Sweet and Innocent

I snapped these pictures of Lauren this week when we were playing outside. I am still trying to figure out my new camera so these were real spontaneous but they are gorgeous so I wanted to share them!

Sit and Wait

Not a lot happening in baby world here. I am starting to contract a little. It is very sporadic and usually only when I am walking. Sometimes at night it wakes me up. My Dr. says is has to be happening more...all the time..when I am walking, sitting, standing, and I can't walk or talk through them. Well, it is not even close to that.

My appt. went well. Baby's HR was 138, BP was really low...98/64....kind of strange...and no weight gain. Yea!!! The swelling in my feet is a little better and my feet don't hurt as bad. The baby has definitely dropped as it is harder and harder to do simple things...like getting out of bed, putting shoes on, etc...And Lauren keeps running into my belly when she runs up to me to give me a hug!

So I have decided to add a few more polls for everyone to vote on to pass the time...so enjoy.

Another busy weekend. Swim lessons on Saturday morning and Oktoberfest in Lee's Summit. We are going to head to Oktoberfest after swim lessons so Lauren can take another pony ride! We are looking forward to dinner Saturday night with my family to celebrate my dad's birthday. Should be a lot of fun.

I will keep everyone updated if there is anything worth sharing!

Pony Rides and Cotton Candy

Saturday afternoon we headed out to a local carnival put on by one of the churches in Lee's Summit. Everything was free! It included food, drinks, cotton candy, games, "jumpy things", a petting zoo, pony rides, train rides, and many other things. When we first arrived Lauren watched everybody and everything going on before she decided what she wanted to do. She would only jump in the "jumpy thing" (as Lauren calls them) that was pink and purple and had princesses on the outside. She also enjoyed watching the clowns handing out the balloons.

Her two favorite things were the pony rides and the cotton candy. She kept telling us she wanted to ride the ponies and last year when we tried to ride the pony she cried and cried. There was a very long line for the pony rides, so Mark waited in line while Lauren and I went and got cotton candy. The cotton candy kept her entertained while we waited for the ponies. Then when it was her turn Mark put her on the pony and she loved it. She smiled, laughed, and even pet the pony. We got several great pictures. When we were done Lauren continued eating her cotton candy...and you can see from the pictures she enjoyed the whole thing! She had cotton candy on her face, eyes, and hands, but she loved it!

On another note....Lauren LOVED swim lessons this morning. We put her hair in a pony tail so it would not get wet because she kept saying all week "I don't want my hair to get wet." Silly girl...

One other thing...you would think walking around a carnival for over 2 hours in the afternoon heat, vacuuming, and mopping the kitchen floor might start some contractions...NOTHING...I feel nothing...just completely tired from doing all that in one day.

Princess Shoes

Much to my dismay Lauren is completely into being a princess these days. I have no idea where she picked this up as I am not a princess person at all. It all started with asking Lauren what she wanted to be for Halloween. A kitty cat, a butterfly, a giraffe, and several other choices. She picked none of those and said "Princess." Princess??? We took her shopping and all she wanted was to be a princess. So I gave in and bought her the princess costume.

Nana found these princess shoes and Lauren has not taken them off since Nana gave them to her. If she is not wearing the princess shoes she is carrying them around with her. They sit on the dinner table, on the sink while taking a bath, and on her dresser at night so she can see them when she is going to sleep. She can't wear them to school because I don't want them to get ruined before Halloween, so when she comes home she takes off her school shoes and puts on her princess shoes. It actually is very cute!
So I have decided that her being a princess is not too bad after all. I have started buying her several princess things for Christmas, clothes that say little princess, and even a princess wand.

I am done...

being pregnant. I am tired, my toes are swollen, I can't even drink water without getting heartburn. I decided Tuesday morning that I was done. I am ready for this little one to come out. However this little one is nice and cozy inside. My Dr's appt. yesterday went well. Again, everything looks fine. My BP is still nice and low, no protein in my urine, baby's HR was 128...the lowest it has been yet!

So I am feeling all the normal pregnancy stuff and ready to be done. I feel more prepared at home and I think that is why I am ready to be done! The room is ready, baby's bag is packed, car seat is in and waiting for baby. Lauren keeps talking about being a big sister. It is too cute.

We are looking forward to a fun weekend. Lauren has swim lessons Saturday morning and we have been talking about them all week and how fun they are. Lauren said she does not like swim lessons because "I don't want my hair to get wet." Have you ever heard such a thing? Then Saturday we also have a carnival to go to. Ms. Pat's church (one of Lauren's teachers at school) puts on a huge, free carnival in Lee's Summit. Petting Zoo, pony rides, jumpy things, train rides, free food and drinks and lots of fun kid activities. We went last year and it was a lot of fun. We are looking forward to it again.

So I will keep everyone posted on the baby. Enjoy the weekend.

Lauren still hates swim lessons

I realize it looks like she is having a great time in these pictures, but she cried through most of the first swim lesson today. Last year she hated swim lessons. She hated floating in the water, kicking her legs, getting her face wet, blowing bubbles, you name it. I figured she might have fun this year so we signed her up again. It started out well with jumping in the water to daddy's arms, climbing back out and jumping in again to daddy. Then came floating and the screaming started. She was the only kid screaming, no just crying, screaming. Mark tried to distract her and play with her but she was having no part of it. Finally when the swim lessons were over the kids were allowed to play in the pool and that was when Lauren began to have some fun.

These pictures were taken during play time after the lessons had ended. She was having a great time with her daddy.



I thought swim lessons would be a good thing for Lauren and daddy to do with the new baby coming. It goes for 6 weeks so we will see how the next 5 lessons go. Hopefully by the last week she will be having fun and not screaming.

Get your head out of the toilet Lauren...

Things you never thought you would be saying to your child. This is the latest one. Why do I even have to say to her "Lauren, get your head out of the toilet."

We have been teaching Lauren to climb up on her little step stool, slowly turn around, and then sit on the potty all by herself. She mastered this in one day which was great. I was beginning to wonder how I was going to help her go potty when the new baby was here and I was stuck feeding the baby and Lauren was yelling "Mommy, I need to go potty real bad." So somehow in the mastering of this task Lauren began putting her head in the toilet (not touching the water or anything that gross.) So I have repeated this phrase many times in the last week or so.

Tonight she put her head in the toilet and then she looked up and said "don't put your head in the toilet...that would be silly."

So for all you parents out there, I know there are things that have come out of your mouth that you never thought you would have to say to your child. This is one of many!

Lauren, watch out for baby Claire's head.
Lauren, don't poke Zoe in the eye.

There are so many more and I just can't think of them right now...so enjoy!

25 days left...

Had my first weekly Dr's appt. today. I will go in every Wednesday for the next 3 weeks. Again, nothing too eventful. Weight is good, BP is nice and low, Baby's HR was 140. There is not a lot of swelling in my hands and feet. I am still wearing my wedding ring, which is good because I feel naked without it! My DR. checked me but NOTHING is happening yet. She said the baby is head down, which is the way we want it. I asked her about induction and she said that is an option, but we would have to wait until 39 weeks to see what is happening before we schedule an induction. At least it is not out of the question.

Mark and I are almost ready for the new baby. Each weekend we complete another "task" that is necessary prior to the little one coming home. Car seats, getting the crib ready, etc...

Lauren is definitely ready. This was our conversation last night as I was making dinner.

She was sitting at the table eating her yogurt minding her own business and then she pops up and says...

L: "I am going to have a baby sister."

A: "Oh really...Who told you that?"

L: "Ms. Carol (her daycare teacher). I am going to have a baby sister real soon...Like Elaina (one of her little friends at daycare.)"

Too cute huh? So that is Lauren's latest prediction. Mark thinks it is a boy...he has thought that all along. He also thinks I am going to go early. I think it might be a boy as well...guess we will know soon enough.

Fun Filled Labor Day Weekend

Children's Mercy Family Picnic Saturday morning we headed out to the Agriculture Hall of Fame for the CMH family picnic. Lauren had a great time last year and even more fun this year. It has tons of things for the kids to do, lots of games and prizes and all kinds of food, ice cream and snow cones.
The snow cone was a hit again this year. Lauren ate the whole thing, complete with flavoring dripping down her face, arms, on her toes, etc...just like last year! It was starting to drip on her dress in this picture.

She loves to jump and crawl through these things. There were 2 different ones that she kept going back to to play in.
Lauren always loves a train ride. We rode this one a few times. Lauren and Mark are giving me the thumbs up sign, which is something new Lauren likes to do!

BBQ on Sunday with Amy, Shannon and Aiden. Look at that face....she loved her popsicles. She enjoyed 2 while playing outside! We will never eat popsicles inside. It was all over her face, belly, arms and legs, but she loved it!
Sunday afternoon Amy, Shannon and Aiden headed over for a BBQ. It took Lauren and Aiden a few minutes to warm up to each other, but then they started laughing and playing, running and screaming. It was so fun to watch them play together.


The popsicles were a hit. Lauren seemed to like them more than Aiden. Aiden was having too much fun pouring water all over Zoe. Zoe did not even seem to notice. She just wanted someone to play catch with her!