Out with a bang!

Finally, Memorial Day Weekend has come and gone.  And it was a good one.  Filled with lots of adventures...both ups and downs.

Friday both Paul and I felt tremendous relief as we wrapped up work for a while.  Me for a bit longer than Paul, but finally we have some time to ourselves to focus on the transition from a family of three to a family of four.  We can't wait to meet baby Charlotte tomorrow!

On one of the sad notes, we found out Friday that it was the last day for Ms. Sarah at school.  Matthew clearly adores both of his teachers and it makes me so happy to know he has developed such a wonderful bond with these two special ladies in his life.  Ms. Sarah, you will be missed and we wish you all the best on your new adventures.  We thank you for being such a wonderful blessing to the Mateo.

Saturday morning was like most other Saturday mornings...since I typically get up and go to work early during the week, I get a little more play time with Matthew and give dad a bit of  break....

Matthew is getting ready for his baby sister.  Somehow he knew that the rock-n-play is where the baby sleeps.  

Breakfast on the patio...

Then, mommy went to get a much needed pedicure while daddy and matthew went on big adventures.  There aren't any pics from these adventures but I heard they had a great time over lunch at Taziki's...my favorite pregnancy fare.  I wonder if I'll want Greek as much once Charlotte is here?

On Sunday morning we decided to hit the road early for the annual Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Baloon Classic (for more information check out the website: http://alabamajubilee.net/)

We honestly didn't know exactly what we were going to see, other than a ton of friends had posted really cool pictures on facebook the day before and it looked like something Matthew would enjoy...and he did!!! He even learned how to say "BAAAWOOOOONNNNN!"  

I gave in and let them share (well, I had some too) a funnel cake!
It was definitely a hit!

After the balloons we headed to Clay and Natalie's to visit with them and Matthew was just enthralled with Hugh and all of his toys.  He had a great time playing and we enjoyed getting a few snuggles with sweet Baby Belle.

Young master Hugh was kind enough to share a light saber with Matthew.  We had no idea how much the light saber would become a LIFE SAVER just the next day.

When...

Matthew ate the corner of a wall today and prompted a rush to the ER to sew up his head.  Paul and Matthew were playing just like they always do and I heard Matthew fall and cry, and honestly thought nothing of it.  I knew Paul was with him and usually the tears dry up within a few seconds.  Then, I hear Paul frantically telling me to come NOW and find Matthew's face covered in blood.  Paul tries to take him to the bathroom to clean him up and I go into command mode. There clearly will be no cleaning this up and we need to get to the ER...NOW.

By the time we are out of the driveway Matthew has stopped bleeding and is happily chatting away with daddy, oblivious to the fact that his face is covered in blood.  I actually turned the mirror in front of him around so he couldn't see himself.  Paul managed to get his face cleaned up on the ride over.

In triage they gave him a topical ointment to numb the gash in his head, but he really panicked when the nurse and doctor came in to wash the wound.  Once the wound was washed, it became clear he needed stitches (the real ones, not the glue kind) and they gave him something to help him relax a bit.  He was quite comical.  I think whatever it was helped mommy and daddy too!

Finally, all stitched up, he enjoyed his first ever Popsicle   He didn't quite know what to do with it so we put it in a cup and before we knew it he had it all figured out!  Purple everywhere!

So, you see, he really did go out with a bang!  Not exactly how I planned to spend our last day as family of three but I am thankful he is ok.  After we left the ER we headed to Bill and Cristie's for lunch and then back home.  He hasn't exactly gone down easy, for him at least,  But for now, he is sleeping peacefully. 

Tomorrow is a new day and we are all so excited to meet Baby Charlotte!

Adventures with Daddy

While I have been prepping for Charlotte's arrival Paul and Matthew have had some great adventures.  Matthew LOVES his Daddy.  I am so glad.  I worried about how Matthew is going to react to his little sister and sharing my attention but seeing how close he and Paul have become I think we'll all be fine.

There is a small train museum just north of town that has train rides each weekend.  So, with Matthew's new love of all things train, they decided to go for a ride!

Oooohhhhh!  It's a TRAIN!

Daddy!  I love TRAINS!

Afterwards, they wandered downtown and ran across "Lucky Duck Days" at the Lumberyard.

I want to play in that number!

It's a Parade!

I LOVE to drive!

One week to go...

Thoughts on this pregnancy.

It is so much harder when you are chasing around a toddler.  With Matthew, there wasn't anyone else to take care of.  Paul didn't like the fact that I stopped cooking, but he could fend for himself.  Poor Matthew is surviving on bananas and yogurt.

This pregnancy has seemed to go by slow as molasses.  For lots of reasons.  But it seems like it has taken Charlotte ... f.o.r.e.v.e.r... to get here.

Tax season certainly didn't make it any easier.  I think it was much easier to have a newborn during tax season (for me at least, Paul might tell you differently).  I only had one job...keep Matthew fed and clean.  And my mom helped tremendously in this effort.  Being pregnant with a toddler during one of the most difficult tax seasons was not easy.  For any of us.  By the end of it, we were all just barely hanging on.

As a result I didn't really start "nesting" until after April 15.  Once Paul was around to help out with Matthew I was able to actually focus on getting things done around here.  The biggest task was organizing all of the clothes that Melinda gave us.  She is expecting a baby boy in July so it worked out perfectly to simply trade clothes.  I think I got the better end of the deal...girls just have more fun clothes and MORE of them.  It was so much fun just to go through it all and get things organized in Charlotte's closet.

I have FINALLY painted the tree in Matthew's new room.  For now, the plan is that Charlotte and Matthew will share a room (hence TWO cribs!)  We created a small place space between the two cribs with some toys and the leaf canopies.  Matthew loves being in his room now and in fact, it has actually created a bit of drama in the mornings when he wakes up because he wants to play IMMEDIATELY.  Forget a clean diaper, getting dressed, his milk.  PUZZLES!  That's what he wants first thing!

Up in the Air...waiting on baby Charlotte

Botanical Gardens

During tax season I was always looking for places to take Matthew that were relatively easy on my huge pregnant self.  I learned quickly that I couldn't take him to playgrounds because I just couldn't climb up on the equipment and keep him safe by myself.  But the Botanical Gardens has the PERFECT environment for a curious toddler.  He can run loose and explore at his own pace without having me hovering over him at every turn.  I love this. 

TRAIN!  Great train set up that absolutely captivates the kids.

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Best Buddies, Matthew and Pearson

  

Playing on the water rocks.

Currently there is a wonderful installation at the garden called "Giant Garden, Little Me" that incorporates all sorts of giant scale garden objects for the kids.  Some of them even have water features!

Tax season, pregnant and a busy bee toddler

I cannot believe I didn't write a single post in February.

Well, I can actually.  It's tax season.  I am pregnant.  Matthew is a handful.

Paul and I have settled into a routine that for now is working.  We get up at 6am.  Paul gives him a bottle while I get dressed and ready for work.  I get a few minutes with him before I head out the door.  Now that we both have iPhones, Paul takes pictures during the morning and shares them with me and I do the same in the evening.  It's awesome being able to have conversations about Matthew that aren't "public" on facebook or the like.  And my mom also gets to see the pictures too.  That was great in February when we didn't get to see LB and Pops so much due to various illnesses and hospital visits.

After a little playtime and breakfast Paul and Matthew usually take a nap mid morning.  They used to nap together...

That's Matthew across Daddy's chest...

Bed head!!!

...but being with Daddy got to be a little too exciting and he wouldn't actually sleep so now he is sleeping in his crib for all of his naps.

Many times, we find Matthew just hanging out in his crib content to have some alone time.

 Then its off to Ms Marcia's.  

At Ms. Marcia's there is the cutest little girl who just adores Matthew.  Every morning I get pictures of her running to greet Matthew with a big hug.  He's a bit overwhelmed by the attention but I guess he needs to get used to it with baby Charlotte on the way!

 

I pick Matthew up around 3:30 or 4:00 and we head home for our evening routine.  Now that he is walking and the weather is nice, we usually walk to the mailbox (a long walk at the new house) and explore the back yard.  He LOVES being outside.

I have some great ideas for the back yard, but it will have to wait until after tax season and when I am not pregnant...so it might be a while. But I do have a lot of pots for plants and I hope to get some veggies this spring.

We then head inside for dinner, a bath then off to bed.

Matthew still goes to be pretty early which is a huge blessing considering I am so tired these days and Paul is working late hours as we get close to the filing deadline. Having the evenings to rest is very good for this pregnant mommy.

I am looking forward to the end of tax season, meeting Charlotte, getting to spend some time at home this summer, and having Paul around for it all!

Where does the time go?

January has been a full month.  My heart has been heavy for a dear friend going through a heartbreaking situation so it's been hard for me to get online and be positive.

That said, a lot has happened and I'll regret it if I don't get a few things recorded.

First off, Matthew has started walking!  He took his first steps solo on December 31 at LB's house.  It wasn't until a few weeks later that he really took off, right around his first birthday.

It is so wonderful to watch him explore his world.  His wonder and amazement at the world around him is precious and I love getting to see the world through his eyes.  So beautiful and innocent.

At his 12 month dr visit, his weight shot even further off the charts and while his doctor says not to change anything, it still has me worried.  Genetics aren't exactly in his favor for maintaining a healthy weight.  He won't eat veggies in their whole form, but he'll eat them all mushed up or hidden in other foods. Cooking for him has become quite the chore.  Amazing how much time I spend cooking for someone so little!

Mid January we had our 20 week ultrasound, which I had been anxiously awaiting to get a good long look at baby girl.  This pregnancy I have been much more "worried" about all sorts of things...I guess once you have been through it once, you become acutely aware of all that can and often does go wrong.  Thankfully, all of baby girl's systems are normal.  Now it's just time to let her grow grow grow.  And man, has she taken off and I have the belly to show for it!

Then, last weekend his locks were just getting quite unruly so it was time for a haircut.  He did pretty well and looks all grown up now!  What happened to my baby???