Blogged in January and February

I'm pregnant! Still can't believe it. Holy cow. While this baby wasn't as shocking as Aiden, it was still a funny surprise. God works in amazing, perfect ways and we are thrilled!

I just knew I was pregnant, so decided to take a test five days before my missed period (I sound like a pregnancy test commercial!). As if that wasn't a bizarre enough idea, I also decided to take the test on Friday morning (January 6)... Adam had left Thursday night for Arizona and didn't get home until Monday night. Which means Aiden and I had to hang on to this secret all weekend long! Anywho, I took the test and went about my business, then I poked my head in the bathroom and saw it was positive. I didn't even go look up close, I just laughed and shook my head, then went to go get Aiden from her room and told her she was going to be a big sister! (THAT is what's making my head explode. I cannot believe my baby girl is going to be a big sister!)

I decided to get Aiden a Big Sister shirt to surprise Adam with the news when he (finallllllly) got home. I even put a sweatshirt over it, just in case his family decided to come in when they dropped him off from the airport. I had him take off her sweatshirt and he did not notice. He spent a solid ten minutes just playing with Aiden (they were having the best time!) while I finished dinner. Finally, they came in the kitchen and I said, "Aiden, do you think daddy is ever going to read your shirt?" He saw it and lost his mind. I wish I could bottle up Adam's reaction when I tell him I'm pregnant. Both times it has been absolute, pure joy. It was so exciting to see him get excited and definitely made it feel more real!

Overall, I feel great! Just crampy and tired. Morning sickness kicked in right at week six last time, so I'm praying for a much smoother first trimester this time around. I want to be able to soak in every last moment with Aiden as an only child. (I'm really kind of having a hard time with this. I can't believe she will never remember how it was just her and how she completely changed our lives. Motherhood. Sigh.)

UPDATE
Morning All day sickness reared its ugly head at week six (same with Aiden). I decided to not go the Diclegis route this time and try some more natural options. Unfortunately, nothing really works (and it's real tough being sick, working, moving and taking care of a toddler), but I have definitely found some things that help! Eating crackers before I get out of bed, eating protein first thing in the morning and Sea Bands! Seriously, the Sea Bands have been so great.

We had our first appointment at 8 weeks and our little nugget looked perfect! Heart rate was 177 BPM (at 7 weeks, Aiden's was 139 BPM). When we went in with Aiden, I thought I was 8 weeks 1 day, but I actually measured 7 weeks so they pushed my due date back a week. This time, I went in at 8 weeks and I measured 8 weeks 6 days, but they wouldn't change my due date. Boo. Maybe that means this babe will actually be on time?? Due date is September 19 - the day before Jude's 3rd birthday!

This pregnancy already seems to have already gone by so much faster than the first pregnancy. I can't imagine why? It's not like there's anything else fighting for my attention. :) Oh, and we're not going to find out if it's a boy or a girl! Eeeeek!

Aiden: 18 Months

Holy cow, we have a legit toddler. Aiden Grace is 18 months old... one and a half! (Well, technically now she's 19 months, because #life.) There is hardly a hint of baby left, she is officially a little girl. I don't even know how to do an update since the last one on her first birthday, she is so different - but also the exact same. That makes sense.

First haircut!

Getting her passport picture taken for the big cruise in April!

Coolest girl at the ballfield

• She's a running, dancing, stomping, clapping mess. If she's awake, she's moving. The girl does not stop. 
• The good news is she wears herself out and is a great sleeper. She takes about a 1.5-2 hour nap in the afternoon and sleeps from about 7:30/8pm - 8/8:30am at night.
• She's a chatter box! It's been fun to hear her really start trying to figure out words. She's got a handful down, although almost none in actual English. :) Mama, Dada, Papa, Nonna, thank you, please, cracker, all done, more
• Animal sounds are a favorite past time! She can do a monkey, elephant, cat, duck, sheep and goat. She loves trying to do a rooster (cock a doodle doo!) and it's about the cutest thing ever to hear her try.
• She loves music and dancing. Her favorite jams are her Bible CD from Grandma, her Aiden CD from Nonna, the Itsy Bitsy Spider, the Wheels on the Bus and Jesus Loves Me. She's also obsessed with Alexa, which we ended up having to hide from her. 
• She loves Sesame Street, Thomas & Friends and sometimes Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood.
• She got her first haircut! She looks like such a lady, and also still has a weird mullet going on. She did so well, considering she's a toddler. 
• She knows exactly what she does (and doesn't) want, and has quite the forceful "no" head shake.
• She is strong-willed, to say the least! She loves to test (and break through) boundaries, which is both exhausting (temper tantrums, yay) and so interesting to watch.
• Disciplining an 18-month-old is.... tough. The whole "redirection" thing is exhausting when it's what you're doing all day long.
• Dog food is her snack of choice. So is crushed ice in a bowl. Being a typical toddler, some days she's a great eater and some days a granola bar is a success.
• She loves to play with zippers and climb up and down stairs.
• Jude is still her bestest friend and they are so fun to watch! She's also a big fan of Ruthie and Hank, and constantly tries to sit in Ruthie's 'lap'. They're good sports!
• She thinks she can jump, but she can't. And it's HILARIOUS. I laugh so hard every time. (There's an attempt at a video below.)
• At her 18 month check up, she clocked in at 24.5 lbs (75%) and 34.25" tall (98% - which the doctor said must have been a mis-measurement, so who knows how tall she is??). Her head is still holding strong at 19" (93%). Praying my next baby's head is a smidge smaller, at least coming out!

She's still the happiest kid, ever. She's curious and sweet and hilarious and loving. She's just the best.

Some fun videos of the past few months:
Bath giggles
Man down on the ice
Can I still be a baby?
Trying to jump
Her little voice! I hope I always remember it.

We'll finish this one off with a picture of her at her 18 month doctor's appointment - just enjoying a quick snack! #thatbelly

Holiday Round Up

My phone AND computer hate me and refuse to let me download my pictures! I finally found a workaround... months later. So here you go...

It's hard to believe it's 2017! Mostly because that number is crazy and it means Aiden will be TWO this year. We had a wonderful end to 2016, filled with lots of love.

Katie, my mom and I took Aiden to go see Santa right after Thanksgiving. She was pretty meh about him, and eventually a big NO. But she looked so cute!

Picking out our annual Christmas tree at Pike Nursery!

Allison and I had our "company Christmas party" in New Orleans! In and out in the same day, it was fun!

Drum roll please... KELSEY IS HOME!!!! After almost a year in Africa, we finally welcomed her home on December 9! What a great day!

The post-Africa hair chop! A total of 24" donated!

Adam officially launched Rounding Third. So proud!

We kicked off the Christmas celebrations with the arrival of my beautiful niece, Esther Moriah, on Saturday, December 17! She is so perfect and the spitting image of her big brother, Jude - except for her head of black hair.

We celebrated Christmas with the Bakers on Christmas Eve, and it was adorable to watch Jude and Aiden open presents together.

That afternoon, we headed to church. We had never been to StoneBridge's Christmas Eve service, because last year we were discharged from the hospital (Last year? Surely that was centuries ago.) and the year before we were telling everyone Aiden was on her way! I was excited because A. I love our church and B. Aiden got to be with us! She did such a great job - an hour is a long time to stay in one area when you're one.

Among our list of Christmas traditions we're trying to continue, making Reindeer Food was one I had to check off. (Mainly because I have a cute bowl that says "Reindeer Food" that we filled with dry oatmeal and colorful sprinkles.) Aiden loved spreading it around our driveway - check it out.

We also made cookies for Santa! I made plenty with the idea that we would take the extras to the local fire station on Christmas morning. It took four seconds out of our day, but I like to think it helped brighten their spirits! Also, you can definitely tell the rookies had to pull the Christmas shift - all of them looked much younger than us.

Christmas morning was so much fun. Aiden doesn't quite grasp the concept, but she did love opening presents. We continued our traditions of wearing tacky hats and eating monkey bread! We read her the story of Jesus' birth on Christmas Eve, but I saw that Adam's cousin reads it to her kids on Christmas morning before they open presents. I like that idea much better and am stealing it (thanks, Erica and Tim!). We're really trying to emphasize the reason for Christmas (Jesus!) and I'm just glad I'm finding stealing all of these great ideas so Aiden can grow up with a sturdy foundation on why we celebrate Christmas and the true reason for this amazing season.

We headed over to my parents on Christmas Day for more celebrations. We loved getting to spend so much time with family over the holidays. Both Adam and I had a good amount of time off work and it was nice to just relax.

The week between Christmas and New Year's, I was not-so-patiently awaiting the arrival on my cousin's baby! Maggie and Michael are Aiden's godparents and were expecting their first on Christmas Eve - the day after Esther was due. Maren Rae finally graced us with her presence on New Year's Eve! I can't wait to meet the little munchkin.

Adam and I let Aiden ring in 2017 with the Bakers while we headed to a movie (Star Wars Rogue One) and then Jillian's for a NYE party. Although we much prefer our current life to our pre-baby life, it is fun to have a night with our friends every once in awhile!

The first week of 2017, Aiden and I both battled strep. It hit Aiden hard and she was down for the count. While she was beyond pitiful, those snuggles were the greatest thing, ever. I'm glad she bounced back the next day, but I admit I certainly miss those snuggles.

Adam and I are currently getting our house ready to sell (eeek!), so we're living in chaos right now. We're really excited to see this next chapter God leads us to and through. Praying for a smooth selling and buying process and that God is glorified through it all. I hope our home on Mimosa Drive proves to do amazing things for another family, as it has for us!

Family Pictures - Fall 2016

My friend, Karen, was kind enough to take our family pictures this fall. It was the coldest day of the season and mom of the year (holler!) didn't plan Aiden's outfit very well. She was not having it during pictures and we got one whole smile out of her the entire time. If you know AG, you know she's the happiest little lamb, so it was a bummer we weren't able to capture her smiley self. LESSON LEARNED. Comfort over fashion in the future. (Never.)

All that being said, Karen worked some magic and got some really great shots!

What is this face??? Too funny.

She kept making this face - one I had never seen before and haven't seen since. Of course.

Ladies and gentlemen... a SMILE.

Quite possibly the greatest picture in the universe.

She was OVER. IT. (But she let me hold her like a little baby. I loved it.)