Ten.

1. In just this last week, complete strangers have started making comments to me on the fact that I'm pregnant. When I say, "making comments", I mean one of two scenarios....1. they either congratulate me or 2. they ask the standard triple question..."how far along are you?, when is your due date?, do you know what you're having?". I don't mind this at all because it finally means that I actually look pregnant and that I'm not just carrying around a growing beer belly. Also, being that this is my last time, I may be reveling in it a little ; )

 32.5 weeks!

2. Strangely enough, in just this last week while I have been out and about with my boys, I have noticed an increase in this following comment as well from complete strangers, "You sure do have your hands full!" I'm not too sure how to respond to this or if it's even worth it for me to do so. But, I always politely smile.

Yes, I know they are a hand-full, but they are little boys! My two little boys who are super outgoing, rambunctious, lovers of life and interested in everything and how it works. They are a lot of work, but the best kind of hard work. I'm not willing to not take them places as they need to experience life and learn how to be when we are around other people or running errands or eating at restaurants. Before I know it, this precious time will be gone and they will be all grown up. A sweet older couple came up to me after church on Sunday and commented on how cute they thought the boys were. They told me that they also have two boys, who are all grown up now. They said that seeing our boys reminded them so much of their own children and they reminded me about the fact that it goes by so fast. It was heartwarming listening to them.

I have also read this blog post a few times as it makes me feel as though I am not alone in this adventure we call raising children!

Okay, moving on!

3.  If you are a mushroom lover like muaw, then you must make this soup! I made it last week and we all enjoyed it. Yes, even my boys...well, Owen loved it and Jack liked it. I doubled the recipe to make four servings and we still had enough for leftovers, which I ate right up the next day for lunch. It was even better the second day.

Source: Seasonwithspice via Nicole via Pinterest

4. Do you watch The Walking Dead? Pat got me hooked on this show season one-episode one, simply because he could not bring himself to watch it alone. I never thought I would watch a show like this let alone actually enjoy it. Now here I am two seasons in and loving it. I may cover my eyes a few times (those zombies are creepy), but it's sooo good. 

5. Jack did get back on his bike sans training wheels today. He rode it for about 10 minutes up and down our street. I held his bike while he hopped on and as I pushed him off to pedal on his own, I could hear him saying under his breath, "I think I can...I think I can". So freak'n sweet! I love this little boy so very much!

6. I whipped out my Martha Stewart stencils, finally! It's only been like eight months since I bought them...sheesh! Here's a little sneak peak...

7. We played outside this afternoon for 3 hours...new bubbles, new bubble wands and a new pack of chalk can be quite entertaining! So can the neighbors you haven't seen since November.

8. I am absolutely LOVING my new TOMS. They are so comfortable almost like wearing slippers all day long! Now, what color to buy next or maybe a wedge for summer?

9. Looking at this picture makes my mouth water...

Rasberry Beer Cocktail

Source: ACupofMai via Nicole via Pinterest

In time.

10. I did watch bits and pieces of this latest The Bachelor. I could never bring myself to sit down and watch an entire episode as I found it to be quite boring. This however, it quite funny...

An Awesome Start, A Crash Landing Middle and a Proud Finale.

As I watched Jack ride his bike yesterday, I realized how confident he had become over the last year. So today, I mentioned to him very nonchalantly that maybe we should take off his training wheels. Surprisingly, he was all for it! Before we all could give it a second thought, Pat was taking off the training wheels while Jack was grinning with excitement. Here we go...there's not turning back now!

We took him to a school park by our house that has a perfect place to teach a 5 year-old how to ride a bike sans training wheels...a soccer field.

Pat's advice to Jack was "just keep pedaling" and my advice to him was "just keep telling yourself, I think I can..I think I can..I think I can".

And he's off...

He got up on his first try!

He rode until he got to the soccer net and then wasn't sure what to do, so he hopped off his bike.

 But, he got right back on his bike and rode to the opposite soccer net with Pat, Owen and I cheering him on.

He was doing so well that we decided to move to the empty parking lot so he would have a harder surface to practice on. I watched him do a couple of loops and my confidence in him was souring, so I let Pat take over and I took Owen to play on the playground. 

But wait...

About 5 minutes later, I heard a crash and a loud, screaming cry. Jack's loud, screaming cry to be exact. He had turned a corner a little too sharp and ran right into the light post just hard enough that he fell off his bike and scrapped his elbow. He was upset, scared and D-O-N-E with the bike riding and there was no convincing him otherwise. Luckily, there was the playground to take his mind off the crash for awhile because we were standing by our, "you have to get back on after you fall off". He wiped his tears, played and laughed with Owen and quickly got over it. Ufta!

Then we bribed him (you just have to sometimes!) with anything he wanted from Dairy Queen if he rode his bike one more time. He took the bait happily and rode his bike all around the parking lot a couple of more times.

He regained his confidence in riding his bike and was able to enjoy his triple scoop ice cream cone with a cherry on top.

I'm so unbelievably proud of him!

Now, we will see how tomorrow goes...

Random: What we've been up to...

1. Pat left for a 10-day work trip to here:

 Although I was not looking forward to being alone with the boys for that long, I was super pumped for him to have such an amazing experience. And from the sounds of it, that is exactly what it was for him plus three new watches.

2. We checked out the Arboretum with friends. It was great to be outside watching our boys be one with nature, but maybe going there in the Spring/Summer/Fall would be a better idea. It was worth it though.

3. I kept uber busy while he was gone which made the 10 days just fly by. One of my best girlfriends, Sara and her kiddos came for a visit for a few nights. Two Mommas plus four kiddos made for a hectic yet kid-fun time with good heaping of girl talk in between. For example, we made a trip to the MOA and after rides, Build-A-Bear and lunch, we decided that us girls deserved a little treat for ourselves.  Our treat just happened to be these. Our kids may have destroyed the store, but as long as we were holding new shoes in our hands...we were okay with it.

Mr. Sully aka Best Baby Ever

They made the whoopie pies and we I snitched small bites of them.

4. I made these brownies and with the help of a few other peeps (okay-okay, mostly me), they were gone pretty quickly.

Source: Baked Perfection.com via Nicole via Pinterest

5. I struggled and continue to struggle in finding a way to cure Jack's chapped lower lip. He's constantly licking it which makes it red and chapped which causes him lots of pain. Any remedies?

6. After Owen painted me a few pictures, I finally got around to whipping these up with his watercolor masterpieces.

Idea and templates via here

7. I reached week 32 of being pregnant and I am at the peak of constant bathroom visits. This baby must be using my bladder as a pillow.

8. I have been laughing at Owen's cute antics! This boy is a dramatic yet goofy one. He's constantly telling me he's hungry, however, when I give him something to eat, he maybe will eat half of it and then get distracted by whatever Jack is doing. Then, 15 minutes later, he tells me he's "soooo hungry".

Just yesterday, he told me, "Mommy, I so hungry...my tummy has a headache cause I sooo hungry".

He's a smart and clever one...

that Dr. Seuss.

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And we are some of his biggest fans!

Week 30

I have been one week off on this pregnancy...

As I was sipping on this delicious drink two weeks ago, my Midwife informed me that I was at 29 weeks while I thought I was at week 28. Oops!

So, here I am today 2.5 weeks later at 30 weeks pregnant.

(please ignore that gross, smudgy mirror..I was simply too lazy to clean it)

It's so hard to believe that I have already reached my third trimester. It sometimes feels just like yesterday that I was popping in an afternoon movie for my boys because pure exhaustion had overwhelmed by body and the only cure was a power nap. Now here I am on the home stretch with all of my energy back and I am in full-blown nesting mode. My thoughts/dreams of this baby and when/how he/she will make his/her appearance are becoming more real and more exciting by the day.  

The baby weighs about 3 lbs. and is the size of a cabbage. My midwife thinks the baby is in a perfect position at head down. This has to be true because the baby is constantly kicking me in my belly button. Jack and Owen had hiccups in utero constantly, but with baby I have not felt one hiccup...yet?! I am really gearing myself to have a water birth as that would be my ideal plan...I would love this so very much. However, I do understand that it's not always up to me and "my plan" may not happen. 

We will see, I guess!

Ten on Tuesday

1. Before I became a mother, I imagined  and fantasized how many things would be in having my own children. I recently had an experience with Jack that was never part of those dreams, which made it even sweeter. My mom and I took Jack to see the movie, Big Miracle (really great..highly recommend). He sat in between us, grabbed our hands and held on tight for basically the entire movie. Every now and then, he would kiss our hands or caress our arms. My mom and I kept smiling at each other at this sweetness he was displaying. What a wonderful memory for all three of us!


2. The boys had their first sleepover (purely for fun..not for Grandma babysitting duty) with my mom a few weekends ago. I can't even explain how excited they were for this experience, so here is a (crappy) cell phone picture of them to show, all ready to head out to Grandma's house.

It was only one night and they insisted on two things...1. having their own suitcases and 2. that mommy definitely could not come along

 3. As part of my kid's creative space, I made this state art to represent where each of them were born. It's super easy...blank canvas, paint, scrapbook paper and Modge Podge. I heart these big time! However, you can also find an awesome  "I love my state" free download from The Vintage Lemon. Just find your state, print and add a heart to the city you love! There is even a map of the United States for you travelers or movers....a la this.

4. Jack told me tonight that when he gets big, he wants to be a:

• Super Hero

• Astronaut

• Pilot

He plans on going to three different colleges at the same time, so he can learn to be all of these at the same time... you know, just in case the bottom may fall out of the Super Hero profession.

5. I have made this recipe for Apple Smothered Pork Chops twice in the past couple of weeks. It was good the first time and even better the second!

6. I can confirm that the Pear Gorgonzola Salad is awesome. We add a few craisins and croutons with the pears (fresh if I can find a ripe pear...canned if not) and gorgonzola cheese...yum! It has become our new side salad with dinner.

7. As I type this, the baby is kicking me right at my belly button and has been for the past 15 minutes. Can't wait to meet you, my sweet little baby!

8. I am totally drawing inspiration from this nursery for a girl and this nursery for a boy.

9.

I often tease the boys that I am going to give them a little shot that will stop them from getting big or getting another year older. They laugh at me and insist that they will get older and go off to college no matter what I do. Today, Owen had something Jack wanted. I overheard Jack tell Owen, "I'm going to give you a shot that will make you turn one year old again and make it so you can't be five like me Owen...so you better give that (fake dracula teeth) to me". Well, next thing I know, Owen is handing over the teeth. I guess he believes it when his brother teases him ; )

10. As a mother, a lover of babies and an owner of two dachsunds, this video gives me a good laugh each time I watch it. I think it will do the same for you!

Curls Be Gone.

Owen's new big-big Boy haircut. It wasn't what I had planned on doing, but I am so glad that it happened. He needed it and I love it! Owen does too because as he says, "Mommy, I have a haircut like Jack". He is getting so big right before my eyes.