Surroundings...

...is no more..  We moved everything out today and it's all on my back porch.. Not sure what I'm going to with all of it.. Good news is that the table can be broken down and put in the attic.. Which means I don't have to rent a storage unit. 

So, I guess for now, I'll be laying low with meetings, meet here or meet at the Bridal Assoc. That's all  I can do for now. 

I actually survived tonight!

Today was my last wedding for the year and until the new baby comes.. I'm not really sure how I made it. Well, I do know.. Kelli & Chris, that's how.. But I really had about 15 contractions throughout the day and had a couple more on the way home. For the next 5 weeks, my feet will be up and Chris will be probably doing everything.. I really think she's going to come early.. 

Here is Janelle & Ken.

 

I'm tired and going to bed.. 

Cute Pics from Xmas

One of our traditions is to take a family photo on the couch the morning of Christmas. Through the years the photo changes. This year Joey is gone and Sally Mae is here. What a year. Oh, and I'm pregnant again in this pic.  I have a scrapbook containing a photo from each year. It's amazing how our lives have changed over the last 9 years.  

Here is Alex with his new drum set that he LOVES!!!  

Here are the dogs getting along nicely.. Libby hates things around her neck. She thinks they will shock her like her bark collar..  :)  I guess that means it's working.  

 
This is the view from Ian & Rachel's when it started to snow. We left about 2 hours later and man had it come down.. 

My mom painted them a painting of the place we camp up by Rock Creek.. She did a great job cause everyone knew that it was Marsh Lake.. Good job mom..  and they really loved it. It was hung in about 1 minute..  :) 

All in all, it would have been nice to be stranded in Tehachapi with all the wonderful snow, but the reality is that I have a wedding tomorrow and am completely stressing over it.. I have back up and they are a wonderful easy going couple, but I didn't get a wink of sleep last night stressing over this wedding.. I've had about 5 contractions today and that was simple running around town and picking up the house.. I seriously hope I don't go into labor tomorrow.. I'll be very happy when tomorrow is over and I can put my feet up and stop worrying about the baby coming early or just being in shear pain..  I suppose prayers from anyone would really help.. 

Love to all and thanks for a wonderful Christmas.. It went by fast but was nice to be with family. 

Okay, This is FUNNY!

Thanks parents for the WII... 

Okay, while I was waiting for this to load, I played 1 round.. Out of breath and tired!!!  Maybe a contraction.. I'm done, even though he (ryan) fell down.. 

That was funny.

Surviving Xmas Snow

I'll post Xmas pics later. But for now, it's all about getting out of Tehachapi ALIVE!!  It's a good thing we left when we did.  It was snowing, we left Ian & Rachel's and almost slid off the road into someone's fence. Scary.. After being on the freeway for awhile it started to get better and then all of a sudden it got worse.  I think the video doesn't show how loud the hail was and I missed the lightening. 

Alex & Mommy

Today, I had a last minute Xmas family portrait session.. I took the opportunity  to get some shots of Alex at the part.. None of the Alex one's turned out. My flash is busted and he's just too fast, but Chris did manage to get this shot.. 

Baby It's Cold Outside! and an Alex story.

Oh man is it cold today in Bakersfield.. 34 degrees.. We've got a big day ahead of us today and i was out there helping Chris load things into the car.... I should have stayed in bed. Alex has the right idea..

Oh, LAST NIGHT!!!   The plan was to take Alex to Brooke's (Kelli's) and she could watch him while  we went to a Xmas get together.. As always, we were running late, quickly dropped him off, snuck out the back and got on our way.. 30 seconds later, the phone rang..   Kelli Screaming... "He's puking everywhere!!! Mac & Cheese.. It just won't stop.. Oh my god, there's more!!!"  

See, Alex has this really BAD habit of crying soooooo hard that he gags himself til he pukes when we leave him somewhere.  It's not all the time. Mostly when he's already been at the day care all day, he's tired  and just wants to be home doing his regular nightly thing.. aka playing with daddy and dogs.  We have tried other things that worked like showing up 30 minutes early, getting him used to the surroundings, and then he's been fine.. but as I said earlier, we were running late.. 

So we went back, got him cleaned up and went home. We didn't have any numbers of the people we were meeting, so for now, they all think we flaked.  Instead we drove through John's, went home, took off our going out clothes (Chris said I looked hot with my pregnant belly) and we turned back into to frumpy parents.

AWWWW,  the memories...  

One dog story..  As we were getting ready to go out, I hear Chris yelling at the new dog. "GET OFF THAT KITCHEN TABLE!!!!!"    :)   

I think we've named her Sally Mae in remembrance of Miss Sally Pants. 

"New Dog" Photos

We've been calling her New Dog cause we don't really know her yet..  Last night I just COULD NOT get her in the crate for bedtime. I wanted her there cause I don't know how potty trained she is.. Anyway, I gave up and went to be. She slept somewhere and was completely quiet all night until 6:45 this morning when she wined at my bedroom door.. I was soooo excited.. I shoved her out the dog door and I think she did her stuff.. So there may be hope for her staying here..  Her playing with Libby is still a little weird. She wants to, but is not sure how to and give up control at the same time. She wants to be dominate over Libby. I've already started correcting her on that issue.  Anyway enough of dog training talk. here are some better photos taken with a better camera.. 

An Eventful Morning

So, Alex and I are on our way out the door when we are greeted by none other than beautiful little stranger.. Beige, tail wagging, and happiness.. My heart melted... So, in the car with us she went.. I drove straight to Chris' work to show him our new addition and his words were, "OH NO!"  I said what any pregnant hormonal woman would say, "OH YES!"  :)  She is soooo cute..  She came with me to drop off Alex, I showed her to a couple of my friends and then  we finally made it home for an introduction to Libby..  It didn't go so well.. Libby was fine with her, but she is in heat (I think) and a little temperamental with other dogs in her lady area.. Who wouldn't be? All she did do was show her teeth and I corrected her promptly.. But I am waiting for them to play. For now, she's been mostly sleeping.. 

If anyone remembers the last dog I kept you will remember the heart ache I underwent when the owners finally called a week later.. Same kind of dog, Male, Benji like and perfect.. So this time, I still did the right thing and put an ad in the paper. There was no collar but she I'm sure has a home somewhere..   I will give her back if they call and describe her to the T, but I really want to keep her.. It's time Libby had a friend.  

Of  course I worry about Alex around her, but we'll see how it goes. She licked him this morning and her tail was wagging, so those are both good signs..  I also petted her while she was eating to see how that went and it was fine.  But don't worry, our kids come first and if there are any signs, she'll have to go..  The kids are the most important.. 

Xmas Shopping

I thought that due to my current situation (being pregnant) that I didn't have to do any Xmas shopping.. Wrong...  I'm tired.. But honestly shopping is easier than going to the post office.. Don't these people know they are supposed to pack, seal and address their stuff BEFORE they get to the counter.. I have no patience for this behavior.. Especially when I spent much time the day before getting everything ready so all I had to do was stand in line like a good girl and pay for my postage.. To top it off I ran into my "worm". Those who understand "worm" will understand my frustration..  I  wish I was in a cabin somewhere with a fire, sitting by the window staring at huge snowflakes and drinking something hot and creamy.. NOT running around Bakersfield and running into Bakersfield people.. 

But the light is that I'm almost done shopping. 2 more gifts and I'm done.. Well 4 more, then done.. I would have Chris do all the wrapping, but since I'm a control freak, I'll be doing that too.. 

I hope no one is buying Chris and I presents. We could only buy for the kids and we're tapped out. Sorry adults (except our parents :)  ) . Know we love you. :) 

Here is a random pic of Alex from a year ago.. He was soooo little back then.. 

Words, Words, Words

So Chris and I were wondering about how many words Alex says.. We figured about 20 or so.. Silly us!!  We started righting them down..  20...30...40... No, we're up to about 80 words that he says. Maybe they aren't perfectly clear, but he and we all know what he's saying..  Is this normal to have so many words or is our baby just smart?  I mean we've always thought he was smart.. What  parent doesn't think their kid is smart.. But then there are those who really are smart... But there's just no doubt that he's cute......  :) 

Long Lost Blogger

Well,  I guess it's been forever since I blogged about nothing.. 

Alex did the funniest thing last night.. Chris was peeing (sorry honey) and he called me saying, "honey, hurry come look at Alex".. So I go in there and on the other side of Chris (standing at the toilet peeing) is Alex, holding his shirt up, leaning forward and pretending to pee.. Like daddy.  It was the cutest thing.. Even cuter, he was very proud of himself.. 

Alex has also become very insistent about certain things in his life..   Like wearing these black dress shoes instead of his easy boots.. the shoes are dressier and have laces, which come undone.. Ugh.   He also has insisted on sitting at the table like a big boy.  He's not quit big

 enough to not make a mess everywhere, but I'm trying to allow him to grow up, so he's moved to the table with a booster chair and place matte.. We'll see  how that goes.. And his cup Can't have a lid on it..  He also insists on wearing certain un-matching hats when we leave the house and coats are sometimes okay and sometimes not.. I have to get creative in my reverse psychology.

As with his medicine every morning.. The inhaler business is never fun, but followed by a tic tac and all is good..  (inhaler update- We found one that does not make him hyper and his coughing has lessened dramatically.. thank goodness)

All of this independence and 7 months pregnant.. I'm quite tired by mid day... and dead by days end.. this is where Chris comes in to save each day. 5pm and it's daddy time.. They play, bathe, clean up, read and then off to bed.. I don't know what I'd do without him.. 

My friend took our pictures the other day.. I think they turned out really good..   If you want one, let me know.. I've made a few copies already.