This Morning, This Moment

Those are my girls right there!

I made myself take a photo of this little moment, even though they were cold and they're standing there a little awkward. This is one of a million little moments in life that I want to remember. New habits forming, the bond between them growing a little stronger every day.

Normally, I carry Rhealen out to the car, help Sidney load up and we're off for the day. But little miss independent has recently decided she wants to go out the back door by herself and walk all the way to the car - Sidney being the "mother hen" she is can't help but fuss over her little sister. So they have a routine of helping each other and holding hands; it's literally just about the sweetest little thing!

It's something that doesn't seem like much, and it probably isn't to anyone else, but to this momma - it's heart melting!

31.

31 weeks! 

I'm stuck in that lull between really pregnant and really not quite done being pregnant. The end is so near yet so freaking far away. I'm convinced January 31st is never coming, but I also can't believe we're days away from December 1st. Call it pregnancy crazy, but math is a total bitch when you're gestating. 

So, thirty-one weeks, and I feel fine. Really, I do! For the most part. My back aches and my bladder is never going to recover and I have hot-flashes like no one's business, but it's all a part of the joy of creating life. I'm going to miss these days sooner rather than later, because as much as I may whine about it from time to time, I really do enjoy being pregnant. 

Baby boy is doing good, as far as I can tell. He's a regular mover and shaker - not to the excess Rhealen was but not so docile as Sidney was. Somewhere in the middle, I'd say (let's hope he has the middle ground traits of their personalities, too!). He remains nameless, and I've come to terms with the fact that he'll probably remain nameless until sometime after he arrives. I think Justin is waiting to get a look at him before deciding on a moniker, which I know is a totally common practice among a lot of people, it's just not my personal style per se. I/we named the girls pretty much the moment we found out they were, indeed, girls. 

And speaking of doing things differently than with the girls, we are such total typical "third time" parents. We have nothing ready for this poor kid - no crib set up, no clothes ready, no bottles or anything. We have a carseat waiting to be picked up, washed and installed. We have some blankets and bibs and a few outfits for him when he's bigger (thanks to anyone who has or plans to gift us 'hand-me-downs'!), but that's it. My grand-parents sent us a sweet little outfit a few months ago, and I think we'll use it as his "going home" outfit. But other than that, I feel so unprepared. And yet, totally calm about it. We'll stop by the store on the way home from the hospital if need be.

Really, you don't need that much for a newborn. They don't care if they come home to a fully decorated nursery or not. They don't care if your swing and carseat and bouncy-chair all match. They don't care what brand bottles you use; they care about bottles even less if you're popping a boob in their mouth! And they especially don't care what they wear as long as it's warm and cozy.

And I've gotten totally side-tracked here! Point made: I'm 31 weeks today, and all is well! 

Sometimes it's fun just to "window shop" online and put together some frivilous wants. I keep saying I'm going to make my first official Asos purchase one of these days (soon!) but I haven't yet. They've got such pretty stuff (for ladies of all shapes and sizes) and decent prices: bonus, they usually have some great sale items! One of these days, one of these days...

All items from Asos

TT #25

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Ha-ha. I think "no shit!" is my favorite :)

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I think by now, the majority of people out there have jumped on the "Caryl" bandwagon - everyone knows it should happen, needs to happen, is going to happen, it's just a matter of when. Sunday night's episode wasn't all I'd dreamed it be, but we've still got half a season left. I'm just worried that one or both of these lovely characters might not make it.

And speaking of the Caryl bandwagon, I was so excited when @WalkingDead_AMC re-tweeted me Sunday evening; I've had some great conversations on Twitter the past two days with all of you awesome Caryl-shippers like me! Thanks for making my day, AMC!

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What wonderful words of wisdom!

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Currently

I'm trying to squeeze in one more book before the end of the year! I started out with a bang, reading like wildfire, but I've definitely slacked the last few months.

Loving: The hustle and bustle of the Christmas season approaching! Now that Thanksgiving is over, I can officially get into the "Christmas spirit"! We put up our tree over the long weekend and listened to lots of holiday tunes - the house felt warm and wonderful! I swear, it's ten times more fun having children going through the holiday seasons than it ever was being a kid! 

Watching: More episodes of Spongebob Squarepants than should be legal - of all the cartoons in the world, Rhealen has fallen in love with the yellow fellow. It's adorable in a way and then totally mind-boggling in another; at least it's more tolerable than Dora or The Wonder Pets.

Thinking about: How incredibly lucky I am, how happy I feel overall right now. There are times when I feel kind of mediocre and stale in my day-to-day life. But right now, I feel good. Excited for the holidays, excited for time with family, excited for baby boy's arrival. There's a buzz in the air and in my heart right now, and though it might change tomorrow, I'm appreciating that today is a good day. 

Anticipating: Everything the next two months will bring :)  

Listening to: Christmas music, of course! My favorite song? "Step Into Christmas" - Elton John

Working on: Doing more with the girls and really soaking up these last few weeks of "just us girls". Justin always greets us with a "hey girls!" or a "how are you girls?" but pretty soon, "the girls" will become "the kids". I've spent a lot of time trying to enjoy Rhealen as my baby and really appreciate just how big my big girl Sidney is. 

Wishing: For a safe, wonderful, magical holiday season for the girls. We've made ornaments, and this weekend we're going to work on letters to Santa. 'Tis the season! 

Currently series inspired by Danielle. 

Giving Thanks and Thinking Things Through

The holiday season is upon us - family, food, shopping and more. I'm sure most of you have little or big plans to spend Thanksgiving with your loved ones, and if your family is anything like mine, we'll begin our Christmas decorating at some point this weekend. (Sidney has been asking for two weeks to start decorating, and I've made her wait 'til at least the day after turkey day!) 

I have many things to be thankful for this year, as I do every year, and while I'm sure I could go on and on about each individual thing, I won't. Just know I'm blessed and lucky and grateful and so painfully aware of just how wonderful I have things, even at the darkest times in my life. That fact is not lost on me, although I do tend to wallow in self-pity from time to time, I am always making an effort to be present in my blessings and be thankful for each thing, small and large. 

I'm working on disengaging some things in my life (my internet addiction is a top priority), so you may notice things get a little quiet over here for a few days. I plan to "unplug" this weekend and do my best not to over-share. I'm not going to live-update this holiday season with endless Facebook, Twitter or Instagram posts. I need to let go and work more to be "in the moment" with my loved ones. Face-to-face is becoming more and more important to me, so I really want to tackle this hurdle and scale back a little. We'll see how it goes...

I wish all of you a very happy and safe Thanksgiving weekend. I hope your bellies and hearts will be filled! 

TT #24

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Excuse me, but I'm about to use all the CAPS and !!!! left in the world :) Did you see TWD Sunday, DID YOU?! I managed to hurl my self up off of the couch in a completely mental fan-girl position, full on squealing and clapping - I know my husband thinks I'm mental. BUT IT HAPPENED! I said it would, and it did! And I've never been happier - I cannot, CANNOT wait until this Sunday to see what sweetness unfolds. Daryl found his Carol! 

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Justin is a little burnt out from watching Forrest Gump one too many times, but it's my firm belief there's no such thing as too many times. For me, it's the ultimate movie - I laugh, I cry, I feel horrible, I feel wonderful.  A million and one life lessons rolled into one perfectly executed movie. 

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I think that's about right, wouldn't you say?

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Guilty, I admit. 

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Justin and I were just talking about Gameboys the other day- with all the new tech stuff that's came out recently (when did the PSP become the Vita?) and how we both miss the good ole, "big as a videocassette  Gameboy. Fun times. 

Let's Have a Good Weekend, Shall We?

It's Friday! And despite the long, stressful, sick week I've had - I'm in a good mood. Happy and (on the road to being) healthy and looking forward to a mostly warm, mild weekend. Family, friends, and lots of food in my future.

Let's enjoy some of my favorite dancing/music scenes, shall we?

Five Little Things

Just an incomplete, rambling little list of things I'd like to enjoy before the big baby day gets here late January: 

1. A haircut - I've let my hair just grow this entire pregnancy with no trims, no changes, nothing. I don't necessarily want to cut any length off (because I have a wedding to partake in come June!), but I feel like I need/deserve a little vavavoom in the hair department sometime soon. 

2. New bras - I'm the kind of gal who wears her bras 'til they're hanging on by strings and not much else. The straps can shred, the underwire can pop out - I'm still wearing 'em. I realize this is probably the least flattering thing I can do style-wise, and it's probably not very beneficial to my back to haul around these girls with such minimal support, but hey! what's a girl to do? (Hint: go buy some new bras, dammit!) 

3. Mani/pedi - Let me go ahead and admit, I've never had a pedicure. My poor, pitiful, abused little feet. They've never been treated with the same regard as my hands; which isn't saying a whole lot, because my hands are just about as abused as my feet. Still, I'd like to have one or both of these pamperings before the boy gets here. 

4. Movie date - I'll go with my husband, my Mom, my best friends, anyone! I haven't been to the theaters since March, I believe, and I probably won't go for awhile next year either. It'd be nice to sit down and enjoy a pound of popcorn and a gallon of soda in front of the big screen! One last movie theater hurrah! 

5. Weekend getaway - I realize this one is far-fetched, and I really don't see it happening for me and Justin at this point; still, this is my highly fantasized list of wants and desires, so I'm going to go all-out. I'd love it if Justin and I could escape for a weekend, just the two of us. Somewhere close, somewhere without the kids, somewhere for two days away from home. Between his work schedule, the girls and my restricted traveling (plus that thing called a "family budget") I can't foresee this happening, but a pregnant girl can dream! 

And there you have it, five little things I'd like to have happen before baby boy makes his arrival in just two short months! I'm not asking for a lot here (at least I don't think so), and hint hint most of these items can totally be gift-cards -> Christmas gifts for me, if anyone in my family/friends circle would be so inclined! 

Unfriend, Unfollow Happily

Lately I've been all about "cleaning house".**

I'm careful to watch my Twitter stream, and when a name pops up that I don't interact with much or really feel much interest in following anymore, I delete. While browsing my Facebook I've started "unfriend"ing people more confidently; my question I ask myself is, "When I see this person in public, do we speak or act friendly?" If the answer is no, or that I never see them in public (with the exception of family/friends that live far away), I hit "unfriend" and move on.

I've un-followed and un-"liked" celebrities  photographers, everything on Facebook that pops up unwanted in my stream. Those friends/distant family members I don't want to delete, I simply hide their activity.

I stop following useless Tumblr sites, and blessedly, I recently figured out how to un-follow a ton of blogs that were taking up room in my reader list but never in my mind/heart. I am ALL about decluttering my online life at the moment (let's chalk it up to nesting) and believe me, it feels so good.

I can't believe how much it bogs me down to be following so much activity all the time; I'm all for connection and interacting with the world around me (online) in a global way, but I find myself craving boundaries. Limitless does not equal happiness for me. The more I purge, the better I feel.

I like to think of the internet as a crowded room - it's nice to have a diverse group of different people talking and sharing ideas, but if you get too many people in there at once, it all bogs down and all you hear is the hum of static noise. You have to clear out the space a little to hear the voices around you; the voices that really matter to you and the ones who make you thankful for such a wonderful thing like the world wide web.


**Cleaning house online, mind you. I'm sure my husband would disagree that I've been as enthusiastic about this process around the house.

TT #23

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Y'all are familiar with Tardar Sauce aka The Grump Cat right? Google it, it will turn your bad day around. 

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It's a habit of mine to watch awesomely bad (and good) pregnancy-themed movies while baking my own kids. Last night's choice? She's Having a Baby (Kevin Bacon in those little undies makes me giggle every time!) 

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Let's just take a moment to appreciate the glory that is Daryl Dixon/Norman Reedus... *le sigh*

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Exactly. 

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Bill Hader "breaking" on SNL has to be the funniest thing ever; I have such a soft spot for him! 

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It's only funny 'cause it's totally true. 

I know it's only been a couple of weeks since I posted a "sleeping babies" photo, but here I am, doing it again. These moments of peacefulness and adorableness co-existing are few and far between at times, so I like to capture them while I can. 

I savor these moments and recall them fondly when I'm trying to cook supper while the big kid is running laps through the house (clothing-optional at times) and the little one is screaming at me to pick her up so she can play with the pot of boiling noodles - I swear I'm never so happy as to see Justin walk through the door (although I can only imagine what it's like to walk into this madness every evening!) 

Life with two, shew! Life with three? God help me. 

Currently

My pretty girl - it's been fun talking about the election process with her and discussing candidates, although I hate that she's already given in to peer pressure twice and changed her mind based on what other kids in her class told her :)

Loving: The results of last night's election - I headed to bed when the critical swing states were still being tallied, but during one of my many nightly "pee trips" I checked CNN and saw that Virginia and Ohio were both blue, and Obama had clenched the electoral votes needed. Such an amazing moment in our history, and I cannot wait to see how far we can go in the next four years! 

Watching: The Walking Dead as faithfully as a human possibly can - I just have to keep reminding myself "it's just a TV show"! 

Thinking about: Baby boy names, all the time. Still nothing. 

Anticipating: Thanksgiving with the families - I'm so lucky to have such an amazing family around me and to be so close to my in-laws. The holidays help remind me that family truly is everything in life, and I'm so grateful to be a part of my heritage, my family's living story. 

Listening to: Tyrone Davis - Turn Back The Hands of Time (best song ever at the moment!) 

Working on: Being positive, keeping my opinions to myself, or at least sharing them in a positive way, and accepting others for their different beliefs and values. This election has really brought out the best and worst of people, as elections are apt to do, and I have a knee-jerk reaction to jump in on the social media blasting, but I try to always stop myself. Everyone has an opinion, everyone has a right to share their opinion, and while I hate seeing my news-feeds flooded with opinions that are far different than my own, I'm doing my best to stay neutral. I don't mind discussing my beliefs or the issues, but I'd much rather do it face-to-face with people than hide behind my computer screen where it's so much easier to be brave. 

Wishing: For a better tomorrow, always. 

Currently series inspired by Danielle. 

TT #22

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Not sure where the original source site for this story is, but I'm really hoping this is a rumor that ends up being true! How amazing would/could this be? 

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How stinking cute is a little Leo?! 

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No, Glen, you can't. I can't believe Sunday's episode, it tugged at my heart so much and somehow made me furious at the same time. This season is a nail-biter! Also, I have many theories as to how this will all play out (I'm really thinking/hoping Lori isn't dead and Carol somehow found her and saved her and there'll be a big reunion later on the season! Maybe?! Please?!)

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That one time when Catwoman stomped Captain Kirk's foot while Mary Poppins and Gimli looked on. Yeah, that happened.

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I hope my kids are this resourceful in life, this happy and this determined to have fun (or make their own) when life gets too heavy.

Sidney Morgan 5.2, Rhealen Jo 1.5

These girls are so amazing, each day is honestly more fun than the last. Sidney is such a sponge, she asks a hundred questions a day and is so interested in learning about the world around her and the way things work. 

We've talked a lot lately about the election, what it means to serve our country in the military, why it's important to donate old clothes and toys to those less fortunate, and why it's not okay to be mean to your little sister just because "you feel like it". 

She's an emotional one, a physical little being who enjoys connection with others - holding hands, cuddles, kisses. She cries at the sad parts of silly movies (like at the end of Monsters, Inc.) and can be hard to handle when her emotional tempers flare. Her Daddy and I are in a constant state of learning with her, how to deal with all these newly expressed "girly" emotions. Being the dad of daughters is a gift that may come easily to some men, but my husband has to work at it (and even though I'm a woman, I still have to find my balance, too, I admit!)  - he has to remind himself it's a different ballgame and we girls, Sidney especially, internalize things differently. 

My, oh my, it's going to be interesting to see the teenage years play out. 

Rhealen is our tiny spunk, the fireball that keeps us all lit - she has boundless energy and such a desire to explore her surroundings, create and destroy. She is much more of a homebody than Sidney, but that's just her way - has been since the beginning. 

RJ has developed a love for Spongebob, which is hilariously funny to watch - she gets the biggest gap-toothed grin on her face when the opening sequence plays (the talking fish is her favorite part)! She has a tendency to get the giggles and laugh uncontrollably for no apparent reason. Whatever it is, it's funny to her! Apparently she has a lot of her own "inside jokes". 

This girl is very defensive of her special blankets (luckily we have three of the same material, all different patterns) and her momma - it's going to be interesting to see how well she adjusts when baby brother gets here and attention is divided by three instead of two. 

We are a very lucky family to have these two girls, silly and sweet and rotten and wild as they may be sometimes. I can't imagine having two better little ladies to spend my days with!