What a few weeks

Where to start. It's hard to believe it's May and almost time for Gabby to make her grand entrance into the world. Time has flown by this time around and I'm hoping she'll follow Bella's lead and come early, since she has now become a "big baby".

Our big news is that Joel has gotten a new job that will start this week. He was contacted a few weeks ago from the firm he interned with (Carmichael and Powell) to do bankruptcy work for them. We're all excited that he won't be on call on Saturday's anymore and may be home more during the week.

We moved the office last weekend, what a job, but it looks beautiful and it's so nice to be in one building. Mom and Ryan did an awesome job decorating and Chad and Steph worked so hard since I was not really one to be running around helping with the move. Joel even pitched in one night and hung artwork with Ryan. Glad that's over and I can hopefully catch up on my work this week before the little one comes.

Bella has moved to the older class and is doing great! She is talking so much more now that she is in there. We still don't know what she's saying most of the time, but she does. This past week we tried pudding for the first time. As you can see it went really well in the beginning...

but soon turned into a mess!!
So that of course meant bath time. That night she flipped onto her belly and thinks that is the greatest thing...

next to drinking the water from the faucet in Nana's tub.

Yesterday we went to the Oestreich's house, which was so much fun. Bella and Logan are a month apart and now actually play together. It has been so fun watching them grow up together. They went swimming and played in the sand.
Joel thought that this could be titled "Bella's Baywatch Picture" She loved Logan's swing.

and his big wheels, even though neither of them can reach the pedals. It's so hard to believe that they are almost big enough for big wheels.

Then it was inside for dinner. They looked so cute at the little table. They didn't stay there long, but it was worth a shot.

Finally we ended the night with shopping cart/car races around the house. They must have done about 20 laps chasing each other.

Last but not least, we have been trying to get the office turned into a nursery in the midst of everything else. It's getting there, we have everything it's just a matter of getting it into it's spot. It was fun going through Bella's clothes and thinking how tiny she once was and freaking out that we'll soon have another tiny one around. Joel put the GIANT double stroller together last night and we weren't sure it would work out. So Bella tested in out today and loved being in it, so it looks like a keeper. Now I'm just not sure how to lift it into the Tahoe....it's heavy, but hopefully once the giant bump in front of me is gone it will be easier.

18 month pics...a little late

So she's almost 19 months, but we got them done! What a workout chasing her around trying to keep her on the background for the photographer. All in all it went pretty good. Nana was there to help chase her back to the studio.


This is my favorite.
She loves to rock back and forth, so the chair was perfect.
And of course dancing!

What a crazy week

So Bella started off with a cold last week so she stayed home Monday from school. We are getting ready to move the office this week so I had to try to go in Tuesday, so I dropped her off. When I went to pick her up she had bitten 2 kids and then a third while I was standing there.
Unfortunately her teachers didn't tell her "no" or that it was wrong to bite, they were more upset she was crying from when I told her no and ignored the kid she tried to bite, so that led me to believe they give her attention and let her get away with it. So Wednesday she got kicked out of school for the day for biting. She had biten a little girl all the way up her arm while the teacher was holding the other girl...so why didn't the teacher stop Bella after the first bite. I was so frustrated because she doesn't do this anywhere else. Thursday and Friday Uncle Ry-Ry watched her so I could do work; however, Bella decided that on Friday she was going to climb out of her crib. I ran into her room and she was just laying there like I did it. Anyway, I met with the director and we decided to move her to the bigger class, which I had asked for a few weeks ago. So today we tried it and she was so happy when I went to pick her up and she talked all the way home. The teachers are great in there and Bella always had fun in their class during Christmas break, so hopefully this will work. I know they are more strict and will tell her no if she tries it, but here's hoping. We are looking into another school, but we have to interview to get in, so we'll see. Needless to say, by the end of last week I was ready to have a breakdown...well okay I did have one...I also started having a lot of contractions Friday probably just all the stress, but Saturday and Sunday I was okay and they were back to being inconsistent.

Well that was enough rambling. She climbed up last week and wanted to eat at the big table. I think she was telling us she's a big girl now.
She sits on anything and everything
We got out the sidewalk chalk this weekend for the first time.
Mommy found a purple football at Target (and had to buy it of course). Now she throws it to Joel and we get her to say Touchdown.
Bella wants to be so grown up lately. She loves to drink from water bottles even though they get her soaked. Anyway, she was in her chair and I figured I could give her one with just a little water in it to drink. Well, that turned into her dumping it on her head and laughing hysterically at herself.

Bella's Pregnant Pictures

The teacher printed out her "pregnancy" pictures yesterday for me. I'm glad I can finally share them...because I find the hysterical. I guess kids really know more about what's going on than we give them credit for.

Funny Story & my Sweet Baby

Well I guess I must be waddling around more than I know. Today I went to pick Bella up at school and her teachers asked if she had been pretending to be pregnant at home. I was confused and said no. Then they proceeded to tell me that after nap time today Bella took her blanket (the ones she can't live without) and stuffed it under her shirt and was waddling around being pregnant and would hold her "tummy" on the side and on top like I do. I started laughing and then they showed me the 10 pictures they had taken because they said it cracked them up just as much. I'm supposed to get copies but it was hilarious - so hopefully I can get them soon and post them up.

Then Bella is so precious and loving. Tonight after her bath we were putting pjs on and she kept grabbing my arm and hugging it, then that progressed to her grabbing my neck and giving me a big hug. I almost cried because it was so sweet and tender and she just kept squeezing and then reaching for another one. After about 5 she stopped and I got her dressed, but it was precious and I wish I could have bottled that moment up forever.

I didn't really take any pictures this weekend to post (I know that's suprising). Saturday, Tim, Molly and Logan came over for dinner and Logan and Bella got to play. They are so funny...Logan wants to play with toys and Bella just wants to run around and climb on things, so it was hard to get a picture of them next to each other let alone looking the same direction. Sunday, Mommy got spoiled and traded the durango in for a Tahoe...which Bella loves because she can watch movies on the way home from school...thanks Nana and Papa T for Bella & Gabby's new ride...it's much better than having her cry all the way home from school because she wants out of her car seat. God Bless technology.

Hope everyone has a good week.

18 months old

Bella turned 1 1/2 today! She had her 18 month check up and she had grown 2 more inches to be 33 1/2 and gained 2 more pounds to make her 26 lbs. She was still about 95% for height but has dropped into the 75% for weight (I guess all her running around has thinned her out a bit). We met her new pediatrician who was great and really nice. She said Bella looked great and appeared to be growing really well and seemed to have great social skills since Bella wouldn't leave her alone. She did get her last shot until she's 4, so that was exciting for me...and like usual she was a tough girl and didn't cry when they gave it to her.

It was a week of appointments, as I had my 31 week check and now will go every two weeks. Gabby's heartbeat is great and moves around constantly. I had a lot of contractions on Saturday, but they have slowed back down and are irregular again so that's good. The good news is that Dr. Watters has changed his mind about Gabby being a big baby like Bella; however, that probably means he will not induce me - I made get lucky since he's going out of town the end of May and won't be back until June 3rd that I might be able to convince him to induce me before he leaves....that way he can deliver her and Joel can get to Auntie Miriam's wedding on the 31st, but we'll have to get a little closer to see what happens. Of course my mom and dad think I'll go any day since the baby is so low, but Dr. Watters assured me that I have plenty of room for her to get bigger (can hardly wait)!

This past weekend my aunt and cousin were in town from Indiana, so Bella and I went to the park with them while Joel was working (could be why I had so many contractions). She fed the ducks and the pigeons.
Took/Dragged Aunt Phoebe (AKA Aunt FeFe) up and down the stairs for the slides.
Nana caught her below...then she did it all over again.
She also enjoyed drinking out of the water bottle when she got home.
And then relaxed to 101 dalmations in her elephant chair Pappa and Granna brought back from Africa.

Learning so fast

Bella has learned to climb...so she climbs on everything and everyone. She can get on the couch and the chairs outside, and is in the process of trying to climb out of her crib! She is fearless. She has also learned how to open and "apply" all of mommy's makeup. She's figured out the buttons, which ones have caps that pull off and those that twist. She is mimicing us more and more too.

She loves to climb into the dryer. She used to help with the clothes...now she climbs in to get the ones in the back.

She's also had her first juice box, which started out really well until she decided to shake it up and get it all over herself (which was great fun for her, not sure about nana's floor). Still loves playing peek-a-boo inside the hamper.
Bubbles are a favorite and she is so cute saying "Bubb..les"
Bella and Zona are great friends! Zona goes into her room in the morning and jumps up to give her a kiss in the crib, and Bella has now returned the favor by snuggling with her on the floor. Last week Pappa and Granna came to visit. Bella had such a blast with then during the day while mommy and daddy were working. She loved all the songs and motions they would sing together. Wednesday was a little rough as Bella got a stomach virus for the day and threw up for the first time...it was so sad to watch and not be able to do anything. Her blue eyes looked so confused and scared. I have to admit that it was nice to stay home and have her snuggle with me all day.