4th Birthday - Mallory

Mallory turned 4 last month, and we celebrated at the park with family. Two days before her birthday she informed me that she wanted a Dora cake. Well, I wasn't up to finding a cake pan and doing it myself, so for the first time ever I ordered a birthday cake. It was yummy, and I still made cupcakes to make sure we had enough for everyone. She had a good time, and is very excited to be four. Below is a picture of her with Bethany and their 2nd cousin, Tyler.

Mallory at 4......

• She uses her dimples in her "I'm so cute" way to try and persuade people to do what she wants. She has this beautiful smile, and she knows it. She likes to say, "pretty please with a cherry on top." We're in trouble, I think.
• She finally is moving out of her crib, which she has loved sleeping in, and is going to share a room with big sister and new bunk beds. (this transition has been pretty smooth...whew.) She even got to pick out her big girl bedding which has purple trim and butterflies, flowers, etc. Very cute.
• Mal loves TV, movies, talking to my parents on the phone, using the mini-vacuum, climbing all over her daddy, eating and running. If she goes outside, she wants to run up and down our sidewalk over and over again.
• Mallory has quite the stubborn streak. Sometimes I don't think there is any consequence that could motivate her to just give in and do what we want her to do. Oy!
• As ornery as she can be sometimes, Mallory can also be a very snuggly little girl. I love it when she crawls up next to me, or when she rubs her face all over mine.
• Mallory is so excited about the baby that is coming, but does not want to feel it move. She laid her face on my belly once and it moved, which kind of freaked her out. But, she is constantly wanting to see my bare tummy which then makes her giggle.
• Playing dress up and ballroom dancing with Bethany is one of her favorite activities...also, shoe fashion shows with dramatic modeling.
• Mal can sing most of the songs on the "glee" soundtrack, and calls #1 "Don't Stop Believing" " my song".
• In Primary, she sits in the front row and sings her little heart out....when she wants to. She has made tears come to my eyes as I lead the music and hear her sing every word of "I Know My Savior Loves Me."

Mallory - 1st Day Back to Preschool

Last week, Mallory started back at her Montessori preschool. She was very excited and it's been nice for me, too. :) Bethany started soccer practices a couple of weeks ago, and piano started back up. We are definitely busy again after our relaxing summer.

After her first day......

I had to make her pose for this one to compare to last year. This is what motivated her to pose for above photo....

Ready for practice....

Update

Yesterday I had another ultrasound to check on the position of baby's placenta. I was pretty worried because I could tell the baby was resting its head against the placenta and was head down. The ultrasound tech did an internal ultrasound, too, to get more exact measurements from cervix to placenta. Just as I was telling Brad that I thought it was still too low, the doctor walked in and said, "you're good. we're out of the danger zone. now, it will keep growing higher." I told her I noticed it was still low, but she explained that the measurement for too close is 1.5 cm and mine was now 1.8 cm which was good. So, .3 cm seems pretty tiny to me, but I don't know what my measurement was last time, so as long as it had grown away from the cervix at all that is good news. Can you say 'relief'? I felt so much relief. When I looked at Brad I could tell that he did, too. Prayers have been answered. I'm now looking forward to hopefully a non-csection birth, but you know how labor is.....unpredictable. I'll just focus on trusting in my Heavenly Father and His plan for baby and me.

*Also, I'm getting super excited to squeeze this baby.....I could tell from the last ultrasound to this one that his/her cheeks were fuller and it kept playing with its hands and feet and moving its mouth. It's so fun to watch your baby's face and movements (that I could feel while I watched)....it made me feel even more connected to our little bundle.

*oh, yeah.....under 100 days now!! Wootwoot!

Another School Year Begins

Bethany started second grade on Thursday of last week. She often says she doesn't like school when people ask her, which puzzles me because I know she enjoys it. She was secretly super excited about the first day. She was dressed and ready before we woke up, and couldn't stop smiling. It's starting to hit me that this growing up thing is just going to get faster and faster. I have to look closely now to see the little girl she used to be. Of course, what will I be saying a few years from now??

She couldn't hide her real feelings in this one, could she? :)

On my mind....

I've had some things on my mind lately. Sometimes I don't share them because I'm not sure if it's appropriate, or I don't want it to sound like I'm being overly dramatic, or I figure it is probably boring. But, tonight...I feel like sharing.

I have been known to have a temper. It flared up this evening. I'm ashamed to admit it. I have this super-sensitive button when it comes to my cooking. I don't know why. I've had it for around 3-4 years now. I don't cook very often. I'm made fun of for it, and I feel embarrassed that I don't do better for my family -- that is one of my roles as mother, right? I deal with it, and sometimes I do better than others. Brad never comments or complains. (that, without a doubt, has saved him from my wrath :) Tonight, though, Bethany got grumpy with me when I served broccoli with her mac and cheese. How dare I?? She pretty much only eats chicken nuggets, fries, mac and cheese, microwaved hot dogs, and sometimes steak. Green beans, cucumbers, and corn are the only veggies, and corn doesn't really count. Well, when I saw her disapproval I asked her if my cooking was not good enough for her. (leading question, I know.) She said yes, then went on to say that she likes Grandma Judy's cooking better. I mean, yay for my mom, but ouch for me. I lectured her good, I left the room and was really mad and hurt, I came back and told her she better eat it all, etc., etc. I had both girls upset, and we sat there eating our mac and broccoli with tears and silence. How silly, right? I hope I never react like that again. The last thing I want my kids to remember about me in 20 years is how scary their mommy used to get when she was mad. Ugh.

When I had my ultrasound last week....wow, only last week - it seems like a month ago....Brad and I thought everything was awesome. The tech was the best ever. She took like 40 minutes measuring, taking pics, explaining things, and showing me the baby's face over and over. It was so cute because Baby would open and close its mouth and move its tongue around. It was just so cool. Then, I went to the bathroom afterwards to empty my bladder, of course, and the doctor met me in the hall on my way back. She said, "the placenta is too close to your cervix" and I immediately got scared. I knew the diagnosis before she said it, placenta previa. I got tears in my eyes and kept thinking about a dear friend of mine who went through the worst case scenario a couple of years ago when she had to have an emergency c-section and her sweet baby did not make it. When I got emotional I explained to the doctor about my friend, and she wanted to know more. She told me that it was very rare for that to happen, and that 85 % of her patients with this carry to full term and the previa corrects itself. They'll check by ultrasound in another month of so, and more often if needed. I'm on pelvic rest which is stressful for other reasons. (If that's TMI, sorry.) That's the only change in my lifestyle she has prescribed. We're okay if I don't start bleeding in the next 15 weeks, and I'll have a c-section if it doesn't correct itself. (also freaking me out because I haven't had one before.) After the first day, I calmed down. I have no control over this. We just keep praying for the baby and for all to be well. My pregnancy seems to be moving in slow motion now because I'm waiting to find out if the placenta grows to higher ground, so to speak. It's our time to focus on faith and positive thinking.

On a lighter note, I'm getting the feeling that this baby is a boy, and it's not based on anything logical, probably. I physically cannot get through 2-3 hours without a protein boost. I don't want chocolate, which is completely weird for me. A friend did her crystal thing over my belly and declared "boy." And, I checked the Chinese calendar which also said "boy". Why am I doing this when I say I don't want to know the gender yet? Why should it even matter? I don't know. Curious to see if these methods turn out to be accurate, I think.

A Brief Rundown...

Okay, first off -- pregnancy sickness has finally worn off, just in time for vacation. Wootwoot! I felt pretty good for the long car rides, mini-golf and many other activities. I LOVE the 2nd trimester. Everyone keeps asking what we are having, and the answer is......whatever God sent us!! We don't find out the gender before it's born, and although it is tempting I decided to stick with the tradition. I mean what does it really change?? My nursery stuff will be the same stuff I've used before which is neutral, I have neutral newborn clothes, the walls are green in the nursery, and I just have to make sure we have a name for boy and girl. I can depend 100% on what I find out at birth, and the ultrasound tech can get it wrong sometimes. (Right, Rebecca?:) I really like the surprise at the end. Brad would have found out this time, though, if I hadn't preferred to wait. I think I'll stay strong through future ultrasounds. :) Summer will be over soon for the school kids, so we're preparing for second grade. And although I wish I was more like my super go-get-it-done friends, I am relaxing as often as possible. So, many projects are waiting for me around the house. Maybe I'll get some done before baby??

In June the Ginn Family visited us from North Carolina. We visited a couple of nearby state parks and the guys golfed. Below are some pics from Stuarts Park where there is a slippery swimming area in the river.

Bethany

Mallory

Aunt Heather with Jaxson and Mallory

Throwing rocks was fun for the younger ones

Here is Hannah....4 yrs old now.

Melanie and Mallory cuddling for movie night

June 30 my nephew, Ranger, was born. We got to visit him when he was 2 weeks old, and I finally was able to visualize having a newborn soon.

We forget how tiny and squooshy and perfect they are.

In early July, my mom, sister and myself had a bridal shower for Heather, with a WVU theme.

In mid-July our family took a vacation south. First we visited my brother's family, then some friends in NC ( Manns, Millers, etc.), and then headed on to Myrtle Beach, SC to have our beach week with Brad's parents and siblings and their families. I didn't take too many pics, but the humidity was off the charts, hence the foggy picture below.

It was so much fun, and relaxing, too.

We drove back north on Friday evening to be able to attend Heather's wedding in Oakland, MD. I like this picture of her and my dad. It was a beautiful day. We're happy for her and Jared.

Look at that view as they walked back down the "aisle". Beautiful!

Bethany

Bethany finished 1st Grade this week. She did very well this year, and is super excited to be a 2nd grader now. Reading and math are favorites of hers, and PE and music, of course. I tried to take the traditional picture in front of our door, but her eyes were red and didn't fix right. Oh, well.

After school, Last Day of 1st Grade

Before school, last day of 1st Grade...let's compare to the 1st day of school this year below..

Mallory

I want to remember this one from last night....

As we're getting the kids ready for bed, Mallory took some time with just me and "the baby". My tummy just started to pop this weekend and she was touching it and asking about the baby. She said, "Mommy, is the baby a girl baby or a boy baby?"

I said, "I don't know. We'll just have to wait and see."

Mal - "Oh, we have to see if it has boy eyes or girl eyes??"

heehee, so sweet

Mallory's last day of Montessori ....for this year anyway.

Owner/director/teacher - Ginny (retiring), New Director/teacher - Pam, and Denise in background.

These teachers are amazing, so patient, and loving. We're very glad that Mallory got to go to this school, and will for the next two years.

You may have noticed...

You may have noticed the new little widget to the right......yes, we are having a baby. I found out in mid April. As is usual for us, the news was shocking, even more so this time but I don't know why. I have felt like there would be another baby for us someday, but I don't think I was expecting it to happen right now. Though, the timing is great. Mallory will be 4 by the time new Baby Bennett arrives, and we found out last time that it is a great age difference. And, we'll all have a very special, early Christmas gift. :) We are excited, and I'm looking forward to the next phase of pregnancy. The last five weeks or so have been very slow and yucky for my body, my poor husband and kids have been dealing with 1st trimester mommy. I've hit the 12 week mark. I must say, Brad has been outstanding...taking on the dishes, laundry, cleaning, outside work, extra parenting duty plus his own job and normal responsibilities. He has made all the difference in me keeping my sanity. I'll have my 1st ultrasound next week, and after a conversation I had with my mom a while back, Brad and I are looking forward to confirmation that there is one little blessing in there, and not a twin shocker. ;) I told her that I've had every 1st trimester symptom in the book this time, and she said her third, and twins pregnancy, was like that..very different. hmmmm.....of course, we'll take what the Lord gives us, but I'd feel more confident with what I'm used to - one at a time. :)

Some favorites I haven't shared....

impromptu "tea" party after school

going to daddy's bball tournament


egg hunt at Gma and Gpa Poe's house, also Elite Eight game day for WVU

end of season bball Bethany

last time they bundled up for snowplay 2010 (yay!)