Back and Forth

For this pregnancy (as with Levi), we chose to keep the baby's gender a surprise until it was born.

Until about a month ago, Matt thought that it was going to be a girl - to the point of shushing me whenever I suggested it was a boy. My gut feeling was that it was going to be another boy. Levi was siding with Matt and would tell us that he was going to have a little sister.

Then just about the time I started thinking that maybe it could be a girl, Matt told me that, although he would like a girl, his gut feeling was that it was a boy. Levi also changed his mind right about then and started saying that "Henry has a little sister, I'm gonna have a little brother"!

It seems that the only sure thing about the baby's gender is that it will be a surprise for all of us! Oh, except for the other sure thing - according to Levi - the baby's name (boy or girl): Clifford the Big Red Dog.

So, what do you think? Place your vote in our new baby poll (right-hand margin)...it is the voting season, after all!

Second Time Around

When I was pregnant for Levi, on any given day I could have told you how many weeks, days and probably hours until I was due.

This time around, I've been relying on those annoying political ads to tell me how many days until the election and then adding two to get to my due date!

It isn't that I'm not looking forward to the birth of our second child, it just seems that life is a bit busier now with Levi and trying to prepare for number 2. Thankfully, we are getting close to being ready for the new baby: the new nursery is all set up (complete with a dimmer switch and closet rods/shelves), the car seat base made it's way into the van again, the baby book is purchased as well as pink and blue outfits for the baby, and the mini-suitcases are out of the basement and at least have lists of what they should contain for the hospital and Levi's stay at Grandpa & Grammy's house.

Now if we could only get over our colds and stay healthy - then we might be ready!

p.s. 21 days till my due date, in case you were wondering!

6 Years

It seems like it was just yesterday...


...but look at us now!

Happy Anniversary, Matt!

Thanks for 6 wonderful, adventure-filled years of love and faithfulness!

Then & Now

I'm not a huge fan of having my picture taken - especially posed pictures of just me - so I didn't document either of my pregnancies with the monthly baby bump pictures. On occasion, I have let Matt take a picture (a "fun" time for all involved, believe me), so I can look back someday and see what I looked like pregnant.

Last Saturday was the 1st baby bump photoshoot for baby #2. I went back and found a picture from when I was pregnant with Levi at about the same point. See what you think...


Levi - Day 233

Baby #2 - Day 219

Perhaps I'll have to haul out the overworn pink shirt and take a picture for a better comparison!

Totally Tuckered Out!

This morning started out too early (in my opinion) with Levi screaming for me from his crib. Then, since we were trying to get out the door at a set time, I relied too heavily on the TV so I could get us ready to go. On top of that, the weather was still somewhat cloudy and dreary this morning. All of that combined made for a very whiny, tearful little boy by the time we made it back home around noon.

When I reached the point where I couldn't take the whining and crying anymore, I brought Levi to his rocking chair and told him that he could come out of his room when he was done crying and whining. I left the room and continued making lunch. After about 10 minutes, I realized that it was really quiet in the room down the hall, which normally isn't a good thing! Today, however, this is what I found when I reached Levi's doorway:

I debated about just leaving him in the chair for his nap, but decided to move him to the crib and was totally unsuccessful. Then I feared that those 10 minutes were going to be his only nap for the day, but thankfully he went back to sleep after lunch and he's been down for an hour and counting...