When are you due?

I haven't really felt very pregnant in terms of my size compared to how big I got right off the bat with Little Guy...I've felt pregnant in other ways, but not size...well this last weekend I felt like I was finally really starting to show and today a stranger asked when I was due about 10 seconds into our conversation...so I guess I am officially showing :) with only 23 1/2 weeks left to go, we're almost half way to meeting our little dude or dudette! I am not sure how I'll handle waiting it out, but I have a feeling July will be here before I know it and/or am ready for it!

Quinoa

I know I am about 30 years behind on this, but I made quinoa for our family for the first time tonight, and guess what?!? I didn't hate it!!! I was convinced that something made of brown rice and grain packed with protein and nutrients could only taste like one thing- cardboard. I have kashi cereal to thank for putting that thought in my head... Anyways, it was so far from gross and the southwestern blend complimented the homemade shredded chicken enchiladas so well, I am certain quinoa has just become a staple in our home...I don't think it can replace my addiction to white rice, but it's certainly got a permanent spot in our dinner rotation!

Bye Bye Mama

Bye bye mama...little guy strung together his first sentence!!! I know it isn't very elaborate, but it stopped me in my tracks. He was riding around his cow wheely bug and before heading into the hall, he turned, waved, and said "Bye bye Mama"! Will these seemingly so small triumphs and accomplishments ever get old? I forever hope not!!!!

Natural livin'

So Little Guy came down with a cold on Sunday and with Disneyland just 9 nines away, I couldn't risk him not getting better or sharing it with daddy or me! I decided to bite the bullet and hit up the vitamin shoppe. The owner walked me through some home remedies and while I was shocked I didn't have to buy 17 different supplements/herbs/vitamins, I am hoping the echinacea, elderberry syrup and daily vitamins I picked up will be enough to get Little Guy feeling better and Daddy and I away from the germs. Here's to a natural cocktail every two hours to fight this bug...I am determined no one will be sick when we meet Mickey!!!!

Five Little Monkeys

Little Guy is quite the avid reader, something that makes my heart happy every time I see him curl up with a book!  He loves to get cozy in his bean bag chair and "recite" some of his favorite books.  One that we're really into right now is Five Little Monkeys.  It's the most precious thing to see him mutter his way through the book and then act out the bumping his head and wagging his finger when the monkeys fall or mama calls the doctor.  I love when I see him repeat things we've been working on, I am still in awe that I am the one who teaches him things on a daily basis...something I should be used to since that's what I did before I became a mother.  There's just something different, empowering and yet incredibly frightening, about teaching when it's your own child and you can see how the smallest things make such an incredible difference on every level every day....

Family Shower

We hosted Auntie Katie's second baby shower today and it was a HUGE success.  I am pretty sure they won't have to buy diapers EVER and every single last thing they registered for is now residing in their home!  It took two cars and a small army of people to get all the loot home...this baby is one lucky little boy (my prediction!) and we all can't wait until March.  Daddy took Papa and Scott fishing and Little Guy was a trooper with all the ladies.  I am pretty pooped from party planning and looking forward to a little R&R before we get ready to visit the snow before we leave next week for DISNEYLAND!!  Let's just hope with our fingers crossed that the runny nose he woke up this morning is long gone before we head out to meet Mickey Mouse!

Birthday Adventures

Today we spent the day celebrating Daddy.  We hit up the zoo, Fairytale Town, the Home and Garden Show and a lunch date at Mikuni's.  We scored at the Home and Garden show- we have been looking for a specific screen door ever since we saw it at last year's show and guess what??? it was the first vendor we saw when we got there.  After that stroke of luck, we searched for the soft pretzels and shaved ice stand then headed out.  Little Guy spent most the show sleeping on Daddy in the Ergo...he wanted nothing to do with his mommy (it broke my heart a bit!), but he was in seventh heaven with his Daddy and Daddy was feeling the birthday love!  After the show we hit up lunch and Little Guy must have known it was a special day.  He was on his BEST restaurant behavior and he even managed to sit in the booster seat for all of lunch!!!  A box of four crayons and one set of chopsticks, and he was in for the long haul.  We finished up our birthday adventure with some chocolate dipped cones and an early bedtime...ah, remember the days that birthday celebrations didn't start until 10 o'clock...AT NIGHT?!?  Even though it wasn't all night rager, it was a wonderful celebration.  Crazy to think we've celebrated Gabe's 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, and now 34th birthday together!!!