worrying...

Ever since learning I was pregnant with our little guy I have had this nagging question in my head...."Will I be able to share my attention & time with another child?" I think about it every day...dreaming up schedules and scenarios that will best divide my time and attention between the 2 kids (and Charlie) the best way...while not forgetting to clean the house, do laundry, talk to my husband, maintain friendships, get a job, etc.

I also am a worrier by nature...always have been. Andy has helped me with this throughout our years together but I still worry.

So, as we continue to figure this all out, we are trying our absolute best to spend as much quality time with Marie as possible while also encouraging her to be more independent. We still get our cuddling in, but don't carry her to the car every time.

We help her find clothes that match and put her shirt on, but she is mostly responsible for her underwear, pants, and shoes. (unless we are running extremely late in the morning)

She is helping with taking out the garbage, feeding Charlie and giving him treats, and even cleaning up from meals.

Some of the above mentioned items are more difficult than others, but mostly she is relishing in this new-found responsibility.
She loves being a big girl.

Of course there will be times when she will want our attention but the baby will be nursing, or need changing, or something and we won't be able to give her 100%. I know she will be upset at times, I know she will need time to figure this new life out, but I also know that she will be o.k.

So, until this bundle of joy arrives and turns our life upside down, I will be spending as much time as I can with this special girl...and maybe even squeezing in some extra cuddling tonight.

Spring Fever

I enjoyed some much needed/wanted time away from school this past week. Both of my districts have a spring break so I got to take time off with them. This is a luxury I have enjoyed the past 4 years. I usually clean, organize, make appointments such as dentist, hair, doctor, etc., spend time with Marie, and bring out spring clothes and put winter clothes away. I actually love the cleaning/organizing part of this week because I can have the windows open, music on, and my house gets a much needed freshening up.

This year, I did bits and pieces of it all...reminding myself it was probably the last time I will have a "spring break" from work. I did some cleaning, minor organizing, a few appointments (including a prenatal massage in which I fell sound asleep), visited family, and spent much needed time with Marie in this fabulous weather we have been having here...actually, it was a little hot for me, but who's complaining? (this pregnant woman)

On one of the 75 degree days, I picked Marie up from school a little early and surprised her with a visit to the duck pond. Oh how this little girl loves the duck pond. She has been visiting this place ever since she was tiny.

For one thing, she loves animals...and not just dogs - all kinds of animals. She is drawn to them and them to her. I am very thankful for this because let's face it...her mom & dad love animals too. She is so confident yet careful around animals. In fact at this last visit, she warned me several times that we are to walk slowly by the ducks.

We enjoyed our visit and look forward to a few more before we move. Hopefully we can find a similar gem in Sioux City!

Marie Says...Volume 4

Once again here are some of the logical and silly things this 2 1/2 year old is saying...

Mom: "Marie, please don't wipe your dirty hands on your shirt."

Marie: "Well...can I wipe them on my hair then?"

*****

Marie: "There are 4 of us on the bed."
Dad: "You are right."

Marie (whispering in Charlie's ear): "You are the best one."

*****
Mom: "Marie look! There is a dime on the ground. We should pick it up and put it in your piggy bank."
Marie: "But it doesn't belong to us."
Mom: "Well sometimes people lose things and we don't know how to find the owner...we can take it."
Marie: "Okaaaayyy."
Mom: "I don't have a pocket, I will stick it in my boot until we get to the car."
Marie: "But then it will smell like your feet!"
Mom: "haha, oh Marie."
Marie: "Mom, are 2 girls laughing in the car about your smelly feet?"

*****
Marie: "Mom, I decided I am going to say 'Grandpa' and not 'Papa' now."
Mom: "Why?"
Marie: "Because I just telled you."

*****
Marie: "Dad quick we have to hide under the blanklet! A bear is coming to get us!"
(Marie and Andy spend a large amount of their evenings hiding from bears, lions, and other wild animals. Marie likes to hide on our bed under a "blanklet" the best."

*****
Marie: "Mom your belly button looks like a pig."
(referring to my newly outward belly button thanks to her baby brother)

*****
Marie: "Daddy, Daddy trace me!"
(trace = chase)

*****
Marie: "Mom, what are those?" (pointing to a part of my stomach that I can't see anymore while talking to the baby)
Mom: "Umm...probably a freckle or a mole."
Marie: "Are they your stretch marks?"
Mom: "Well yes Marie, they are. You and your brother gave me those."
Marie: "Do I have stretch marks."
Mom: "Someday Marie."

*****

Weekend Fun

Our weekend was full of fun with a visit from Bryant, Molly, and Piper. Marie was thrilled to have Piper at her house and was expecting to teach little Miss P how to dance, swim, and walk.

Due to time constraints, we only got the swimming accomplished...and lots of tickling & giggling.
Marie's suit was a gift from Bryant & Molly last year and she found the same one for Piper...too cute when the 2 of them were side by side.

Both of the girls loved the pool time with their daddies while the mommies got to spend some time chatting.

Although the time is never long enough, we love when we get to see these 3 and look forward to our next visit!

Pump it Up

Last week Andy's rotation doc had a random day off. So, we decided we couldn't waste it. One night of the week there is open play at a local indoor inflatable gym called "Pump it Up." Our friends have gone before but it has never worked out for us to go with them due to our work schedules. The three of us met there after school for some indoor jumping fun!

Marie was very nervous to start...this kind of activity makes Marie very shy and scared unless one of us is right next to her. But, once she sees other kids having fun she usually gets into it. I know she wanted us to get in and help her at first but we tried to stay back and let her figure it out on her own - that was very difficult for me to do. The bigger kids were running around her, she fell down a few times because of the bumpiness, and she was near tears when she saw a big ladder she needed to climb. I wanted to run in and tell her it was ok to not try but we stuck to our guns hoping it would be a big learning experience for her.

Just as she was about to run out, a girl about 8 years old asked her if she needed some help. Marie politely said, "yes" and the girl showed Marie how to climb up and slide down. Marie couldn't have been more proud of herself - it was such an accomplishment for her! I had tears in my eyes I was so proud of her for sticking it out and proud of me for not running in like a mother hen and taking over. (It was a good thing Andy was there...he held me back a few times)

So, even though it was a rocky start, it ended up being such a fun afternoon! She ran around, climbed, jumped, went down enormous slides, and ended up completely exhausted.

(the picture quality is not very good because we forgot our camera at home so we used a phone camera - not very good at the motion shots)

Good News

We have a home!

Our offer on a 4 bedroom ranch in Sioux City was accepted last week. It is in a nice neighborhood, close to the hospitals, down the street from the daycare we will be using, and on the north side of town. The best part about the house is it has a flat backyard that is fenced in with big trees to provide shade this summer and plenty of leaves for jumping in next fall.

It is double the living space than what we have been living in which is very exciting for us all. Marie will have much more room to run, both kids will have their own room, Andy will have an office/study space, and Charlie & I have a beautiful sun room to enjoy. I have a feeling the two of us will be taking our Sunday naps in that room. We are already picking out paint colors and looking at little things we can do to update its look a bit.

I am not looking forward to leaving our current Des Moines neighborhood, house, jobs, and daycare, but it is much more comforting now that I know we have a place to go. It is a big step for our little family and I know we will enjoy the adventure ahead.

We asked Marie if she thought she needed a bigger house and she said, "No, I like my small house." But, she also told me that she likes meeting new friends and sometimes "things change." I guess she has been picking up on a few of the conversations Andy & I have been having lately.

Our Make Believe Girl

Marie has always been...how should I put this...dramatic. Andy believes this is a part of me carried out through her but I believe it is all him :)

Marie having a tea party with her pals.

Along with this "drama" comes amazing independence, imagination, and some acting lately as well. We live with all of the Disney princesses...Cinderella, Belle, Ariel, Aurora, and Snow White to name a few.

One of Marie's favorite things to do is wander around the house singing their songs, acting out scenes from the movies, and even repeating exact lines with staging involved.

For example, she pretends the wall is the tree where Belle peeks around the corner to watch the Beast with the birds, she pretends the the washcloth in the bathtub is the rag used to clean the Beast's wounds after he saves Belle's life from the wolves....yeah, it gets that detailed. I have to admit I love it about her. It shows that she actually uses her imagination instead of letting a video game or talking doll do the work for her.

The video below was shot right before bedtime as she was singing as Ariel...the chair is the rock in the ocean where Ariel is watching Eric on shore I believe.