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Saturday, March 28, 2015

Lucy Meets Princess Elsa

Today, we went to a friend's birthday party. Princess Elsa (from Frozen) made a special appearance. She stayed in character the entire time and even treated us to a few songs. Lucy, who has never seen Frozen, did not know what to think at first. Then, she realized that Elsa was giving out stickers, and she had to get in on the action.


After she met Elsa, Lucy disappeared for a few moments. When she returned, her mouth was completely blue, as she had eaten an oval of water color paints. All things considered, I'd say she had a pretty great time.



Thursday, March 26, 2015

21 Weeks

Many of you were able to guess our baby girl's name based on my little clues. We are still trying to figure out a middle name, but it feels so good to have the first name set. Of course, there's always a chance we'll meet her and say, "She doesn't look at all like a -!" Hopefully, that doesn't happen.



Please ignore my unmade bed. :)

At 21 weeks, Baby Girl is about as long as a banana - 7 inches - and weighs about 11 oz. She is developing taste buds and putting on fat, which is a good think when you are a fetus. This past week, I started experiencing round ligament pains, which are really lovely. It just means my body is stretching and my ligaments are relaxing to accommodate Baby Girl as she grows bigger. 

Now that we're past the halfway mark, we've started thinking about all that we have to do to prepare for Baby Girl's arrival. Thankfully, there isn't as much to do this time around. I've been taking Lucy's newborn things out of storage, which makes me super emotional. I can't believe Lucy used to fit in those tiny little clothes! Soon, she will be a two-year-old! How did that happen?

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Spring Break

Since M is on spring break from school, we decided to take a little trip to Salt Lake City, Utah, to visit our good friends, Anna and Davis. Our friends from Fort Collins - Libby, Brian, Viola, and Charlie - were there, too. It was a fun reunion!

On Saturday, we decided to go to the Museum of Natural History, which has a great collection of dinosaur bones. Or "dino-horse" bones, as Lucy calls them.


Lucy loved the museum!


She also loves Davis, or "Dawis".


The rooftop of the museum has a beautiful view of the Salt Lake Valley.

The weather was nice and sunny all weekend. We played in the park, and went for a walk, exploring Anna and Davis' new neighborhood. Monday morning, we packed into the car and headed home. We were sad to say goodbye to our friends, but we are so excited for the new adventure that lies ahead for Anna and Davis, as they prepare to welcome Baby Ware this spring.

You can see more photos of our weekend in Salt Lake on my friend Libby's blog. She is an awesome photographer!


Now that we are home, we are still enjoying M's week of spring break. Today, we had a little spring snow that did not last very long at all, and the weather is supposed to be lovely the rest of the week. We are looking forward to celebrating M's birthday, and then we will have some visitors of our own - my dear friend Bonne and her beautiful family!

P.S. I realize that I never posted a 20 week bump photo. In all the craziness, I forgot to stop and take one. Now that I'm actually 21 weeks, I'll try to get a picture of my {rapidly} growing belly. Can't believe we are past the halfway mark!

Thursday, March 19, 2015

A Name for Baby

One of the only tricky things about having another girl is coming up with another girl's name. Lucy's name was so easy. It's the only name we both agreed on, and it fits her so perfectly!


Naming another little girl has proved really challenging. We want her name to be significant to us in some way. (Lucy's name was inspired by one of our favorite characters in children's literature.) We also want a name that, like Lucy, is classic and feminine without being too over-the-top or flowery. A lot of names that I really liked, M thought were too boring or common. While I tend to like more traditional names (Elizabeth, Charlotte, etc.), M wanted something more unique. He doesn't want our kid to be the seventeenth Blankety-Blank in her class.

Obviously, it was really difficult to come up with a name that fit all of our criteria. After a lot of consideration and discussion, we have finally settled on a name we both love. We're planning to keep it a secret until she is born, but I thought it might be fun to drop some hints and see if anyone can figure it out. :)


Here are your clues:

"But there is a third thing you must do... you must do something to make the world more beautiful."

"Lastly, she pictured to herself how this same little sister of hers would, in the after-time, be herself a grown woman; and how she would keep, through all her riper years, the simple and loving heart of her childhood..."



And don't be lame and type these quotes into Google. That's cheating. :)


Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Daddies Are Silly

Here is a little video of Lucy and M making their usual mischief...


Happy St. Paddy's Day!

A Case of Toddler

Lately, Lucy has had a serious Case of Toddler. What this means:

1. She will no longer sit in the front seat of a shopping cart. If we decide to put her there, she throws a fit until we can distract her with something interesting.

2. She does not like to hold our hands when walking in public. If we try to hold hands with her, she goes boneless and crumples to the ground, so that we have to peel her off the sidewalk.

3. She has become extremely opinionated about everything, from what she eats to what outfit she wants to wear. I let her pick out some new shoes for the beach, and - of course - she chose pink jellies, which she now refuses to take off.


Modeling her new pink jellies...

4. On any given day, Lucy may or may not nap. 

5. Lucy's bedtime routine has become an Olympic sport. Imagine trying to wrestle a cat into a pair of pajamas. And then trying to brush said cat's teeth while she keeps her mouth clamped tightly shut. Because that's basically what it's like putting Lucy to bed.

6. On the bright side, this phase is a lot of fun. Lucy has a huge imagination, and she is constantly making us laugh with her strange observations. Some of my favorite new Lucy-isms:

- "Cute": Lucy uses the word "cute" about as liberally as a fourteen-year-old girl. Everything is cute. Her shoes are cute. Babies are cute. The rock she finds on the ground is cute. 

- "Oh my gosh.": Lucy likes to say, "Oh my gosh," if she finds something particularly embarrassing or challenging. If she is having trouble opening a baggie of snacks, she might mutter, "Oh my gosh," under her breath. I'm sure she gets this from me, which made me realize how much I must utter the phrase on a daily basis. This child is twenty-three months going on twenty-three years.

- "I do it self.": This is Lucy's most favorite sentence. 


With this new phase come new challenges and struggles. Sure, there are days that I get frustrated and lose my patience. But I also enjoy seeing Lucy gain confidence and independence. I love watching her learn and think and use her imagination. She isn't going to be a toddler forever, so I have to savor these days while I can. 

Friday, March 13, 2015

A Letter to My Second Daughter


Hello Baby,

Right now, you are wiggling around inside of me, and it is the greatest feeling in the world. I am so excited to meet you, and I can't believe we are already halfway through this journey. I can tell by your little picture that you are very adorable. I can't wait for the day that I get to hold you in my arms and see your sweet, little eyes peering up at me. Meanwhile, stay inside me as long as you like (erm... maybe just until August), growing healthy and strong. 

Let me tell you a little bit about this family of yours. You did not get to choose us, and I'm sure there will be times you will want to disown us, but hopefully, you will like us most of the time. Your father is fun and silly. He makes the best scrambled eggs and grilled cheese sandwiches on the planet. He is a really good husband and father, and he loves being a daddy to little girls. He will read you books about princesses and have tea parties with you and your sister. He gives the best advice, and he will cheer you up if you are having a bad day. He will be your counselor, co-conspirator, and cuddle partner. You'll like him a lot.

Your sister, Lucy, is a little ball of energy. She loves to read books and sing songs and "run around". She is also extremely affectionate, and she gives the best cuddles in the world. She already loves you so much, baby. She has a picture of you that the ultrasound tech gave her, and she carries it around with her and looks at it all the time. She calls you "Girl Baby". I hope that the two of you are always close, that you share a wonderful, beautiful bond.

And then, there's me, your undeserving mama. You are a dream come true for me, and I feel so grateful to have the privilege of being a mother to two, precious little daughters. There is so much I want to say to you, but I think this very wise woman sums it up well:

“My child, the troubles and temptations of your life are beginning, and may be many; but you can overcome and outlive them all if you learn to feel the strength and tenderness of your Heavenly Father as you do that of your earthly one. The more you love and trust Him, the nearer you will feel to Him, and the less you will depend on human power and wisdom. His love and care never tire or change, can never be taken from you, but may become the source of lifelong peace, happiness, and strength. Believe this heartily, and go to God with all your little cares, and hopes, and sins, and sorrows, as freely and confidingly as you come to your mother.” 
― Louisa May AlcottLittle Women

I love you, Baby Girl. We can't wait to meet you!

Love,

Your Family

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Lucy's Announcement...

Yesterday, we had our ultrasound appointment. It was so amazing to see our baby, healthy and active and growing! What a beautiful gift, to see that little face and hear that precious, little heartbeat. We also learned the sex. I thought I would let Lucy tell you...


Obviously, we are all very excited! Most of all, I am just thankful for a healthy baby. Thank you for all of your prayers!

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

19 Weeks

Today, I'm 19 weeks! It's hard to believe that I am almost halfway through my pregnancy already.




As I was taking these pictures, Lucy kept opening and closing the door (where my full-length mirror hangs), making it impossible to get a really good photo. Oh well. Life with a toddler. 

At 19 weeks, baby is about the size of a tomato, 1/2 a pound and 6 inches long. Speaking of tomatoes, did I mention I crave tomatoes like a crazy person? I want them all. the. time. 

Today, we are going to have our ultrasound and find out the sex. I'm so excited! Hopefully, baby won't decide to cross his legs or something. 



Sunday, March 8, 2015

18 Weeks



I need to clean my mirror...



As baby grows, my bump is getting much more pronounced. It is definitely obvious I'm pregnant now, which is nice. I am officially out of the "looks like a food baby" phase. The downside is that pants are no longer comfortable. Looks like black leggings or dresses from here on out.

At 18 weeks, baby is the size of a sweet potato, about 5 oz. and 5.5 inches long. He (or she) has been moving a lot, mostly at night or in the early morning when I am lying in bed. I have not had many pregnancy symptoms - just a little heartburn in the evenings after dinner. This baby may not be as hairy as Lucy was. Maybe we will get a little bald, blonde baby this time. 

Have a great week!

Monday, March 2, 2015

Interviews with Lucy

Lucy is at a really fun age. She is becoming more verbal, and she is starting to form memories. I thought it would be funny to "interview" her from time to time, to ask her questions about her life and record her answers. It's amazing the details she can recall, things that I can't even remember sometimes.

I conducted this first "interview" this morning at breakfast. Lucy just woke up, so it took her a little while to start talking.


Next time, I will try interviewing her a little later in the day, when she is feeling a little more chatty.