this sweet picture of sisterly love (as you can see in my header also). : )