My Growing Girl

...an Update before her World Turns Upside Down.

Adalynn is growing up SO much every day, it's freakin' me out a little. And the things she learns? Yikes! I have no idea how I'm going to keep up with her in a year. It seems like at this rate it's going to be tomorrow when she walks up to me asking about Trig, English Composition, or, worst of all, BOYS. No child, NO!

Daily she is learning new words and incorporating them into her ever growing vocabulary. And when she decides to pull them out she will start off quietly, then with ever-growing emphasis repeats them until we have to understand, or we get the, "Seriously? Are you stupid?" look and she brings us to the object or does it herself. She is a great helper; picking stuff up, wiping stuff off, and following me around with the vacuum attachments when I'm attempting to suck our floor clean of copious amounts of dog hair. She loves to help Trav drive (only around the house, of course) and is in L-O-V-E with all kinds of farm animals. Lawsy mercy, she is a girl after my own heart. And her daddy's too...she loves to help him when he is working on his projects, with the correct tools (i.e. big hammers, full-size screwdrivers, etc), of course. I worry about her handling these fit-for-adult items sometimes, but she handles them with amazing grace and coordination. Unless she's tired, at which point she becomes a clumsy nightmare.

Adalynn also LOVES to visit her grandparents...all of them...Grams on Mondays, Nana and Papa on Tuesdays, Grandpa and Grandma each Thursday, and Opa and Oma on the in-betweens. Each one of them spoils her fully and teaches her great new skills - singing and the arts, playing in the pool and with cousins, how to get suckers from the bank. At Opa and Oma's house, Adalynn plays on the big people swings like their neighbor boys...

So, my dear Adalynn, you are very special and unique. You have an amazing gift of making everyone in your presence feel important and loved with your wide smile and easy laugh. Your daddy and I love you very much, and even though this new baby will take up some of our time and space, you will always be our first little girl and we will never forget these times with you. Love you, Peanut Brittle!

The Wee Babe -- in utero

At my now weekly Dr. appointment this week, the 'lil missy decided to measure the same as she has the past couple of weeks. So, doc ordered an ultrasound to ensure her well-being. I wasn't worried as the same thing happened with Adalynn, and well, we all know how she turned out. Also, this child is folded sideways, so I've always wondered how the outside-the-abdomen top-to-bottom measurement worked out. Evidently, not too well.

Of course, it's always fun to see pictures and I have to admit I was kind of curious to see how she was baking. She's quite a cutie, with the same smushed face as Adalynn - big nose and big lips. I don't think she can help it though, given the situation she's currently in.

So, no phone call from the Dr. yet with urgent news, I'm taking that as a good sign. She weighed in at approx 6lbs, 4oz. I would be kosher with a smaller child this time, although I know that the ultrasounds are not always accurate - especially this late in the game.

And yes, this foot has obstinately been sticking in my side for the past (too many) weeks. It was kicking the transducer as the picture was taken. Lovely. It only fits that this picture would not, for the life of me, cooperate and rotate so that I could have all of my pictures in a nice, organized row.

Guess the Google

Anyone done this? I found it fun. And entertaining. And a good, mindless way to pass the time until this child decides to make it's appearance.

I may not work anymore.

http://grant.robinson.name/projects/guess-the-google/

Click on Launch the Project, and begin to play!

BTW - I got in the 300s. Beat that, buster!

It's Good to be Home

On Sunday, my stepmom and I drove up to Traverse City for an Assistive Tech in the Schools conference. We had a very nice, relaxing time up there and grew our knowledge by leaps and bounds. It was great. Today though, I'm glad to be home. In my absence, Adalynn has grown 2 feet and is telling stories (...slight exaggeration...) and my garden has taken off.

The squash and zucchinni - AMAZING - I tell you. I'm so proud of them. This newspaper thing, to squash out the weeds? I'm going to do it to the other bed too I think. I really like how it seems to be helping keep moisture in. You can't deny it, the bed with the newspaper looks full and healthy and ... delicious.

The bed without? Well, it's ok, but scrawnier. Not quite as vibrant. Now I just need to find the energy to go out, weed it, and lay down the goods. Mom? Wanna come help?!? :) Weeds are not only taking over the second bed, but our flower beds around the house too. Huh. The poor flowers may just need to coexist this year. I'm prioritizing...

Colin and Tiffany

This past weekend our dear friends, Colin and Tiffany, drove up from Tennessee to visit. I didn't get a chance to take a lot of pictures, it was too good to see them! It turned out to be a pretty lazy weekend, the most activity I think we got was playing Miniature Golf on Saturday in Podunk, MI (also known as Shelbyville...).

Adalynn kept up with her mini-club and ball...and if she didn't make it in the hole with the club she'd throw it in. Way to go girl, learning to cheat early.

And yes, that's a bird at the mini Golf course. Only in Shelbyville...and I'm pretty sure the 24-hour surveillance referred to the mobile home out back...

Tiffany brought Adalynn up some soy crayons (a HUGE hit!) and me a sweet necklace with Adalynn's initial and birthstone. Tiffany had made the girls matching dresses too. Adalynn wore hers on Saturday:

So Colin and Tif - Thanks So Much for making the drive. It was a hoot to see you, even if I am lazy and tired lately (sorry!)! Adalynn had a blast - she cried when you guys left and is still saying "Man" to punctuate her sentences. It's hilarious. :)

Summertime, Summertime, sum-summer-Summertime...

Com'on, sing it, you know you want to.

Ryan's Graduation

So, I'm back, with a new and improved computer. But more about that later.

Back in May I gave a shout out to my baby brother for finishing his undergrad work at MSU. I finally got the urge to browse through those pictures today, and I just had to share. Mostly because he's a photogenic kinda guy...and I guess because we're proud of him too. First though, we waited...and waited...and waited for him. He's also habitually late. College didn't cure him of that.

Thank goodness Adalynn's the kind of girl who can have fun anywhere. Not that I'm promoting her enjoying time at a college aged boys house, no, not at all.

MSU is such a large college that they break up their commencement ceremonies into their smaller colleges. Ryan graduated with a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology, which is housed in the College of Education. The Breslin Center was full enough with just the College of Ed and the ceremony took about 2hours. I can't imagine if they would have tried to pack more people in. Not that I wouldn't have sat through it. Only for you Ryan. But your niece, well, I don't think she would have been able to.

We could always tell you from everyone else, Ryan. In a Gentle and Jolly Green Giant kind of way.

So Proud.

Way to go, Bud.

Haha. Very funny. You just gave Dad a heart attack.

Thank you, Uncle Ron and Aunt Anita, for hosting a great feast after the graduation. I surely needed it after all the walking. (get off my back, i'm pregnant). Cute cake, too, Mom.

Hope you're having a great summer, Ry. Cut loose, have fun, get your wiggles out...'cause this fall it starts all over again!!!

Please Excuse Us...

...while we go on but another brief haitus. This one, courtesy of our little milkmaid who had a little (big) spillage problem near the newly remodeled computer. We'll be in touch...

Happy 2nd Year, Honey!

Thanks, babes, for 2 glorious years. Looking back, we've accomplished quite a bit. And we still love each other. What could be more beautiful?

And thank you for the beautiful flowers (not pictured: another vase with white and red roses.) and the great night out.

I love them.

A Scene out of Twister

On Monday, Trav subbed for the church softball game. I watched Adalynn and kept score, all the while looking off to a scary dark cloud to the southwest. Trav's pager went off twice signaling a tornado watch and severe thunderstorm warning, so we were somewhat prepared that something was headed our way.

As soon as the game ended we packed up, and were buckling Adalynn into the carseat as the first raindrops plopped on the windshield. Trav started the truck and as we drove the 5miles home the weather grew worse and worse. Across the farm fields we could see the wave of rain moving towards us, and then engulfing the truck as the trees started blowing. Debris began flying across the pavement and on the dirt road near our house we heard a clunk on the top of the truck...an large unwelcome tree branch meeting the truck's roof.

Once home, we found the garage door wouldn't rise because the power was off. Trav secretly opened up the house (i can't tell you how, i'd have to kill you. it's super secret.) and ran back for Adalynn. We stumbled through the garage to the door, and Trav's pager went off. Turns out that at the intersection we had just driven through, a tree came down on the electrical wires and they sparked across the intersection. Close call, but Thank God we're safe!

"Huh."

I just love this girl.

The Master Bath Redo

BEFORE:

Not the best, but you get the picture...

On our little vacation from the blogworld, we (and by "we", i really mean trav & co.) took the vanity, countertop, and sink out of our master bath...and replaced it with a new vanity, counter, and DouBle (read that: 2!) sinks. Which means that I no longer have to deal with his sticky, messy sinkside...I get my own to get dirty!

In the "demo" process. In our effort to "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle" (it sounds better than "We're Cheap, so...") we moved this vanity downstairs, where it is happy in it's new home in the guest bath.

We chose clear black glass vessel sinks. We had decided on vessel sinks to maximize our countertop space. These blackies were the only ones that made Trav go "Ooh", and were within our budget. I had picked up, for some unknown reason, this tile at a garage sale eons ago. It just happened to be black, and there was just enough for the countertop...so, as fate had it, black tile landed on the replaced vanity.

For some reason, I don't have any finished pictures of the bath with the mirror up. Huh. I'm blaming that one on the preggo brain.

Adalynn so loves to "help" with all of our household tasks. She's going to be so lost if we ever finish our list. Good for her, I don't forsee it happening soon.

And this is the finished (-mirror) product. I'm quite proud of you, T. You dun good.