Trying to keep pace...

I'm 35 weeks pregnant and I have most certainly settled into a nesting mode.  I would say it was confirmed last weekend when I decided to build a nest for the new baby.  Literally.  Yes, I did.  I built her a nest.  I got this idea that it only seems appropriate that a springtime baby (my first of the kind) should be photographed as newly hatched in a nest--commence an afternoon project of converting a basket into a full-blown nest for those picturesque newborn photos that hopefully work.


I have been crafting and cleaning and trying to anticipate any and all needs I might have immediately following my conversion to a mother of three.  I find myself in planning overdrive, trying to rack my brain on ways I can make my months of April and May as easy as possible, starting now.  I've been purchasing two of a kind of all needed toiletries and stocking up on snacks for the bigger kids.  If only I could go ahead and wash all the dirty laundry and dishes that my current little family will produce during that time.

Oddly enough, despite all of this newfound inspiration, I still find myself at one end of the continuum or the other.  There are many times I just feel too tired to accomplish anything at all.  In those times, I usually don't.  Other times I feel incredibly energized to accomplish these bizarre tasks that have suddenly become really bothersome to me.  This week my "to do" list expanded to include things like steam cleaning the car floor mats and cleaning the fans and light fixtures.  I kept looking at them and they were driving me crazy...though it hasn't phased me for months.  I just don't usually make time (or effort) to do such things.

I have been steadily growing and this last week looked at myself in the mirror and said, "Wow, that is big."  Oh, I'm definitely in the big stage now.  So is my face.  I don't like that part--especially since our official family and maternity photos haven't taken place yet.  Here are a few growing pictures...

32 Weeks (Josiah's pregnancy on left, current on right):

34 Weeks (Josiah's pregnancy on left, current on right):

35 Weeks (Josiah's pregnancy on left, current on right):

Here was a picture I took when I woke up last week.  She had worked her booty all onto the right side and I looked amazingly crooked!

In other news since I last wrote...

Josiah got a stomach bug, which I eventually took on as well.  His lasted for 3 days, and mine only lasted 24 hours.  I was certainly thankful, as moms don't truly get sick days and a stomach virus at 32 weeks pregnant is no fun at all.  I was incredibly grateful that Evangeline escaped the wrath, as I very selfishly did not want to deal with someone who isn't old enough to anticipate what that stomach churning means.

In fantastic news, Evangeline has gone two weeks without accidents!  She wore big girl panties all week and grinned every time we high-fived to celebrate the "Big Girl Panty Club."  

Even the strongest superheroes get mysteriously quiet sometimes...

We had one beautiful weekend this month in which we took advantage of the outdoors.  We returned to the zoo to check out all of the animals again.  

Josiah's classroom stuffed panda came home for her spring semester visit to our home.  We took her to do exciting things all weekend.  Petunia Panda and Josiah had a movie date night, complete with popcorn and new movies.

We also went to our local "Touch a Truck Day," in which various government utility vehicles gather for the children to explore.  Josiah was most excited to climb to the top of the firetruck.

As always, both kids are keeping us laughing.  I remembered one more story off of my "list."  One day Evangeline was touching something I told her she could not touch.  I firmly but calmly grabbed her arm to stop her.  I said, "Evangeline, I told you not to touch that."  She looked back at me without faltering and said, "Mommy, are you pinching me?  NO pinching, Mommy!"  Of course I had to bite my lip at her audacity to try and turn the blame on me.  What tiny little two year old can have such skills with her mouth or her mind?

Every month Josiah's teachers create a collaborative book with a picture from each child, inspired by their classroom theme for the month.  The book goes home with every child for one night so he/she can share it with his family.  This month the book was "Signs of Spring."  I looked through the pictures and narrations of cute baby animals being born and flowers blossoming.  Then, I about fell over when I read Josiah's page.  Leave it to my child to bypass the predictable signs of spring in favor of his own ideas.  You might need to click on the photo to enlarge it to read the captions.

Yes, this is awesome...just like my child.