90%

***UPDATE***
There is not a durn cloud in the bright blue sky! Jacob and I went outside for a while and played, until the minor tantrum insued (I told him he should have taken a nap) and now he is happily splashing in the tub. I checked the weather forecast, and it has changed to a 60% chance of rain, starting at 9pm tonight! HA!

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chance of rain....today....um, no! Maybe they meant 90% chance of sun, cause it sure ain't raining!

I checked the weather yesterday afternoon and sadly noted that, although it was sunny and beautiful at that moment, it would surely and quickly become cloudy, dreary and thunderstormy all day today. 90% chance in fact. So, I forced my waddling pregnant self to go outside around 5pm and plant a few more things in our ever changing garden so that it might get watered in the downpour today. I also had a list of rainy day activities for Jacob and I to do at home.

So, we lounged in bed this morning until about 9am. Snuggled, pillow fought, watched Mickey mouse. For every time we peered out towards the sky, doom and gloom threatened. After a yummy breakfast of eggs and fruit, we painted with these neat little bubble paints that I picked up at the dollar store yesterday. Each paint smelled like a different fruit/candy and they kept us busy for over an hour.



I did a few things around the house that needed doing, and all the while, we peered out the window. Waiting. because it was 90% likely we would be trapped here all day....

Lunchtime rolled around. I was getting bored. I am not a person that can just sit inside all day long. When there is no rain falling from the sky. So I hurried Jacob along and we went to the library (where I ALWAYS have a fine of some sort). He got his very own library card, and he even signed the back!




He picked out 6 books, and we headed to McDonald's for lunch. I know, YUCK! But, I never take him out for lunch, and since I feared it may start raining at any second and we would be cooped up for the rest of the afternoon, went ahead and agreed to the nasty play place at Mickey D's. He played while I read a book, and we left peacefully (without tantrum).

Still no rain.

So, I told him that f he took his nap, when he woke up we could play outside if the weather was nice. Well, I have fought him for the last 45 minutes to nap, and he is winning. It is now 3pm, and it is pointless to get him to nap this late. Heck, bedtime is in 4 1/2 hours! So he is watching a movie and having quiet time on the couch. Later, we may go outside, since it does not look like it will rain today.....

90% - humph!

4:15

That is what time Jacob woke me up this morning, soaked to the core with urine and shivering his little hiney off!

This has been his first true nighttime accident since we got completely rid of the diapers well over a month ago. He has been totally potty trained during the day since this time last year, but has been wearing pullups at night. He has been doing remarkably well, and even just 2 nights ago woke me up at midnight because he had to poop!

So, I was pretty surprised to learn of the accident, but saw it as no big deal. He must have had one of those dreams where you are dreaming that you are on the toilet....you have those too, right?

So to his bathroom we headed, where I peeled off his urine soaked jammies and attempted to wipe him down with a warm washcloth. He was shivering violently and still wreaked of urine. I decided that he could not go to school today with the remnants of stale urine on him and smell like one of 'those' children. You know those poor unkempt dirty children, with mussed hair, dirty nails and smudgy faces. The ones that go to school smelling of whatever is growing in their home....

So rather than starting a whole bath in the tub, I squeezed his little hiney in to the bathroom sink and scrubbed him, all 31 pounds of him. He LOVED it! He kept saying, "mommy, it's so warm in here, but I am too big for this baby tub". He sat and warmed up in the sink while I changed out his bed. Somehow, he managed to avoid peeing on his quilt, blanket, pillow, and each and every strategically placed animal that resides on his bed. Awesome!

Once all was said and done, fresh jammies, fresh bed, he thought it was time for a story. I mean, isn't that our routine....bath, story, bed? I informed him that since it was (now) 4:40 in the morning, that he would not be getting a story, but would in fact be placing his precious little head back on the pillow until morning.

sweet boy.

picture post!

Finally! A post with some pictures. We decided this morning (since it is still too wet outside to do any yard work) that we would head to the mall to get Jacobs' picture with the Easter bunny and to take him to a movie. AND I REMEMBERED MY CAMERA!!!!!

So, after lunch, we headed out to the mall. Mike decided that he wanted to stop at the Christian bookstore nearby to look for a simple chain with a cross for himself. While he was shopping, Jacob and I decided to browse over the kids section. I often look at this store for books containing characters with the name Jacob, and since Jacob is a biblical name, you would think I would find at least one. Nope. I have never been successful in my endeavor. The only book I have that contains the name Jacob is a christian book that my mom found shortly after he was born. So, again today, I continued my quest for a 'Jacob book', when I came across this....

a book with the name Will!!! What! I was not even looking for that, and certainly did not expect it to be that easy, that I would simply stumble over a book with our second sons name inscribed in the title. So, of course, we bought it.

Then, it was to the movies we went. To see 'Aliens vs Monsters'. They had it available in 3-d, but we thought it best not to allow a full 'monster jumping out at you' experience for Jacob in the theatre. So we opted for the typical 2-d, popcorn and candy experience. He did well, for the first 2/3rds of the movie, and started to get antsy. We made it through though, and the movie was pretty cute.

Following the movie, it was the Easter Bunny we sought, and found, with very little wait time! Mike was embarrassed that I had brought my camera in an attempt to nab a free Easter photo of our child, rather than paying for the $30.00 package they so conveniently had ready for you. My response was simple. I did it for his Santa pictures, and they had no comment, so why not Easter? Of course they said nothing! Don't even come between a mother snapping a picture of her child on the bunnies lap....people could get hurt!



After the bunny we let Jacob play in the mall play area for a few minutes, just long enough to call it play. Some kid apparently released his bowels in the area, and Mike and I were no longer able to breathe through our nose, so we left.

After a dinner of Mediterannean pizza and grilled cheese (Jacob), we are home. Fun day! Maybe tomorrow we will be able to head out to do some yard work. I WILL have my camera, so stay tuned!

Friday field trip

Just returned from Jacobs' school field trip....why is it that every single time we do something new and fun, I forget the darn camera....every time!!!

We headed to Monkey Biz (very similar to chuck e cheese) with his class around 930 this morning, and we just got home a bit ago (130pm).

He listened very well, was nice to the other kids, and threw NO tantrums! I would say it was a great outing.

Now if I could get him to nap....

accomplishments of a 3 year old

This is more for myself than a typical post for the blog....

I have had quite a few people ask me lately where Jacob is intelectually, and will I start him in kindergarden next year (since his birthday is so close to the cutoff age to start school) or will I keep him in preschool an extra year. I tracked what he was doing in his baby book up until about 20 months, then I stopped=(

So here goes. At age 3 years and (almost) 8 months these are the things he has mastered:

-counting (perfectly 1-10, then sporadically to 20)
-if you hold up a certain number of fingers, he tells you how many you are holding up
-can visually identify about 5 numbers
-all letters and pretty much all letter sounds
-freehands about 13 different letters, including writing his name
-traces dotted leters/lines/shapes
-can only draw a circle freehand
-knows all of the common shapes and colors
-knows all common animals and their sounds
-identifies opposites/similar/and size related objects in a workbook
-can figure out simple mazes
-JUST learned how to peddle a bike and flip a jumprope
-very recently started portraying that he is 'scared'. (mommy, there is a with in the laundry room, and she might get me if you don't come in there with me)


He follows instructions generally well, throws few tantrums, is completely potty trained. He is very tender hearted, sweet, and thoughtful. He has a VERY laidback, go with the flow, even tempered personality. He gets along well with other children, and is very shy and introverted around people he does not know.

OK, woosh, got that logged, so that when our newest little bundle comes along, I will be able to compare them at similar ages!

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On a completely different subject, my cankles have subsided and I can see the bone in my ankle again!! AND, my carpal tunnel injection worked and my right hand is back to normal! Thank goodness for the small things in life!

Thanks for checking in, and if you live in our area, I hope that you survivied the storm last night!!!

the joys of pregnancy

cankles, and I mean serious over the top of your sock, fatter than your actual foot, ankle that runs into your calf without a second glance. I can push into the fluidy pouch taking residence over my ankle bone, and leave a large indent of where my finger once was, like those tempurpedic mattresses that hold your form.

I parked my pregnant self on the couch last night with my cankles elevated, and slept all night with them elevated, but they are still large and in charge after working today. I guess I will have to give them a day off soon.

I also got my wrist injected today due to the major carpal tunnel that I have been having. I have it in both hands, but it bothers me most in my right (dominant) hand. It was quick, painless, and free. I hope it does the trick, having a hand that basically goes completely numb every few minutes is not feasible!

BUT.....knowing that I have cankles and a numb hand is WAY better than having kidney stones, and having a healthy baby beats them all! So I'll take it!

there's no place like home

Mike is home and it is good=)

We sure missed him tons! He got home late Friday night, and woke up early Saturday morning, unbale to sleep in. So we got up and took Jake to a mini fair at one of the nearby schools. About halfway through the day, Mike got really tired and the jet lag caught up with him! But once we returned home, we decided it was way to beautiful to go inside and nap, so Mike and Jacob cut the grass and cleaned up a bit outside while I snapped tons of precious pictures. They had a blast together!

Today I went to town for a friends bridal shower, and Mike and Jacob had a father son bonding day. I love when they have time together like that, just the two of them. I am pretty sure Mike enjoys it too=)

Tomorow it is back to work - yuck! 2 weeks off has spoiled me.

Have a great week!

3 days without a nap...

Well, I was trying to figure out how many days Jacob could go without a nap, and 2 is definitely his limit! By day 3 (today), he had a meltdown. He freaked out when we were leaving the play place at chik-fil-a after lunch (he had been an angel up until this moment) and screamed the most awful high pitched female scream he could conjure from the depths of his lungs. Everyone, and I mean everyone turned to stare. I guess they assumed I was beating my child with a shovel.

We drove over to target (across the parking lot from chik-fil-a) where he proceeded to throw an all out fit. I plopped him on the red bench right outside the doors, and let him scream for a good 5-7 minutes. After numerous disapproving stares (I mean come on people, have you never seen a tantrum before!), getting beat down by the scorching sun, and thinned out patience, I sat him in my lap and had a long chat with him. He was exhausted, and I felt so bad for dragging him out all day (we had gone to the duck pond this morning) knowing he had not had a nap all week=(

I told him that he was punished from swimming today, and that he would not be getting any special treats of any kind in the store. Sweet boy saw a bunch of things that caught his eye on the shelves, but would just touch them and say...."maybe next time I can have this". He is such a good child.

God please continue to bless us and let our second boy be this sweet. My heart aches with all of the love I have for him.

P.S. - Daddy comes home tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

play by play

** cinnamon rolls and grapes for breakfast
(over breakfast) Jacob: mommy, you have a nipple on your face
me: yes baby, thank you, I know I have a pimple this morning...

** visit to new school for Jacob

** yard work and lunchtime picnic in the driveway

** swimming and splashing, learning to count backwards
from 5

** bathing and learning our vowels in the shower

** eating Piccadilly in the living room

** squeezing his skinny little hiney into size 6 month baby Santa pants and trotting around his baby brothers room (to which I responded by laughing hysterically and taking a picture with my cell phone because, again, Mike has our camera in Rome)

** reading, snuggles, and goodnight kisses

GREAT day with my boy!

St Pattys day fun

Happy St. Patricks day to all! We are both part Irish. Did I wear green today, or celebrate at all...well, I DID wear my shamrock socks. What disappoints me the most though, is that Mike took our camera to Rome, so I have no pictures to prove it.

Speaking of my hubby, I think he is having a great time in Rome, and I have managed (so far) to keep busy enough to not mope around missing him all day, but lets revisit that come the end of the week.

When I was in town yesterday, I went to try on my (supposedly huge)bridesmaid dress for my friend Kim's' wedding in May. They ordered a dress twice the size that I normally wear, and while it was huge everywhere else, around my belly, there was little room to play around with. I may have had an extra inch in that area. Thus, I had to order extra fabric for the ever growing baby bump and they will start altering my dress soon.

Today, we had our carpets and sofas shampooed and scotch guarded, as well as bringing our comforter to the dry cleaners. Jacob helped me dust spots unseen by the naked eye. Although we are pretty clean in general, I feel overly clean today!

While we waited for the carpets to dry (6-8 hours), Jacob and I ran over to the outlet mall and mulled around a bit. Our deal is that if he lets me shop, uninterrupted, I let him ride all of the little quarter rides conveniently placed outside every 4th store. He did great, and toted around his little pocket full of quarters until we arrived at a ride that appealed to him. Though he assumed each ride cost one quarter, and looked at me like I was nuts when I informed him that he had to fish out 2 more to make the ride work.

I unnecessarily purchased more baby boy clothes....I mean, just because William is our second boy does not mean he should get all hand me downs....right????

Missing him

Mike headed off to Rome yesterday. He called me at 1:15am this morning to tell me landed (it was 7am his time). I spoke with him again this afternoon (around 3pm) and he was exhausted and headed to bed (it was 9pm there!). We miss him already=(

On a good note, Jacob and I are visiting with my parents for the weekend and I convinced my mom to make her most awesome mustard steak...YUM!

We are headed back home tomorrow.

Drumroll please...

We have name for baby boy number 2!! We thought we had settled on a name, and actually called him 'Jackson' for about 5 days. We had a number of people who had mixed feelings about the name (not that that matters, right!), and a few who disliked it altogether, but were willing to deal with it, then there were the few who loved it. It was one of 3 names that Mike and I could agree on. Despite that, I was not 100% sold on the name and tried to push any 'should we change the name' thoughts out of my head. After talking with my MIL about nicknames and such, we decided to reduce my stress level, it was worth it to rename our boy before we got too used to the name Jackson. So we scoured over the other 2 names, and came up with 'William Thomas'. I feel SO much better about this name, feel it goes well with Jacob, and I like the shortened version 'Will'.

So, there it is, Jacob and William, our 2 little blessings.

Yesterday I started cleaning out the nursery, which resulted in random things being strewn about the house, creating a walking/tripping/falling hazed the entire length of the hallway. BUT, I did get his room pretty organized and the crib all set up!

Mike leaves for Rome tomorrow=( I am happy for him, but so sad that he will be away all week. He really should start packing though.....

Wordless Wednesday

(This post is supposed to be wordless, but that is near impossible for me.....Pretty impressive for a 3 year old, don't ya think!)



(
last night was meatloaf madness and Jacob was all up in the mess!)

weekend wrap up

What a wonderful weekend!!!

Sorry about the delay in posting yesterday, we had a busy day! As you know from my previous post, we had our big ultrasound on Friday at 330pm. They did not call us back until a little before 4, so it delayed our getting home until after 5pm that afternoon. We brought Jacob with us to see 'his baby'. The ultrasound went great, baby is breech (head up), but Jacob was too until the last possible second! All is healthy and manhood was confirmed. Mike and I were both in shock that it was a boy, we were convinced it was a girl. Jacob broke down when we told him it was a brother and not a sister. He isnisted that he wanted a baby sister and not a brother. I think this was our fault, whenever he would mention his sister, we would rarely correct him! He is growing used to the idea, although he still often refers to the baby as his sister. He will love this baby and be the BEST big brother ever! He is so involved in other people when they are holding a baby. I hope he stays that way!

We announced to all of our family and friends that it would be boy #2 (most of them were in shock as well), headed home, packed quickly, and headed to Alabama for the annual chili cook off for Mikes' company. It was a long drive, and we did not arrive at the hotel until 9pm. We did not make it to bed until after 10pm, and woke bright and early the next morning at 6am to eat and head out.

There were over 140 vendors participating in the cook off, and as usual I forgot my camera. Mike tried over 20 kinds of chili, including one that used kangaroo meat......They had a few things to keep the kids occupied. Jacob jumped in a spacewalk, got his face painted, finger painted and ate an entire hot dog (he ate chili too!). He also found a baby to feed (and pet) and a little boy to play with. By the end of the day Saturday we were exhausted, sunburnt and ready for home. We piled in to the car and got home about 6pm Saturday night. Jake slept most of the ride home, so he had a little trouble going to sleep at bedtime.

Yesterday we went to church and made our weekly Wally-world run. Upon returning home, Jacob asked if he could swim, so I blew up his pool and we invited the neighbor girl to join him. They swam for over 3 hours with Mike watching them (and washing his car) while the neighbor lady and I went shoe shopping. Well, she went shoe shopping, I just waddled behind her because my feet are WAY too fat right now to even consider sqeezing them in to a new shoe. Can we say stuffed sausage....

So that brings me to today. I have decided to break out the baby clothes and go through them. I forgot how tiny Jacob was, and all of the memories are flooding back! Here are some pictures of our newest baby boy, his manhood, his waving at the world, and his profile. We love you baby boy, and we can't wait to meet you!!!

It's a................

BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Boy number 2 is on the way! We had a late appointment on Friday, resulting in us not even getting home until after 5 pm, then we headed out of town for a chili cook off for Mikes' work. We arrived home about 30 minutes ago, so that explains the delay in posting! We are all completely exhausted, so I will post pictures of our totally perfectly healthy baby boy (praise Jesus) tomorrow, as well goodies from the rest of our weekend.

ta ta for now.

any guesses?

Well, tomorrow is the big day. The day we find out if our newest addition will be a brother or a sister for Jacob. As far as he is concerned, it has always been a sister. I have also had some other people tell me that they are thinking it is a girl as well.

We should know around 4pm tomorrow!!!

Any guesses???

It's about time!

I have FINALLY gotten back to adding the hit counter to the sidebar. For some reason, the computer Mike gave me for Christmas won't display it on (my) home screen, so I thought something was wrong with it and deleted it a while back. I finally figured out that nothing was wrong with it, but that it was just my computer causing trouble. So, I jumped on to Mikes' PC this morning and added it back, no problem. The last number I remember seeing (a while back) was right around 2000, so that's where I had it resume, although I know the number is way higher!!!

Thanks for checking in, and as promised, some pictures of our little man
(makes me think of this....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilaUVGjMkJo )





and since I have had a few people ask....a belly pic (20 weeks):

awe inspiring

Mike and I saw a movie last night that really affected us. Although the acting was terrible and it should more likely have been a made for TV movie rather than making it to the big screen solely based on the acting, 'Fireproof' was one of the most awe inspiring movies I have ever seen. It is a must see for all couples. Whether your relationship is rock solid, or wavering on a shaky foundation, it is a life changing movie.
Mike and I consider ourselves to be pretty Godly people, full of faith and living every moment for our Lord. No, we don't walk around preaching our beliefs to others, but we will gladly engage in a conversation about them anytime one is interested. We go to church every Sunday, pray every day, read Bible stories to our son. This movie puts everything in to perspective. Please, take some time out of your day one night soon, and watch this most awesome movie.

and I promise to post pictures of our (oldest) little blessing tomorrow. I will have pictures (and gender determination) of our youngest on Friday!