Week 12!!

Almost to our 2nd trimester!!!  Things are going swimmingly!!! :)  I am one happy mama bear.  I am officially to week 12.  This is a little late but-

Here I am at 9 weeks:



And now at 12 weeks:



As you can see, I don't do much with my hair lately...cookin a baby is hard work and I've been sooo tired!  Baby is now about the size of a lime and weighs almost an ounce.  Reflexes have begun and little one's mouth is making sucking movements!  So cute!  He/She may even begin to suck his/her thumb.  (MAN, I CAN'T WAIT TO FIND OUT THE GENDER!!)  Baby can feel me and my movements and if I prod my abdomen baby would squirm in response, although I can't quite feel it yet.  Although, I do think I have felt kicks a couple times :)  This is my second pregnancy and you are definetely more in tune and know what to look and feel for the 2nd time around. 

One part of this pregnancy that has been a challenge to deal with is my daughter, "I".  She has been acting out a little-who am I kidding?!  A ton!  The temper tantrums are out of control and the attitude is rediculous.  This should not be such a problem at 6 years old but it has exploded in my face the last few weeks!  I'm sure it has to do with me being pregnant and actually showing.  I'm sure she is having a hard time knowing how to deal with all these emotions, especially now that she knows she won't be the baby of the family anymore.  But I have had to lay out some stern ground rules and if they're broke, it's early to bed she goes and her favorite blanket gets taken away...Oh My!  I'm so mean!  But with these rules set, all I have to say when she starts acting out is "THIS IS YOUR ONE WARNING FOR THE NIGHT."  And bam!  She stops.  Hold on while I dust of these shoulders ;) 

Stay tuned!
Xoxo,
Jess

42 Lessons to Life

Read this today and was moved by it and felt the need to share:  Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short – enjoy it..

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Stay true to yourself.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. Save for retirement starting with your first pay check.

9. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

10. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

11. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

12. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

13. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it...

14 Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

15. Get rid of anything that isn't useful. Clutter weighs you down in many ways.

16. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

17. It's never too late to be happy. But it’s all up to you and no one else.

18. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

19. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

20. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

21. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

22. The most important sex organ is the brain.

23. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

24. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

25. Always choose life.

26. Forgive but don’t forget.

27. What other people think of you is none of your business.

28. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

30. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does..

31. Believe in miracles.

32. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

33. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

34. Your children get only one childhood.

35. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

36. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

37. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

38. Envy is a waste of time. Accept what you already have not what you need.

39. The best is yet to come...

40. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

41. Yield.

42. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."
..................................................................................................................................................

I thought these were all great points to read at least once in our life and maybe some of them will stick with us. 

Catching Up

I have been horrible at keeping up a blog...but now I have an even bigger reason to stay up to date with my writing!  7 weeks ago me and the hubs (Andy) found out we are expecting!  This comes after trying for a year or so and finally turning to a fertility drug to help us along.  So I am proud and so happy to say that I am about 11 weeks along! Everything is so surreal right now, it all seems too good to be true.  Everything is going "swimmingly" :)  We are elated.  I am excited to see how my little one, I'll call her "I", will do as a big sister.  I is 6 years old...going on 16.  She is a handful and so used to being the only little one in the house most of the time. My hubby has an 8 year old from a previous relationship, I'll call her "H", and she's only at our house every other weekend.  We are excited to see these girls with a new little addition to the family.  I feel like this little one will unite us even more as a family.  Everything seems to be going in slow motion & fast forward at the same time!  My emotions are going haywire-poor Andy!  At times I panick that we won't get everything done in the house that we need to before the little one comes.  We have a bathroom that has been under construction for almost a year now (I know, REDICULOUS) and we need to convert the playroom into the nursery.  In order to do that we need to get the basement cleaned up-it's being used mostly for storage right now-and move ALL the toys downstairs.  That is going to be quite a job on it's own, let alone getting a nursery all done-painted, furniture bought and set up, area rug bought since we have all hard wood floors, there's just a ton to do and me and the hubs are not the best at getting things done on a time table, as you might have guessed with our little bathroom situation! 

But, in hindsight, all of that seems so minute in the grand scheme of things.  We are just so happy we get to be blessed with this new future ahead of us as a family of FIVE!!!  Yeeeeeee!!!!

I'm anxiously awaiting the 20 week mark when we get to go in for the ultra sound to find out the gender!  Our little bun in the oven is officially the size of a kumquat now and his/her sex organs are fully developed and will be distinguishable between 17-20 weeks...I've done my homework ;)

Can't figure out how to upload a pic yet.  I'll try to figure it out so I can upload a preg pic or 2! 

Stay tuned!

 

Main event-Brother moved in!

My brother moved in, my brother moved in!!!  I'm so excited!  I got a bedroom we had been using for storage all cleaned out so my brother could rent a room from us. This will be his first time not living at home!  Ahhhhh...remember the good ol days?  The first time you move out and you can "finally do whatever you want" and "not have to answer to anybody."  Ha!  And then you realize-the bills, all the cleaning, all the responsibility, the bills...oh, did I say that already?  I never really got to experience the whole young-and-living-on-your-own-for-the-first-time thing to the full extent because when I moved out for the first time at the ripe old age of 19 I was already 6 months pregnant!  My responsibilities had already begun.  I know what you're thinking: "If you would've just kept your legs closed...ya slut."  I know, I know, but what the really sad part about that is by that time it had become almost main stream for us 19-20 somethings to get pregnant so young.  But this isn't about me!  I was just thinking that this will be such a great experience for my little bro to finally be out on his own.

Now we have an extra hand around the house to do all our dirty work!!  Ha, no im just joshin' ya!  But it will be nice to know that there will be an extra guy in the house to take care of the bugs!  And thank goodness he moved now, the June Bugs are already out!  I need an extra hand at the house to protect me from those nasty things!  They scare the living hell out of me.  Bon fires and night time yard games are pretty much out of the question for me in June.  I am THE BIGGEST SCAREDY CAT when it comes to bugs, and I hate it!  Maybe I should try the hypnosis thing where a therapist hypnotizes you and tells you that bugs aren't scary and you won't be scared of them ever again, and BAM! when you wake up you're not scared anymore...but I highly doubt that would work.  Plus, it would probably be expensive, but mostly, I just highly doubt it would work.

Well hopefully this weekend will be productive, I have plans to bring a bunch of kid stuff to a garage sale to get sold (the girls have way too many toys!) and I also want to get some bricks in our kitchen above the sink re-painted.  I have already painted them with 3 different colors that I thought would look great together-tan, sage green and like this coral/orange color-but unfortuantely NONE of the colors turned out how I thought they would so I have to re-paint the whole thing, this time just using one color.  Wish me luck, I'm gonna need it! 

More later!

xoxo,
Jess

Just Say No!!...To little girls in make up

Hello people of Earth!  This weekend was pretty eventful.  Saturday consisted of my 6 year old neice's bday outside in 40 degree weather with rain, thankfully it took place under a pavilion.  My step-sister had booked a pavilion at the dam that she had to put a deposit on and she didn't want to lose that deposit, so you bet she decided to go through with the outdoor plans!  Only in MN would you find a bunch of freaks having a bday party for kids outside in freezing weather and rain!  Crazies...

After the party we came home to warm up and had a bon fire with my dad and father in law that night (yes, it warmed up and cleared up by evening).  It was nice to chill with a drink next to the bon fire and chat with adults while my dad's dog begged for beer the whole time-he's quite the alcoholic!  We hung out by the bon fire and the girl's roasted marshmallows and had smores then played a bit of dress up.  Whenever they play dress up my daughter always finds the need to put on make-up. 

Which brings me to what I wanted to write about.  I read an article today about a mom that wrote on her blog that her 4 year old wore make up.  Yes, regular make up, daily.  Not for dress up, or dance, or pageants (which in my opinion are just as crazy to sign any little kid up in), but just for everyday wear.  This mom got a lot of heat for this, rightly so.  What parent in their right mind would let their 4 year old little girl have an everyday make up regimen?  That child is going to grow up with so many misconceptions about beauty, and will probably be pretty vain if she's already starting with the foundation and lipstick.  Then this mother tried to defend herself by saying that she doesn't wear mascara "or anything like that" just blush and a little lip color, as if that was any better.  Are you kidding me?  I understand when little girls, or even boys in some cases, want to put on play make up while playing dress-up or house, but to put make up on to go to daycare?  No child should feel the need to put on make up in order to feel presentable.  And no mother/parent should encourage that kind of behavior.  Utterly rediculous.  In my opinion.  And we all know my opinion is the only one that matters, right? 

And how do we feel about toddlers/little girls in pageants again?  Oh that's right, I find them almost to the point of being disgraceful.  I think it's sick to see a 2 year old wearing more make up than most women I know.  They wear so much make up they look like drag queens.  That's right I said it, those little girls, prancing around, shaking their butts wearing skin tight clothes look like DRAG QUEENS.  It's a bit disturbing.  I feel so uncomfortable whenever I see previews for the show "Toddlers and Tiaras."  I watched an episode once and those mothers were down right crazy.  For reals.  I know that to some people might find this offensive, and I'm sorry if you do, but it's my opinion and I'm entitled to it.  That's the beautiful thing about America.  That's also why it's ok to put little girls on display in bathing suits, caked with make up, while they do tricks with a hula hoop.  Sick I tell ya, just sick! 

Spare me your reasonings why you would think these pagaents are actually good for little girls.  Teaching discipline?  That's your job as a parent.  But if you need some help, or want to show them with something else besides chores, bring them to something a little more age appropriate, like karate or dance.  Teaching them....ok I give up, I can't think of another rediculous excuse to why pagaents are good for little girls.  I just cant wrap my head around that whole thing. 

So that's all I gotta say.  That's my story and I'm stickin to it.  Take it or leave.  Love it or hate it. 

xoxo,
Jess

Celebrities and our pathetic fascination.

OK, so I'm watching How I Met Your Mother right now and currently thinking that Neil Patrick Harris, or NPH as he called himself in Harold and Kumar (haha), is basically a comedic genious.  He's halarious.  I'd love to meet him.  Along with my new celebrity obsession Guiliana Rancic.  I've been watching Guiliana and Bill lately and I have fallen in love with her and her husband Bill.  He will be my second husband.  You'll see.  And one day her and I will be BFFs.  But the whole point of this is that I started thinking about all the cool people my mom has gotten to meet through her job and how I'm a teensy bit jealous of her for that-it's just not fair!!  She works for a TV show called Twin Cities Live.  It's a tv show in the Twin Cities (OBVIOUSLY) about all things food, fun and fashion.  Basic general human interest.  They have segments about all kinds of things, with many different celebrity guests on the show.  Each time there is a celebrity guest my mom gets to meet them and take a picture with them.  Must be rough huh?  Here's a small snippet of a list of the celebrities she has met over the last couple years:  Bethanny Frankel, Marie Osmond, Hulk Hogan, Plain White T band, Vicki Gunvalson, Louie Anderson, Uncle Kracker, Tom Arnold, Cheryl Tiegs, Harmon Killebrew, Gretchen Rossi, Tim Gunn (love him), couple of guys from the Deadliest Catch, Nigel Barker, Topher Grace, Steve-O, Ross Matthews (gay guy on Chelsea Lately-love him too-weird, I just love the gay funny guys).  Like I said, must be rough huh?  (I mean, I dont know what it is about our weird fascination with famous people but let me fascinate ok?!)  I mean, I wouldn't pay $100 to go see Pauly D dj like my girlfriends did, that's just crazy, and stupid.  But to meet some of these people for free like my mom gets to WOULD be pretty sweet.  Try and tell me you wouldn't be intrigued.  If you say you wouldn't be, you're lying, I know you are. 

The funniest obsessions with celebrities are child obsessions.  My two girls, 5 and 8, are obsessed with, you guessed it, Justin Bieber.  And Selena Gomez.  And Victoria Justice.  And who could forget Big Time Rush!!!  To all of you out there that have no idea who some or any of these people are, turn on the Disney Channel for 5 minutes.  Their faces are all over!  They are the biggest child actors out there right now and even I have a slight obsession with Selena Gomez.  She's halarious.  And btw, she's dating Justin Bieber, in case you were living under a rock and didn't know that already.  It's so funny tho, to see my girls talk about their current celebrity crush/obsession.  Take Justin Bieber for instance (or The Biebs as we hip folk call him). Any time my 5 year old sees his face in a magazine she has to yell out "Justin Bieber!" as if she were actually meeting him in person.  And she's equally enthusiastic each time she sees his face.  It's pretty entertaining. 

Why do we find famous people so interesting just because they're, well, famous (and super dee duper rich)?  They don't have super powers or anything and it's not like they give a shit about any of us...except for when they win awards, then they HAVE to "thank their fans."  I just don't get it, and I'll admit it, I take part in idolizing a celebrity I've never met just because their super pretty.  Doesn't mean I understand it any better.  It's just plain weird, and frankly, a little sad.  Don't ya think? 

But the really sad part is when there are breaking news stories about how Kim Kardashian died her hair (gasp!) light brown, or how Lindsey Lohan got arresteds-again, but yet when Denzel Washington visits an army camp and whips out a check on the spot for however many hundred thousand dollars it takes to build another housing unit for the men who serve our country there isn't so much as a small side article in the next issue of Us Weekly or OK! magazine, or a tweet or post or small segment on E! news commemorating him for his unbelievably generous unselfish act.  What, that's not juicy enough news?  Don't you think it would do our country some good to have these kinds of stories more in the fore front rather than stories about the many different celebrities who have been arrested for DWI, or who partied at which popular nightclub in LA last night?  Does anyone else think we're pathetic for caring so much about these celebrity stories?  It's ok, you can admit you think it's pathetic too but still be interested in these stories.  I am. 

I should probably get back to watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians...JUST KIDDING!  That's not even funny, the people that actually like the Kardashians are the most pathetic of them all.  Can you say "over exposed"?  Yugh! 

Thanks for stopping in and reading this most interesting of posts!  Glad I could entertain you for a few short minutes.  There goes 5 minutes of your life you'll never get back.

xoxo,
Jess

This weekend...

It's Friday!!!  This weekend should be a good one for me and the fam (besides the weather, uh 46 for a high Saturday, chance of rain/snow mix in the morning-no thank you).  We got my neice's 6th bday party tomorrow, which happens to be planned at the dam.  Great, freezing weather AND we'll be next to the water...should be fun, NOT!  Then my nephew's first baseball game that evening.  After that my husband and I planned a bon fire with the kids and our dads.  Hopefully it's warm enough around the fire, otherwise we'll have to move that party inside!  I mean what the heck, it was 80, yes eighty, degrees in March, now we're back down to 46?  Thank you Minnesnowta.  Hate this place.

Anywhooo....Me and the hubs had our first softball game of the season last night.  So fun!  We won too, which is awesome and will probably be the only win of the season.  I mean, it's beer league so the team isn't that competative and they like to "hydrate" themselves before the game gets started, but it seems every other team in the league takes the games just-a-tad more seriously than we do!  Who gives a hoot!  It's a sport and we're up and moving and getting out of the house so that's all that we really care about...plus, we're almost thirty so we can't push ourselves too hard, right? (insert winky face here).  I mean, if the other teams are actually proud of themselves for beating our team that's just sad.  Ha!  No im kidding, we're not that bad, but we're just in it for the fun and some time to get out with some friends during the week and maybe sneak in a couple beers. 

My sister's good friends had their baby yesterday so I'm going to try my hardest to get up to the hospital tonight to say hi and see the new addition.  I can't help but keep think about how exciting it's going to be when the day comes that I find out that I'm pregnant again!  I can't wait to have a baby with the hubby, definetely something that will help pull our mixed family together more tightly.  I want it so bad I have dreams about it.  One day....

Until next time fellow followers...

Hope your weekend is as awesome and crazy wild as mine will be (wink wink)!

xoxo,
Jess