March in California

We went to California for my sister's wedding on March 19th. Hadley and I actually flew out a few days before Chris. While it was a little hectic, with the expected chaos of wedding planning, we got in some fun times at the beach and Sea World. Hadley loved the beach. I didn't bring a swimsuit because it wasn't all that warm, and I thought she would just want to dig in the sand when we went. We brought the sand toys, which she only played with a little bit. She ran straight for the water and was up to her waist before I knew it. We both got soaked, and once I changed her clothes she ran right back in the water. She went through three outfits! It was really fun. My sister and her family came as well as my brother and his fiancee and their dog. Now Hadley has been calling every black dog Kena, my brother's dog's name. The numerous times we drove past the beach Hadley yelled out, "BEACH!!!" And other times, "BATH!!!"

Hadley became more selfish and a tease during this trip. She apparently will have that down when the baby comes in August. My niece is 8 months younger than Hadley and is the biggest Momma's girl I have EVER seen. It didn't help that she was sick with a stomach flu during a chunk of the trip. Hadley would run up to her mom (my sister, Erin) and hug her and turn around to see if Niyah, my neice saw this. It would infuriate Niyah, which made Hadley only hug my sister all the tighter, and laugh. I haven't seen this side of Hadley before. And she made sure to tell everyone what belonged to her, or what she thought did. Every other word out of her mouth was "MINE!" She claimed the slide at the park, the one in my parent's yard, and tried to boss other kids when they tried to use them. Now sometimes I will be driving with just Hadley in the car and she yells, "NO! MINE!" She is a full fledged two year old (she will be two next month). She has an incredible vocabulary, to which everyone comments. She speaks in full sentences quite a lot, and even though she can communicate really well, she has developed this terrible scream that drives us all nuts. We had fun on our trip and will be going back in May for my brother's wedding. This means that for ALL of my sibling's weddings I will have been pregnant. I was due 4 weeks after my older sister's wedding, so I was looking it more than this wedding. But I sure did pop out while in California. I will do a pregnancy post later. I need to take pictures.

Hadley at the park where I used to play as a kiddo.

The Last of the Christmas Pictures!

I know it is sort of late that I am finally posting these pictures from our post-Christmas trip to California. Okay, that might be a stretch. I am really late. Its mid-February. But while in California we went to Sea World with my friend, Ashley and her husband and their oldest. I had numerous late game nights, and we spent a lot of time with family. We also had breakfast with my folks at my brother's place. He lives on a huge amount of property in a pretty area of San Diego County. They have zip lines, horses, dogs, goats, cats, chickens, orange, avocado and grapefruit trees. I swear that those oranges are the best I have ever had. Chris thinks it is just a weird pregnancy thing, but I am on the verge of asking my brother to mail me a bunch and I don't mind the cost. They are heaven. Below is Hadley on the largest goat I think I have ever seen. There were two of them this size. This one was on top of its little shelter house and was very nice and gentle to let Hadley sit on it. Have I told you that Chris wants land someday and he wants a pet goat? He wants to milk it.

Below is Hadley with my grandpa. He turns 97 this Valentine's Day and has always loved seeing Hadley and holding her. She liked stealing his water cup and trying to drink all his water. Hadley kept giving Charlotte baby (my cousin's baby) little loves and kisses. She was super sweet, as she is to babies in general. I think she will be very loving to our new baby.

Below are some pictures from Sea World. Hadley discovered Elmo there and has been on an Elmo craze ever since. Once she warmed up to the characters, she couldn't get enough. She screamed and tried to hold on to them when it was time to go. I had to pry her away.

"Poppa," Mommy and Hadley on the tea cup ride!

I know Hadley is never smiling in these pictures so it is hard to believe that she has so much fun, but she just doesn't usually smile for pictures. As soon as we pull out the camera she stops smiling and goes stern or confused.

New Years at Ashely's! Hadley and I crashed there overnight.

Matching jammies on the kiddos- made by me! And matching outfits bought by my sister, Erin! Matching isn't just for siblings!

Baby #2

So, we are expecting baby #2 August 12th! We are super excited, and have been wanting this baby. I have felt pretty good, some nausea mixed with a stomach bug around Christmas, and I have also been pretty tired. I never had fatigue or nausea with Hadley. I did have bad migraines wtih her, though. My midwife ordered an ultrasound at 12 weeks because she thought my uterus was measuring small. Turns out I am still 12 weeks (she thought maybe I was 8), now as I write this nearing 14 weeks. The baby did a barrel roll for me and stuck out its tongue. Can you see the picture with the tongue hanging out? So cute! And below is the alien head picture. Got to have one of those!

We will find out the gender on March 11th. While I think it would be fun (and difficult) to wait and have a surprise, if it is a boy we need to get some things for the baby, so we want to find out. Any guesses on what you think we will have?

Christmas Ice Skating!

Just after Christmas I went to California to visit my family. It was just Hadley and I, and the first night I was there my brother invited us to go ice skating. I haven't been ice skating since Chris and I were dating, and that was with my brother, too. I was tired and wasn't so sure about leaving Hadley my first night, but we went and I was SO glad we did. It was so much FUN! Below: My brother, Jeff, and I on the rink. Below: my sister, Erin and I with our brother.

Erin and I before Jeffrey threw shaved ice all over us.

Jeffrey and his girlfriend, who we met for the first time this trip.This last picture is of my sister and her husband and their oldest, Keiya. It was Keiya's first time, and I think it was Harold's too.

Petroglyph Monument

We discovered that the Petroglyhph Monument is actually quite close to where we live. One weekend we decided to do the little hike that allows you to see all sorts of neat petroglyphs. They are mostly from the Pueblo, Apache and Navajo Native Americans, but a few come from early Spanish settlers as well. Most are of animals, but there are some cultural symbols and people as well. Most of the petroglyphs are between 300-700 years old, but the more recent ones, made by Spanish settlers/explorers are 200-300 years old. With the wind and dust of New Mexico how have the petroglyphs remained so well visible and not eroded away? The stones are basalt, which are volcanic, and super strong and durable. I had a geology teacher in college who said he wanted his headstone when he dies made from basalt because it wouldn't erode and wear.

This area had a lot. Can you see a few of them?

Hadley and I with the view of the neighborhoods behind the petroglyph park.

This rock had a ton of them! It was really fun and interesting. This is now a place we will take visitors who come to see us.

Christmas Post

The holidays are gone, but I have yet to post about them. Our Christmas was a bit different this year. Plans were to go to Denver and spend it with Chris' side of the family. But circumstances with his grandparents made it so that his folks were called away to Phoenix for a while. So we got to see them as they drove through on their way, but we decided to stay put for Christmas. Chris' brother, Nick came here to spend it with us. Hadley can't stop asking for Nick, and he was just here for 3 days. She really liked him. Can you believe it, but he hadn't met Hadley yet!?

I was sick right before Christmas, so I didn't get to enjoy all the yummy holiday foods. I had plans to bake all sorts of goodies when Nick was here, but I guess on the upside I didn't get the chance to put on holiday pounds.

Chris and Nick got to see a couple of movies together, and Chris and I even got a date night when Nick volunteered to watch Hadley for an evening. We had a little Christmas tree with some presents, and it was nice and intimate. It was the most low-key Christmas ever, but nice and comfortable in a way too. I will admit, though, that I still look forward to Christmas with lots of family around next year.

Chris and I decided to do an ornament exchange with one another this year. We agreed not to spend more than I think 10 dollars. I stuck to this. I got Chris a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Ornament, which he and his brother promptly identified and Michaelangelo. Chris did not stick to the agreed amount, but I am not complaining. He got me a lovely pewter heart and rose ornament with an engraving of the year, my name and under my name is read, "The Love of My Life." So thoughtful! Hadley loves her doggy pillow pet, and she liked her "Le Corelle" doll with pink hair for a bit but hasn't seemed to care again. She still mostly wants to play with this little fat, mostly nude, and somewhat ugly doll someone gave me for her when she was born.

Nick left, I ditched Chris and took Hadley to go see family in California, and Chris went back to work. And that was our little family Christmas!

Bathroom Remodel

While I was away visiting family in California just after Christmas Chris took on a project. He never told me about it, so when I got home it was such a plesant surprise! He remodeled our bathroom. It now has a lovely spa-like feel. I think he has such great taste, and it looks really classy! Our bathroom was definitely not a selling feature when we bought the house. It has a double vanity, which is nice, but it is small. It has a combined bath/shower, and we were hoping for a nice soaker tub. The size hasn't changed, but it feels so much nicer now! I also love that I have a place to hang my bathrobe now.

The BEFORE picture. Fine, but nothing special, right?

The AFTER pictures...

The other bathroom upstairs will have to wait awhile to be completed, as we still have our bedroom to do and a kitchen table to purchase. But it's slowly looking more like a home!