2012...In Pictures

This year went by so fast, and yet some of these pictures seem so long ago. Lorelai looks like a baby in the early shots, and by the end, she looks like a full-fledged kid. She still had some firsts this year, and so did Chris and myself...

Lorelai developed a love for playing the backyard

Lorelai is obsessed with babies in 2012...fun fact - this picture was taken on our second anniversary. 02/06/12

Chris' Nana passed away, she is missed

She had her first Easter egg hunt, Phoebe helped

My Mom's side on Easter

My brother-in-law and sister-in-law announced they are expecting #4 :)

I finished priming and repainting the guest room...now Lorelai's new room

Our first family vacation to Estes Park, CO

We met up with Chris' extended family in Colorado Springs...which we had to leave early from due to wildfires near our hotel

I took on a lots of home projects

Lorelai's first bathing suit and pool experience

4th of July cake, made with my mom and sister...2012 was the year for pinterest for me

We had a couple battles with our sprinkler system...that are somewhat ongoing. Same goes for our garage door.

We found out we were expecting baby #2 

Finished making over the master bathroom

Chris' cousin, Ashton got married...this is Chris' Dad, brothers, and nieces and nephew(s) ;)

The newlyweds

I had some frustration with new neighbors, and their, well, lack of consideration

Celebrated Noni's birthday after their return from Hawaii

We had lots of play dates with little pals, like Miss Ava

Phoebe had some health struggles that involved eye ulcers. *ouch*

We found out our #2 is another girly ♥

Halloween, and her costume I made...the cape at least

Lorelai turned 2! She had a Sesame Street party with focus on Elmo, her favorite

She got her first bike for her birthday...and fell in love with it!

Lorelai moved out of her crib/toddler bed and into a big kid bed in her new room

Thanksgiving, Lorelai is in a "super picky eater" phase...she only had a roll for dinner, I packed snacks to make up for it

Chris changed jobs, and we are all excited about his new potential :)

Celebrated Christmas early with Noni and Gdad, for they were leaving to spend the holiday in the Cayman's.

Chris' cousin Christmas!

Christmas! Santa gave her a kitchen set, pink and retro

Lorelai's first true interaction with snow

Lorelai's first white Christmas :)

I may have missed some things due to an unintentional oversight, or due to a lack of picture, but I think this timeline is pretty informative. Though it has to be said, the biggest news of all is the fact that we all survived the "end of the world." ;) Happy last couple days of 2012! Looking forward to all the new things to come for 2013!

M.LEWIS

Christmas Closing In

Life 4 days from Christmas is pretty quiet...well, sort of.

Today our last package arrived in the mail. It was a personalized gift, and well, somewhere along the line the design became...wonky. It is "ungivable." So, that makes things a little interesting; fortunately the recipient is pretty laid-back and understanding. They won't mind the hiccup and extra time. I still feel bad though.

Phoebe's eye was acting up earlier this week. Normally I rush her to the vet within 24 hrs when she has some sort of symptom, but since she just had eye ulcers less than 3 months ago, I figured it was just another flare up...so I waited. I brought out all her old medications and started back up the crazy eye drop schedule again. As of right now, she seems a lot better...not 100%, but I'd say 90%. Hopefully the next couple days will fix that, and there will be no need for a vet visit, especially to the emergency vet over the Christmas holiday.

I have been busy the last couple of days helping Santa and his elves make Lorelai's gift. I can happily report it is ready to go for Christmas eve. That is a relief...it was...involved, but so worth it.
We have been helping Grandma make Christmas cookies this week, and we still have many more to do. So Christmas movies have been watched, so all in all, we are on schedule. ;)

This week also marks Chris' last full week at his current job. He was recruited for higher position at another company, and he took it. He starts on the 27th. We are very proud of his accomplishments and success...not trying to brag or anything. ;)

On a completely silly note, I am relieved today was trash pickup day. We had quite a pull-up going. The recycling only comes every other week, and last cycle, they didn't pick up ours. I still don't know what happened there. The bin was completely full. we also had about 9 lawn bags full of leaves and dead flowerbed plants. Half were supposed to be picked last week but a neighbor's delivery truck was blocking my house...my entire house...I had to park across the street. So, the truck didn't reach my house at all. Today all those things are taken care of. Yay!

It's the little things. ;)

M.LEWIS

Sleep in Heavenly Peace

Everyone has been posting a little something regarding the Sandy Hook shooting. I have not. I wanted to...but, frankly, it makes me too sad.

There have been a lot of these unthinkable events lately and all make me sad, but this one is different. Maybe it's pregnancy hormones amplifying the emotions, maybe because I used to work as a teacher in a preschool, or maybe because I am now haunted by the fact I could lose my child(ren) so easily, beyond my control...but no matter the reason, this tragedy, so close to Christmas, has really touched my heart. I could write about how it makes me feel, how I feel the solution won't have anything to do with gun control laws...but I really don't care to analyze the situation any longer.

I will say this: hug your babies...no matter how old. Be thankful and grateful for every day, every hour with them. Don't fret over shopping lists or bank accounts. Don't stress over wrapping and holiday chores. You have everything you need if you have your family, especially your kids. Pray for those less fortunate, give to those you can, and thank God for every little gift...like your baby's smile.

A week before Christmas, and I already have everything on my wish list. I have Lorelai...and little Adalaide on the way. I have all my life's happiness...and that is more than enough.

M.LEWIS

Odd Pinterest 4.0

Here we are again: strange, unusual, weird things you can find on Pinterest. Some are ugly, some are pointless, and some you do not need inspiration making...like a mess. Just a few here, I am sure you have seen some good ones. And again, sorry to offend if you actually like some of these pins. ;)

I am not getting the trend of "melted crayon on everything"

Is this really a "shade" anymore?  I can see the potential, but I still think this is a fail.

Because you long to be like Bigfoot?

Bedazzling your stairs has got to be the biggest waste of time to achieve the tackiest results.

Because this looks good?

"Chapstick koozie" ...for what reason, I don't know.

Frosty's remains ornament? Morbid and not worth hanging on a tree.

Who likes to use their hands anyway?

M.LEWIS

Making Lists, Checking Them Twice, Marking Them Off :)

Thank goodness for the internet. If I do not buy a Christmas gift over the internet, I research and gather ideas using the internet. I am thankful for this luxury; because of this, I am done Christmas shopping...minus 2 small things. :P I also have most things wrapped since we are having a "staggered" Christmas this year. 

Basically, each weekend in December involves us celebrating/acknowledging Christmas with different family members. Things need to be wrapped to avoid last minute freak-outs. This weekend we sent a batch of gift with my in-laws to Kansas to be shared with Chris' older brother and his family. Merry Christmas guys! We miss you all! Hope you all got everything okay.

Next weekend we will be sharing presents with my in-laws seeing as they are leaving next Sunday for a holiday abroad.

We still need to fit in seeing in Chris' dad and his family, and then there is his cousins' party on the 23rd....and then actual Christmas with my family. I don't mind stretching out the festivities, it makes for one fun month...just busy, and one I have to organize for.

On a side note, I have also successfully switched Lorelai and her things into her new room and put up the couple of things for Adalaide in the nursery.

Basically, I feel accomplished. I like feeling accomplished...I just wish it didn't involve swallowing up the whole weekend.

Now I look forward to a winter-weather week. Goodbye 75° days!

M.LEWIS

2 Years and Getting Sweeter

Last Friday marked Lorelai's first 2 years of life. I did what most moms do and relive her birth through my own memories. I don't want to forget the little details, though I know I will as the years pass. My little baby girl is 2. 2 years since I first saw her sweet, puffy, little face; 2 years since I first heard her small cries; 2 years since we became a true family. Hard to remember life before her.
Another thought crossed my mind this birthday...it would be her last as an only child. It kind of made me sad, but mostly, it made me feel excited. I truly believe she will love having a younger sibling, especially a little sister. She points out kids and babies everywhere we go. She smiles, claps, and becomes all sorts of excited to see another little person her size. I know she will smother Adalaide with affection, and adore having "her" own baby. On to the next chapter: Lorelai + Adalaide. :) Happy Birthday my Sweets, we love you oh-so-much! ♥

M.LEWIS

Thankfulness

I do love the holidays, but they bring a level stress to any happy, festive person. Mainly: money. The budget will always take a break from its usual "buy only what you need" mentality. Don't get me wrong, we do spend money on some fun things; eating out, pretty throw pillows, or maybe just one more cute pair of shoes for Lorelai; but all in all, we are not spenders.
I am happy to buy people little gifts that show them I love them. I do love it when I give a gift that lights up someone face...but I love it even more when its joy have nothing to do with is fiscal worth. I have already started shopping. I enjoy getting it out of the way so I can really enjoy the weeks up to Christmas. Unfortunately, the bills do not wait until a better time.
It doesn't help that the shopping lists have to share $ with other adult expenses. Car insurance, medical bills, car registration, health insurance, HOA fee, utility bills, mortgage payments, and household repairs.
I will admit, I have been stressing about it. In reality, we are fine. I know this...deep down, I know this. We will not be scant, but we will be living with lower numbers in the accounts than I'd like. Nothing like an unexpectant expense to make this reality slap me in the face again.
Today, was one of those days. At the end of August, I had a sprinkler repair service come out to fix a leaky sprinkler head. While they were here, they found other issues, but we had them all fixed. Now, 3 more sprinkler heads are leaking. I called the company again and the earliest they can come out is next Tuesday. That's right, over a week out. This service will cost some more $ than I wanted, and the leaking water will show up on my water bill for sure. The stress was hitting me hard. I sent a grumpy text to Chris expressing my frustration. I then sat down and began to tally up all the money we still have to send out.
Then I saw something on my news feed. A story about the ongoing airstrikes in Israel and Gaza. I saw pictures of families carrying their dead children. A man, weeping, holding his 11 month old whose face was smeared with blood.
They had just lost their children, their world. I looked at the pictures with my eyes swelling with tears. "What if that was my child?" How horrible it must be to lose your son or daughter, especially when they are so young. You see their lifeless bodies, and they look like they are sleeping...but you know they are not. What they were on earth is now their forever state: angels. My heart goes out to each and every one over there holding their little loved ones wrapped in a burial flag.
This Thanksgiving week I am thankful for the same thing I was last year, and for all years to come: Lorelai. No matter what stresses I have in life, I have my baby girl...not to mention another one on the way. When life feels unfair or too overwhelming, I remind myself it is nothing compared to others' hardships. This also applies to the people who have lost their homes and family members in hurricane Sandy.
This Thanksgiving I have a warm house to sleep in, clean clothes for my family, a sweet girl who smiles and giggles at our puppy, a loving husband who works hard for all we need, and we are all healthy and happy. I would write 100 checks happily knowing I still have these things.
God knew what to do to put things in perspective, and I am thankful...oh, so very thankful.


M.LEWIS

Sicky LEL

It was 2:45 in the morning, I was stirring awake for some reason and I sighed at the time on the clock. It wasn't unusual for me to wake up in the middle of the night...especially when pregnant. A few moments after glancing at the clock I hear something no one wants to hear over the baby monitor. (Yes, my almost 2 yr old still sleeps with a baby monitor in her room.) Lorelai coughed a bit and then I hear a small gag...then...nothing.
I laid there thinking "Do I get up? Maybe she was just coughing." As I was contemplating my next move I hear her door open and her little feet shuffle across the hall into our room. This too was not unusual, but instead of letting her wake up Chris and climb into bed, I decided to be proactive and get up and go to her. I leaned over to brush the hair out of her face, my vision in the dark is quite poor, and wanted to see her as best I could to assess the reason for the suspicious sounds over the monitor.
My hand immediately recoiled once it touched her messy hair. I knew then what the sounds were all about. My little sweets had gotten sick.
This stomach bug is  quite odd and hard to predict. If you remember, Chris was sick last weekend with a stomach virus, and I thought once a day or two passed LEL and I were safe. Last night, in the early, early hours, we were working on 6 days since exposure to Chris and his illness. I was completely unprepared for it. It has to be related, but the time from exposure to the time of active illness is an unusually long amount of time. Again, Chris was not sick long, nor intensely; but of course, I rather not deal with it again. And why does the stomach bug always take over little bodies in the middle of the night? Lorelai has only gotten sick (in that way) twice, both of which were in her bed. That means everything must be stripped off and sterilized when you are half-awake and have about 3hrs of sleep in the bank. Of course, this time, LEL also had to be stripped down and placed in the bathtub. My poor girly. She was crying and just wanted to cuddle, but not until that lovely smell have been completely destroyed and her little body was as clean as it could be. It took about an hour to clean everything and get her beloved Lamby's in and out of the wash. She laid in bed watching Elmo, she was pretty much the sweetest little sicky ever.
Lights were out again around 4:15am...but little sleep was had by all. I was prepared to jump up at a moment's notice in case she got sick again and Lorelai had a terrible time sleeping due to being out of her element. Chris and Phoebe also had a tough time. LEL was taking up most of Chris' side of the bed...and the covers, and Phoebe had to share her snuggle spot with a toddler.
It has been about 7 hrs since this excursion began and she has been vomit free and fever free the whole time. This is encouraging. She had a few sips of water around 3:30am, then again at 7am, and once more at 9am. Still no food consumption, her call though.
I am praying for my little sweets to be strong and healthy. She already seems more herself. I also pray for my other girly, Adalaide. I sincerely hope I do not catch this bug for her sake. Not only would it be difficult to care for LEL while feeling so crummy, but I would be a mess wondering if the illness would be harming my little 21 week old still cookin'.

Keep healthy everyone out there! And drink some grape juice just to be safe! I know I did...can't hurt at this point ;)


M.LEWIS

My Politics...Of Sorts

I hate to make a political post...but yet, here I am. I promise to be quick and to the point.

Social media has made politics quite different from elections before. I know I am an adult when my friends (and myself) actually care about the election. What's hard for me though, is the rudeness that comes from this. It's not just little jabs at one side or another, it's insults attacking the very core of someone's beliefs.
I have shown little signs of who I voted for online, and I plan to keep it that way.
I don't care for my own friends' cruel words preaching their perceived superiority simply because they voted for the other candidate.
We praise the ability to speak our minds, to decide who leads this country, this process that makes America the greatest country in the world. We make it sound noble and honorable...then we log in on facebook and bully our own friends because their voice doesn't match ours. You know that saying "If you talk the talk, you got to walk the walk", well, I think you should apply it to politics. The fact that we are able to vote shows the government trusts us to be mature, knowledgeable, and responsible. That doesn't include the child-like bitterness that so many seem to express.
No election has been this close. The popular vote is almost split 50/50. Depending on where you get your information, Romney is ahead by a point or two. The electoral vote is different, and harder to predict, but Obama has the lead there. I know the electoral vote is the one that counts, it is the one that determines the next President, but I can't turn a blind eye to the fact that the country (at this point) is divided evenly. How can one declare they are "clearly" in the right, when you have the same amount of people thinking the same thing about their beliefs.
I guess my purpose of this post is this: please be respectful; please be tactful; please refrain from the urge to bash half the country...your thoughts are no better/no worse, just different. Please do not gloat if your candidate wins nor pout if your candidate loses; please remember to be mature, respectful, and gracious. This isn't a game of sport, this is the future of our country, this is our children's future...let's not have them read about this election and be ashamed of their parents' attitude and unwarranted words. We are not kids on the playground anymore, we are the voices that pave the way. Let's take this role seriously and all take the high road. I know I want the future generations to be proud of how the American people handled this election, and every election. I am doing my best to achieve this, are you?

This is as political as I'd like to be...online. ;) That is all.


M.LEWIS  

Illness, Halloween, and Miss Adalaide

The last few weeks have been busy. I had a bad cold a few weekends ago, being sick and pregnant is quite miserable. Luckily, the worst of my illness fell on a weekend when Chris was home to care for Lorelai.
Then came Halloween. We started off the day by going to my OB and getting a sonogram of our little baby #2. Bets were placed, the votes were in...it was pretty much divided 50/50. Girl or boy? As you all know by now, we are having another little girl!
Much deliberation went into her name. I would suggest a name, and Chris would dislike it. He would counter-offer with a different name, and I would dislike it. This has been going on since I was about 6 weeks along. And here we were, 20 weeks, and not much progress. There were names I liked, but I didn't know if I could picture calling my daughter by it. It needed to "flow" with Lorelai. I could not have a Lorelai and a Chloe. Even though I think Chloe is a cute name, it didn't match Lorelai. This concept was hard to explain to Chris. Finding a middle name was even more difficult. Just like the flow from one child's name to another, the first and middle name needed to blend together nicely. I wanted something elegant, something timeless. Not trendy, but not too...let's just say greek. (Chris likes some old names. :-P)
We had discussed many forms of a particular name, and after much thought, we decided. Adalaide Olivia Lewis. I am trying to get Lorelai to call her "baby Addy" for now. Adalaide is german, it means noble and serene. Olivia is latin and means peaceful. Olivia is on the popular side, but it has a nice ring to it, and I don't mind for a middle name...much like Lorelai Elizabeth. ;-)
I have a habit of referring to Lorelai as LEL online, due to her initials. I do not plan to refer to Adalaide as AOL though...for obvious reasons. I think I might use Addy from time to time. I still like their full names much better!

The rest of Halloween was pretty laid back. Lorelai did finally wear her cape without crying to make one cute Little Red Riding Hood. She only made it to about 6 or 7 houses before she got too uncomfortable and wanted to go home to play with the glow sticks. Her wand is a glow stick given to her by her Grandma (my mom). We also had mummy dogs, chips and queso, and a cheese ball. I think I was craving cheese when I went shopping for food. :-P

This past weekend Chris was sick. I still do not know what it was. He woke up Saturday with an uncomfortable tummy. He got sick a few times within a few hours and slept most of the day. He had an elevated temperature, and was congested with a sore throat. I think maybe he finally caught the cold I had a few weeks ago, but I do not understand the stomach bug. Maybe it was the congestion? Something he ate? Something else entirely? Who knows. I am just glad Lorelai and myself did not get sick...yet. I filled my time by entertaining LEL and doing some crafty stuff. I covered the lamp in LEL's "new" room with some pink chiffon scraps from Hobby Lobby. I am slowly moving in her things and setting up the room for Lorelai to move into after Christmas. I don't want her to feel "kicked out" so I want to transition her before it gets too close to Adalaide's arrival. I am also starting Adalaide's baby blanket. Nothing too fancy, stripes, but with many different stitches to keep track off.

Tomorrow we have someone coming to connect our gas logs up in our fireplace...it's only been a year. I look forward to it, and hope nothing goes wrong. This house has a way of tricking us with its perceived easiness...then it evolves into a mess. Fingers crossed.

We then have my sister-in-law's birthday next week (Happy Birthday Katya!), then Thanksgiving, another Dr. appt for me, then Lorelai's birthday, then a Dr. appt for her...then we should just have to worry about Christmas festivities; which I love ♥

Hope everyone else stays healthy and has a pleasant next couple of weeks!

M.LEWIS

Boy or Girl? Vote!

Hello friends!

To the right here, you should see a little poll. I am curious to see what you all might be thinking when it comes to the sex of our little #2. So, please, if you have a minute, vote! Since we are all in a voting mood and all. ;) I will share the results on Halloween, so stayed tuned!

M.LEWIS

Creating Little Red Riding Hood

So in my search to find something worth blogging about, I decided to share with you all my latest little project.

Lorelai is going to be Little Red Riding Hood for Halloween. I chose it for many reasons, but the main one is: all I need is a cape. I thought that would be easy. A lot of costumes come all in one set, but I just wasn't looking for too much extra stuff to keep. So once I searched and found out that any mini-sized cape would cost me easily $15-$20, I decided to make one myself.

I went with felt for fabric; it's cheap, requires no hemming, easy to cut, and will not be too hot or too chilly depending on the weather. I found a pattern at the store, but it was almost $15 by itself, so I went home and managed to find one online for free. You had to print it out and assemble it yourself. 14 pages worth. So, me being me, thought "I will just look at the tiny example on the screen and cut out my own on newspaper." It was a little tricky, but I made it work. Lorelai was not into modeling any sort of example I cut out, so a lot of it was done by "eyeing" it.
I cut out the pieces and my mom offered her sewing machine to sew the big pieces together, which much faster than hand-sewing it all. It had 5 main pieces. A large section for the back of the cape, 2 front panels for the cape and 2 pieces that form the hood. The large section and 2 panels were assembled together with the machine, along with connecting the 2 hood pieces. I would have to connect the hood to the cape by hand, but not before some serious nipping/tucking. The cape was a little too voluptuous for such a small body, so I had to take it in so it would not swallow my soon-to-be 2 year old. I decided to pleat the back and the sides so it wasn't too bulky on top, but still gave her plenty of room to move her arms. Pleating done by hand, then the hood attachment. I added some red ribbon for a tie, and tada, a cape! (And by "tada" I mean, 2 days of planning, 2 hrs of shopping/forming a pattern, and 2 hrs of assembly.) I now want to go get some lace to finish off the end, but that's only if I get some extra time.

I was not able to convince Lorelai to model it for pictures, so just imagine it on a little, feisty girl. I hope she will actually wear it on Halloween, something tells me if candy is involved she will tolerate it. ;)

Happy costume-planning!

M.LEWIS

Settling into Fall

I feel I have to blog every so often.
This pregnancy has made so disinterested in writing though. Maybe because it's nothing new now, maybe because when I have a free moment I want to sleep, maybe because I am just getting lazy, but not matter which reason, I have fallen down on the job.

I am 16 (almost 17) weeks pregnant now. We find out the gender on Halloween, so look out for that update. ;) I used to think I was having a boy, but mainly because I already have a girl. But now, I get the vibe it might be a girl. I still don't really have a clue, but I am leaning slightly more towards pink rather than blue lately.

I very much look forward to Halloween for the above reason, but also because it is my 2nd favorite holiday (after Christmas). I am trying to figure out Lorelai's costume choice. She is too young to care or have an opinion. She doesn't do well with headbands, and only likes to wear hats in 2 min intervals. She will rub off face paint, and will scream at any clothing that is unusual to her (i.e. tutus, tights). So, I need something that is relatively normal in the clothing department and requires few or no extra accessories. I think I have landed on Little Red Riding Hood. I already have a dress she can wear, and it would only need a cape to complete the look (along with a basket). She could also take Phoebe with her as "the big bad wolf." I am a little unsure on the cape, I think she might fuss...but if there are enough distractions, I think she will just think of it as a sweater and carry on. If I can find a cheap cape, I'll go with it.

I am also trying out a Pinterest project this year for decorations. Glow stick eyes in the bushes. I knew my little family could not go through enough toilet paper rolls in time, so I used an old soda can box and cut it up and taped them in cylinder shapes...same difference. Yes, that is Hello Kitty duct tape. I hope it looks cool. I won't really know until Halloween night, since I won't waste glow sticks...they were kind of hard to find cheap.

Changing topics a bit, Phoebe has had some medical issues lately. Eye ulcers. The term alone makes me cringe. She has needed eye drops every 2 hrs for almost a week. Tomorrow evening should mark the end of the treatment. I plan to take her into the vet on Monday to make sure everything has healed. My check book doesn't not want to take her in, but I know it's for her health, and that's important. I had to pay a portion of my own medical bills this week...not a fan. But what can you do? Baby needs to be healthy too! I just pray LEL is not next on the pattern.
By the way, LEL broke from her terrible pickiness and actually most of a hamburger! I know, I know "a hamburger?! That's so unhealthy!" Well, shut it. It is a small miracle that she even tried it, and an even bigger one that she almost finished it. She ate meat. That is huge for her. So judge away, I know I'm in the right. Of course, she is still a long way away from being open-minded about food, but I will take what I can get!

One last side note: This weekend is going to have some seriously cooler weather, and I am so excited. I want soup in a bread bowl. That sounds amazing. :)

I will try to update more often, but you know how that goes...until next time!


M.LEWIS

14 Weeks and Counting

Sorry I have been MIA for a little while. Nothing too exciting over here lately. We did attend a family wedding in Boerne, TX; so that involved a little over-night trip...but other than that we have been pretty consistent in our daily schedules.

I am now 14 weeks pregnant, and starting to look pregnant...at least I hope I look pregnant and not fat. Hard to tell at this point. All the lovely changes that happen with pregnancy are starting to settle in...most of which are uncomfortable at this point. The weather being in between summer and fall make outfits interesting, especially because I get hot when I'm pregnant. Hot, sweaty, and hate the maternity pants that stretch up over your stomach...which makes me even more hot and sweaty. Ick. I've tried the "under the belly" style but I have absolutely no hips to keep them up. Quite frustrating really.
I have a bit more energy but it comes in spurts and then quickly fades by 7pm. I love my girly, but bedtime is my new favorite time of day lately. Today I was able to fit in 2 loads of laundry and start soup in the crockpot while she napped, so I am grateful for that energy spurt.
My feet are very warm lately. I remember this from LEL's pregnancy...pretty interesting since I usually have ice cold feet. I suppose it's all that extra blood coursing through my veins.
Sleeping has become a little awkward, but I know it will get far worse before it gets better.
No crazy cravings, just peach bubble tea one time, and potatoes in general...but I always love potatoes. I don't have much of a sweet tooth though, which is good for weight gain. Today I did bend the "rules" a bit and had some caffeine though. I had a terrible headache that did not subside with Tylenol so I thought a small amount of caffeine might help constrict my blood vessels enough to ease the pain. Coincidence or not, my headache is better...so I'm happy.

I think that covers my baby#2 development thus far.

Other than that, LEL is good, Chris is good, Phoebe is good, and my fall decorations are out (even bought pumpkins for outside) and life is going pretty well. I hope I didn't just jinx anything. ;)


M.LEWIS  

Life Update...The Uneventful Edition

Things have been pretty slow around here lately, which is a good thing. Chris' friend (and best man) visited us last weekend from Seattle. I think we may have disappointed him a bit in "everything Texan" department, but I am pretty sure he enjoyed the visit none the less.

I am 10 (going on 11) weeks pregnant now and I feel good most of the time. The evenings are the worst. I feel a little nauseous, but it feel more like my gag reflex is incredibly sensitive. It's hard to describe really; but every evening, about an hour after eating dinner, anything could make gag. Seriously, just thinking about gagging could make me run to the couch and cover my mouth. A few nights ago, Chris decided to eat a banana in bed (I don't know why) and that was disgusting to me. Even reading to Lorelai before bed makes me uneasy...too many words at once could set me off. It's an interesting and annoying symptom I hope to conquer soon. I am thankful for the few and manageable symptoms; the gagging and the fatigue are my only issues. I can't wear any sort of form-fitting clothes now without being incredibly uncomfortable. It is true what they say, so show a lot faster after your first...at least for me. Maternity clothes are still way too big so I am in a weird limbo with my wardrobe. I do look forward to jeans, jackets, and hoodies this fall and winter. With Lorelai, it was warm outside the entire time I was pregnant. March-November. Even the ride home from the hospital was warm...on December 3rd. Sweating in pants that reach up to your bra is the most unpleasant daily routine. I do wish for a break this fall and winter this time around.

Lorelai is talking more, though I am pretty sure I can decode her words the best...and even then I don't know what she is trying to say two thirds of the time. The main words are: blue, juice, oh no, teeth, no, "Be" (Pheobe), bye, "low" (hello), Mom, "nana" (banana), Dad, "Ma" (Grandma), "Nuh" (Hannah), purple, please, dog, "key" (kitty), baby, "chu" (thank you), peepee, rain, pew, "pup pup" (puppy), pink, feet, waffle, "me" (lamby). There are more, but you get the idea.
She is still the pickiest eater ever. Chicken nuggets (NOT tenders, strips, or grilled chicken, JUST nuggets), fries, yogurt (one of her healthier picks), bananas (only fresh fruit she'll eat), toaster waffles, popcorn, quesdillas, pancakes, cookies, refried beans, peanut butter, cheese, and bread. She'll try most snack foods, but the kid will not try mac n' cheese, watermelon, apple sauce, corn, pasta, mashed potatoes, ground beef, and well...anything really. I will force her out of this if she doesn't grow out of it...but I need her to understand the concept of "eat this or _insert threat here_." She does drink milk well and I have a pedialyte-like drink for her along with vitamin cereal bars she takes pretty well. But I look forward to the day when I have I don't have to make separate dinners or worry about "what the heck is she going to eat?!" when we go anywhere.

Phoebe is Phoebe. She has regressed on her potty-training lately. That's annoying and weird. I kind of blame myself. I don't let her out the 25 times a day she wants because of the heat, mosquitoes, and her allergies. I still give her plenty of opportunities, but she does not do well in time-management apparently. :P

Chris is well, things at his job are going pretty smooth for the most part and he has some exciting opportunities coming up; so think good thoughts for him :)

The house projects have slowed down since we tackled the bathroom (which we love). I believe they will ramp back up after Christmas/New Year's when we move Lorelai out of the nursery and have to rearrange some of our junk. ;)

So that's life as of late. We have a family wedding coming up soon, which we are looking forward to; along with "Noni's" birthday. Then we have my favorite time, FALL...which includes cool weather, Halloween, and Lorelai's 2nd birthday. I can hardly wait.

Until next time!


M.LEWIS

The Master Bathroom Reveal

I could go step by step and explain everything I did, all the little hiccups, all the extra work...but who wants to read that when you can post a couple of pictures? That, and I am tired, and do not feel like writing too much. ;)

Here is our new master bathroom. (Minus the over-the-toilet cabinet and new towels.)

My inspiration

Before

Before

After

After

After

New light fixture

New shelves

New tile

New mirrors

New faucets

So...tada! We love it. :D

M.LEWIS