It's a Boy!

We were so excited to be able to have a couple of our friends and family meet us at the pool for a little gender reveal party!  It seemed like today took a long time to get here but now I can't believe it's already over and that we finally know what our sweet little bean is. 

As people started arriving, they each chose a tag to represent their vote of whether they thought it was a boy or a girl.  We ate a delicious taco salad dinner that my Grandma prepared and then it was time to dig into the cupcakes.  Michael and I got a two second head start to bite into ours first and what do you know it was filled with a delectable BLUE frosting!!!! So exciting!!

I felt like I have known for that last little while that this little one was a boy but it's 50/50 and really everyone is just guessing (as much as many like to think that they "know" or that they can "tell" by whatever their "secret" way is- I think that it is all phoney bologna and it drives me nuts that they think that they "know")- wow-sorry for the tangent.

I'm excited and a little nervous!  I understand how to do the "girl thing" so all of this boy stuff will be new and different and I can hardly wait!!  Bring it on- cars, trucks, balls, and legos- here we come!

 

Update.

It's been a while.  Every time I write a post in the last 6 weeks I end up not having the courage to hit "post", and so my wall remains empty of new details.

We are doing well.  I got to do my first doula job for someone other than one of my good friends, and it was awesome!  I feel like I made new friends in the mom, her husband, and her sweet baby girl.  The miracle of bringing a baby into this world, never ceases to amaze me- how perfect He has it all planned and worked out and how things progress, and change, that a beautiful child could be born.  Leaves me so thankful and awe-struck.

Hannah is doing well.  Walking, climbing, getting into everything, and constantly babbling- some words making sense and others, not so much.  She loves talking on the phone, playing at the beach, making and listening to music, play dates with her friends, story times, and in general she loves anything where she can be outside.  This stage is so fun.  Full of discovery- words, places, and otherwise.  We love her, she's our sunshine!!

Baby seems to be doing well.  We get to find out in two weeks what this sweet little bean is- boy or girl?  Either way we are excited- which I hope is how it will be for every child we have.  I do not think that it is fair to wish for one gender so much that a person is so surprised and slightly disappointed by the fact that it is not their gender of choice- really?  Every child deserves the SAME amount of love, boy or girl- regardless of what the parents want.  It kills me to watch people be disappointed in the gender and always wish for the other.  Okay, I'll get off my soap box.  A girl would be fun because Hannah would have a little sister and there is no better friend than a sister (trust me, I know), and we would have everything we need for a girl because she would get hand me downs from Hannah- so that would be slightly cheaper.  However, a boy sounds so fun.  A little brother to love on, a boy to do "boy" things with- sports, dirt, etc.  But either way, I can HARDLY wait!!  I can't wait to prepare things- pink or blue.  Any predictions?

Predictions on gender crack me up.  They say that the mom's "gut" feeling is correct 70% of the time.  Well, amongst my friends we have definitely proven that number WRONG! :)  One of my best friends felt like she was probably having a girl, only to find out (after a bit of a mix up with a bakery incorrectly decorating a cake) it was a boy.  My other friend was SO sure she was having a boy, that they bought an entire pick up load of boy stuff off of Craigslist, only to find out yesterday that they are actually having a girl.  So, from the beginning I kind of had a slight feeling this was a girl but now I am totally convinced that I am having a boy!  This is gonna be fun.

To reveal the gender, my Mom is going to be given a sealed envelope with a picture and a word that will either reveal "girl" or "boy".  She will be the ONLY person to know (yes, including those of you who think she should tell you, text you, email you, etc- tough luck! She has promised that not a soul will know besides her) and she is one person that I completely trust my mom!  She is going to bake some of her delicious cupcakes and fill the center with either pink of blue frosting.  We are inviting just a few of our friends to the pool with us and we will all bite into a cupcake at the same time and the gender will be revealed!! I can hardly wait!  We will definitely post pics and share our news on here.

Thanks for your patience with my lack of posting, or should I say lack of courage to post.

Life.

So lacking in the posting department, yet again! Things are going well here.  We are getting ready to celebrate one very big, exciting, one year old birthday!!!  Our sunshine is taking steps on her own- walked all the way across the living room all by herself last night.  She gets more brave every day in letting go of things and just going on her own.  It is so exciting and fun to watch her learn and grow but at the same time it makes a small part of me sad.  I miss my little bundle who just wanted to snuggle, be fed, and sleep.  I look at pictures from last year when she was born, and I get all teary eyed over how fast she has grown and changed.  I love my little sunshine and honestly, every stage is fun.

The last couple of weeks have been very full.  Most recently last Thursday this is what we got to see:
 

Getting to watch that teensy little heart beating has got to be one of the best feelings as a parent-to-be.  Just knowing that there is life in there and it really is real, is one amazing and overwhelming feeling of love for this little one that you will not meet for seven and a half more months.

We have a busy March planned and will try to keep pics and up to date, on here.

Happy Tuesday!

Hello 2012.

So it's been a very long time.  I'm gonna do better.  At least try. 

So it's not me Monday.  This is where we say the things that we would never admit to actually doing- things that a mom would never (wink, wink) do or say.  So hear I go. 
Today, I did not almost have an anxiety attack on my way home from work.  I did not almost skip out on my workout.  I did not only eat half of the dinner my husband brought me.  I did not make mashed potatoes and eat almost 3/4 of a bowl, sharing only a couple of bites with my daughter.  I did not admit any of my failures to everyone on my blog.  I did not just eat two frango's while watching some silly show on Hulu called Make It or Break It.  I did not just click next on to the next episode when I have laundry to put away, dishes to do, and a bedroom to clean.  Yep, nope, not me on this Monday. :)
What did you do on this 'Not Me Monday'?

Sunshine turned 10 months old yesterday.  So hard to believe that it's been almost a year.  Makes me want to cry and smile all at the same time.  She grows and changes all the time learning new things every day.  We love all of these changes.  Everyday she gives us something new to smile and laugh at.

The new year has brought some changes.  We started a "Family Get Fit" program and blog that keeps us all motivated and working out for over 300 days a year- it's pretty exciting!  I love that we have such a solid group of family and friends that help us stay motivated and gives us inspiration to reach our fitness goals.  It's been a great help to me and it is so much fun!

Will add pics and maybe some videos later of little Missy's newest achievements!  For now, bed is calling.  Goodnight!

One of THOSE days.

I know we all have 'THOSE' days sometimes.  Well it's only fair that babies have 'those' kind of days too buuut AAACK!!! It wears me out! So what do you do when everything in your world is upside down?

Why of course!?!?! Take a BATH!!!

And then top that off with a nice, warm bottle and take a nice long NAP!

HAPPY SUNDAY, EVERYONE!

Health and Happiness.

So I'm slow on the pictures for the last post but I couldn't let that stop me today, I just have to write a post.  I can't even begin to express my thankfulness for so many people and things in my life but today I'm focused on health.  I am just so grateful for a healthy family.

My Sister started her practicum at Seattle Children's and sees things daily, plus I follow several families (blogs, letters, books, etc), we have some friends, and have seen some other people recently all dealing with children of disabilities- it's amazing what they do, how they deal, and how they love-and it's an unconditional love. It just makes me count my lucky stars and be grateful for my beautiful, happy, HEALTHY daughter!  I know how they love their children and I know that regardless of what happens that we will always love our children but I'm so thankful for our healthy family.

 

Loving every new discovery of eight months! Hannah signs "more" on occasion, she claps, she fake coughs to get attention or to copy someone who just really coughed, sometimes she tries to copy sounds that we make- like "up", "papa", "ya", she laughs (the best, most satisfying, can't-wipe-the-smile-off-your-face kind of laugh), she started scrunching her nose up when she gives us her big cheesy smile, she sleeps in the funniest most uncomfortable looking positions, loves to be up on her all fours and can easily go from sitting to all fours and back to sitting with out any "bonks", she is scooting backwards and rocking on her all fours but can only crawl about to steps forward and then falls on her head (because she forgot to move her hands), definitely in a snuggly stage where she loves to just bury her head into you and snuggle, she gently pats her little hand on your back while being held, loves to explore her surroundings by touching everything, talking, looking all around, and pointing at everything, her two bottom teeth are very "through" and sharp and adorable! :)  We are having so much fun!

Continue to spend our Saturday's at Husky football games.  We had our last home game at Husky stadium, as we now know it.  Next time we set foot in Husky Stadium will be fall of 2013 with a completely revamped, new look.  We unfortunately got beat by the Ducks (everyone's least favorite team around here), and the loss did not help us to gain any warm, fuzzy feelings for the ducks...oh well! Maybe next year! :)

 

  

Uncle Steve and Uncle Tom were here for a few days, so it was fun to get to see them.  Uncle Tom took Grandpa and Grandma Foster back to Arizona with him, for the winter- we will miss them around here but they will have a very enjoyable, much warmer winter in AZ.  Uncle Steve got to experience his first and second games in Husky Stadium this trip- we had some real interesting games for him to see in person! :)  He also brought his sweet, new puppy named Chili with him.  She's a Shiba Inu and we are all smitten!  Hannah LOVES dogs, so watching her with Chili did not make me want to get a dog any less- I soooo want one!

Munchkin has had a little bit of a cold lately and so we've been trying to get over that but in the meantime all of the snuggling and loves are amazing (when there is stuff to get done around the house and all she wants is my undivided attention and to just sit and rock, I have to remind myself that she won't be this small for long, so better enjoy it).  We are definitely on the mend, now.

Hannah's first ferry boat ride- we went to Vashon!

 

Today, we are getting ready to watch four other kids at their house for the night.  Should be a fun adventure!  There are some special needs as far as diet, and medications, and then there are four different schools with four different schedules to keep track of- but I'm not worried...we are going to have fun!  ...BUT I had better go pack and get us ready...AND it's EGGNOG LATTE season so I think I better go get my caffeine fix (my daughter is also a young addict to Starbucks.  She knows exactly what mugs are Starbucks and those are the only ones that she wants- offer a sippy cup and she will politely push it away and grab your latte)!

 

So here's to health, and happiness! ...and Eggnog Lattes! :)

Life around here.

Quick update on life around here. (Will update this post later with photos)

We always seem to be busy.  So much going on but it's all so fun! Loving this one wild, crazy, and beautiful life!!

We've spent the Saturday's, this fall, at Husky Stadium- cheering on the Dawgs! Even Hannah is becoming quite the little football fan (I guess she doesn't stand much of a chance when her dad and mom are football addicts! :)

I was fortunate enough to be able to take a week off of work, so Grammy came over and helped me clean out the ENTIRE garage.  We got it all organized and turned it into a play room.  Eventually, we want to have the ceiling finished, finish the walls with insulation, and carpet everything- but for now we have a semi-finished, completely CLEAN rec room!  I love how good it feels to have a big project like that done- now just to keep it organized.

I love throwing parties!!! There is nothing more fun than getting a bunch of cool ideas (hello pinterest and HWTM) and making up some crazy ones of your own and throwing a big bash.  Halloween this year, was no exception! My friend Abbi and I went to town...what fun!  We had more food and sweets than one could ever expect to all get eaten.  There were cobwebs hanging from every corner, and glittery pumpkins lining the counter top, orange lights and a cute banner setting the stage for some delicious goodies! We were decked out at as a cowboy, cowgirl, and very sweet cow.  Many characters showed up- we had a princess, a lion (with his parents- the witch, and the wardrobe), a witch, a bee (with her parents as the Charlotte Hornets), a purple baby (with her parents as one being blue and one being pink because pink+blue=purple), another cowboy, cowgirl, and cow family, a pirate, and a Persian rug (no that is not a typo--a serious Persian rug)! SO much fun, and neat memories made! So glad that we have some amazing people in our lives that we are lucky enough to be able to call our friends!

 

With Thanksgiving a few weeks away (I can't believe it), I am trying to refocus on the things I am so grateful for.  I know I need to spend more time being thankful for ALL that I do have, and less time complaining about the things I wish I had.  With that, I want to focus each post this month on things I am grateful for.  So, tonight I am thankful for amazing friends.  You know who you are- I can't live with out you, you encourage me, you make me smile, you make me laugh, you help me up when I'm down, you call me for no apparent reason except to say hello and that you are thinking about me, you understand, you love me for who I am- I don't have to pretend to be something that I am not- for everything you all are...THANK YOU!

Life is grand.  What's new with you?