Cravings

I'm having the cravings of a 4-year-old. Yesterday it was french fries and ranch dressing (ok, so maybe that one is more like Benjie than a 4 year old...). Today it was macaroni and cheese with cut-up hot dogs. A candy bar earlier this week. Doughnuts (which my brother supplied without knowing when he and my sister-in-law moved out...although I don't think that one stayed put too long). And the thought of coffee basically disgusts me most days. oh, to be pregnant and hungry. This is NOT normal. Except for the fries part...but that usually goes with some Cukoos' wings. (MMmmmmm...Cukoos'...) And I'm proud to say, with the exception of the mac n' cheese with hot dogs, I've restrained myself and dodged most of the craving minefields. (And I did make the mac myself....couldn't quite bring myself to feed my pregnant body (or my son) all that processed cheesy goodness that comes in the blue box) What is it about pregnancy that makes us (or at least me!) want to eat anything and everything we usually wouldn't? I didn't really do the craving thing too often with Pax. With my first, I mostly craved hot sauce and chocolate. So normal for me, except I wanted to drink buckets of salsa...with the occasional burger thrown in. This one...AHHHH!! most days I want to avoid all "healthy" food (salads, fruit, etc.) and simply eat nachos with the occasional doughnut thrown in (or on top, whatever). I feel like I'm constantly fighting with this little 4-year old inside me : " EWWWwwww. Why do I have to eat that?? I don't LIKE tomatoes (or spinach, or sweet potatoes...you get the idea.) I want mac n' cheese!! yea, mac n' cheese with HOT DOGS!!" "You can have mac n' cheese, but you have to eat this salad first. You'll love it, just try it!" "EWWWWW!! Noooooo!" "Eat it, or no mac n' cheese!" (pouting)...."FINE. EWWW...this is so gonna make me sick!! (drama, drama drama)".
Not that I would actually ever HAVE that discussion with my child...he would just eat or wait till next time. But. A pregnant woman cannot skip a meal, especially a raveneously hungry one deep in her second trimester...Adam asked me the other day if I ever felt like all we did was eat. Yup. Especially right now. But is that a bad thing?? So much good food...so few weeks until eating turns into grazing because this kiddo is taking up too much room...if I can only dance carefully around this minefield, only setting off the SMALL ones, OCCASIONALLY--I am not one of those genetically blessed pregnant women who gane 25 pounds no matter what I eat. Willpower...another tricky concept when you're deep in the second trimester...anyone got a slice of cheesecake??

Potty time!

Some proof that potty training is TRULY happening...woohoo!! Adam took pax to the potty last night after dinner, and took some pictures of the big event, as well...

Hmmmm....this book looks perfect for potty time....is that Ernie??

It IS Ernie! I loooove reading on the potty!

Yes, we like to take embarrasing pictures of our son. It's all part of being a parent in the digital era...on the preggo side of things, Monday was my last day running with this little peanut. I was hoping to make it to 6 months, but it's just getting toooo uncomfortable. I don't know how women run into their 7th and 8th months! I'm pretty glad I made it this far...with Pax, I was so sick the first 4 months I was lucky if I did ANY sort of exercise. By the time I was feeling better, I'd lost so much cardiovascular strength...well, let's just say that I did the best I could. I was really enjoying running with this one...but biking and swimming will have to take over instead. How do the superwomen do it??? 17 weeks...not too bad, I suppose. Adam starts school the 24th, I start daycare next week for 2 little girls...we've had all this time, and now everthing seems to be coming up super fast! crazy!

Summer travels

At my little cousin's swimmeet: Jake, Pax, and Adam (the scene of Pax's first potty triumph!)

Yes, he got in the dog crate by himself....and no, we didn't let him sleep there :) or rather, the dog wouldn't let him...
Since we had...well, lots of time to do whatever we wanted this summer for probably the last time in a loooooong time, plus a kid who still flies for free (for 2 more months!) we made some last minute plans to do a little travelin'. A blessing in disguise, this no-job thing! The thought was that we could either stay in Ft. Collins and do....regular stuff, or we could take the opportunity to see some friends and family that we probably won't see again for a long time. D-town was our first stop, the only one that had been planned for longer than a week, for a family friend's wedding. The great thing about that was, of course, that we also got to see all of Adam's family, as well as some of our friends who were either at the wedding or in town. We got to watch the fireworks with our friends the Onions, and both Pax and their little girl (who is about 5 months old) LOVED them. Every time there was a lull, Pax quickly asked for "more!"The Smiley family: My cousin Janell, her husband Dennis, and their boys Jake and Joe.

Then it was home for a day to do laundry before taking off to see my cousins in California, which consisted of some In-N-Out Burger, a lot of pool time, and the beach. Oh yes, and the MONUMENTAL EVENT : Pax decided ( of his own accord, I swear!) he wanted to go potty on the big potty!! So wWe have officially begun the long road to potty training. He thinks it's pretty cool, so far, luckily...I'm praying that he will keep doing well and be fully trained (or at least close!) by the time the little peanut gets here. I'd LOVE to only have one in diapers! I know it's a big dream, but....The Waters family in San Fran- Ella, Seth, Maria, Ian and Levi (no I don't know which is which) and the travelin' Blegers.

We also got to stop by the Waters' house in South San Francisco for a quick lunch, which was great- we miss these fellow ex-River Church-staff friends!-and loved hearing about how well everything is going for their church plant out there. Pretty much Seth was glowing. I mean, the guy is almost always happy, but you could tell he was in his element. Pax and Ella closed themself in the potty while he "helped" her go potty by putting toilet paper in the toilet...it was good times for all. After another quick day home, we headed to Huston to see our friends the Husemans. Again, a fun, hot, HUMID time of helping them get settled in their new house and watcing kiddos play. Can I just say one thing? I HATE flying when I'm pregnant. Those little doggie bags? Yup. Used 3 of them. At least it was me and not Pax. I'm officially 15 weeks today, and finally starting to feel better on a consistant basis-woohoo! It's been a crazy, fun whirlwind of traveling .... but I'm ready to start settling in to the new "normal", whatever that ends up being. Adam starts school the 24th, I start doing some in-home daycare the 17th, and already had some tutoring going on. God constantly takes care of us, in all things and in some very cool ways- but that's a post for another day :)

Thankful Thursday

it's been....awhile since I've found the time to post on a Thursday! I have so much I am thankful for...just no time to tell all of you about it :) But tonight, since my bro is making dinner (pizza!), my husband and dad are entertaining little boys, and I have a free moment...ta da! The return of Thankful Thursdays!
...I am so thankful for my camera. It's fun, it lets me do cool things, and now God is using it to provide a little for our family...a literal dream-come-true!

....for the blessing-in-disguise of Adam not finding work yet. We get to go out to California for a week to see family, and hopefully the Waters family, too!

....for cars with air-conditioning. Makes the 7 hour drive to Durango tommorow MUCH more appealing :)

...For my nephew, Ayden, and the chance to have him visit for 2 weeks. We don't get to see him enough...and Pax ADORES his big-boy cousin! they've had soooo much fun together!

...for cool, free, kiddo waterparks. They're everywhere up here, and did I mention they're FREE?? hours of fun on hot days!

....Just had to add this picture. Yes, that's my son, asleep under a picnic table. He fell asleep in the car and stayed this way for at least an hour...for those of you who know my son and his sleeping habits, yes, we were shocked. Adam actually looked at him after I put him down and asked, "Where's our kid?"

...for God's constant provision in our lives. I love it...it never looks like we think it will, but it always shows up!