sweet Miss Alice

{look at this lil chunk!}

lil Miss Alice is two months old today. two months! i will now be cliche and proceed to explain how fast this whole infant stage goes the second time. because it really does. really really. what they don't tell you, however, is how much you will love the infant stage the second time. you see, i did not like it the first time. don't get me wrong, it's not that i didn't like Ellie. i just didn't like how i couldn't get her to stop crying and how i had to bounce on a dumb ball to get her to stop or to fall asleep or to do anything for that matter. while it was magical having a baby of my own, i was so much in "stressed-out-first-time-mom" mode, and "wanting-to-do-it-perfect" mode that i didn't really get to enjoy it. fast forward to now: i'm in baby heaven. and wish i would have taken more moments to just smell Ellie, and touch her soft skin...because those moments are so fleeting with a newborn, yet so sweet and lovely.

don't get me wrong. my baby fusses. and cries. and i still have moments that i want to pull my hair out. but most of the time, our days are sweet. so i thought i'd share a typical one with you:

-she wakes up and wants to eat. she proceeds to eat as if she's never eaten before and will never eat again. eating is serious business for lil chunk Alice (hence the chunk).

-after she is full-bellied, she looks at me and smiles. and smiles. and smiles. she is so super smiley. it is so super cute and no picture will ever do it justice.

-then it's bath time. she's basically in heaven. she then proceeds to engage in one of the many staring contests we have throughout the day. she always wins. because of her lil sensitive skin, we've become fans of aquafor- cleared all those weird sensitive skin patches right up.

-i then give her a bazillion hugs and kisses because she smells so delicious. i have to remind myself not to eat her right up for breakfast because she smells so good, and i'm usually pretty hungry by this point.

-then i dress her up in ruffles and tights and bows and whatever other frilly thing i can think of. it is nice to not have the two-year-old attitude telling me that she is NOT wearing whatever i picked out. i know i will miss her oblivious compliance deeply someday.

-she will then sit propped up in the boppy pillow or her bouncer while i get big sister all ready for the day. as long as Alice is included in conversation, and we don't leave the room, she is content to intently observe our every move. the minute we do leave the room, she'll squawk in discontent.

-Ellie will then smother her in affection- including (but not limited to) wet kisses, sprawling herself over Alice, talking to her, asking her when she is going to buy herself teeth so that she can eat real food, giving her toys and blankets, trying to wrap her in her blanket (which consists of Ellie throwing the blanket over her face...nice), and telling her to stop crying

-after we've exhausted the pillow and bouncer option, Alice just wants to be held. arms are her Hawaii- she wants to lay there morning noon and night. sometimes i don't mind. mostly because i know it doesn't last forever and i will undoubtedly miss it. sometimes i do mind though. like when every toy, DVD, dish, and item of laundry is thrown about the house and i'd just like my two hands for more than two seconds.

-after being bundled like a burrito, she finally falls asleep. she loves burrito land. sometimes she'll take a good lil rest, and sometimes it's pathetic. we're working on that.

-when she wakes up, we start over at the beginning of this list, minus the whole bath/get dressed part.

-throughout the day, she loves the bjorn, mostly hates the carseat (but not as much as Ellie did), will suck on a bink -- we're working on her keeping it in her mouth, loves to look into your eyes with her big blue ones (i'm thinking they're gonna stay blue...or maybe i'm hoping?), loves to hold your finger reaaalll tight, doesnt mind tummy time too much, coos and gargles at me and i love it, and loves you to kiss her cute lil feet.

*update* i snapped this picture of her in her crib this morning- this is how i found her:

she is the wiggliest thing in the whole world! how did she get like that?? her arms are still swaddled- yet she is side-ways. i'm baffled.

-the night time comes and she is usually wide awake until about 11. sometimes 12. sometimes it's brutal. i just look at her and think, dont you know i'm not a night person? but the last two weeks she's given me the gift of staying asleep till 4...and some days 5. last night it was 5:40! 6 1/2 straight hours of sleep is a beautiful thing, my friends. a very beautiful thing.

-and that's how i feel about Alice too. she's a very beautiful lil thing.
we adore her.
times infinity.

xoxo

pregnancy. pregnancy. and more pregnancy.

yes, that's me. yes, that's my belly (like 10 minutes ago, actually). yes, it's still growing (maybe i should take a new picture so we can compare before/after and see how big of a change there was? i feel like i'm growing that fast these days).

so this week i graduated to full-term status.
i definitely am full. as in, there's no more room. as in, no more room in the inn. as in, every time little miss baby girl sticks her bum up in the air, my belly expands on the right side until i think that it can't possibly stretch any more. ouuuch. (but cute to imagine..all snuggled on her tummy sticking her bum right up in the air).

doc says i'm dilated to about a 2 (not quite but almost) which is amazing because i didn't even dilate to 1/2 a centimeter with Ellie. she also says that i'm measuring about a week ahead, too. but we all know that either thing means...not much. i'm still here. i'm still pregnant. no show yet, no all-night parties yet, no poop fireworks yet...just waiting. and quite frankly, i'm ok with that. really, i am.

you see, last time, we were super on the ball.
we had the room all set.
like allllllll set. every drawer filled to the brim. every picture hung perfectly. wow.
dinners made.
house organized.
clothes all washed.
every nook and cranny of the house cleaned.
fridge stocked.
sub-plans written...4 weeks before Ellie even came...
Hospital bag packed...5 weeks before Ellie even came...
yadda yadda yadda.

this time, i feel like a major slacker. colonel slacker, even.
yes, we've painted the room. redone the dresser. put up the crib! and yesterday, i finally even finished washing the newborn baby clothes, blankets, & accessories. (go me...i hate laundry).
but i have a mile-long to-do list...including:
buy a crib mattress.
finish sewing baby bedding.
clean pantry/stock fridge.
pack Hospital bag.
organize garage/closet of baby room.
and lots of other things that are probably only important to me...

so, yes, it's ok baby girl is sittin' snug as a bug and holdin' on tight.
because even though i'm thrilled to strip this alien body off in the near future, i am thrilled to have a little more time to get things in order, fill up my "fun", "sleep", "Ellie" & "Mike" canteens, and try to imagine what life as 4 will be like. though it's pretty surreal right now.

i've done a lot of pondering over pregnancy the last few days...especially as i realize that we really are in the final days...which is mind boggling! it's made me realize things have been really different this time around:

• can you say fatiiiigue?- it could be attributed to the fact that i'm very anemic this time, taking double doses of iron...but even with that double dose, i'm so beyond tired, which is really out of character for me. i usually consider myself a very high-energy person. but not this pregnancy. whoa. i'm a lazy butthead.
• while i still love cherries, this time around my favorite fruit has been watermelon...by far. for most of June and July, M was out of town...often, he'd leave on Sunday night, i'd buy a watermelon on Monday, and finish the whole thing, on my own (Ellie is NOT a watermelon fan...at all)...by Wednesday. i'd then be in the debate: should i buy another one so that M could have some when he gets home, too? (translation: should i buy another one so that M could have a bite and I could have another watermelon...because it's the only thing that sounds good right now). so Thursday was often spent buying another watermelon and chopping it up...and only eating half of it, so that at least half would be left for M. and i'd eat the leftovers by Saturday. (p.s. have you ever squeezed lemon juice over watermelon? if not, try it. it's diiviiinnnee).
• i've definitely had less swelling this time...i'm still wearing my toe ring and my wedding ring, which were both looonnng gone by this point with Ellie. i think part of the reason was i was teaching/on my feet all day long last time. i don't know what the other part of the reason is...because it has been bloody hot here the last couple of weeks and i am DYIIING. thank goodness it was a mild summer. i don't know how i would have survived otherwise.
• this time, prenatal vitamins are still my worst enemy...causing nausea and barfia whenever i take one. thank goodness for flinstones gummie vitamins.
• last time, i was puking at the end again. i'm so grateful to have dodged that bullet (at least for now). that was pretty stinkin' miserable.
• i've been having waaayyy more contractions this time. like, whoa. and even back contractions. whoa. very different experience from last time.
• we still can't agree upon a name. seriously. last time, we were pretty set on Ellie by this point. we still wanted to meet her to make sure she didn't look like a Hilda or Bertha or something totally random, but we were pretty certain she'd be Ellie. this time, i'm still set on Roxy and M is still set that it's a dog's name. (whatever. lame.). we'll see who wins in the delivery room.
• it's been so fun to have Ellie around to share pregnancy with. she is so funny about it-- and often lifts her shirt up to say, "ouch! the baby in my tummy hurts!" i don't know where she heard that from... :)

still, there have been so many sames as last time, too.

sames:

• both my girls are MOVERS! they love to roll, push, jitter, stretch, and whatever else they can do in the womb. man, i have very wiggly fetuses.
• i have loved fruit again. so refreshing. 
• both times, i was pretty dang sick for the first half- and then felt relatively good for the second half.
• i have the craziest sweet tooth EVER. like i want to eat milk duds and frozen yogurt and cheesecake all. day. long.
• when i sit down, my belly rests on my legs. it's kind of cool and kind of annoying. cool because then i have this perfect little tray to rest things on. annoying because who wants something resting on their legs when they're trying to take a load off while sitting down?
• both babies love to kick my belly button. what's up with that? it does NOT feel good.
• still not a fan of maternity clothes. mostly pants. please, someone out make some decent maternity pants for shorties that don't cost a gazillion dollars.
• got lots of stretch marks last time, and tons more this time. i guess my skin doesn't handle all those bum-stretches very well :)
• the excitement to meet a new little person is the same. i couldn't even fathom what it would be like to be a parent last time, and i still have that kind of wonder and anticipation that makes my heart skip a beat this time. i can't believe we're going to meet a new little human so soon and welcome her into our family. of course i'm freaked out a little bit-- but i know it will be wonderful- and i can't wait for my heart to grow, to watch M's heart grow, and to see Ellie's heart grow as we welcome this little girl into our lives.

so, last time, i was a week late.
who knows what will happen this time.
hopefully i won't need to whip out my old tricks....
but just in case, (and not to be redundant or anything) here's our little "how to induce labor" video that we made with our friends, the Blodgetts, about 5 days past my due date with Ellie. it actually still makes me laugh to watch it. and M still laughs when he watches it too (maybe we think we're funnier than we really are? i mean, we are big dorks.). but maybe, just maybe it will give you a little laugh too.

p.s. i was huuuggeee. like seriously- notice my huge tummy when i'm sitting on the couch..especially toward the end. it makes my back hurt just looking at it.



p.s.s. and yes, of course, i will keep you posted when the real show begins! can't wait! (or can i?)....

xoxo

and out of my funk i came.

*a disclaimer to this post:
i heavily debated whether to post about this or not. because i don't want to give off the aura, "look at me, i'm so special!" or anything like that. but this whole thing was so special to me that i just could not leave it off the blog. i hope you understand and will allow me to indulge on this little sweet occurrence in my life..because it's one i want to remember for always.*

sometimes getting out of a funk is easy.
you can drink a diet coke.
or make yourself some of your favorite chocolate chip cookies (or in my case, enjoy some from a friend).
or even just go read a book, take a nap, or watch your favorite movie.
and then when you return from those things, you feel refreshed.
and energized.
and like you finally got the "you time" that you were craving.
sometimes, when you serve somebody, that does the total trick.
because you forget about yourself and ever needing the "you time."
but sometimes, it's just not that easy.
and you just feel funky.
no matter how much your stuff your face.
and no matter how much you serve your tushie off.
that was last week for me.
i just couldn't snap out of it.
and neither could Ellie. we were both grumpy and grouchy and not sleeping well. we basically fed off of each other's negative energy until i thought we were going to electrocute each other.
by Saturday, i was exhausted.
and relieved to have M's help at home.
he was so sweet.
he asked me,
"what is the one thing you want to get done today?"
and i said,
"i want to paint the baby's room."
so to Home Depot we went. buying like 8 different shades of lavender/purple to paint swatches on our little nursery walls. (lavender is a hard color to get right!) he helped me choose the perfect one. and then he used his manly muscles and shuffled all the junk outta there so we could spend his one free day painting, painting, painting.
so evening came.
brief interjection (not to be confused with an "undies interjection"... this is a family-centered blog, people.): i have this wonderful friend Sandi. everyone should know Sandi. she's the type of person who makes everyone in the world feel like she's their best friend...sincerely and genuinely. she can talk to just about anyone, and know everything about them in less than 10 seconds. she's the most easy-going person in the whole wide world-- one who serves her little tushie off like no one i've ever seen. i was lucky enough to meet Sandi and become friends with her when we lived at my in-law's house, as she is their neighbor and in their ward. she's the one with the cute little red-headed Cale, who has become one of Ellie's best friends. she also has a little 6 month old girl on top of it- and yet still asks me constantly what she can do for me. really, Sandi? i should be asking YOU what i can do for YOU, is what comes to my mind. she is so thoughtful and mindful of everyone around her- and one of the best bakers/cooks on the planet. i've been very fortunate to partake in her yummy concoctions on multiple occasions.
so now that you know Sandi, let me press on out of this brief interjection.

Sandi had been asking me for weeks if she could take me out for dessert one night. she said it was to "celebrate the baby!" before she arrives...but it just seemed like such a hassle for her. and i just didn't want to put her out like that. then Saturday night came- and while i was inches away from canceling (because nothing sounded better than just laying on my bed after my funky week and a day of painting) i knew that going out with Sandi would probably be just what i needed to boost my spirits.
she came over around 8.
we instantly started gabbing our brains out.
until we randomly showed up at a friends' house in the ward. "we're picking up Allie too. is that ok?"
sure, i thought. i love Allie.
then into Allie's house we went.
some pink boxes caught my eye.
i heard faint voices coming from the yard.
and then i saw all these presents on the coffee table.
"Sandi, are you being tricky?"
and then a collective shout of "SURPRISE!" rings from outside.
it took a minute (or five) for my pregnant brain to register that this was a party for me.
that Sandi, and all of these wonderful women there, had thrown a surprise baby shower for me.
(dang it, i knew i should have washed my hair...)
it didn't take me long to turn into a big weeping willow with sap running down my cheeks.
because it was just about the most thoughtful thing that i'd ever seen.
(even remembering the whole thing is bringing tears to my eyes again.)
it was so lovely- all outside under these beautiful lights:

decorated in a beautiful "nest/birds/bird cage" theme-

with a dessert table called a "tweet" table...adorned with the most delicious desserts that you could taste just by looking at them.

it couldn't have been more perfect.
it was wonderful to sit, relax, stuff our faces with endless amounts of deliciousnesses, gab about baby names and labor stories and other gory details that are assumed topics of conversation at baby showers...and on my part, feel an overwhelming sense of love and sisterhood.

thank you to all you wonderful ladies- for taking time to come on your weekend...and making such wonderful desserts to share...for the sweet thoughtful gifts for our soon-to-be baby girl, and for being the kind of women i hope to be like someday. you have no idea how much this night meant to me, and will mean to me forever.

and thank you Sandi. i know there were others who helped you...especially by just coming!, but i know you and your generous, larger than life heart. and i'm so lucky that i do. your thoughtfulness inspires me every day!

and after that, i went home.
and cried my eyes out to M.
told him how lucky i was and we are.
cried some more.
and just like that, the funk was gone.
because no matter how hard it wanted to stay, feeling that much love doesn't let funkyness stay around.

xoxo

*photos courtesy of Jenny & Melita...thanks for capturing so much of the night!

p.s. up next on the blog: Disneyland! featuring Ellie as Snow White, meeting Snow White, a walk with Mary Poppins and much more, playing at the park, joy school at our house, and the debut of our lovely lavender purple nursery. love you all!

i have a new hobby.

so it hit.
nesting mode, that is.
i've been going cuh---razzzzyy the last several days with the most random of random projects.
my most favorite project that i've adopted:
refinishing furniture.
it's so fun!
it's like magic.
though i do admit, it does give me a major crink my neck, and make me a little woozy from paint fumes.
but still.
transforming old, weird furniture into new-looking, matching, even CHIC furniture, is so cool to me.
some things i've refinished:
a little, tall, wobbly table with the most personality you've ever seen. (yes, furniture has a personality, as i've recently discovered).
a shelf/coat/hat hanger thingie.
a long, weird-like table which is now in our doorway as a shoe rack thingie.
a little bookshelf for Ellie's room.
and my most favorite (which i will show you very bad pictures of):
a dresser/shelf combo for baby girl-to-be's room.

so the dresser was a dresser that i used in MY room when i was a teenager.
seriously.
but it was in good shape-and even though it was small, and in a weird yellow wood color that never matched anything, i never had the heart to get rid of it because i knew i could use it someday.
well, someday came.
i wish i had a good picture before..like when it was put together.
but this is the best i've got:

then several months ago, i bought this shelf off of craigslist for around $15 bucks thinking it would be cute as a bookshelf in Ellie's room if i ever got around to refinishing it. then M pointed out to me that it was really a desk/hutch/topper thing that wasn't a standing bookshelf at all. we almost got rid of it... at least 4 times.

this is the best before picture i have: (yes it is tilted on its side- i'll explain why in un minuto)

so i asked M...hey handyman of mine, maybe you could cut the bottom part off...so it IS just a shelf..and then we can hang it above the dresser? and of course he obliged. he loves his tools and any chance he gets to saw something.

so then i went to work.
i primed away.
and then i seriously used paint we already had.
like from our doors and baseboards...maybe i shouldn't admit that. but oh well.
i gave the stuff a few good coats of paint.
(don't want any chippin' going on).
and then i gave them an antique glaze...(you can glaze too- it's so easy! learn how here)...to make them sorta shabby chic-ish. because baby-girl-to-be's room will be shabby-chic- inspired by lilacs.
and this is how they finished up:
(now, don't judge the horrible pictures. i know they're horrible, ok? but i couldn't wait a second longer to show them to you. and lighting in a dang garage is tricky. i promise to show better pictures someday soon...like when the room is actually painted and put together...but for now, this is the best reveal you and me are gonna get).

tahdah!!

you like?
don't be too harsh.
i am just a rookie.
(and i'm thinking about changing the mismatched knobs (though full of character) to be all black...to enhance the glaze... i think the mismatched would be cute for a play room...but not as cute for a nursery..........thoughts? )
maybe i like 'em so much just because i spent so much time on them.
but i'm in love.
and i can't wait to set them up...and to actually give this baby the love and decor she deserves :)

next up:
kitchen table.
wicker toy trunk.
any other random treasure i can find to put lots of gobs of paint on.

one word of caution:
refinishing furniture is addicting.
so is checking craigslist.

oh, and one more little thing:
i love coming in from the garage...taking horrible furniture pictures...only to find my little Ellie like this, coloring her little heart + soul out, as if her life depended on it:

melts my heart into a big pile of goo.

xoxo

explanations

i've had people ask me some interesting questions lately.
so i thought i'd publicly answer them.
because i heard once that if you have the question, than someone else probably has that same question too.

how do you spell your name?

now, i realize that my email address has my name spelled "Marci," my posting alias is spelled "Marce" and i have several comments that start with "Marcia." so what is my name? let me elaborate. well, you see, my full name is Marcia. said like this: Maarrrrssssseeeeyyaaaaahh. yes, like that. or if you are good at spanish R rolls, Marrrrrrrrrsya. but usually only my Grandma or my Mom say my name like that. you see, i was named after my grandma- the cuban one named Marcia. but most people pronounce it wrong, often saying Marsha, so i just turn my head the other way and go by other things. like Marci. that's short for Marcia (get it?).and most people now call me Marci and know me by Marci. but just so you know- it's not spelled with a Y or an IE (though i don't really care if it's spelled wrong. i'm just nice like that). which leads me to the name Marce. now, this is a nick-name. i realize that this is no shorter than Marci...they both have five letters. but let me explain (since that's what this post is about). Marce is said like this: Marrrssss (with a soft S not a Z-sounding S like in Mars). in high school, 99% of my friends called me Marce. in fact, i don't know if some of them would even or have even called me Marci. they call me Marce. and if you try to write Marce like this "Marc" it says MARK. and that's not my name at all. and if you write it like this "Mars" it reads "Marzz" and that's not my name either. so putting the E at the end makes the C soft. so it says Marce. like that. is this too deep and heavy of an explanation? maybe. but it is what it is. and maybe now all my different names in different places will make a little more sense.
 
you decided on your baby's name already? Roxy?

no. we haven't decided yet. i just like it. like, a lot. but i've gotten lots of hater comments, even though i asked to not receive those- but i guess it's what you get when you share your name early. and is the reason why i concealed Ellie's name for so long-- because i didn't want anyone smashing it down. why does everyone have to have such an opinion on names? i don't know the answer to that one...but i know i have an opinion on them too, so i guess i shouldn't be talking. but just because i already spilled the Roxy beans, some of my other favorite names include: Alice, Annie, and Raegan. what's your fave? just curious. mine's still Roxy Lynne :)

you sure don't talk about baby #2 much. but you sure do complain about being pregnant a lot.

geesh. i know that's true. i wish it wasn't. let me address the last part of that statement first: the complaining part. you see, i know that it is a tremendous gift that God has given me to be pregnant. i thank him every day for that gift. but that gift hurts me sometimes. and it makes me feel very strange and unlike myself. that's why i complain about it. i just want to be me. but it's hard to be me when i have a huge watermelon dictating all of my emotions, food preferences, and energy levels. does that make sense? i hope it does. and if it doesn't, and if i have offended anyone by my complaints, i'm sorry. i'll try to be less...dramatic. though we all know how impossible it is for that to happen.
as far as the first part of that statement: here are a few little facts to update you on this pregnancy and baby:
-i want to paint her room plum. like not a dark plum. but a soft plum.
-i dream about her a lot. but mostly nightmare dreams- like forgetting about her and then leaving her somewhere. and it really freaks me out. a lot.
-i am 28 weeks along. into the 3rd trimester. we're in the hottest part of summer. it's pretty miserable being so pregnant and being so hot all the time. but it's crazy to think that we're at the tail end of this thing. wow. that happened surprisingly...fast. (did i just say that?)
-she moves even more than Ellie did- and that is saying A LOT. and for those of you who knew Ellie as a baby, you know, i need lots of prayers sent my way if i'm going to have a baby even MORE active than Ellie was. having said that, it makes me feel good to know she is alive, and feisty like me and Ellie. but poor, poor M. maybe we can add a prayer...or two..or ten...for him. he's gonna need it.
-i think about her nose a lot. i love Ellie's nose. and i hope i love her nose too. from her ultra sound, it looks like a button one again...and that makes me excited. i love cute little button noses.
-i have been having tons of contractions lately. ones that really take my breath away. i don't like that. not one bit. doc says it's normal, though. says that we experience everything earlier and with more intensity in subsequent pregnancies. it just reminds me often that the d-day is getting close. a little too close. and that i better go clean something. or do something i won't be able to do once she's here.
-i still like cherries- but i think even more than cherries this pregnancy, i love watermelon. i eat tons of it. like, i just cut up a fresh one on Sunday (like a big one)- and it's almost gone. Ellie doesn't like watermelon. and M only nibbles on it. sometimes i wonder if baby girl is floatin in a bath full of watermelon juice. it feels that way sometimes.
-i'm kinda freaking out about space and where to put stuff and things to make room for another human in the house. M says it will all work out. duh. but, i am way overwhelmed with how to make everything all work out. Ellie still loves her crib...so baby girl doesn't have one at the moment. should i transition Ellie into a toddler bed? this is my daily debate. part of me says, yes, it would be awesome to have that transition taken care of before baby girl comes. plus, then i could use our extra bed we have for Ellie's bed, and move the crib into the other room (freeing up lots of space, helping out my space issue). but then the big part of me says, nooooo. why would you do that to yourself? create sleepless nights before the sleepless nights even arrive..and possibly forgo naptime. (i've heard it happens). ah. i'm at a loss of what to do in this situation. i think about it way too much.
and since i started talking too much about Ellie in there that's my little pregnancy update. for now.

what do you do all day?

ouch. what a question. well. let's see here.
you see, i do something different each day.

Mondays are laundry days. and chore days. to recover from our party hard weekends (ha). i also try to squeeze grocery shopping in here.
Tuesdays are random errand/project days. if i didn't get grocery shopping done on Monday, i finish it today. but  this will change as they will soon be filled (in two weeks) as "Joy School Day." the day Ellie goes to Joy School. i can't wait for this. and i can't believe she's old enough to go to Joy School. wow. i'll have to fill you in on our Joy School plans in the near future. something i'm definitely very thrilled to be included in.
Wednesdays are park days. our old ward organized this day of the week where all the young moms and their toddlers/preschoolers go to the park and let their kiddos play while we get a chance to talk to real humans for a few hours. it's nice for Ellie to go and play hard for a few hours outside.
Thursdays are outing days. this means that we either have someone over to play, we go somewhere to play, or we go out somewhere. like Six Flags. or like the Zoo. i like doing those kinds of outings on Thursdays because they seem less crowded on those days. we also go to our Farmers Market in the evenings on Thursdays.
Fridays are field trip days- this means that our old ward organized an activity every Friday to do together in the summer. sometimes these activities are little too old for Ellie (ie museums and stuff). but last Friday we went to this awesome little swim place- it's fun to get together to do something like that with other kids and other moms.
Saturdays are house project days. that is a very broad term.

now, Ellie usually naps from about 1:30 to 3:30. during this time, i recover from the morning and get ready for the evening. that means cleaning, finishing up laundry, getting dinner ready, and all that jazz. we don't go out too often in the evenings (except for farmer's market Tuesdays)- that's usually our wind-down (or maybe more like wind-up) play time where Ellie hangs out and i try and give her some good one-on-one attention- reading, coloring, playing outside in the kiddie pools, and eating lots and lots of fake food/cake. :)
and in between all of that, i make dinners, and change diapers diapers diapers, wipe noses, do cute hair-dos (sometimes amidst tears), wipe down kitchen counters, sweep up crumbs, wipe tears, discipline tantrums with time-out chair time, plan YW lessons, plan what my dream house will look like someday, dress-up like a princess, giggle, coupon, and give lots and lots of hugs and kisses.

do you have any favorite decorating websites?

several people have asked me this lately. i laugh. because i am thee worst home decorator on the face of the planet. i need some serious house-CPR. but my friend Becca told me about this site recently: younghouselove.com. wow, i love that site. i'm addicted. M and i are now trying to figure out how to vamp up our bedroom space- we're thinking of building our own headboard from this tutorial, and building closet space on the side of our bed modeled after this bedroom (since closet space is a huge issue in our little abode). not to mention all the stuff i want to do to Ellie's room/the nursery/the kitchen/the family room/etc etc etc. anyway, can you help me by adding to my list of favorite decorating sites? because my list has....like 2 on it. thanks.

and Ellie just woke up from a nap.
so that's it from me + my rambling + weird explanations for things.
i think i just needed a few minutes to....have a blog dump.
a random one, too.
and that's that.

xoxo

M's father-forecast

when we were very first married, we moved down to southern california where M sold pest control to support us starving college newlyweds. we were lucky enough to make some "forever" friends that summer. the ones that you wish still lived close every day of your life. well one night, we were hanging out with one of those best of couples, giggling while watching Arrested Development (classic) and the cute gal says to M, "you know, i think you're going to be a girl dad." "what does that mean?" retorts M. "no, no no, don't take it mean. i just think cuz you are so nice- you're the type of guy that could totally be the dad to all girls."
later, M asked me if i thought that was true. he seemed a little concerned. i mean, every dude fantasizes about having a little man to throw a football with or take golfing or sit down and watch ESPN with.
 i told him not to worry about it. it was a long ways off before we'd have to worry about babies and poop and tantrums in the middle of target over an Ariel doll (smirk).

well, i guess it wasn't as far off as i thought it was.
and it looks like that forecast my cute lil friend made almost 5 years ago is coming true...because...
Ellie's having a sister!
IT'S A GIRL!

i have to admit:
i am s.h.o.c.k.e.d.
M is shocked.
we're all shocked!
seriously!
i was like 100%....no 150% convinced it was a boy.
like so convinced that we haven't even talked about girl names.
i call the baby a "he" all the time.
and i even was a teensie weensie bit disappointed when they said it was a girl...but that's just mostly because i was so sure it was a boy.
poor lil girl.

however, i also have to admit:
now that the initial shock has worn off...
i am so thrilled!
Ellie will have a little sister!
one who is close enough in age to enjoy different stages of school at the same time, endure fighting over the bathroom with, and just having someone to play with or talk to about all of life's things.
we don't have to buy all new stuff (M is THA-RILLED about this :) )
i'll get to put my lil girls in matching Easter dresses and Christmas dresses. i've always wanted to do that!
and it just makes me so excited thinking of the tights and bows and dresses and pigtails and sweet hugs and kisses (and all the drama...but i'm trying to forget about that for the moment) that come with little baby girls.

and since i haven't updated on my pregnancy in a while (poor 2nd pregnancy...it's such a shadow, isn't it?)..
here's a little peek:
i feel big. like really big.
i finally feel normal (other than being abducted by a lil human who kicks all the time...finally hard enough for M to feel...Ellie doesn't really get the whole thing yet...hopefully soon).
i'm "very anemic" this time (according to my Nurse Practitioner)- which would explain all the bizarre-o fatigue. so i'm taking 2 iron pills a day...on top of my prenatal vitamin...
and while on the prenatal vitamin subject-
mine was making me puke like every day.
even when i'd take it at night- i'd wake up and puke my guts out.
so my dr. gave me all these other ones to try. see if the change would help.
nope.
still massive pukage.
so, they told me that i could take 3 gummie flinstone vitamins a day, and that would do the trick. you know. the ones that they make look & taste like candy so that kids will take their vitamin.
well let me tell you something, it's worked.
i laugh to myself every time i take one...because it's just so..well, juvenile. taking flinstone vitamins for my prenatal vitamin. it's like eating candy. and i like it. and i don't puke anymore. it's nice. very very nice.
i can eat meat this time.
but please don't give me a hot dog. that meat is just gross. and Ellie wants one like every day...and i gag when i cut it up for her. ick.
and i still eat about a dozen otter pops a day (and that's being modest in my estimate).

now a bit about baby girl 2:
(side note: i think we need a little help with some girl names...because saying baby girl 2 is just such a mouthful.. and since we haven't even discussed girl names, i'm a little overwhelmed. suggestions??)
seeing baby girl today was just as butterfly-ish as it was with Ellie (i wrote all about it here. i love blogs).
and like i wrote then, i just love ultrasounds. what cool lil things. such a miracle to finally see the little person that is so much a part of you for 40 weeks. it is one of those sweet little rewarding moments where you feel like- yes, yes, this is all worth it. i already love this little alien-looking-human.
back to today.
baby girl 2 was so funny...she kinda kicked and wiggled a bit at the beginning when the tech lady kept pokin' at her, and then she just nuzzled into this little kneeling position with her feet and hands all tucked tightly in for the next hour. seriously. she did NOT want to be woken up- she just stuck her bum up in the air and wouldn't show us the goods. wouldn't show us her profile. nothin. i was like, COME ON. then about an hour later...after the sex couldn't be confirmed, a good shot of her whole head hadn't been taken, and a  profile shot still hadn't been seen, the doc came in...and just like hat, she just started wigglin, and showed us her little face, her little girlyness, and even wiggled her fingers like she was saying hello to us.

it was like she was saying "just because i'm baby sister doesn't mean i'm going to be bossed around. i'll do things how i want, when i want."

cute lil baby girl 2.
another feisty one, i think.
just hopefully not as feisty as the first. because i think i might die.

and that's all i have to say about that today.
it's a girl.
another beautiful cute lil' chapman girl.

{you didn't really think i was going to leave you hangin' without a profile pic, did you?? p.s. what is that black fuzzy caterpillar on her tummy/rib-cage...it's a little disturbing. in fact, i went over to the scanner to make sure there wasn't anything on there, then i glanced at the photo again...only to realize that fuzzy spot is indeed part of the picture. it kinda creeps me out. but then i look at her little button nose, and i get all happy again. hugs!}

xoxo

lucy, you have some splaaiinnnin' to do...

i admit it, i love "i love lucy."
in fact, there may not be an episode i haven't seen.
and i tend to quote it a lot.
like, when Lucy does something crazy, and Ricky finds her out and he wants to know what the heck is going on, he always says to her, "Luuuucccy, you have some splaiinin' to do!" in his lil' Cuban accent. and then i laugh.
well, i've vanished. multiple times now. and yes, i know, it is time for me to do some splainin.
maybe this will help:

yes, we're having another baby!! baby #2.
wow, it feels so good to finally get this out there. but lets talk about my feelings later. here's the much wanted details:
i'm only a little over 10 weeks...feels like i'm like 20. but whatev. due the middle of October. already showing. hoping for a boy (maybe i shouldn't confess such a thing)...but will be equally thrilled with another girl.

now for our feelings:

mine:
i'm so excited to see our family grow. and i'm so excited for Ellie to have a sibling. wow, she desperately needs one. but i'm not going to lie, i'm freaked out of my mind. the reality of Ellie's monsterdom in her first few months of life have not left my nightmares. and the thought of many hundreds of sleepless nights...accompanied by that shrill of a cry...makes me want to cry all over again. long-story-short: infants scare me. (what a thing for a mother-to-be, and a mother-who-has-already-been to admit, huh? but it's the truth). to add to those emotions, i can't help but feel a little bit like i am cheating on Ellie. it's a weird feeling. but, having said all of that, i'm as ready as i'll ever be. and knowing that i will love another human as much as i love our little Ellie makes every exhausted, scared, insecure moment worth it.

M's:
he is pumped. he is excited (and right now he is carrying the bulk of the excitement for the both of us). he really is thrilled. so thrilled that he has gladly made several dinners for himself while i am nauseously laying on the couch, while i concoct the most disgusting of food combinations (including but not limited to: doritos grapes and licorice for dinner, rice for breakfast, cinnamon toast crunch with string cheese on the side for lunch, and eating an entire loaf of banana bread by myself...only to puke it up later). bless him for being so supportive and loving even though i have been somewhat (and more than somewhat) exhaustively defeated as this alien has abducted my poor lil body the last 10 weeks.


Ellie's:
she's confused. she sees my belly and says "baby, all gone!" about 20 times a day. but she looooves babies right now...kisses her little baby that she calls "Roxy" over and over- she also bundles her up in blankets and rocks her to sleep and repeatedly says "awwee, cute lil Roxy." she gives her other baby (the one that she calls "Babes") baths, and scrubs behind her ears (after drowning her for like 10 minutes). she's going to be an adorable big sister (even though i know after 10 minutes, she's probably going to want to send it back...what an interesting scenario that will be).

so, that's where i've been...in pregnancy land.
creating a human.
again.

love to you all.
much more to catch you up on and "splaain" to you soon.
xoxo

p.s. northern california is starting to wear off on our little Ellie. check out our little tree hugger: