Mid-Summer Happenings

Any of you moms out there feel like your ability to formulate words and clever musings nearly vanish post kids?   Before kids I feel like I could type entire blogs using words.  I now struggle to put together a few sentences.  I rely HEAVILY on pictures to fill up my blog pages.  Hoping this is a temporary phase!  I haven't been very good at blogging for the past several months.   Life is just happening, and blogging is not making the priority list.  BUT, I'm starting to get a little caught up, so let's get some summer happenings down.

I cannot believe it's mid July right now.  I really can't believe it's mid-July and we got some low 70 degree weather this week.  What an unexpected blessing!  I know many of my Texas friends have shared in this sentiment this week, but it's an extra special blessing in our household.  I have talked about it a bit it in a few monthly updates, but our little one has some severe allergies.  Food mostly, but also environmental and seasonal.  She's allergic to eggs, dairy, soy, peanuts (she has an epi pen for nuts), chlorine, and about 100 other foods.  Seriously though, 100 others.  At one point we've been down to about 5 things she can eat.  I don't share this much on the blog, but come across more and more people that deal with allergies in their kids.  Not all are as severe as others, but the struggle is still there.  It's hard.  Really, really hard.  Especially when you have a kid that has to wear footie pjs all day, and can't ever go outside.  That's the reality we live in.  So hard watching your kid not being able to play at parks, or swim in pools, or go to friends birthday parties.

BUT, this is the road we're on.  We love our little one, and wouldn't trade her for anything.  She is one of the happiest kids you will ever meet, and loves to dance and play.  She doesn't yet realize anything is even missing, but there are days that are harder for her.  Days she cries at the back door wanting to go play so bad.  Or just wanting to go get the mail with me so she can go out for a second.  Breaks your heart, but trusting God, that one day this will pass.

And for those of you out there that are nearly leaping out of your chair with suggestions and solutions, know that this is a severe case.  I appreciate all the help, but we have tried more solutions then I can count, and nothing seems to really work.  If you haven't gathered, or don't know this about us, we are on the far holistic side of medicine.

So, our summer happenings are more on the indoor, stay at home side.  There have been about a handful of days I've been able to put her in regular clothes, and by "regular" I mean a onesie (so she can't itch her back or tummy) and leggings.  We usually have to tuck her socks in somehow so she can't pull them off and we have to try and keep her leggings down.  It's really an all out workout trying to make it all work, so that's why we resort to just keeping her in footie pjs.

BUT, here are some cute pics of our summer so far.

Grandma helping us up to the slide.

Grandman and Grandpa having some fun.

She loves the teeter totter!

We love our accessories!

As you can tell. ;-)

18 Weeks

How far along: 18 weeks

Gender: Don't know yet...and it's killin me!

Weight gain: 0lbs.  Just got back to my starting weight.  Thankfully.  

Maternity clothes: Out of nowhere my belly totally POPPED out.  I went from nothing to a big ol bump!  So weird!  BUT I'm still wearing normal clothes.    

Stretch marks: Nope

Belly button in or out: In

Sleep: Sleeping good.  I can't nap everyday like I would like, so helps me sleep pretty hard at night.

Best moment this week: Feeling this sweet baby moving and squirming around more and more.  Forget how amazing that is.  

Worst moment this week: Still dealing with nausea.  So annoying. 

Miss anything: Still miss food.  A lot.  My normal diet is out the window during pregnancies.   

Movement: Yes! Feeling some kicks here and there.  

Cravings: I could eat cherries all day long.  That and these chocoalte chips by Enjoy Life.  They're dairy, soy, nut, everything free and SO GOOD.   

Queasy or sick: Yes and yes, BUT it's getting better.

Looking forward to: Still waiting for that boost of energy the second trimester is suppose to bring. I am not a nap person at all, but this pregnancy has me needing one every single day!  And when I say nap, I mean out cold for at least 2 hours.  I don't mess around.  

16 Weeks

How far along: 16 weeks

Gender: Don't know yet...and it's killin me!

Weight gain: 3 lbs. lost.  Still in the negative  

Maternity clothes: Nope.  Still wearing normal clothes.  They're getting a little snug around the waist, but thanks to lots of morning sickness and puking most nights, still in normal clothes.  

Stretch marks: Nope

Belly button in or out: In

Sleep: Sleeping ok.  Usually have to get up to pee around midnight, well that and a teething 22 month old. ;-)

Best moment this week: I would love to have some super fun moment to share, but honestly not throwing up for almost 5 days in a row has been pretty phenomenal. 

Worst moment this week: Getting some serious headaches right now.  Not loving anything to drink INCLUDING water, which I'm pretty sure is the culprit. 

Miss anything: OH yes...Eating!  This whole hating all foods thing is really getting old. 

Movement: Yes! Feeling little kicks here & there.  So crazy how much earlier you feel things!

Cravings: There's this random dish at a local Italian restaurant I could seriously eat every night.  It's a shrimp and pasta dish with red sauce and garlic.  SO good.  I hated all red sauces with my first pregnancy, and it's the complete opposite with this one!  

Queasy or sick: Yes and yes.

Looking forward to: Getting that second trimester feel good stuff they always talk about.  Still pretty tired and nauseous.  

Carried Away…by George Strait that is

For my birthday, Travis got us tickets to see George Straits final concert.  Good friends of ours from Austin came up for the weekend and went with us.  I was SOOOO excited, BUT super nervous about all my morning sickness.  Needless to say it was a lot for a first trimester momma.  Here are some fun pics from our night!

It was all pretty overwhelming.  He had so many great artist come out with him throughout the night. Miranda was, of course, my fav, but there were so many great songs!  The encore was pretty awesome as well.  All the artist came back out with him to sing.  So many people in one place!  So cool to get to be apart!

20 Months

It is scary to think in just 4 months you'll be 2!  How is that even possible!  You are getting bigger and bigger by the day!  Just growing like a weed.  Here are some fun facts about you these days:

- You love climbing...anything and everything
- You love coloring
- You still love to dance, but would prefer not to dance alone.  You usually pull me or daddy out onto the dance floor with you. You got some great go to moves ;-)
- You always try to copy us and snap your fingers.  So cute.
- You're wearing size 2T in pants/skirts and 3T shirts.
- You're in a size 6, almost 7 shoe.  We discovered you HATE anything between your toes, so this means you will not wear the super adorable flip flops your mom bought you. :-(
- You talk ALL the time.
- Your favorite words are ba (ball), ssss (sofia), papa, bye-bye, me me me, and of course mama and dada.
- You love cartoons, especially Sofia, Doc, and Mickey.
- You love having noise, especially the tv.  You don't even watch it half the time, but just want it in the background.
- You love playing in our bathroom, especially our built in hamper.  You throw all the clothes out and make it your own little hideout.
- You want to be outside as much as possible getting as messy as possible!!
- You love bike rides with mommy, and walks with daddy.
- You are not a fan of anything to drink but water.
- You have this serious scowl you use often.  You get so serious with this scowl, it's cute.
- You have quite the feisty personality.  Your daddy is already worried he's in big trouble!
- You have this funny fake laugh you do all the time.
- You just love being tickled!

You are just a JOY to be around.  You keep us laughing all the time!  We just love you to pieces!!!

SO happy being outside!

Busted!  Muddy baby!

We had some fun visitors!  We love Nancy!

You usually enjoy some snacks while we grocery shop.

Spying on the neighbors.

You still LOVE going to sleep playing with the tags on your blankie.  I love it too. ;-)

Easter

We did our first Easter egg hunt with AB this year.  You're always curious when and if they're actually going to "get it."  We met up with our life group at our church's big Easter egg hunt.   She did great!  And loved walking around finding all the eggs.  It was a bit hot and my morning sickness was beginning, so we left a little early.  Here are some pics from the hunt.

Then Sunday we had Easter lunch over at my parents house.

And we're growing...

I felt a little different for a couple days.  The kind of different I was somewhat familiar with.  So, I went to the store, grabbed a couple tests and went home.  I didn't tell Travis.  I wanted it to be a surprise.  Sure enough, the stick said pregnant.  I did another one just to make sure, and again got the positive result.  I immediately went to the store to buy a cute "big sister" shirt for Annabelle.  I came home and told Travis I just bought Annabelle a super cute shirt.  He, of course, wasn't too excited about it.  Not sure many husbands are "excited" to see the kids new clothes.  He humored me, opened up the bag and looked at the shirt.  It took him awhile to read it, but when he did his eyes got huge, and he yelled, "Are you serious?!?!"

The week or so before I had been SUPER tired.  I am not a napper at all, and it had been virtually impossible to keep my eyes open around noon-3:00 each day.  I mean, IMPOSSIBLE to stay awake.  I even resorted to calling my mom asking her to come over while I napped.  She said right away, "You are definitely pregnant."  I wasn't quite ready to say that, BUT I knew something was a little off.  Travis had been saying the same thing, but I'm not sure if he was really serious about it or not. Fast forward a week, and they both were right.

We're so excited to start the new chapter in our families life!