36 weeks and a baby shower

Beautiful diaper cake by Paulina

Hot Chocolate Bar

Kelly, Liz, Me, Paulina

36 weeks

36 weeks and 70% effaced already! I hope this means that things are progressing faster than they did with Claire. I'd love baby to stay in and get fatter but I also want her out before February 24th!! She seems pretty big in there already and she is so low I can hardly walk for very long! It's crazy! I don't remember being quite to uncomfortable at this point in my first pregnancy. Guess my lazy muscles aren't doing the job like before!

I had an awesome baby shower with all my buds. I feel so blessed and lucky to have made some really sweet girl friends here in Arizona. I would have never thought 4 years ago when we moved here that I would have a gathering like this with all new friends. It's amazing! The theme was owls and I love love love owl decor! Aren't they adorable!!? And can you say Hot Chocolate Bar!!! So yummy! Special thanks to Liz, Paulina, and Kelly for throwing me a party to remember!

Sleepover

Claire had a sleep over at her Uncle Tom and Tia's house last Friday night. This picture just cracks me up of the dog, Cristy, in Claire's umbrella stroller! HA! They took the "girls" to the park Saturday morning and of course Claire has her train, Percy, and her apple juice. Her most prized possessions. Notice her hair too...no one wants to tackle brushing that curly hair! LOL! Eric and I enjoyed our night off. We went to dinner at Outback and just stuffed ourselves. I was so uncomfortable when we left I needed a gurney to get out of there! Still it was nice to be alone. We won't have that for much longer! We actually watched Avatar finally. Are we the last people on the planet to see this movie? I think so!

36 weeks today and I finally hit that place where I am "over it"! Just yesterday I said the words out loud. I am scared to say that and bring home a newborn all over again but I am over being pregnant! I feel good overall but laying down and getting up or turning over at night hurt way more than I can ever remember with Claire. This girl is LOW! I am up every 2 hours like clockwork to pee. I am very aware though that I am more rested now than I will ever be in a few weeks. I wonder if she'll show us her face before February 24th or if she'll pull a Claire and come out later! I can't wait to find out!

TRAINS!!

Have I mentioned how into Thomas the Train Claire is?? Not your typical girly girl stuff but Claire has never been girly girl since day one. And you know what? I love that about her! I was the ultimate girly girl but it's been super easy adapting to what Claire likes. No fru fru dresses, no tights, no fancy shoes. She is still into wearing a super comfy cotton dress and occasionally likes Tinkerbell but overall she's just doesn't know your typical gender differences with toys. I think this is so very 2011 of her!! =) I think no matter what she'll always have this "comfortable" side to her even if she does love more girly things when she's older. I feel pretty confident this is just a huge part of who she is.

Anyways, we took Claire to the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park this weekend to check out some trains. We rode one around the park (see pics above....you can't tell but she's on the train). You can just see her face light up!

Speaking of her face! Notice the nice cut on her cheek. One of THREE accidents this weekend. A picture frame fell off our bookcase Saturday morning and cut the crown of her head. Not bad but lots of blood at first. The next day she fell into an open drawer in our bathroom and cut her cheek. OUCH! Then she fell at the train park (not pictured above) and has a shiner on her forehead. For real girl. She about gave me a heart attack or early labor this weekend!

Big Sister

The move into the guest room has finally happened. Claire is now in her "bigger" girl room!! I am so happy with how it turned out!! I got her this wall book bin and she loves it so much. She can grab her books and sit on the toy box. The room took some time because I had to rely on Eric for pretty much everything. I couldn't move anything or assemble anything or hang anything. I kind of felt like a toddler myself and it got really annoying. Eric worked really hard and as fast as he could having only weekend to get stuff done but my nesting instinct was very impatient. Everything was making me a little crazy (dont' get me started on the crap in the closet!). Poor E....he had to hear my insanity for 3-4 weeks! ha! He is pretty over painting I know that much. He painted the desk and nightstand white (and the room which i did help with) and that was a beotch! It's all come together now and it's beautiful! She has plenty of time to get used to her new space and so far she's doing great. She hasn't missed her old room one bit!

Claire also had her Sibling Superstar class at the hospital. It was cute. Nothing over the top or awesome but age appropriate. She loved getting her certificate! The biggest part for her was just seeing the hospital and knowing where I will be when I have the baby. It's across the street pretty much from our house so we talk about the "big white building" all the time now. Which when I hear that I think, yes, I will be in the "big white crazy house" very soon!

T-minus 39 days and counting!

New Year, New Faces?

I am sure with most kids it's hard to capture the perfect smile. I see it then I snap the photo and I get something completely different! Our NYE dinner at home was complete with a few new faces for the new year!

New Year's Day we had a small breeze so we got to fly the kite. Well, kind of. It didn't last long and the breeze wasn't strong enough. I am not sure in AZ when it will be the perfect wind though. It's either blow you down windy or just a subtle breeze. She loved it though and can't wait to fly it again!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2010 wrap up

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before? l went to San Diego? Does that count? I have never spent 6 hours in a car with a 2 yr old! We had a great time!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I never really make resolutions because I never keep them! This year I just hope to really learn to let go as I become a mom of 2 and embrace chaos in all situations as much as I can!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Lots of friends and acquaintances had babies this year....I can think of 8 new babies right now.

4. Did anyone close to you die? No. Whew!

5. What countries did you visit? None this year. Just local and Cali for us!

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2011? Energy! ha! I know that will be a long shot with a newborn next year though. I would like to spend more time with friends next year and have a MNO again with a cocktail!

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? June 11, found out I was pg!! Sept 28, found out we were having a girl!! Sept 29, Claire's 3rd Bday!!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Getting pregnant!! HA! This isn't an achievement I accomplished alone but it sure did take a lot of work! =P

9. What was your biggest failure? I don't know??

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nothing major. Overall, it was a pretty good year!

11. What was the best thing you bought? We got a new TV entertainment center. I also got a new beautiful purse/diaper bag.

12. Where did most of your money go? Claire, claire and more claire stuff!

13. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Finding out I was pg was really the highlight of this year!

14. What song will always remind you of 2010? Little Bear theme song overall but right now it's ending on a serious Thomas the Train theme song note!

15. Compared to this time last year, are you:a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? Much much happier...I have been fulfilled with my friendships and have been blessed with having another baby! I am fatter but that's for obvious reasons!

16. What do you wish you’d done more of? Deep breaths.....count to 10!

17. What do you wish you’d done less of? Stressing about the small stuff.

18. How did you spend Christmas? We had a low key but wonderful Christmas. Claire was way more into Santa this year and that made it extra fun for us! We did our usual Cmas Eve church service here in our neighborhood park and back to our house for dinner. 3rd annual chicken pot pies with cheesecake for dessert! I am loving have a tradition for our family that I host. Christmas day we went to Tom and Carla's house for a nice dinner and more goodies for Claire!

19. Did you fall in love in 2010? Of course, with my girls! Seeing my girl on the ultrasound was a huge love moment!

20. What was your favorite TV program? General Hospital and Oprah. Same as always!!!! Oprah's farewell season is killing me....I can't believe it's over soon! WAAAAAH!

21. What was the best book you read? Twilight....although technically I read them at the end of 2009 into early 2010. I loved them!!! They were the longest books I have ever read too. I said I'd never read those stupid vampire books and I got "sucked" in completely! And watched the movies! LOVED THEM!

22. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 33 and had dinner out with the hubs and Claire. Then my girlfriends and I went out for drinks and that was fun especially since it ended up being my last real MNO for the rest of the year!

23. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010? Maternity! This pg though I am trying to dress more like myself and not like Motherhood Maternity swallowed me up!

24. What kept you sane? Other mom friends.

25. What political issue stirred you the most? I hate talking politics and since it isn't a presidential election year I don't care!

26. Who did you miss? Everyone is TEXAS!!

27. Who was the best new person you met? KELLY!! We met through Claire's preschool. Our kids were in the same class last year but we didn't really connect until February. So happy she is in my life!!!

28. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010. Never say never. Pray and let go (easier said than done) and things will fall into place as they should!

Happy Holidays

The pictures pretty much speak for themselves. There was a train and a kite just like Santa promised! We sprinkled reindeer food (oats and glitter) so the reindeer could find our front door. We put out our Santa key and cookies.....the rest is history! Our last Christmas as 3 was a great one!!

31 weeks pregnant and already feeling like I am going to pop! Last Sunday I had some random bleeding accompanied with back and front cramping. After 3 hours in the OB triage things seemed to check out ok so off I went. Nothing much has happened since then except constant Braxton Hicks and mild back cramps. Just hanging in there and taking it as easy as possible! Otherwise I feel good! Now if only the "pee" fairy would leave me alone at night! SHEESH! How does pee keep producing itself when you haven't had a drink in hours during the night. HOW?!?!