playing catch up

So I'm making my way around the interwebs again.

My blogging died off while in California -- not for lack of trying but because my parents still have DSL and while it works fine for streaming video and surfing the web, it does not work fine for uploading photos. That post about Chad's first day back took like three days. Not even kidding.

I took so many photos I can't wait to share. Even if just so my mom can relive the whole trip. ;) We had a great time and were definitely spoiled by our hosts.

In the meantime, I just found out about NieNie's latest miracle, which I missed while "out" of the blogging circuit. Funny how that makes me so happy and I don't even know her.

It's such a nice reminder that miracles still happen and inspires me to keep expecting one (or two or three) for our family as we continue the job hunt.

chad is home: updated w/photos

We snapped a quick photo with Chad before his official release as a missionary. This was hours after meeting him at the airport, stopping for a late lunch and visiting grandparents so we were all feeling a little bit worn out. Still, it was a such a fabulous day and we're enjoying our time with him out here in sunny (yet dry!) California. More photos to come.

***

I decided to add the highlight reel from our day down below. Tanner, Jackson and Christian had cute matching "tie" shirts we put together before heading to the airport, along with missionary name tags, just for fun.

From the airport we went to IN-N-OUT Burger, where Christian scarfed the "vegetarian" burger we were supposed to share (I ended up ordering another -- don't think for a minute this pregnant lady didn't insist on eating lunch). After that we took Chad to see the grandparents -- both Wiley and Sellers -- before he went to be released as a missionary.

Once home, we all went for an early evening swim and teased Chad about his farmer's tan (unavoidable when you aren't allowed to swim for two years). Needless to say, we all slept very well that night.

trying to wait....patiently...

it felt like he was the last one off the plane...of course

Tanner was so happy to be reunited with his big brother

Dylan thought he might be taller than Chad by now...wishful thinking

Grandpa Wiley met us at the airport too

Chad thoroughly enjoying his burger (?)

24 weeks

I saw the cutest picture on pinterest and I thought I'd try and copy it to document this pregnancy. Yeah, not sure it's going to work. I wonder if someone was holding the camera up above her? Hmmm. I couldn't seem to get the angle right now matter how hard I tried.

Either way, here's a 24-week photo:

Observations:

- baby kicks me all the time, nothing painful so far -- it's just fun to know he's active

- I've thrown up more this trimester than in the first, but still, only a handful of times so I can't complain

- belly seems bigger already than last time, but it's hard to tell

- still able to run 3x or so per week, thanks to a patient running partner

- a random lady at the park this weekend asked me when my due date was so I guess I'm looking pretty obvious at this point

- gag reflux still an issue, certain smells get to me like they never have before

- struggle feeling like eating -- often hungry but hard to find something that sounds good

- and I never realized I have such veiny feet

We've been scrambling to pack up all morning. Well, Christian has been having a "Go Diego Go" marathon off and on while I bustle around him.

I walked about of the kitchen earlier to see that he'd moved the suitcase and was now jumping over it. Crazy kid.
We're on our way to California this afternoon for my brother's homecoming and I don't think I've ever been more excited to leave DC behind me -- between the frustrating budget battle on Capitol Hill and the never-ending disappointments we've experienced lately in our personal life -- I could almost be okay saying good-bye forever. Anyone need a young lawyer with lots of prior litigation experience out West? He comes highly recommended.

an update on christian

Notice all my food posts lately? Gosh, you can tell what I think about when I'm pregnant! (I either know exactly what I want or nothing sounds good.)

So let's talk about my other favorite thing to blog about: Christian.

I haven't given a real update in a while. Here are some quick tidbits:

- He really didn't start stringing words together till after he turned two. Now he comes up with new sentences every day. It's amazing how quickly kids pick things up.

- Until recently he said "yesh" to affirm anything (maybe he heard a little too much of Michael Scott from the womb?)

-He's extremely nimble. He jumps off couches, climbs playgrounds built for kids much older than he is, and can handle jumping on a big trampoline with his eight-year-old cousin.

- His favorite verb of the month: fly.

"I fly," he says and he runs down the hall in his birthday suit after a bath with a towel hanging over his shoulders. "I'm flying," he says as I pick him up and he spreads his arms as I hustle him down the stairs and into the car. "I fly," he says as he jumps off the arm of the couch onto the trampoline or floor.

- I don't think he totally grasps yet that a baby is on the way but he constantly wants to pull my shirt up and look for the baby when I bring it up. This can be quite awkward when he starts to pull my dress up while waiting in line at the grocery store. He also checks under his own shirt for a baby in his belly.

- He refuses to say the number three. He will skip it, saying: "One, two, four, five." I tell him he missed three and he just laughs at me.

- When he gets upset with us he will go in his room and slam the door (like a teenager!). At times we'll even be ready to put him in there for timeout and he beats us to it. We have a really hard time not cracking up in front of him which only makes him more upset.

- The song he requests every night to sing while I rock him before bed? "I'm So Glad When Daddy Comes Home." Again and again and again. Extremely appropriate considering he is constantly asking me, "Where's my daddy?" -- especially since Shane started spending every waking minute studying for the bar. Another favorite: "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam."

- He obviously adores his dad, climbs all over him and wants to play ball and wrestle with him whenever he gets the chance. He's going to be over-the-moon when he finally gets his dad's full attention this weekend, and in the weeks and months to come.

- From the time he gets up till the time he gets to sleep, he is constantly on the go. He definitely keeps us on our toes. But, that means once he falls asleep he sleeps so deeply that I can just about clean his whole room without waking him. Last week he fell with a thump out of his bed onto the floor and Shane dashed in to comfort him, only to find him still asleep!

{P.S. The toys pictured above arrived Saturday morning, just in time to keep him entertained during that awful heat wave. Thank goodness for zulily deals and Melissa & Doug wood toys.}

crossing our fingers

{Christian using my pregnant belly as a pillow last night}

Today and tomorrow Shane is busy taking the Virginia bar out in Roanoke. It's hard to focus on anything else while at work and I keep praying for his success (and Nate's and Dave's and Tristan's).

We'll all be so relieved when it's over, that's for sure. I just hope he doesn't spend the next few months aggravating over what he may or may not have missed since we don't get the results till mid-October!

Either way, Thursday should be the start of a somewhat normal family life for the three (soon-to-be four) of us. Almost seems too good to be true.

'dog days' of summer

my water baby...er, big boy

climbing when he's not supposed to be (as per usual)

blowing bubbles (i hope)

"in" the boat -- he wanted me to come too

We've been spending our Saturdays at the pool or a splash park this summer. It's become the routine, and Christian and I both look forward to it.
However, this week we have a dangerous heat wave in town with a real feel (107 degrees + humidity) of 118 degrees predicted for today and similar conditions tomorrow, along with code red air quality. So, I'm thinking we'll have to skip our weekly tradition and come up with something fun to do indoors instead.

Any suggestions?

phineas & ferb

Christian's show of choice for the last few months has been "Toy Story 3." He'll say "I wanna watch" "show" and "Woody" to get his point across. He could watch it every day if we let him. And it was starting to drive us crazy.

Recently, though, we were granted some relief from Woody, Buzz and friends. Christian has decided that "Phineas & Ferb" is worth watching as well (thank you, Netflix instant streaming!). And Shane and I couldn't be more thrilled for the change in pace.

It's a kids show that adults can enjoy too, thanks to its memorable plots and fabulous one-liners. I can seen now why my brother Tanner got hooked on the show and my parents have enjoyed watching it with him. And now I know get why my sister Katy is always saying, "Yes, yes I did."

So, while I don't want Christian watching too much TV, I really don't mind having this show on in the background if it keeps him entertained for 30 minutes while I attempt to whip up some dinner. And if he insists I watch it with him, I can handle that too.

counting down

This crazy kid comes home in just two weeks and Christian and I will be there to greet him at the airport when he arrives.


I can't wait to give him a squeeze, hear all about his adventures, and make fun of his horrible English and funny accent.

embracing the bump

{Obviously this isn't me. But doesn't she wear the bump well? I wish I could say I'm that cute pregnant.}

Over the past week and a half I've been coming to terms with the inevitable fact that I can no longer avoid maternity clothes. (Although, I do have to say that the "BellaBand" knock-offs I picked up at Target are sheer genius. I can still wear my regular black dress pants to work with the help of one of those babies. Same with my regular jeans.)

Don't get me wrong -- I recognize it's a blessing to be able to carry a child in the first place. I just wish I could be better at channeling the pregnant women around me who "wear" it so well.

Maybe I'm the only who feels so "exposed" during pregnancy? There's just something about when that pregnancy bump becomes so obvious that even perfect strangers know your secret that kind of weirds me out.

On the flip side, it's a relief when you no longer just look like you have scarfed down too many donuts and your stomach has a very obvious pregnant shape.

How's that for looking on the bright side?

pw's fettuccine alfredo

I indulged in some comfort food tonight and it was fabulous.

What I really wanted to make was the Pioneer Woman's vegetable lasagna (it's amazing!) but when I got home from church it was nearly 6:30pm and waiting till after 8pm to eat dinner didn't sound like the best idea for a two-year-old toddler and his pregnant mother.

Now I've never been much of a fettucine alfredo girl but it's funny what pregnancy can do to you. Don't get me wrong, I would probably never turn it down, but I'm definitely a marinara girl at heart (and so is Christian, funny enough). My favorite foods growing up were my grandma's lasagna and my mother's spaghetti.

But in skimming PW's list of quick pastas, this dish called out to me.

Switching gears wasn't too hard. We subbed whole wheat spaghetti (why is it so hard to find whole wheat fettuccine?) and used the end of a carton of half-and-half instead of heavy cream (we were lucky to have even that on hand since I don't stock many dairy products). Tossed with some steamed peas (my go-to green veggie for Christian when I'm in a rush -- especially after discovering my fresh spinach has frozen in the back of the fridge -- so frustrating!).

Long story short, PW is definitely the queen of comfort food in my book and her fettuccine alfredo is fast and oh-so-satisfying when you're in the mood for a creamy carb-fest.