one of those days

You know the kind of day where everything around you starts imploding?

That was today. 

It was 1:51 and I was leaving CJ's for my 2pm OB appointment.   My car told me that I had 0 miles left to go. Fantastic. I made my way up Roswell Road in hopes that we could actually get up the hill. Evaleigh had just woken up from a nap so in an effort to curb her whines and grumps I gave her a tube of chapstick. This is one of our usual desperation moves which normally works wonders. We putted safely in to the Shell and I looked in to the back seat to find my child's face and fingers covered in strawberry chapstick. She just smiled at me which only revealed more chapstick on her teeth and tongue that was being consumed.

It was only then that I realized that all she had had to eat thus far in the day was 4 bites of cereal and a handful of cheezits that some little girls shared with her at church earlier that morning. 

Awesome mom award.

I squirt about 10 bucks in and hopped back in the car assuring her that real food was on the way. "But its 1:56...What am I going to feed this child?!" I made my way to the doctors office and on the way had the revelation that I had 1/3 of my leftover Big Buford in the floor board of the car that I had earlier that day.  It was one of those experiences where you are sitting in a drive thru and wondering, "Why am I doing this?  I don't even have my food yet and I regret this decision." 

After I found a parking spot I shamefully added that nasty burger to the bottom of the stroller and we booked it to the 7th floor, naturally after missing the elevator the first time.  We checked in at 2:12 and I rushed to the back to leave my "sample".

It was then that I saw that somehow Evie had found a stray cheezit and was seconds away from eating it.  Then she dropped it on the floor and it bounced back behind the toilet. "Uh oh...uh oh...uh ohhhhh.....", she kept repeating as I fumbled around my ginormous belly to pee in to that tiny tiny cup.  She was so frustrated and SO hungry.  "Its ok baby, mommy has something else delicious for you to eat, just one minute ok?"

We went back to the waiting room where I pulled out my smuggled burger. It was my only life line left and I had to use it. Finally we could sink in to our chairs for a bit and hopefully she could eat. To my surprise she took a few bites but not too soon after the nurse came to the door to call me back. Crap...I was caught. I gathered up all of our things and wheeled us back to room 16. Maybe this could be our sanctuary and the poor child could EAT! Nope. 

We were faced with a whole new set of distractions. EJ was pointing at everything and asking to touch it. She wouldn't accept any toys in our bag so I looked around in desperation for something to distract her.

An ultrasound sheath?

A model of a uterus?

We settled on a magazine.

A few minutes passed and right between the time Evie was putting her baby under her shirt and the time she started taking interest in the stirrups Dr. Glorious Perfect Timing came in. I just adore everything about my OB. She let Evie play with the tape measure and help listen to the baby's heart beat. All was well and as we were leaving the nurse at the front gave EJ 2 stickers. 

It made her day.

On the way home I looked in the rear view mirror and found my daughter eating the stickers. 

Why not top off our diet of chapstick and nasty burgers with a little sticker?

When we finally made it home I filled her little belly with peaches, milk, and spaghetti.

And that was most of my day.

room enough

With the imminent arrival of this new little person coming to our family my thoughts have been filled with the anticipation of change.

I have felt so nervous about how I will ever make room in my heart to love another baby as much as I love Evaleigh.  Since I have become her mother I have experienced this intense love like nothing I could have ever imagined.  It has taken a space in my heart so large that I just can't fathom there being room enough for another.  I was talking to my sister-in-law the other day about these exact feelings and she knew just what I meant.  She has four children and she said with each new pregnancy she felt the same way and wondered how she could love someone new just as much.  I loved the way she explained it and its exactly how I feel right now.  

She said preparing for the next baby is like going on a blind date.

Amen sister.  

I wonder every day what it will be like.  Will he like me?  Will we bond right away? What will we have to talk about?  There are just so many unknowns.  I just don't even know.  This pregnancy has been so different because I have been swept up in my Evaleigh's every move.  I am so busy soaking in the last bits of her only childness.  I haven't had the belly rubbing daydreaming time that I had with EJ which has somehow caused a bit of a disconnect with this pregnancy.  There are days I don't even remember I'm pregnant til I lay down for the night and he starts kicking away.  

The reality that we will have a newborn here in about 7 or 8 weeks is really starting to set in.  I had a moment in church on Sunday where I was watching a family who have 4 and 2 year old girls and a 5 month old little boy.  Those girls were all over that baby and I couldn't help but tear up.  They were being little mommies to their baby brother trying to give him a bottle and hold him and my heart felt warm.  I am grateful that Avett will have Evaleigh as a big sister and the thought of seeing her grow up with him makes that space in my heart seem a little more capable of stretching.  Perhaps there will be plenty of room.

amm's name

Some of you may have caught the name of our baby boy in my last post from my baby shower.  But officially here it is!

His first name comes from the Avett Brothers Band.  We wanted him to have something musical in his name and we have loved the Avett Brothers ever since we can remember. We have already taken him to their concert and he went crazy the whole time. 

His middle name honors our sweet Uncle Grover Mills Mundell who passed away in March.  We miss him so much and we hope to pass on Grover's amazing qualities to Avett.  Mills is also John's brothers middle name, we love you Marsh. 

Can't wait to meet this kid!

woodland themed shower for AMM

Last night my friend Chablis threw me and AMM the most adorable Woodland Themed Baby Shower.  She spared absolutely no detail and made it so special for me.  I felt like a woodland fairy princess and when I went home I wanted to sleep in my flower crown.

Thank you to everyone who came and thank you to Chablis for making it an evening I won't forget.

Now there is only one problem, I don't know how I'm going to fend EJ off from that over sized puppy.  She will probably hyperventilate with excitement when she sees it. "PUPP-PEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!"  She is already going to be stealing things from her brother.

mom words volume 4

More weird things I say to my kid:

Don't step in your pee pee.

Don't rub your snot on your belly

Is that a noodle in your nose?

(While dodging tiny fingers and with Evaleigh laughing hysterically)  Please don't pull my eyelashes out!

You can't get in the shower with your clothes on. 

Why are you sitting on your dads face?

(pictures from our date with Jenna and Julie to get free Chick-fil-a)

magical and glowy

Wow, it has been a really long time.  

I've been busy keeping up with my toddler and growing another little human.

This baby boy is kicking my butt.  I don't feel nearly as glowy and magical as I did with my first pregnancy.  I think the fact that I had to take my wedding ring off more than a month ago can speak for itself.  My belly button has lost all hope.  It has already stretched to capacity and I fear that my Harry Potter lightening bolt stretch mark will resurface soon.

I've been looking at pictures from when I was full term with Evaleigh and I am not too far off from that now.  I still have 2.5 more months of baby growing to do.

We are in to the 3rd trimester now and it seems so fast!  I still love being pregnant despite the summer heat and swollen feet.  AMM beats me up.  He is already so different than EJ.  She was a little roller and stretcher when I was pregnant with her.  This boy will shove his feet in to my ribs and push.  Or he will kick and punch for 20 minutes with no break.  I love thinking about how strong he is getting in there.  Since John was over 10 lbs when he was born I'm afraid I'm going to birth the equivalent of a 3 month old with a mustache.  

I don't have one single thing for this baby except for a preemie outfit I bought at Target on sale.  Because lets be honest newborns dont fit in newborn clothes so I thought I would go ahead and get something to take him home in.  But at his current growth rate I'll need to bring a few 3 month onesies to the hospital.  

The second time around is so low key.  Since we will be moving 2 months after he is born I haven't done anything for a nursery.  He will just sleep in the bassinet by our bed until we move.  So as much as I would love to be nesting right now and making him a little space I am just content with leaving Evie's room as is and doing something for him at our new place of residence.

Evie is already obsessed with 'babeeeee' brother.  She will hug and squeeze and kiss my belly all day long.  She tries to give the baby toys and milk through my ever stretching belly button.  She also likes to try to get him to smell things like vanilla candles.  I've been showing her cartoon pictures of babies in bellies and pictures of newborns in the hospital.  She is making little connections and I can't wait to see her with our little boy!

30 weeks down...10 (most likely 9) to go!

a garden tea party

Tonight we had one more little goodbye party for our Lis.  Julia and Rachel threw the most beautiful garden tea party in Lisa's sisters back yard.  Although it was sweltering and there was no shortage of summer bugs it was so beautiful and the food was incredible.  Evie ran around 'playing' Bocce ball and picking up leaves and twigs up off of the ground.  The boys wore bowties and the ladies wore gloves and hats.  It was the perfect Southern send off.

goodbye

My dearest and greatest friend is moving away and I couldn't be more happy or more sad about it.   I am so excited for the new phase in Lisa's life but I will miss her and her snaps and dances terribly.  The promise of Skype dates calms the sting a bit.  So last night Jamie and I threw her a little going away party complete with a surprise gift of a new Baby Lock sewing machine that we all chipped in for.  It was great to be together.  

We will all miss you so much Lis and hope that Utah is everything you dream it will be!