Baby Aubrey

Can't we just take all our friends with us?
Leaving is hard.

timing

I'm sorry I haven't kept on top of the 30-day photo challenge.
We've been busy here,
life-changing decision-making kind of busy.

And what it comes down to is this:
Kent put in his two weeks notice at work yesterday.
We are moving to Utah.  At the first of December.

Things fell into place so quickly, suddenly, unexpectedly.  Kent has a job offer that we just can't refuse. He is so so excited about it, and I am so so proud of him for receiving it.
And the chance to live only 2 hours away from my family (and easy driving distance to Kent's)
well really, that's what we've dreamed about ever since Nicholas was born.

The timing has been hard for me to accept.  I'm nearly 35 weeks pregnant!  We're going to have a baby, then move!  This is insanity!
But, 
deep down inside, we feel certain that this is not insanity, but the hand of the Lord working to help direct our lives.

I've always thought that the idea of trusting in the Lord's timing meant waiting.
Waiting for things to work out, waiting for things to get better. Always waiting.
This is the first time I'm realizing that sometimes, the Lord's timing means doing something
right now
when maybe you don't think it's the best idea.
Or when maybe you really aren't ready to leave the friends you've made.
(when it truly comes down to it, we will be able to leave everything about Texas with just a "thanks for the memories"....except our friends.  This is bitter.  And I hate the thought of it.)

But there is also the sweet.  We are going to be so very close to our family.
And even though California and Kent's family will still be a twelve hour drive from us,
when we fly there from Texas, the entire traveling takes nine or more hours,
so just three more hours,
driving instead of flying with kids....
well that just sounds so much more doable! (not to mention cheaper!)

And I do have to say that I am simply giddy to think about having seasons again, Utah grass, growing a real garden, snow at Christmastime, and a summer where you can actually bear to go outside.

It's up and down-happy and sad, but we know that this is the right choice for our family,
and the timing, well, I'm learning to trust in that too.

33 weeks

Took this picture last week-at 32 weeks

Kent and I were going to bed last week when it suddenly dawned on me:

While I'm certainly not going to be going into labor this early,

if it did happen, we could safely have a baby girl in only two weeks.

That is crazy, people.  Where oh where have the past 8 months gone?

As of right now, I'm doing pretty good.  

After coming home from Utah last month I was quite uncomfortable for a week or two--kind of felt like someone was tearing me apart at the hips.  Couldn't walk, sit, put on my clothes, etc.  At one point I was really starting to think that something was seriously wrong, but my midwives told me it was all very normal for a second pregnancy.

(What is the third and fourth time around going to be like??)

But, the pain has eased up a lot since then. And I am SO grateful for that. 

I still feel sore and tired and sort of like my bones are going to fall in a heap on the floor sometimes (an unusual sensation that I certainly did not have last time I was pregnant),

but really, 

I'm just glad to be back to being able to get off the couch and take care of my house and my family, even if I am a bit slower than I used to be.

Beyond all of that, though,

I really am doing good.

I'm usually tired enough by the end of the day that I can fall asleep before the restless legs start up,

and I sleep quite soundly in between the bathroom trips, according to Kent.  

(I guess being pregnant makes me snore louder...)

I'm ravenously hungry, and always thirsty.  

Last week I made brownies to give to the girls I visit teach, but then we shared some with the missionaries, and then,

I kind of ate the rest of them,

even the ones on the edges of the pan that had gotten all stale. Gross, I know.

I've been craving chocolate, all the time.

Nearly everything is ready for the baby now; her room is coming together, we have all the blankets and soft pink things that we need, and I've been arranging all the little baby things that little babies need.

The only thing we don't have is a name.
 We have a list, but we're pretty much stumped.  None of the names on our list are standing out to us enough for us to choose them,
so we're still searching.
Any ideas for us?
 

The weather is cooling off (a bit), the weeks are passing quickly, and every time I see the Halloween decorations in the stores it feels like November 5th is going to be here before we know it!

photo challenge: 9 through 14

Nicholas wears pants when we're in public, I promise.  Just not at home.  He's only two.

Day 9: faceless self-portrait

I try to plan something every afternoon that requires getting out of the house.  If I'm lucky, Nicholas falls asleep in the car on the way home.  Then I get that boy out of his carseat, heft him on top of my belly, and carry him upstairs for his nap.
And then I take a nap too.  Because suddenly I have realized that my napping days are numbered.
Seven weeks left.
I know the baby will sleep, but the likelihood that the baby will sleep while Nicholas sleeps?  Very slim.

Day 10:  something I (my mom) made

I made this carseat cover for the baby, and my incredibly talented mom crocheted the flowers for the straps.  It turned out exactly how I had envisioned it, and I love it-the flowers are just perfect.

Day 11: something fun/exciting

 Kent went out to water the trees in our backyard-we are hoping to simply keep them alive at this point- and when he lifted the tarp to get the hose, he found a little friend taking shelter there.  Nicholas was fascinated, and he's been asking about the frog ever since.  Even this morning we had a long conversation about "where frog go?"

Day 12 & 13: from a distance, close up

Notice the shorts?  Like I said, he's usually pants-less this summer.

 

We got this farm and zoo set for Nicholas for Christmas.  We "play mommy amils" (animals) every single day.  He especially likes the horse and the zebra, and he makes them gallop around the living room for hours.  

This morning he had them out.  He was asking each of the animals if they wanted some of his yogurt.  I snapped this picture, and then when I looked again, he had the whole zoo gathered around the yogurt bowl.  

I love to see him pretending. It reminds me of all the time I spent playing the same way when I was little.

Day 14: flowers

 

No real flowers in Texas right now.  This IKEA stem, with tag still attached, will have to do. 

photo challenge: 4 through 8

Day four:  favorite color

I can't really say that I have one specific favorite color.

It changes with the seasons.

Right now, this is my craft table.  Pink and aqua have spent a lot of time in my head lately, and I'm still loving this color combination. 

Day five: someone I love

Helping me water the grass. His pants (and most of his shirt) were soaked by the time he was done.

Day six: childhood memory

Frosted graham crackers with milk.  This was my favorite after school snack.

And sometimes, my mom would pack frosted graham crackers with a lunch when we went fishing with my grandpa.  

They would sit in the lunchbox in the warm sun all morning, and then when it came time to eat them they were  so perfect: the crackers would get soft and they'd be warm and mmmm.

I still eat graham crackers (with or without frosting) and milk a few times a week.

 Day seven: something new

 I just bought this mirror for the baby's room. 

Found it for only $30 at TJ-Maxx.  

We are picking up the dresser on Saturday, and the crib should be arriving on Monday or Tuesday.  I am so so excited to get her room all together!

Day eight: technology

My computer desk.  

The random assortment of things are from Nicholas.  He found them in my bathroom closet and calls them his "soaps."  

It's pretty exciting to come to my desk each day because I'm never quite sure what I'm going to find on it.  Or in the printer for that matter. 
Ever since his april fool's day trick, the printer has become his special place to put all sorts of things.

Just the other day he walked in here with his shoulders shrugged saying "where is it?  where is it?" and then he laughed and said "oh yeah!"  walked over to the printer, opened it up, pulled out his littlepeople cow and said "there it is!"

And do you like the boppy pillow on my chair?  Sitting on hard surfaces gives me braxton hicks contractions like crazy, so this is my solution.  Only 8 more weeks, right??

clouds

Day 3 of Oh So Lovely's 30-day photo challenge.

I took this picture with Kent's phone on the way to get Jamba juice tonight--
Nicholas took a very late nap,
woke up at 6:30,
and he was grumpy.  An "ice cream" smoothie with "orange straw!" cheered him right up, and
in no time at all he was
dancing his little heart out at Jamba juice.

And lest you think that those clouds meant we got precipitation in any form,
here's what the sky looks like most of the day, every day:

I never thought in my whole life I would get tired of sunshine,
but at this point, I want rain so bad that I wake up, open the blinds, and think
"oh great, another day of blue skies."

I know there are places out there with too much rain...
can't we share a little so we can all be happy?

day 1

I found this 30-day photo challenge from Oh So Lovely last month,
but August was a little busy, so I decided to do it in September.

 Day 1:  Self-portrait

And while I was working on my self-portrait, Nicholas was sitting on my dresser (I was right next to him),
and he noticed himself in the mirror.

And then, he really liked the song on Pandora playing in the other room,

so he danced.

And he admired his moves.