Groovy Joovy!

I need to come clean. I have a thing for strollers! There are just so many cute ones out there. They remind me of cars. Some are sharp looking and lightweight (but not really practical), while others are like my mini-van with a ton of cup holders, big baskets underneath, and lots of pockets. Plus they make them in the cutest colors now! This one caught my eye yesterday at Babies R Us and I love it because it's actually a double stroller but with a twist. The bigger child can either stand on the stoop in the back and ride along, or sit on the little booster seat and ride along. I just really like the fact that it's not super wide or heavy and it's easy to maneuver! Plus at about $150, this stroller from Joovy is pretty reasonable! Considering we already have a double stroller, a jogging stroller, an umbrella stroller, and a Maclaren....I think it will take some convincing before Jim will go for this one.:)

I didn't get a chance to post a big "Happy Birthday Mom" on my page yesterday.:) Jim, and my dad both had to work so my brother and I (and the boys) took mom to dinner for her special day. I am really slacking in the photo department because I didn't even bring the camera to remember the occasion! Same thing with our Castaway Bay trip over the weekend. Jim had camera duty but in the hectic rush to get out the door, we forgot them. Shoot! I need to catch up and post a bunch soon. Aside from that, it has been a really good week so far. Gabriel is sick (and has a cavity...ugh) but he is sweet as ever. He was such a trooper at the Dentist's office and just as I suspected, they can't do anything for his black tooth. She said it's very common and she sees it all the time but we'll just have to ride it out and wait until he looses that tooth in a year or so. It's okay, I realize it could be worse. Last night I saw a really unbelievable documentary called "Born Without a Face" on Discovery Health and it really made me take a step back at how grateful I am to have healthy kids. I really try to count my blessings a lot but, sometimes I lose sight of the amazing gifts God has given our family (namely, health). This little girl was only 2 and she was so deformed and I actually had to turn away from it (I am ashamed to admit). It was just so shocking to me at first and my heart just broke seeing the pain, and surgeries she had to endure....I literally just sat there and cried. Here is a link to the story (I'm not posting it to sensationalize the story, but there is a link for donations...plus I think she and her parents are an amazing testimony to faith and perserverance). Please take note the pictures are graphic: http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/health/news-article.aspx?storyid=51818. Anyway, I better get going. After seeing a story like that I want to spend every free moment appreciating my kids, life it too short!

A Day at the Bay and Big Bucks Shopping!

We just got back from our fun weekend trip! We stayed at Cedar Point's Castaway Bay and swam, ate, played, watched a movie, hung out with Snoopie, and had a blast! This was probably my favorite water park experience because the water was actually WARM and perfect for the kids. Every other time we go to a similar place, the kids lips are blue, they are shivering, and it's hard for them to really relax because they are so darn cold. This time though everything was perfect and Grant squealed and giggled while Gabriel impressed us with his swimming skills.:) It was just what we needed! Meanwhile I hit the spa for a little while (inside the hotel) and got a much needed pedicure. I've only had one once in my life (besides this) and I didn't have to pay for it or else I probably wouldn't have done it. I always thought it seemed so pricey just to get your toenails painted and massaged a little bit, so I never thought it was worth it. Wow, what a wake-up call!! Lol.:) This wasn't your typical pedicure though, she really fixed my feet (I won't go into details because even writing the word "callus" grosses me out) but needless to say, it looks like I have brand new feet! I never imagined what a drastic difference it would make and it was soooo relaxing.:) Since my belly is enormous now it's a relief to know I don't have to contort myself to try to paint my toenails, they look great! Okay enough about that, I don't like writing about feet. hehe. After our trip to Sandusky we drove up to Beachwood and went to Legacy Village and the mall. Jim said he's never seen so many good-looking people in one place in his life (wow, that includes New York)! :) I was the fattest person in the entire mall....pregnant or not ( I am not exaggerating). I felt so huge amidst all the size 2's. I go through spurts where sometimes I get caught up in that, while other times I am just so turned-off. It really is amazing to people-watch though and see the sheer amounts of money that people spend on a given day on clothes alone. We saw one lady who was utterly buried in a sea of Ralph Lauren cashmere, coats, and pants and I imagine each piece of clothing was $80 at the very LEAST. I'm not saying anything is wrong with that and heck, if we were millionaires I might do the same thing but I just can't relate to that kind of spending at ALL. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy nice things and I like to splurge on quality when we can but I just hope I keep perspective and always live within our means so we don't end up on Oprah's "Debt Diet". haha. Well I better get cleaning, it's laundry day!!

Idol Distraction

It's season 5 of American Idol and so feel like this could be the most exciting season yet! Last week we were at a restaurant and 4 Senior Citizens were raving about the show and gabbing about it like teenagers! At that moment it hit me how big the show really is, it seems like every age group is drawn to it. I really love Taylor Hicks (the gray-haired guy) and I hope he wins! From the moment I heard him I was like "that guy is IT!". Jim really likes the bald guy (Chris Daughtry) so we are excited to watch tonight. Yesterday I wasn't feeling well at all, so it was nice to be distracted by the show and enjoy the performances. Although my favorites are the guys so far, I think a few of the ladies are amazing too.
We are set for an exciting weekend. We are packing up and going out of town for the weekend and the boys are thrilled. We are staying at a hotel/water park so I am just trying to gather the bathing suits, pack up, and get ready for that. Tomorrow I am getting my hair done at Nicole Jefferies and I am really anxious to get my roots done, they are looking pretty bad right now! Gina does a great job, I'm looking forward to the boost.:) Better run, I have a lot to do before "American Idol" tonight! Lol.

Tooth Trauma

I am so bummed. My handsome little boy Gabriel now has an imperfect tooth. A few weeks ago he hit our bed with his mouth and got hurt. I was so worried because I knew he was in a lot of pain but his teeth seemed fine and there wasn't any blood so at the time I just comforted him and monitored it. Last week I noticed his left front tooth was discolored and now it's totally gray! The dentist said the tooth is pretty much lifeless now, which is why it looks gray and dull. So until he turns about 6 and looses that tooth, it will stay that way!:( My poor little buddy, I am so devestated! I know in the grand scheme of life it's probably not a big deal especially because he is otherwise healthy, but it still makes my heart sad to see his little smile look different now. I talked to my good friend Beth and she had a great way of looking at it. She said we should just pretend it's his "Pirate tooth" or something fun, and try to turn it into a positive experience, and make it special so he doesn't feel like it's a bad thing. Great idea! I guess I was just so wrapped up in being sad about it that I didn't see that perspective.

Aside from that things are good but BUSY. Yesterday we went to the Great Lakes Science Center and had a fun time at the "Grossology" exhibit! Grammie left for Florida today so the boys are back to regular ole' mommy and daddy.:) We spent so much time just having fun that now the house is ransacked and I feel tired just looking at it! I'm already exhausted, and uncomfortable and just seeing everything that needs to be done makes me feel even more overwhelemed (ugh). I also realized that we still have quite a bit to do before baby "G" gets here! I still have to go through the boys' baby clothes from the basement, wash them, and get them ready. We haven't bought one stitch of furniture for the nursery yet because we are saving up for everything we need (which is the dresser, amoir, and crib). I know at 28 weeks I still have plenty of time but considering March is almost here, I am starting to feel crunched for time! This month just flew by! Well I better stop procrastinating and get cleaning. :)

Update and More!

We just got back from Bath and Body Works and I was so excited to see this Tutti Dolce lotion on sale! It's Fantasia de Choccolata and it smells amazing, plus it's 50% off! I also bought a lotion for stretch marks but I'm more skeptical about that. With my first pregnancy I used those creams by the tub-full but still got a few stretch marks. I really think it's an individual thing and all you can do is just hydrate your skin the best you can.
It's been a fun week with Grammie in town and I know the boys have been quite spoiled and happy! Thursday I had a doctor's appointment and everything looks good. My blood pressure is high so they need to monitor that but everything else is fine. I've stopped stressing so much about my weight and from here on out I'm just going to do the best I can to eat nutritiously and keep active. Speaking of which, I better burn some calories before tv-time!

Happy Birthday Grant!

The big 0-2! :) I intended to post a few pictures but I just haven't had a chance yet. Valentine's Day was a hit and we had a wonderful day! After the show I ran home and we took Grant to Build-a-Bear for his birthday gift. He chose the Cookie Monster bear and it's almost as big as he is!:) I ended up baking his cake on Monday night and decorating it myself which worried me a bit. It wouldn't win any design awards but it was yummy and that's what matters in our house.:) So needless to say, yesterday was a blessing and we had a fantastic family day. Each birthday I look back at the past year and I'm always amazed at how much my boys accomplish and learn. Grant is doing so good with his vocabulary and he loves to read, run around, play sports, or anything where he can throw or hit something.:) As much as I stress out and feel overwhelmed on certain days, I also try to cherish this time because I know they will be grown before we know it.
Speaking of growing, my belly is getting humungo! Tomorrow I have my gestational diabetes test (yummy glucose drink...mmm)! After that, I'll be starting my 2-week appointments already. Now that the stores are bringing out spring clothes, and Easter candy, I feel like the time is getting closer!

By the way, isn't that little shirt just too cute?! It's from one of my favorite websites ever. You can get adorable t-shirts for newly expecting mommies, mom's of twins, grandparents, siblings, dad's, and much more! The variety is great and every one is so cute! www.littleshowoffs.com

Ahhhh.... Sleep at Last!

There are a few inventions I can't live without. One of them is my new-found mini-van. The other is concealer (in fact all of my make-up) and now this amazing pillow!! Jim was sweet enough to order it for Valentine's Day and I seriously think it's the best, most romantic gift he's ever given me! It literally feels like you are floating on a cloud and I can't remember the last time I had such a healing, restful, deep, sleep. As any very-pregnant woman knows, a good night sleep is rare if impossible as the due date gets closer and your belly gets bigger.:) This pillow was pricey but WOW is it worth it! I think it's called the Back n' Belly pillow (babycenter.com has it on sale). Well I have to run already and get things ready for Grant's birthday tomorrow! 2 years ago right now Jim was packing the bags and we were just about to leave for the hospital because my labor had started. Hard to believe my little Valentine's Day angel is now running around the house and talking up a storm. I'll be back tomorrow with pictures and news......if I ever get out of bed with my pillow!! Lol.:)

Big Belly Pics!

Okay I finally decided to stop procrastinating and post the updated belly photos.:) Hard to believe that Sunday I will be starting my last trimester! I am almost 27 weeks now. The first photo makes me laugh because it looks like I'm about to tip over! I think this makes me look bigger than I am but, pictures don't lie so apparently I'm just that huge! The second photo was taken a few days ago when I sold some stuff on EBay (LOVE Ebay)!! Please be kind, I know I'm big.:)

Ouch!

People say that you are more accident-prone and clumsy while pregnant. I'm not sure if that's true, but I for one, believe it!! A month ago I caught my toenail on something and ripped off almost the entire thing (yuck). A few weeks ago Gabe and I hit heads and I got a big, swollen, black and blue eye. Earlier this week I busted my lip open (and it's still looking sore and scabby...yuck again). Then last night I smashed my finger in a drawer and it's already purple!!! I have managed to injure myself more in the past few weeks than in my whole life!! Lol. I know that your center of gravity is thrown off with a growing belly but I'm sure fatigue plays a role too. Jim and I have been frantically trying to run around and make sure everything is set for my mother-in-law. She is flying in this weekend and we are so excited! Grant's birthday is Tuesday too so we still have to get the cake and plan the big day. We decided to take Grant to Build-a-Bear for his present and I can't wait!!

We are Getting Old

Valentine's Day is next week and I know it's a great time to show how much you love your sweetie. It's funny how quickly life changes and how fast we get old! Jim and I used to really put a lot of thought and energy into getting each other something really romantic. Fast-forward about 6 years later and it's a present for our aching-feet and sore backs!! Lol.
I think I am going to get Jim a foot massager from Brookstone. It sounds very UN-romantic but believe me, that is music to his ears!:)
I am hoping to score this belly'n body pillow (it's on sale at babycenter.com).
The way I see it, nothing says love better than that...who needs flowers?!:)

The Indestructible Cold

I guess there is a cold bug going around. The boys (including Jim...and now me) caught it, and this sucker is a doozy. Poor Grant has this super-goopy, major runny nose and yucky cough. Gabriel and Grant are doing a little better but the hard part is finding effective medicine. We practically have a mini-pharmacy of cough syrups, cold medicines, and multi-symptom stuff but nothing has worked so far! I guess we just have to tough it out and keep a ton of tissues nearby. We have been having a great time despite that though. Last week we received some cute promotional items for the upcoming "Curious George" movie. I grabbed a few t-shirts for the boys and judging by the past few days, you would think it was Christmas! Gabriel will not take off his Curious George t-shirt and now Grant is the same way.:) They want to sleep in it, play in it, and even wanted to wear it to church. Gabriel was already familiar with George from books we have read but now it seems to be everywhere since the movie is coming out. I just have to laugh because usually Jim and I put so much though into gifts we get the kids and usually the excitement only lasts a moment or two. Here is something that was free and small and you would think it was the best present in the entire world! That's the great thing about kids, it doesn't have to be elaborate to make them happy and sometimes the little things are the best (pots and pans, a cardboard box, etc). The bonus to the Curious George story is that they have been actually asking for banana's for snack time! Lol.

Hot Topic

Today my Child magazine came and I saw a blurb about this new book. Looks good! I don't think it's in stores yet but I definitely think it would be good to read at some point. I know the working mom's vs. stay-at-home mom's is such a heated topic but and I see both sides (heck I've been both myself) but I always enjoy a good debate. There are some great excerpts and points on the author's website, you can check it out at www.lesliemorgansteiner.com