Trying Times of Motherhood

Oh, it's so much fun with two! HA! HA! Last night I got up with Cara Grace at 1 a.m and Reagan has decided to get up at 6 a.m. for the past two mornings. At nap time today, I decided to lay down with Reagan to catch a quick snooze. Just as I was falling asleep, she said, "O.K. mommy, you can leave now!" So, I thought, forget sleep, I'll just make a latte instead. Well, just as Reagan was getting into her nap Cara Grace decides to wake up and cry at the top of her lungs which in turn woke Reagan up! Ahhhhh! Maybe one of these days I'll be able to get them on the same napping schedule in the afternoons. Probably by that time Reagan won't be napping at all. So, after I calmed the baby down by feeding her, she spit up about half of her bottle right down my shirt and into my bra. That was such a nice feeling... So, today's been one of those days...

But, I did watch I really great movie the other night. It's called "Finding Neverland." - starring Johnnie Depp and Kate Winslet. At first I didn't think I'd like it but it turned out to be really good! I recommend anyone who hasn't seen it- to see it! It's not a new release, I think it came out in 2004. The music in the movie is beautiful and the it has a great story line. (But, it will never top "Walk the Line." I love that movie!) Supposidly it's based on a true story - of how the play Peter Pan came about. Reagan on the other hand is about to wear out the movie "Chicken Little." She has it memorized! Anyways, enough of my ramblings... Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!

Phillips Visit and other news...

Austin's family came to visit us the last of November. They got to stay for a whole week! We had a lot of fun. It was so good to be able to see them for more than a few days. I know I am posting these pictures late, but I've been so busy keeping up with two now! Cara Grace is doing awesome! She is such a good baby! She eats and sleeps a lot. She is now sleeping 7 to 8 hrs. straight at night thanks to the Baby Wise method I've been using. I love this book! It gives parents the freedom they need, -not having to worry about always rocking the baby to sleep and then two seconds later the baby waking up. This book helps parents teach their baby to fall asleep on their own. It encourages parents to put their baby in the crib while they're still awake. I love it! Anyway, it is really working for us. Cara Grace has been much less fussy since I've applied the methods I've learned from Baby Wise.

On another note, it has been an unusually warm winter here so far. This morning I was looking at the USA Today's weather map and saw that it is cooler in Phoenix, AZ than it is here! That is so crazy! It's hard to get into the Christmas spirits with it being so warm. But, I think it's suppose to cool down soon.

Last Monday night I had to go to the emergency room. I was having a lot of left kidney pain. The pain was so bad I told Austin we needed to go to the hospital. Well, after a cat-scan the doctor discovered that I had a kidney stone! I've never had one of those before and never want to have one again!!!! That is the worst pain I've ever had! I've heard people compare the pain to labor. Anyways, I passed the stone on Friday and feel much better now. So, last week was a weird, painful week, but praise God for his healing and protection! So, between the c-section and the kidney stone incident, I am glad to be feeling better! This holiday season I am thankful for my good health and my family. Sometimes we take for granted our health. Over the past couple of months I have come to appreciate more the blessing of good health!

Reagan's Boyfriend

As most of you know, Reagan started preschool this fall. She goes to First Baptist three mornings a week. There is a lady I am friends with whose grandson Ryan is in Reagan's class. I haven't been taking or picking Reagan up for about a month due to my surgery. Well, I went and picked her up on Monday and Ryan's grandmother told me that Ryan likes Reagan and talks about her non-stop. She said she saw them on the playground hugging. Some other kids were standing around Reagan on the playground and Ryan came over and pushed them all away and gave Reagan a big hug and she hugged him back. On Monday Ryan must have asked Reagan if she was going to McDonald's after preschool and she said yes. Well, I heard Ryan ask his grandmother if they could go to McDonald's. We went through the drive -thru and they went in to eat. Ryan's grandmother told me Wednesday that he was looking all over for Reagan. His grandmother said we must have changed our minds and maybe gone to Wendy's instead. He said, "Well then, let's go to Wendy's!" Wow! He's pretty persistant! And he's THREE!! I told Austin about Ryan liking Reagan and he said, "What? She's 3 1/2! And she can hardly talk! - How can she have a boyfriend!" Austin says when the girls get to be teenagers he will own many guns and polish them when their dates come over to the house!

Fun Times with our girls..

Today my mom and I took the girls to Kid Shots to get their Christmas pictures made. I love Kid Shots! They do such a great job at getting Reagan to smile and they have the best props. Reagan got to hold Cara Grace and they looked so sweet together. It was funny to watch the photographer. Reagan kept looking back and my mom and I and the photographer had a hard time getting her to look at the camera. So, she had to keep saying, "Reagan, look at me!" And when she wasn't trying to get Reagan to look at the camera, she was trying to keep Cara Grace's head from bobbing. But, the pictures turned out great! I can't wait to get them back!

I finally got to make it down to Babies R Us today. I love that store! I bought a book that I think will help us get the baby to sleep through the night. It's called "Baby Wise." I've read about half of it already and I think it has some really good ideas. I wish I would have know about this book four weeks ago. I would highly recommend this book to any new mom! It talks about putting your baby on a three hour schedule. The baby starts this three hours by eating, then they have an awake period, followed by a nap. Supposidly if you repeat this schedule throughout the day, your baby will soon sleep through the night. We shall see...

Tonight Austin and I discovered another way to ease Cara Grace's crying during her nightly "fussy times." - the vacuum cleaner! I fed her 2 1/2 hr. after her last feeding and she was still really fussy. So I tried rocking, bouncing, her swing, and pacifier. None of these things were working and she was still screaming. So, I've heard the vacuum cleaner works to calm down some fussy babies. I put her in her swing with her paci and turned on the vacuum. Sure enough she fell right to sleep. The only problem is when you turn the vaccum off, she wakes up! So, I am writing this blog while listening to our vacuum cleaner! Hey, at least we'll have the cleanest wood floors around! :)

December 3rd

Our sleepy little girl! Cara Grace is like most normal babies... she likes to eat and sleep- a lot!
This week however, she has been more alert and awake. Today she woke up at 8a.m. and didn't really take a long nap until 2 p.m! But, since then she's been sleeping up a storm. We finally went back to church today for the first time in a month. It was so good to see everyone again! I forgot how much I enjoy seeing everyone and hearing Pastor Keith's sermons. As we expected, most people were excited to see our new addition! And the praise team is missing Austin terribly. They haven't really had a bass player for a month. So, I think Austin is going to start playing again next week. The praise team gave us a really nice card along with a $50 gift! They told us to go out and treat ourselves... we are very thankful! We belong to such a wonderful body of believers! Thanks guys!!!

Cara Grace is pretty fussy at night- usually from about 7-10 p.m. see cries very regularly. But, we have discovered that if we put her in our infant carrier and walk around the house- she falls asleep and stops crying. I had the baby in the carrier at the dinner table on Tues. night trying to get a bit to eat. She had fallen asleep. I was eating a salad and accidently dropped a piece of lettuce with dressing on her head! But, she slept right threw it! It was pretty funny! The other night Austin wore the carrier for about an hour while standing up and bouncing. He said his knees were killing him. I was quite enjoying the break however! Needless to say we've been watching a lot of tv and movies at night while we rock and pat Cara Grace.

Tomorrow we go back to the doc. for her one month check-up. I can't believe she is already a month old. Time goes by so quickly. Before we know it, she'll be up and getting into everything. I am sure she has gained weight. It will be interesting to see just how much.

Reagan is adjusting to having her new sister around. Although, sometimes she is a little jealous and gets tired of hearing her cry. One morning I was bathing the baby in the kitchen and she was throwing a major cry tantrum like she always does and after a couple of minutes of non-stop screaming Reagan yells from the living room -"Help Me!!!!" I thought my sentiments exactly!! Another time when Cara Grace was upset in her swing Reagan was sitting at the kitchen table and took the baby's pacifier off the table and purposefully threw it in the floor! So, we have had numerous "talks" about why babies cry and how we deal with it!

More Baby Pics

Just some more pics of our little Cara Grace! I had forgotten how much work a newborn can be. Cara Grace is a good baby and sleeps most of the time still. But, it is still a lot of work! Especially when I have a three year old to look after as well. We all had a good weekend together. Austin is a huge help when he's home. The baby kept us both up most of the night last night. So, I took like three naps today to catch up. She seems to have her days and nights mixed up a bit. Hopefully that will change. Babies change
so quickly! I want to cherish every moment and every day with
b/c I know before I blink she'll be three like Reagan is. Reagan
was very fussy and difficult as an infant. I look at her now and
think, "Wow, things have sure changed!" No matter how much
work babies can be I look at Reagan and think it is definately all
worth it!!!!

Finally Pictures!

Reagan and her baby sitting in the
glider rocker at the hospital.


We think Cara Grace looks a little like Reagan did
when she was born. But, they both look very
different as well. I think Cara Grace is going to
look more like me. She has really light eyebrows
and lighter hair than Reagan. Her eyes are blue
but not a clear blue yet.


Proud Daddy and his little girl



Today we took Cara Grace back to the doc. for a weight check and she has gained 5oz. since Sunday! She is back to her birth weight and then some. She is a good eater! 0-3 months clothes are just now starting to fit right. She is more petite than Reagan was when she was born.
I am recovering very quickly from the c-section. I am able to get around and do more and more everyday! Mom has been staying with us and has been a great help. I will miss her when she goes home again. Cara Grace already has herself on a schedule at night. We get up to feed her at 1, 4, and 7 a.m. Hopefully she cut some of these out soon. But, her feedings are very predictable now, so that's good! More news to come...

Cara Grace is here!

Our little bundle of joy arrived here on Wednesday, Nov. 1st at 7:37 a.m.
She weighed 7lbs. exactly and is 20 inches long. The c-section went really well. I wasn't as nervous this time since I knew what to expect. I did get a little sick from the spinal block I received and was throwing up on the operating table. - which was very nerve wracking. But, that soon passed. All the staff and nurses at the hospital were great! I couldn't have asked for a better stay!

Cara Grace is doing well. So far, she is such a great baby!!! She sleeps alot right now. When she is awake, she is very content and doesn't cry very much at all. She does not like to have a bath of course and doesn't really care for her car seat. Reagan loves her new baby sister and wants to feed and hold her. We are trying to make her very much a part of all we do with the baby so she'll feel included. Reagan is a big help to me. She throws away the dirty diapers and says, "Yucky!!"

I have been recovering quickly and feeling better each day. We have tons of pics to post and will hopefully post them tomorrow. Sorry the news has been slow coming. It has just taken us a few days to get adjusted and feeling better. More news later....

Last Pregnant Pose...

O.K. This is so everyone can see how BIG my belly is!!! This was taken yesterday. I know I am very brave to put this on our blog. I hope you all don't think I look too different! But hey, after Nov. 1st I can only get thinner. I am looking forward to that!

Pumpkin Carving

Last night Reagan and Austin carved a pumpkin. We thought we would celebrate Halloween this weekend b/c the baby will be coming Wednesday and we won't do much the night before. Reagan didn't really get into carving the pumpkin as much as Austin did. And when he finished carving the face on the pumpkin, Reagan was a little afraid of it. - surprise, surprise! :) So, we put a candle in our pumpkin and set it out on the poarch. We had a lot of fun this weekend. We tried to make it a special one b/c this was our last weekend with just Reagan. I love my family so much and look forward to welcoming Cara Grace in a couple of days!!

Fun Pics

My sister Beth and my nephew Kendal at
his football game. Kendal is quite the football
player. He isn't afraid to tackle and take
down even the biggest opponents! At their
first practice last season he hit two boys so
hard they didn't come back! :)


Reagan posing in her Strawberry
Shortcake sunglasses. Sometimes
she can be such a ham!


Mom a.k.a. "Dorder" - This is what
Reagan calls my mom. Mom wants to
be called Grandmommy, but somehow
Reagan came up with the name Dorder
last year. It's so funny! This is a picture
of them at the Dinosaur exhibit we went
to last Friday. Reagan got to look for
dinosaur fossils in the dirt.

Still Waiting!

We it looks like our little girl will probably arrive sometime early Wednesday morning. (Nov. 1st) I went for my last doctor's visit yesterday and still nothing! My doctor said I should be glad I am having a c-section b/c this baby doesn't seem to want to go anywhere anytime soon! But, on Wednesday she'll meet us all- like it or not! :) I am starting to get a little nervous about having to be in the hospital for so long again. I'm not really fond of them. But, it will be so fun to meet Cara Grace!

Yesterday we worked on putting up a horse and princess border in Reagan's room. Now all we lack is a rug. I will take some pics of her new "pink" room and post them this weekend. She is very excited about the wallpaper border.

There's not much news to report lately, just taking it easy waiting for the big day. This will be our last weekend together as a family of three. In a way it's bitter-sweet. I wonder how Reagan will react to having a new sister. I wonder how I will handle being shared between two. I'm sure it'll all work out just fine... I always get a little afraid of the unknown.

Update

So, I guess for now- no news is good news... I went to the doctor on Wednesday for my weekly check-up. Everything still looks good, but I am showing zero signs of getting close to the big event! I was hoping for a little good news, but oh well... My next and last appt. is on the 26th. I will then have to go to the hospital to fill out my pre-op. forms. And then the following Wednesday is the day- Nov. 1st!!

I've noticed in the past week or so that I have begun to swell quite a bit in my hands, face, ankles, and feet. It looks so lovely! I'm starting to look just like I did right before I had Reagan! I showed my doctor my ankles and she didn't have any sympathy for me. She said I should see some of her other patient's ankles. So, I guess they're not too bad!

On another note, Reagan and I are going on a field trip tomorrow morning to the Hickory Science Center for their dinosaur exhibit. Reagan is really into dinosaurs and is looking forward to this trip very much. I heard that some of the dinosaurs are really huge and scary. I wonder if she'll be afraid. Reagan seems to get afraid of things such as clowns and all the Halloween characters we see in stores. We went to McDonald's this week to have dinner with my friend Kamie and their was a man dressed up like a clown entertaining children. Reagan Did Not like the clown. As we were leaving, I needed to throw away our trash and the clown was standing really close to the trash can. Reagan looked at the clown and started crying hysterically! You never can know what goes on in a three year old's mind. So, hopefully the dinosaur exhibit will be fun not frightening!

So, that's all for now... I will keep everyone posted as we get closer to the big day!

A Good Report!

Yesterday I went to the doctor for my weekly check-up. I am now going on a weekly basis. My blood pressure is really good. It was something like 104/80. My blood was tested at 30 weeks and it showed that I was anemic. Since then I have been loading up on the vitamins and extra iron. Yesterday when I was tested again, I was no longer anemic! Yeah! And, the best part of my whole visit was we discovered that sometime over the past couple of weeks, the baby has turned in the correct position- head down! My doctor did a quick ultrasound to confirm. I got to take another peek at the baby. She has really grown! I think she turned last Friday night. She was moving a lot when I was trying to sleep. It was quite painful. But, she was successful in her attempts! I hope she is more comfortable now, I am. Reagan tried to turn as well sometime around 34 weeks when I was pregnant with her, but didn't quite make it. Maybe Cara Grace is smaller than Reagan-who knows...

So, I was glad to get a good report from the doctor! We only have 3 1/2 more weeks!

Baby Shower Pics

This is the only good picture of me at the shower. I was so busy talking and opening gifts, I forgot to take any pictures. I had my cousin Jessica to take a few. I had such a fun time!!!


Cara Grace's crib. We are using Reagan's old bumper pad and adding a new quilt. My mom and I went and picked out the materials for the quilt and had it made. We also had two pillows made with the extra material. It looks so cute! Our nursery colors are a sage green and pale lilac.


This is a close-up of the pillows. We used a purple toile material.


This pic was taken around Labor Day weekend. My belly is a little bigger now-if that's possible! I don't want to take anymore pictures of myself b/c I look fat and swollen! When I smile, I look like a "chubby girl!"

Fun Pics

This is a picture of Austin relaxing in the new glider rocker we got for the nursery. He is using my boppy nursing pillow as a head rest! This was taken after a long day of mowing the yard and washing the car. I think he was about to fall asleep!


Reagan doing what she does best- eating CAKE!


Cousin Katie and Reagan at a football game. Katie is a pee-wee cheerleader for Stanley Optimist Club.

Catch Up

I know the blog has been pretty boring lately with not a lot pics- but, I have several to post... I will put them up this week. We had our baby shower last weekend and it was so much fun! Last night, Austin and I bought a new glider rocker for the nursery and set it up. Everything is ready now for the baby. So, if she wants to come a little early, I will not be upset! :) This afternoon, my cousin had her baby shower. She is having a little girl as well. Her baby is due two weeks after mine. She went to the doctor (we have the same doctor) last week and her blood pressure is high and she might have a slight case of preclampsia. Our doctor might consider delivering her baby early. If that's the case, we might have our babies around the same time. That would be cool! But, it is not good she hasn't been feeling so well.

I only have 4 weeks left! I go to the doctor this Thursday and then I will be going on a weekly basis. I have noticed more swelling in my hands, face, and feet the past week or so. Oh, and this baby is in a breech position just like Reagan was! Can you believe it? I thought that was interesting!

I must get going! It's been a very busy weekend. I will post lots of pics later on in the week. Please bear with my boring posts until then!

Sept. 16th

Reagan has started her 1/2 day pre-school and is loving it! I thought she would probably cry some on the first day or the first week. But, she didn't! She is doing so well... We really like her pre-school b/c it is very biblically structured. Right now, her class is talking about God's creation. She has been coming home talking about God and Jesus! Wednesday night at church we got there early and there was a little boy running around the sanctuary and she said, "Who is that?" "What's his name?" I didn't know the little boy so I told her I didn't know who he was. She got quite for a minute and asked, "Is his name Jesus?"

So, while I am loving having 3 whole hours to myself on MWFs, I know it will all change soon with little Cara on the way. Only six more weeks! I've been napping a lot during the day b/c I can't seem to get comfortable at night. Oh well...

Austin is doing well, keeping busy with work. He attended a company cookout Tuesday night and said it was a lot of fun. I think they all got to ride go-carts. And he brought home a big blow-up GoodYear blimp toy for Reagan and a gallon of sweet tea for me. I crave sweet tea!! Yummy! I heard that while a woman is pregnant, their baby can actually develop it's own likes of certain foods. I'm guessing this baby will like sweet tea and cereal.
Speaking of likes- Reagan likes coffee! No, we don't let her really drink it, but she has had a sip and thinks she likes it! Now I can't even go to the coffee shop or drive through w/o her wanting some too! She likes to taste it out of my cup with a "baby spoon." - infant feeding spoon. (Who knows?) The other day I was drinking just black decaf coffee and she tasted it with her baby spoon. She liked it- black coffee! I put the cup away and said she couldn't have anymore. She started crying and said, "No, I want black cossee!" So, she taking after mommy and her love of Java! Don't worry, we won't let her drink until she's at least 5yrs. old! :)

Reagan's New Backpack

Last Friday we bought Reagan a bear backpack that is also a "kid leash." I have always made fun of people in the past who put their kids on a leash. But, now that I'm a parent- I can see the advantages when in a crowd or at a public place like the mall. Kids can get away from you very quickly!! Reagan loves her backpack and actually likes to be led around on the leash. She thinks it's fun! This is a pic I took on Saturday morning. She has the leash handle around Minnie's neck! Poor Minnie! She had to go everywhere Reagan went that morning! Minnie has a good life except for the occasional harrassment she receives from Reagan. But, she is a very patient dog as well- thank the Lord! Minnie we love you!!!

Uncle Reid's Visit

Austin's brother came to see us over Labor Day weekend. Here are a few pics of his visit. Reagan had a blast playing with her "Unca Reid." She was asking for her unca Reid for several days after he'd gone home. I don't think she quite understands that Reid is at his home in Arkansas. Reid- we had a great time while you were here. It is always good to see you and catch up... I know Austin really enjoyed getting to hang out with his little bro. Maybe one day he'll convince you to move to N.C! Ha!

Reagan is now sleeping in her new twin bed and she fell out of the bed twice while Reid was staying with us. The first fall happened at 3:30 a.m. and was pretty bad. We have since then put padding on the floor to break her fall. We have wood floors which can make for a hard fall. A couple of nights ago she was crying out in the middle of the night. Austin went in to check on her and she was half hanging out of her bed - her head and body were dangling out over the padding on the floor and her feet where still in the bed! :)

Tired and Grumpy!

O.K. it's official- I'm tired!! It seems it's all I can do to keep the house picked up and keep up with Reagan. Today, I have felt like a total grouch to Reagan. Being pregnant the second time around is a very different when you have a little one already! I have felt much, much better physically this time but this pregnancy has been challenging in other ways. But, only nine more weeks! It's going by so quickly! I finished registering at Babies R Us yesterday with my friend Kamie- (she's prego as well) we had a lot of fun! I am having a family/friend/church baby shower on Sept. 24th. We don't need too many things, but it'll still be fun! I'm looking forward to eating the cake!

Although I am scheduled to have another c-section, I really wish I didn't have another one. Somedays I think I would like to try and have the baby naturally, but it scares me. We will wait and see... I just don't like the idea of having another baby "surgically removed!" It's feels so strange knowing your being cut on while you're wide awake! What a way to bring a baby into the world!

On a lighter note- Reagan got into the cabinets in our bathroom the other day and discovered mommy's panty liners.... She is obsessed with them! She insisted that she wear one Saturday in her panties after I gave her a bath. My mom called later that day and Reagan told her that she was wearing a "panty winer!" And she laughed and laughed! I think it's pretty funny! Today I was cleaning our hall bathroom and Reagan had found her kid scissors and was cutting a big piece of pink sidewalk chalk into little pieces all over the kitchen floor! Three-year-olds, you gotta love them. Reagan makes life fun!

Belly Getting Bigger

Yes, I know it looks like I'm ready to have this little girl- but, I have 12 weeks left! My belly will be huge by then. A lady at church today said I look like I could go anytime. Ha! She ain't seen nothin' yet! Little Cara's kicks and wiggles are getting a little uncomfortable at times. And I find myself roaming the hall at night- eating snacks and trying to find a comfortable place to sleep. The couch seems to be the best place for me to fall asleep lately. I saw a six week old baby at church today and thought "How will I know what to do again?" I guess motherhood is just like riding a bicycle. You never forget and your mothering instincts come right back.

Austin's hours at work have changed a bit. He is now going into work at 3 or 4 a.m. and getting off much earlier. He is usually home by 3p.m. Which is great!! We get to see more of each other now. I am very excited about this b/c when the baby gets here he'll be at home earlier. Before this shift change he didn't get home a lot of times until 7 or 8p.m. So, this is much better! He had a meeting with the owner of the company last Friday and John Clark had some really awesome things to say about Austin. We are proud of you honey!!! You do a wonderful job!

But, no other news to report right now.... things are good! Reagan is ready to see what her sister is going to look like and so are we. I don't think she quite understands what "little sister" means b/c the other day she said Minnie (our dog) was her little sister!

Funny Kid Stories...

Yesterday I decided it was time to venture down into the basement and start going through all of Reagan's old baby clothes and toys- to get ready for baby Cara. We had four huge boxes to go through and seperate. Reagan "helped" or rather bothered :) but she had a blast doing so. I would hold up an outfit and say- "Oh Reagan, this outfit is nice, remember it?" Of course she didn't but she said, "Oh! It's just so cute!" She had to try on all of the infant socks- as much of the sock she could get halfway on her foot. She ended up taking her nap wearing one pink and one white baby sock! By the time we were through, we were both wearing stretchy baby head bands too! They were the ones Morgen sent Reagan when she was first born. Later that day I went through our avent bottles and Reagan had to have her after-nap milk in a bottle! It is going to be interesting when the baby gets here! Reagan is going to have to do everything the baby does!

I have a cousin who has a 3 yr. old and a 5 yr. old. Her 3 yr. old wanted to say the blessing at the dinner table the other evening. So, when she prayed she asked God to help her Dad because he was not perfect. After the prayer, the dad said to his little girl, "Well, I am perfect to you!" Then the 5 yr. old son piped up and said, "No, your not Daddy!" "You cough, sneeze, burp, poo-poo in the potty and you have a big butt!" I thought that was so funny! Kid's really do say some funny things!!!

Well, Reagan is officially potty-trained! Finally!!!! But, she still has a few issues with doing #2. She isn't really thrilled when it's time to do the deed. She covers her eyes. Sometimes she'll wait a day or two to go. Yesterday I knew she needed to go. She kept telling me that her belly hurt. So, I told her if she poo-pooed in the potty I would give her some M&M's. Well, that worked! After she went she said, "Whoa! That was a big Poop!" :)

A little undate on us... Things are going well. I am in my 26th week of my pregnancy! At my next appt. I have to do a glucose screening test. Yipee :( My belly is getting bigger and it is getting more difficult to sleep. And I still have a ways to go! Oh well.. Reagan says Mommy has a BIG belly and gets excited whenever she can touch it. But, things are good. Austin is staying busy with work and I am getting busy trying to get the nursery ready.

Our visit with the Phillips

Here are some pics of our visit with Austin's parents Tim and Charmaine and his brother Mark. While they were here, Mark and Tim helped Austin put together Reagan's new play fort. It turned out to be quite a job! It was very hot outside the day they put it together so they were all tired that evening. Reagan is thrilled with her new play set and we spend a lot ot time outside now on the swings- her favorite! Everyday I push her on the swings for about 30 minutes and then we go and check on the garden and pick ripe tomatoes and green beans. Our tomato plant is producing so many tomatoes all at once- I've had to give some away! It has been a very dry summer this year, but we finally got some rain on Friday. Minnie is afraid of thunderstorms! She starts shaking and panting and stays right under my feet!

We had so much fun with Austin's family and wish we could see them more often! We are looking forward to their visit in November when they will come out to meet our newest addition- Cara Grace!!

The Belly

Here is a pic of my belly around 20 weeks. I think it has gotten a little bigger since this picture was taken. I am officially six months pregnant now. The time is going by rather quickly. We still have so much to do to fix up the nursery. It's different with you second- it seems like with Reagan we had so much more accomplished by this time. But, since we're having girl #2, we won't need to buy a whole lot. I've saved most of Reagan's clothes and toys. I am still feeling good, although I get tired pretty easy. I guess it's b/c I'm keeping up with a three year old as well!

Austin's parents were able to come out and visit over the 4th. We had a really fun time. Reagan enjoyed seeing Grandma and Grandpa. We will see them again soon- in November, after the baby's born. I have lots of pics of there visit. I will post them soon.

Mommy, Eat Your Corn!

Reagan is a major corn lover! Especially corn on the cob. She likes to eat it on the cob and gets upset when you cut it off for her. I've learned my lesson with that! :) The other night I decided to buy some fresh corn on the cob at the grocery store and cooked it up for dinner. Well, Reagan only ate her corn, nothing else on her plate. But, she ate the whole ear- it was pretty large. And she wanted me to eat my corn at the same time as her. It was cute- she'd say, "Mommy, eat your corn!" When I started to eat something else on my plate. I had to make a trip to the bathroom being as the baby feels like she's sitting right on my bladder at all times!! Reagan said, "Where are you going Mommy? Sit down and eat your corn!" It was a fun dinner night, one to remember!

Last Saturday night we had a nice summer vegetable dinner- homegrown from our garden! Yummy! We picked enough green beans to make a big pot full and we had tomatoes. Garden tomatoes are SO much better than store bought! It was great! Our tomato plants are huge and loaded down with tomatoes. We will have a ton in a couple of weeks. I love gardening! Next year, we've decided to buy a tiller and have a big garden. I am dreaming of home grown cucumbers, corn, lettuce, squash, watermelon..... we'll what can I say, I'm loving food right now! I'm pregnant- it's goes with the territory! Reagan loves to help in the garden as well. She would make such a cute little farm girl!

Reagan's 3rd B-Day!

Reagan and Austin- the two cake lovers of the family! I don't know which one enjoys it more!



We got Reagan a Madagascar birthday cake. It was really neat! She especially liked the animal figurines and palm trees on the cake. She is still playing with the animals. She is such an animal lover! Her cousin Katie offered to lick all the icing off the figurines. - and she had fun doing it! Thanks Katie! :) Reagan enjoyed blowing out her candles. She is really into the "Happy Birthday" song since her birthday. We were out to eat the other day and it was someone's b-day and the waiters sang the song and Reagan was thrilled! I often catch her singing it around the house too. So cute!

Beach Pics

My 20 Week Ultrasound

Well, this morning I went for my ultrasound. Reagan and Austin were able to join me. I was lying down on the table while the ultrasound tech was doing her work and Reagan asked Austin, "Is Mommy sick?" I don't think she knew what to think of all of it. I saw her covering her eyes a few times... Everything looked good and normal on the ultrasound. All the baby's organs look good and it's size is just plain normal. Which my doctor said is very good. And, I've only gained 3lbs. since my last visit! That puts me at 11lbs. total.

And---- it's a GIRL!!! Another girl! I kind of had a feeling the baby was a girl, but I wasn't quite sure. I don't think Austin is too disappointed, or he's hiding it really well. He said, "Well, we can always adopt!" I told him one thing at a time mister! While I am thrilled to be having another girl, I am a little sad that we won't be having a boy of our own. - I am finished after this pregnancy! So, Reagan and I went out today and celebrated. We went to lunch and a movie. I told Reagan she was going to have a baby sister and she said, "Yeah!"

So, we should have enough baby clothes for the second round. I saved just about everything of Reagan's. (That was worth saving.) I want to decorate the baby's room in pink and white. Reagan's room is done in green and purple. As far as names go, we're still thinking. We like the name Cara Grace but that is not set in stone yet. So, today was a fun and eventful day. It's so good to know, now I can start planning and decorating!

Summer Fun!!

We just got back from our beach trip! It was a lot of fun and the weather was wonderful! I will post pics of our trip sometime this week. Oh, and we got a new digital camera finally! It's a Nikon and very easy to use. So, I had a blast taking lots of pics at the beach! Reagan was of course a little timid of the ocean at first but was wading right in up to her knees by the time we left! She always gets used to things as it's time to go...:) She also enjoyed building sand castles and splashing in the little water pools that are left behind after the tide receedes. She would splash in them and whisper, "Oh Wow!" Next to our hotel was a mini water park with slides and a lazy river. Reagan liked the lazy river very much but I had to force her down the water slide. But, once she went, she loved it! We made some good memories on this trip! We went with my parents and my sister and her family. So, Reagan got plenty of hang time with her cousins Katie and Kendal. Katie is like a little mama herself so she helped me out quite a bit! Reagan always takes the best naps at the beach b/c she plays so hard- or maybe it's the salty ocean air. Who knows, but I enjoyed the down time.

We also celebrated her third birthday at the beach. This year we got her a Madagascar cake. It was really cool. I have a picture of it that I'll post later. Nobody wanted to eat the far side of the cake b/c it was so thick with the "ocean" icing. But, Reagan was thrilled. She gets VER Y excited about cake. It think it's her most favorite thing in the world. We went to Cold Stone Creamery one night while we were there and Reagan said she wanted the "pinx" icecream with sprinkles. She only ended up eating two bites. Good thing it cost only $1.50. She is not much of an icecream fan.

I did not feel very beach pretty this year. I had no tan whatsoever and a preggo belly. Oh well, there's always next year. We get to find out what the baby is this Thursday! Yipeee! I honestly have no idea what it is. I thought Reagan was a boy before her ultrasound, so I'm not guessing this year. We will be happy with either! I think Austin really wants a boy, so hopefully so. So, then we'll be through with the baby making!!! :) My biggest complaint with this pregnancy is all the headaches I get. AHHHH! And tylenol does nothing for them. Does anyone have any suggestions on what might help? Sometimes I get them for two days straight! Oh well, I need to close. This blog is getting rather long... Look for pics coming soon! Miss you all!

Disney Pixar's new movie "Cars"

Wow! I haven't been able to catch my breath here lately! We've been going non-stop for the past couple of weekends. Memorial Day weekend Austin and I got to go to the world premier of the Disney Pixar movie "Cars." It was at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. I've never been inside the speedway before but WOW! It is so huge! The Coca-Cola 600 was that same weekend, so when a race is happening, the speedway is transformed into a small city. I have never seen so many RVs in all my life. - And license plates from everywhere. So, anyway, we got to see several movie stars including Bonnie Hunt, ("Cheaper by the Dozen" mom) Owen Wilson, and Larry the Cable Guy- "Git R Done!!" When Larry the Cable Guy stepped on stage and said- "Git R Done" the crowd went wild! It was hilarious! He plays the voice of the pick-up truck "Mater" in the movie. We also got to watch a just for fun 12 lap race- of course the "Cars" car won! :) I can see how people like to go to races. Hearing the cars roar around the track is pretty cool. It made me think about how my Papaw would lay beside the radio on Sunday afternoons and listen to the races and end up falling asleep. So, I felt truly southern this Memorial Day weekend. We got to watch a stock car race and listen to country music! There was a country music band that played before the movie. The movie was shown on four 11 story screens. Pretty awesome! I wanted to take some pics inside the speedway, but no cameras were allowed. Well, I might even consider going to a race now, who knows? We didn't get home until 2 a.m. but we had a great time! Charlotte is such a fun city! Oh by the way, the movie was really good!

Dora Live

This weekend Reagan and I went to go see Dora's Pirate Adventure in Charlotte. We went with my friend Angie and her little girl Hannah. This little outing has been planned for quite some time- so we were very excited to go! This was a live performance. It was like a real-live Dora episode on stage. Reagan sat very still and didn't move a muscle during the show. I think she really enjoyed it! When the show was over she said, "Bye Dora, bye Boots, bye video!" I guess she thought she was watching a Dora video! We had a great time and enjoyed walking around downtown Charlotte. It is so pretty! We ate lunch at a cool place called Fuel Pizza. I think they make the biggest slices of pizza I've ever seen!

Things here are busy but good! I go back to the doctor tomorrow for a check-up. I am now sixteen weeks along and feeling pretty good. We will find out what the baby is sometime in June! And we are taking our family beach trip in a few weeks! We are looking forward to getting away!

Roses, Roses!

Here are some pics of the rose bushes Austin planted in a bed in our backyard. They are so beautiful this week. We have some peach, bright pink and pale pink ones. I believe these bushes were in the ground when we moved into our house. The previous owners had planted them. Austin has added a few to the bed to make a semi-circle ring of roses. This year they are just so vibrant and pretty! We just wanted to share these pics. We also have an herb garden this year. It is towards the back of the house. Austin has planted fennel, dill, rosemary, cilantro, spearment, chives, chamomile, and thyme. We also have some tomatoes and green beans coming up. Yummy! I can't wait to make my own homemade salsa with our cilantro in it! I need to make it soon! So, it's been fun watching all of the herbs grow. It has been so dry here lately, our yard is starting to look a little brown. Hopefully we'll get some rain soon. This year has been drier then normal.

We are also getting Reagan a redwood play fort with swingset for her third birthday. Austin is getting a really great deal on one from work! She will be sooo excited! She loves to play on the ones at the park. She likes to look at the catalog we have of the different play sets made by this company. She says, "Play toy? O.K!" So, she's excited!

Trixs are for kids, you silly Wabbit!

Last week, my mom brought up a few "treats" for Reagan... One of which included a box of Trix cereal. I can't believe my mom bought these being the health nut she is. I don't know if you all have seen the new Post's cereals that advertise "75% less sugar and made with whole grain." Well, I tasted this new and improved Trix and it tasted kind of like it had an artifical sweetner in it. So, we looked closer at the box and at the bottom in small print it states, "Contains Splenda." Ah-ha! I've heard mixed things about splenda. I don't know what to think about it. Is it bad or is it good? Who knows... anyway, we gave Reagan some Trix for breakfast Sunday morning before church. I told Austin before I gave it to her that she would soon be ruined from healthy cereals from here on out. She was laughing and giggling the whole time she was eating it. I asked her if she liked Trix and she said, "Yes, I like wabbit ceweal!" So, now every morning, she asks for her "Wabbit Ceweal." We are almost through the box and when it's gone- it's gone!

Last night I had to run out and finish cleaning my dad's office. We usually try and clean it over the weekend, but Austin had a company picnic we went to Sunday evening, so we didn't get it finished. The compnay picnic was a lot of fun! I was good to meet the people Austin works with and put a face to the names he is always talking about. With some of the stories he tells me, you'd think some of the people were ogres! :) But, they're pretty normal looking. Anyway, I had left Austin to heat up some tacos we had eaten earlier for his supper. When I got home, I was greeted with five black and crispy taco shells out on our front porch and I thought, oh no... The whole house smelled of burned taco shells. Austin thought most of the smell was out and it was starting to smell much better- wrong! So, needless to say, I was up most of the night with a headache from "the smell!" Pregnant women are very sensitive to smells. He had tried to air the house out while I was gone. He opened all the windows and doors. It's been pretty chilly here lately. So, Reagan was running around the house saying, "Daddy, it's cold and I have a headache!!

Birthday Pics!

The top picture is of my edible birthday card I received in the mail from Emily and Mandie! Thanks guys! I have never gotten an edible card. It tasted really good. Austin and I ate the whole thing after dinner Friday night! Yummy!!! Emily, I couldn't get a good close-up picture of it. You can't really make out what it says...But, I thought it was great! Were the three girls in the picture suppose to be us? Wow, we're skinny!! I don't even look pregnant! Ha! If anyone is interested in giving someone an edible greeting card, go to (Edibles, Inc.com) They have a card for every occasion.

The pictures below were taken at my birthday dinner celebration. We went to Makoto's. It's a Japanese steak house where your meal is cooked in front of you. The food is wonderful! For my birthday I got a brownie dessert and serenaded by some stranger. Very embarrasing! But, the guy had an amazing voice! Reagan was afraid of the chef and covered her eyes a lot! It was cute. The last picture is of my friend Kami and I. We just recently became friends. We were in our church Easter play together. I am really glad we've become friends... Love ya girl! :) Thanks for celebrating with me on my b-day!

So, I survived my 30th birthday! I didn't want a big celebration. I wanted it to come and go quietly! Things here are good. I am getting a break from school for the next couple of weeks. Starting May 23rd I will be taking a math class that lasts five weeks. I will then be taking the fall semester off b/c of the baby. I hope to resume classes in the Spring of '07, but we'll see... I am definately on my way to becoming an elementary school teacher! And I am very excited about that!! I have enjoyed my classes so much. School is different this time around. I'm older and more concentrated and teaching is really what I want to do- so it makes the classes fun.
Well enough of my ramblings... until next time!