A-Z

Side Note: It's super weird to find out people have searched my name in Google's search bar, but then it's even freakier to find out just today someone actually did an image search on my name, found a picture of me, and then ended up here.  Hey, creepster, what's the deal? Nothing better do to?

Anyways, here's a fluffy post A-Z, all about me. =)

A. Age: 25- soon to be 26. I still feel pretty young, until I hear 21 year olds freaking out about 22!

B. Bed spread color(s): Earth tones, and I can't wait to upgrade! I hate them.

 
C. Chore you dislike: It's probably the most simple one, but I hate doing laundry! You'd think it would be the kitchen & bathroom, since that is something I clean every single day, or every other day. Can't stay a dirty kitchen or bathroom. Clutter is one thing, hygiene is another!

D. Dogs: Currently no. Since we're buying a house right now, we've recently played around with the idea in the future, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to take on another potty trainee so soon!

 
E. Essential start to your day: BIG glass of water, Gracie smiles, & a waffle. When I pop this baby out, coffee will be back on my list!

F. Favorite color: Don't have a favorite.

G. Gold or silver: I'm big on silver. Not a fan of gold. Slightly OT: We actually own around 100 oz of silver that we bought when it was only 12/oz. If you're up to speed on the stocks... that's cha-ching-ching in our pockets!

H. Height: 5′ 7”

I. Instruments you play(ed): I played the violin, moved to the flute, and stopped with the piano. Don't ask me to play any of these instruments today- I couldn't read a page of music if my life depended on it.

J. Job title: Family Manager

K. Kids: Gracie Jo- 2 yrs old. Levi- Coming Soon!

L. Live for ______: God, Jason, & my children.

M. Most embarrassing moment: I've been pretty darn lucky to not have any worth remembering.

N. Nicknames: Dee, but most people just call me Deena or Deena Jo.

O. Overnight hospital stays: Just when Grace was born. I've been an out-patient twice, and I've got a couple overnight stays coming up & one more out-patient procedure planned in the very near future.

P. Pet peeves: When people don't shut cabinet doors & when people don't use or forget to turn off their blinkers. I've got a lot more, but I don't like to be negative.

Q. Quote from a movie: I’m not a big movie person.

S. Siblings: I have a 'little' sister, who is only 16 months younger than me, most people guess she's older, even though I'm the one whose been married, had kids, and I'm the one that doesn't still live at home! Hm.

T. Time you wake up: When Gracie wakes up, which is usually 8am. I love it!

U. Ultimate vacation spot: I want to go on a cruise so bad, I've never been!

V. Vegetables: Asparagus, broccoli, and corn on the cod!

W. What makes you run late: Having babies. I use to be early to everything!! I'm usually still on time, but I'm occasionally late, and I can't stand that feeling!

X. X-rays you’ve had: On my teeth for the usually cleaning/checkup, and one of my chest; but I don't remember why.

Y. Yummy food you make: My dad taught me to bake a great cake!

Z. Zoo animal favorites: Tigers.

Sunshine & Grace-isms.

It's been an amazing past few days here in Phoenix. Almost everyday we've spend by the pool with Grace. Last night Jason did up Tbones, while I cooked & grilled asparagus and potato wedges, & of coarse ate them outside right next to the pool. It's actually 10am, and I'm already gearing Grace & I up for some swimming.

My daughter, now a month past 2 years old, has a rapidly growing personality. She makes me laugh every single day, and she completely catches me off guard at least 10 times a day with the silliest questions and comments! A few things lately...

Just now, she asked for a piece of chocolate. When I gave it to her, she thanked me 3 times! Not only thanking me, but kissing my stomach saying, "Thank you baby brother".

Last weekend Jason called her his Gracie Baby, and she corrected him, saying, "No dada,  I not baby, I Gracie JO!" And this morning when I woke her up I called her baby (a habit I'm trying sooo hard to break!), to which she told me, "I not baby no more, I'm Gracie Jo".

Jason & I play these 'I'm gonna get you' games where we chase her around the house and she'll scream running away from one of us and into the other one's arms. During this time, whoever is the parent 'saving' her, she calls 'Super'. "Help me Super Momma, Dada gonna get me! Super Momma!!" Exact quote from last night.

We saw a little newborn baby boy the other day, and I told Grace he maybe was someone else's baby brother. And she told me that he was not HER baby brother, and then reminded me that HER baby brother was inside my belly.

She calls her swimsuit, her 'swim soup', and when she 'reads' us a book, at the end, instead of saying The End, she says, "B M".

Sometimes when I tell her to dance, she starts waddling like a penguin saying 'dance like a penguin'. It was super random and completely caught me off guard the first time.

She knows that a ghost says boo (I'm still dumbfounded as to how she knows that?).

She's scared to death of bugs and a picture of Bob Marley...

If a motorcycle, air plain, or truck drives by, she can tell you which one it was by just the sound it made.

She's just so gosh-darn cute, and I'm loving just about every minute of being her mommy.

Updating My Life...

It's 9:20am, and my daughter is STILL sleeping. (I'm def. not complaining!) So I thought I would spit out a quick blog. An update of  my life if you will...

Firstly, my precious little baby girl is not so much a baby anymore. She turned two last month. It's a hard fact to face when you realize everyone was soo right. "They grow up way too stinkin' fast!" "It will fly by before you know it." "Take pictures/videos, because someday you won't remember what it was even like before they first sat, crawled, walked, ect."

Secondly, we found out that we're expecting a BOY! At first I freaked a little bit, I will admit. I always pictured myself with two girls (that was actually why we planned this pregnancy when we did, so our 'girls' would be close in age (to share clothes, toys, friends, ect. (because I was set on baby girls stuff too!)) So when I saw that little hotdog on the screen, my heart skipped a beat. After much thought and prayer however, I am ready to welcome a baby boy into my life this summer, and I wouldn't change that for the world. God's plans are not always the same plans we have for ourselves. And now, I'm sooo excited!

Thirdly, we are in the processes of buying our first (starter- if you will) home. It's def. an older home (that's why I say starter...) Built in the late 60s. There's the good, the bad, and the super ugly when it comes to this one. Good: 4bd, a heated swimming pool, over 1900sq., good sized laundry room with a bonus room, 2 fireplaces (one in the master bedroom - which I'm sooo excited to use!) New tile & carpet through out. The bad: No garage! Super old kitchen with old drawers & cabinets and the age of the home in general scares me! And the ugly: The neighborhood is old. Some people keep their homes in not so great shape. The outside of the house makes the home look tiny, and the yard needs grass, and the house is currently painted a poop brown color. ughhh!

((EDIT: The above has been crossed out because tonight we decided to forgo this house and withdraw our offer. Things just didn't feel right. There were both small and big things we just couldn't look past. We both felt that 'something just didn't feel right'.  I don't know what the future holds, but I want to make sure every decision we make along the way is the best for Jason, myself, and our babies. And I trust that God will take care of us!))

Well, it's time go to say good morning to my daughter. She's awake and singing twinkle twinkle little star in her room. =) Love when she wakes up in a great mood!

She Turns 2 Today! (& I Feel Old!)

 -Gracie Jo-

Exactly two years ago today you were placed into my arms and my whole world changed in a million beautiful ways! It’s hard to believe you’re already two. Sometimes when I watch you sleep I still see you as my little newborn baby girl. 6lb 3oz, bald, and beautiful! I so vividly remember the first time you made eye contact with me, the first time you walked to me, and my absolute favorite- the first time you told me you loved me. Seeing you for the first time changed my life in my so many wonderful ways. You made me a mother, in more ways than simply giving you birth. Over the last two years you’ve forced see the world in breathtakingly new ways. You’ve given me a level of peace, grace, hope, and patience I never knew I had in me. Being your mother is the most gratifying and rewarding opportunity I have ever been given. Thank you for being my little princess. Happy 2^nd Birthday my sweet Gracie Jo!

Love & Kisses,

Mommy

Casper, the (un)Friendly Ghost.

Blame it, I guess, on these really, really cold temperatures we're having in Phoenix right now! (Seriously... my heater wants to run all day? Not saying this with any glory, but I'm a Phoenix girl. I'm not use to freezing all night in bed, let alone- having to wear clothes??). Lately, all I can think about is summer. Laying by the pool with Gracie, getting a tan!, getting toned up a tad for bikini wear, and having a super cold beer and/or margarita (or 2) while basking in the sun. Oh wait, that's right! I'm pregnant! I'll be an extra 25lbs (if I'm lucky) and I'll probably be egg-white-WHITE! My last pregnancy I found out I was pregnant on June 9th, so I still had the whole summer to (while making sure I stayed hydrated & not over heated) play in the sun! Loosing that initiate ten pounds from morning sickness = me wanting to LIVE in a bikini that summer.

So I guess I'm saying this summer, I'm still going to be out there, in my bathing suit (with a tank top that won't be removed of coarse) and I plan on taking Gracie swimming as much as I can and getting a little vitamin D while basking in the sun a tad. This summer's goal is to not look like Casper, the friendly ghost, when it's time to head to the hospital!

9 Things I Learned From...

This is a list I came up with about a year and a half ago, after I had Gracie. It's 9 things I learned about pregnancy, after having gone through it. I thought I'd grab it & re-post it as a way to kind of remind myself & any reading. Enjoy!

• No two pregnant woman are the same.   So often I found myself comparing me to everyone else. Why did their baby kick so soon? Why am I so much bigger/smaller? You can ask questions like, when did you start feeling pregnant? But the truth is, its different for everyone. I knew I was pregnant before I ever took a test & I think I was literally 2 weeks into it. I've known people who didn't know until they were 7 months! (crazy, I know.) Some people gain 100lbs & others, like me, gain 22lbs. My doctor told me to eat what I wanted, just not to go crazy, and I did, & gained the 'perfect' amount. Others, eat extremely healthy & still pack that baby weight. Some of us are just real lucky. Either way, the weight comes off. Most of it... if you're lucky!

• Its definitely a transitional time, so take advantage!   Having a baby is a big change in your life. There is so much preparing to do & life changes to make. This is the perfect opportunity to work on other parts of your life that need mending or changing. Most of my changes were on the inside.

• Pregnancy is gross.   It can be anyways. Like uhhhh, laughing too hard and peeing just a tad in your undies. Ya, it happens a lot if you've got a sense of humor & a very sensitive, almost always, full bladder. And yes, women toot. Quite often too when you're carrying a baby. I'm just glad Jason had a great attitude & sense of humor about it all.

• You're not Wonder Woman, but you're not recovering from a 20yr coma either!   Some woman use pregnancy as an excuse to do virtually nothing! Wussies! Unless you're put on bed rest or told to take it easy from a doctor, you can work, you can clean, you can even exercise. I worked on my feet for 10 hours sometimes when I was 9 months pregnant. Sure, my back was sore, my feet ached at the end of the shift, but you know what, it was great exercise & being on your feet, walking around, is actually really good in that last month. It helps move the process along. I'm a prime example.

• You'll never receive so many massages in your life.   If you're lucky I guess. Jason rubbed my feet and/or back every single time I asked. No matter how worn out he was from work or basketball. He was amazing! And I was spoiled!

• Buying baby stuff is as addictive as crack!    Or so I've been old. I guess I wouldn't entirely know. Be patient. I was in such a hurry to start buying that I decided since I didn't know the sex of the baby, I would do neutral things. Well, when I found out she was a she, I was disappointed by the small amount of pink things I had. I was sad that I hadn't waited & went with a pink themed baby room. And that's another thing, try and wait until after your baby shower, you never know what you might get for FREE!

• People will never be this nice to you again.   People always wanted to talk to me. Ask me questions, touch my belly. I felt so special. Like I was super unique. The only pregnant woman in the whole world! Ha. Doors were opened. People offered to carry things for me. I am finding out though, people are still super nice when you're carrying around a super cute baby girl! =) Until that super cute baby turns into a raging angry 2 year old throwing a tantrum at the grocery store, then get use to the eye rolling & just let it go...

• Do not take advice & just pretend to listen to all the BS!   People told me so many scary things about being pregnant & labor. Fortunately, I never got myself worked up over it. I always saw it as another obstacle I got to overcome. Morning sickness. Check. Spreading of the hips. Check. Labor without epidural. Uhhh?. Labor with epidural. Check.

• Being pregnant = no dirty diapers.   Enjoy it. Cherish these short 10 months. (Ya, its not 9... fault advertising if you ask me!) Being pregnant is not near as much work as caring for a little one. Enjoy your sleep. It WILL be a long time before you know what its like to not be tired. But most of all, enjoy!!!!! This only applies to you in your very first pregnancy... if you're on your second pregnancy and your first is still in diapers, remember to call 'NOT IT!' as often as you can when the hubby is home, because dirty diapers are no fun when you're experiencing morning all day sickness. barf.

Dessert > Dinner.

So about the time I decided to start using this site again I found out I was pregnant. At first I told myself I would not constantly blog about being pregnant, because it seems like all pregnant people want to do is talk about how they are pregnant, which, even though I sound horrible saying this, kind of always annoyed me a little. But I thought about it a little, and since I'm not holding anyone at gun point, making them read the words I write, I will talk about my pregnancy as much as I feel like it here! I'm still holding to not complaining though. Actually, since I've never been 25lbs over my typical weight in the dead of the summer in Phoenix, I'm going back on my promise a little bit, and changing it to... I will not make a habit of complaining. Unless of coarse I develop pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, or go on bed rest... then I will complain as much as I darn. well. please!

 

Today I was craving cake. Actually, I've been craving cake ever since Friday, when I got my hands on a small piece of chocolate cake. Today I went to the store and bought all the fixing to make one (not chocolate... rainbow chip with vanilla pudding & cool whip on top Mmm) & picked up a snickers bar while I waited for 20!! minutes in one of the only two open checkout lanes open. Oh course when it was finally my turn they opened up two more lanes, in which everyone behind me made a mad dash to the other lanes as if they were giving away free Jersey Shore DVDs to the next two people to check out (gross.). Typical luck. So now,  the cake is cooling, and I'm trying to figure out if I should eat it for dessert or just skip supper entirely. Decisions, decisions...

Happy Days.

I can't believe how quickly 2010 has come and almost gone. This year has been filled with so many blessed days. Don't get me wrong, I am not perfect, my family is not perfect, and I definitely had days this year when I wanted to pull out my hair, lock my daughter in her room, or just cry uncontrollably over something probably super ridiculous! I didn't actually do these things, but I'm sure their were a handful of days when the thought had crossed my mind. The thing is, days like these are so few and far apart, that I never actually remember how they started or how they ended. The days I remember are the ones that made me either cry from laughing so hard, or cry because just when I thought I couldn't possibly love my daughter more than I did that very second, she goes and tells me for the first time out of the blue, "Momma, I love you". Or the time I stubbed my toe really hard on the coffee table, and she bent down, kissed my foot, hugged me, and said "I kiss your boo-boo. I sowwy momma".  (I might get worked up just thinking about it again).

I remember as 2010 rolled in last year thinking no year could ever possibly beat how great 2009 was. Man, I was naive. Yes, getting married to Jason was wonderful and having a perfect 6lb 3oz baby girl placed into my arms was, at that moment, the happiest, most joyful thing I had ever felt. But it's a random Monday morning or Wednesday night when the feeling usually hits me hard. A wedding ceremony is great, but the moments I love most are when we're laying in bed cuddling, reflecting on a day's end, or walking hand in hand at the park trailing behind Gracie as she chases pigeons. The birth of my daughter is a day I will never forget, but it's when she comes up to me when I'm on the computer and grabs my hand insisting that I play 'tea party' with her right that very second. Or when she simply wants to share her cookies with me.

I know some years will be better than others, and some might be especially trying, but I feel like bad days, bad weeks, and even bad months are just here to remind us how wonderful all the good ones really are.

It's a New Day.

The smell/look of Mac & Cheese. Changing Gracie's diapers. Simply looking at the toilet. Watching the same Mickey Mouse episode with my daughter for the umpteenth time. Brushing my teeth. Hot shower. Reading a book. Seeing dirty dishes in the sink. Someone grilling outside...

This is just a very short list of the things that had contributed last week to my 'I think I'm going to be sick...' routine. I do not remember morning sickness coming on this strong with Grace. I was miserable, and I felt as bad as I look, which was NOT a good thing! Thankfully the weekend brought a much happier note. I felt about 70% better, which was enough to satisfy me. I can deal with the nausea, as long as it isn't handicapping me.

Now that I got that out... this is where my complaining stops! I will enjoy this pregnancy (like I did my last) and I will not complain about backaches, or weight gain, or the slow, painful shift of my hips the week before labor starts (ooouch!). I will enjoy the heck out of this experience, because, while not in every single physical aspect, this is a beautiful thing!! And I get to do it again!! =)

Let me change that just a little. I will only complain a tad when Jason & I are watching a movie and I see that he's got two free hands to give foot massages...

We're Got a Secret to Share...

Ok, so I'll get straight to the point...

I'm Pregnant!!!

Yes, those are my dollar store tests, and they work!

And we're thrilled! We started trying in July, and after a few negative tests, and some super unreliable periods, we decided to stop trying so hard. Instead of 'making appointments', we decided to stop tracking Aunt Flo, and just 'have fun'. And it worked, fast!  I'm not very far along, and I had a few doubts about telling people right away, but I don't like keeping things like this to myself, so I'm talking!

This will be our second, and last, child. I know this for sure, because I'll be scheduled to have a hysterectomy probably six weeks post-labor. I'll get into details about that later, but just know that its good news, because we've never wanted more than two kids (and no periods for the REST of my life... uhh, yes please!).

Anyways, from my calculations via the internet (and they were right on target with Gracie), I am due July 31st 2011, and am currently 6 weeks along.

We don't care if the baby's got hot dog or hamburger parts! I got my one girl and will be happy with whatever God throws in our direction.

Oh, and I can't forget...

These are from Jason. He came home early from work with these in hand! =)