Thursday Thoughts

      I'm linking up again with Jennifer at Ramblings of a Suburban Mom for Thursday Thoughts. 

~ In four days I will have a two-year-old. Where has the time gone? I am not prepared. Also, we have definitely started seeing signs of the "terrible twos." Not that Owen misbehaves often, but he has thrown a few tantrums and is definitely more frustrated when we don't do what he wants. Luckily, he's still pretty cute so his tantrums aren't really embarrassing yet. The other day at the mall, Tim put Owen on an ATV that was on display and when we went to leave, Owen pitched a gigantic fit and collapsed on the ground crying, "My tractor! My tractor!" But at the same time, he is learning so much now and is talking so well that I'm really digging him at this age, terrible or not.

~ I was excited to be able to mail out another one of my pregnancy survival kits to someone close to me this past week. She got it yesterday. Her baby is due in October, but they haven't announced to everyone yet, so I'm keeping mum on who it is for now. Either way, I was excited to celebrate another sweet little baby. And speaking of sweet little babies, my friend Katie (that I made the original pregnancy survival kit for) had her adorable baby daughter Merida Grace last Saturday. I am obsessed with looking at the photos they text me of her. If I wasn't already pregnant, they would seriously have me feeling the pregnancy bug. 

~ We have had snow two days this week so when I saw this funny photo on Facebook, it made me laugh. I immediately messaged it to Tim at work. Have you seen the commercial for Geico with basketball player Dikembe Mutombo? 

~ I got my first Goodies Co. box this month with fun food samples. The subscription box is still in its beta testing so you can get it right now for super cheap: $7 a month. This is cheaper than any other food subscription box and gives you just as many samples as boxes like Love with Food. The theme for this month was Rise and Shine so the taster's box featured foods that help you "start your day with a smile." A few of the products were ones that I have heard of before, i.e. Fig Newtons, Bonne Maman strawberry preserves, and Bel Vita breakfast biscuits. I also received a weird aloe vera drink, granola, a granola bar, a breakfast cookie and an instant breakfast shake. I was impressed with my first box and can't wait to get it again next month. 

~ Tim and I are currently shopping around for new living room furniture and checked out several furniture stores last weekend. We're hoping to go again tomorrow after my doctor's appointment. The couches below are one of the sets that we liked while we were shopping last week. It's so hard to find exactly what we're looking for though. We keep finding lots of "almost the ones" that are basically what we want minus one thing. Wish us luck!

~ I am totally prepared for Easter now. I finished Owen's Easter basket yesterday and if I may say so myself, I am awesome at being the Easter bunny. He's going to love all his goodies. Owen has an Easter outfit to wear complete with new shoes and a belt we bought him last weekend. And I've made reservations for Easter dinner at a local restaurant and winery for after church. We will have an Easter egg hunt at the house in the afternoon (if it's not raining). My parents will be in town again this year so I'm excited that we won't have to spend Easter alone. P.S. Owen's Easter eggs are filled with Annie's Cheddar Bunnies and fruit snacks.  

~ We will find out the gender of Baby No. 2 in just two days. I am so excited to finally know and begin narrowing down a name and planning the nursery. And buying baby clothes (particularly if they need to be pink.) I will announce on the blog sometime next week. I am trying to decide how to announce to our family since we don't live nearby like last time. If we did live near family, I thought of the idea of doing a special Easter egg hunt where everyone searches for eggs and one includes the baby's gender. Wouldn't that be a cute idea? I can just picture a family frantically egg hunting to find that one special egg. Oh well. We'll have to just take a photo or maybe Skype to tell everyone. 

The Little Book Club review (March)

        I received my first shipment from The Little Book Club today and I am so glad that I decided to try out this new subscription box. It is probably the most appropriate subscription box for Owen specifically because he loves books so much. The Little Book Club is a new monthly book club that delivers three brand new books chosen based on your child's age. As your child grows older, the books they send become more advanced. For instance, babies receive sturdy, colorful board books while five-year-olds receive books that will help them develop their reading skills. It costs $24.95 a month and is directed at children from birth to age 6. 

     The books are chosen based on popularity and also the recommendations of education and literary experts. They pull selections from The New York Times bestsellers lists, winners of the Caldecott Medal, and recommendations from the American Library Association and the National Education Association. 

     The books arrived wrapped in plastic bubble wrap inside of a really cute cardboard box. I was really impressed with their packaging as they could have just stuffed all the books inside a padded envelope. I am a sucker for pretty boxes. 

       My books were in perfect condition since they were wrapped in the protective bubble wrap. Looking at the top two books, I guessed that the theme was "Cats," but I was wrong. Getting this photo was especially difficult because Owen kept trying to steal the books out from in front of me. 

     I loved that the information card came in a personalized envelope. The package was also addressed to Owen, which I can imagine that kids a bit older would love. 

     I originally thought that there was only one theme per month across the board. Instead, each month has a different theme for each age group. Our theme this month (for a 23-month-old) was "Days of the Week!" Other themes have included: Colors, Dinosaurs, ABCs, and Counting. 

We received two paperback books and one hardcover: 

"Tuesday" by David Wiesner (retail value $17.00): This hardcover book is really amazing. It won the Caldecott Award in 1992 and was an American Library Association Notable Children's Book. The book has hardly any words, but follows a troupe of frogs who soar through the sky on lilypads like magic carpets. I think the book is a little advanced for Owen despite it's lack of words, but the illustrations are beautiful and the story is really original and I know it is a book that he can grow into at some point.

"Cookie's Week" by Cindy Ward and Tomie DePaola (retail value $5.99): This is a super cute little book about the mischevious antics of a kitten throughout each day of the week. I can't help but draw a parallel between this kitten getting into everything and my energetic toddler getting into everything (though he has yet to climb any curtains that I know of.) And of course we love any book that features animals, particularly cats. 

"Today is Monday" by Eric Carle. (retails for $6.99): Everyone loves Eric Carle books and we are no exception. This colorful book features animals eating a different food each day of the week and includes a song at the end of the book. I will have to look it up online to see how it goes. Owen loves the colorful animal pictures. 

      The retail value of the books is $29.98, which is almost five dollars more than the subscription price and much more than the $13 I paid on Plum District to try it out. It's not the most cost effective subscription considering I could get the same books on Amazon for $21.76, minus shipping, but I still like the fact that they come with free shipping straight to my door and are tailored for my child. This book club isn't about getting more value for less money, it's about convenience and exposure to new books we might have never heard about before. I'm sold!

       Owen really loved the books and has been walking around the house all day talking about his "new books." I think that for the most part, they were all age-appropriate or books that Owen may enjoy even more in the future. And I was also happy that we didn't receive any books that we already own. Which is a feat considering how many we already have. Though the company does have a policy where you can receive a discount on your next box if you already have one of the books they send or they will help you donate the book to a child in foster care. That program is also available to subscribers who outgrow books they received earlier in their subscription. 
      I am really happy to subscribe to this new book club. And I think it would make a great gift. We live more than thirty minutes away from the closest Barnes and Noble, so having books delivered to us is so convenient. And while I can get the same books for a little cheaper on Amazon, it is still nice to receive books that are specifically tailored to Owen's age and I don't have to do any research to find them myself. 
       If you want more information, you can visit The Little Book Club HERE.

Bump update: 17 Weeks

    

    According to my pregnancy app, the baby is about the size of an onion. He or she is about 5 inches long from crown to rump and approximately 5 ounces. The baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord is growing stronger and thicker. The developing fetus can begin to hear sounds, like my heartbeat and the sound of my voice as it resonates through my body. Organs are now well-developed. The heart contracts at about 150 beats per minute, the kidneys create urine, and the liver is starting to produce bile. 

        I am still feeling good minus the almost daily headaches I've been getting. I try to stay hydrated to prevent them and I've found that if I have a little bit of caffeine sometimes that it can help too. Otherwise I'm feeling good and don't really have any pregnancy symptoms. 

        I didn't gain any weight this week and I can still fit into my regular pants. But I did buy a couple belly bands so that I can keep wearing my regular pants for a while once I can't button them. 

      I haven't been having many cravings this week. Other than Easter candy and Starburst jelly beans in particular. I have forbidden Tim from buying any more because we have eaten three bags of them together in the past week. This baby certainly has a sweet tooth. 

      Our gender ultrasound is this coming Saturday. We will have a 30 minute 4D ultrasound session where we will have the gender revealed and receive a DVD of the ultrasound, a CD of images, and six printed 3D photos. We are both really excited to finally find out the gender of this baby. We have both been feeling girl for the past couple months, but a small part of me now thinks it may be a boy. I will be happy to find out soon because really I have no idea and my intuition keeps flip flopping. 

Friday's Letters

Dear Owen: Thanks for the laugh yesterday when you brought out my high heels and put them on. I will try to resist showing the pictures and video to your friends and girlfriends when you're in high school. And I give you props for actually being able to walk in them. That was pretty impressive. 

Dear Jesus: Thank you for providing when we unexpectedly got that crazy high medical bill last week. Why do I continue to be surprised about your provision? My Bible verses for the week should be Matthew 6:25-34.

Dear Katie and David: Congratulations on having a baby today (well, some point later today). I cannot wait to see her sweet face and hear what you've named her! 

Dear Kentucky Weather: I thought I made myself clear last week. I'm done with the cold and snow. Please at least be warm on Easter and Owen's birthday.

Dear Baby No. 2: Mommy is dying to feel you move more. Keep up the kickboxing practice so you can get stronger and really give me some big kicks and punches.

Dear Bloggers Who Vlog: My time is limited. I have a toddler to chase around after all. So I don't have time to watch you ramble on for 15 minutes in a video when I could just read a blog post in a couple minutes. It's a surefire way to get me to not tune in that day. 

Dear Candy Crush Level 29: How much longer will I be stuck on you? And I am not going to pay money for extra turns or to skip or buy exploding gumballs or whatever. Even Tim couldn't beat it the other day. 

Dear The Little Book Club: Thanks for owning up to your mistake this month and offering incentive for me to stick around and try out your company. This gives me hope in you and I can't wait to receive our books for Owen!

Dear The Walking Dead: Please kill off The Governor soon. He really deserves it. 

The Newlywed Game

     I am linking up again this week with Karla at Forever Newly Wedded and Veronica at Passion, Pink and Pearls for The Newlywed Game. 

1.  Which does your spouse prefer? Summer or Winter Olympics?
Tim likes the Summer Olympics best. He likes watching track events and swimming.
She prefers the Winter Olympics because she likes ice skating and bobsledding. (True.)

2.  What advice would you give your 16 year old self, now with the knowledge that you have found and married "the one?"
That kid who gave you your first kiss and is really immature and annoying? Yeah, you're going to marry him. Don't be scared. He gets much better when you meet again in college. And his kissing skills greatly improve. 
Grow up and realize what's important. 

3.  What expectations did you have going into marriage? How have they changed?
I guess going in to marriage, I expected that I would be the perfect little wife and keep the house spotless and cook dinner every night and look really pretty while doing all of that. Now I've realized that Tim loves me regardless of whether all these things are done all the time and I can cut myself a little slack. 
I expected to have more money and more time together. Neither of those have happened and it has taught me to be less selfish and more responsible with money. 

4.  When engaged, what did your spouse most look forward to about being married?
I guess just being around each other all the time and not having to say goodnight at the end of a date and go to our separate homes. 
Starting a life with her best friend. (This is pretty much true. I was also felt the same way as the answer I gave for him and I was looking forward to doing all the things married people do. Living together, vacationing together, having kids together.)

5.  What is your spouse's favorite meal that your prepare?
I don't think I can narrow this down to one favorite meal. He especially loves my taco meatloaf, mulligatawny, and lemon butter tilapia. (I was right on these three meals exactly. He couldn't pick just one. And then he added my chicken enchiladas and black bean burgers.)
Pancakes and bacon. (I do love when he makes me pancakes, but my favorite meal would be steak.)

Photo from thepioneerwoman.com.

6.  What is your spouse's favorite form of exercise?
Playing sports is Tim's favorite way to get some exercise. Particularly Ultimate Frisbee. 
Zumba. (Yep. Back when I actually went to a gym I really loved Zumba. It was taught by this awesome tattooed chick who made it look like we were in a music video. Every place I've since gone has felt like Grandma Zumba in comparision. I also really like kickboxing.)

7.  What sport would your spouse most prefer to actually participate in? 
Either football or Ultimate Frisbee. (Apparently Tim took this to mean what professional sport he would play in a hypothetical alternate reality where he is a professional athlete. He says the correct answer is baseball because he would be good at fielding. Although he loves football, apparently in hypothetical world he would still be 5'8" and considers himself too short to play professionally.) 
Ultimate Frisbee so that we could play together and have fun. (This is true because I know he likes it so much. I'm not really an athletic person so I was really frustrated the summer I joined a league with him in college. Everyone was really hardcore about it and I never got any better because no one would ever throw me the frisbee. And running back and forth across a field nonstop for the entire game got really old really fast.)

8.  What is the strangest food your spouse has ever eaten?
Pickled pig's feet. It was part of a hazing ritual when he was playing Ultimate Frisbee in college. It was especially gross for him because he hates vinegar and things like olives, pickles, etc. So pickled something that is actually disgusting was really really nasty. 
Rocky Mountain Oysters. (If you don't know what those are, google it. They aren't oysters. It was on my fourteenth birthday and my uncle made me do it without telling me what they were. Happy birthday to me.) 

9.  Is your spouse a country gal/boy or a city slicker?
Somewhere in the middle? We are from Georgia, but people are always surprised that we don't act particularly southern or have accents or things like that. But we're not really "city" people either. 
Neither, but probably closer to being a country girl. (This sounds okay, I guess. I don't really know what either of those mean, but I suppose I identify more with the values of a stereotypical "country" girl.)

10. Who is the "handyman" in your home? You or your spouse?
Tim is definitely the handyman around the house. Isn't that what husbands are for? He is really good at figuring out how to fix things or put things together. He does have an engineering degree after all. 
Me. 

Citrus Lane review (March box)

      My March Citrus Lane box came yesterday and I wanted to share all the fun products that came inside. March's box was the third box we have received after Citrus Lane made several changes to their subscription box program. For instance, they have done away with monthly themes so that they aren't limited by them as to what they can send each month and they can give out new products quicker without having them need to fit a theme. Though there is no theme, products will still be chosen based on the season and of course age and gender. 

       Also, starting in February, Citrus Lane began offering boxes for preschoolers in addition to infants and toddlers. You can have a subscription for kids from newborns to age 5. Boxes cost $25 a month if you order a monthly subscription. If you order a three-month, six-month, or year long subscription, you receive a discounted price. 

      Here's the description from the new insert provided in the box: "I can do it myself! Around this age, your little one may be growing more independent each day. During this time, we found ourselves searching for new toys to challenge our little ones and new foods to satisfy their increasingly picky appetites. Keeping this in mind, we included some of our favorite items to help you make it through this stage with a smile. Providing healthy snacks, helping new skills develop, and encouraging snuggling with your little one!"

      Owen, of course, loved opening his box by himself again this month. He recognizes the Citrus Lane box and comes running to unpack it when I bring it in from the mailbox. We were happy with our box this month, but it wasn't our favorite. I don't mind getting a "mom" item every once in a while, but I feel like a coupon like the one for JustFab.com is something that should be included as an extra. It really has no value unless I intend to use it and since this is a subscription company that I would have to sign up with in order to use the coupon, I probably won't be using it. The items in my box retailed for $38.93 (not including the JustFab coupon. This is more than $10 over the price of the box itself. 

And here are the details on what we received in our box:

• Slumber Friends Plush Pillow from Cloud B ($21.95): After a busy day at the playground, little ones will love relaxing with this snuggly pillow friend. The pillow includes a removable lavender-scented aromatherapy pouch for extra soothing. Depending on your mood (or fondness for scent), take it out or leave it in! You can also pull the strap through the side loop to create an adorable animal. Enjoy during cuddle time or use the pillow at night whenever a little reassurance is needed - especially helpful when overactive imaginations kick in around age 2 or 3 to help alleviate bad dreams and fears. Not recommended for use in a crib before 2 years. I like this pillow and I think the scent is really pleasant, but so far Owen hasn't shown any interest in it. But that's not to say that he won't at some point. We love Cloud B products. We have the Sleep Sheep sound maker and the Twilight Turtle night light and use both nightly.

• Puzzle Wheel from Mudpuppy ($9.99): This double-sided puzzle is made of six extra-thick pieces that are easy for little hands to manipulate, fitting into a central hub to form a circular puzzle. We love the simple format, making it a good choice for our younger toddlers who are just learning to put the pieces together. It's also two puzzles in one - turn over to help little ones learn their colors. Made of 90 percent recycled paper and printed with non-toxic, soy-based inks. I really like this puzzle. It's a good introduction to jigsaw puzzles for little kids. Owen immediately wanted to play with this as soon as he pulled it out of the box. He still has trouble fitting the pieces together, but it is a great tool for matching colors. I believe we have put it together no less than 10 times in the past day. The robot one we got is really cute. Girls got puzzles with princesses on them, I believe. 

•  Jungle Tattoos from Wee Gallery ($5): An extension of Wee Gallery's ever popular art cards (a Citrus Lane favorite for babies), we are excited to deliver the same assortment of captivating line drawings to our older toddlers and preschoolers in the form of temporary tattoos. We love the bold, graphic design and kids flip over tattoos - a surefire hit as party favors. Easy to apply and just as easy to remove with baby oil or rubbing alcohol. Pack includes 12 tattoos. These are a really unusual pick, but the designs are cute. I'm not sure about when and how we will use these, but I'm sure Owen will think they're super cool. After looking at Citrus Lane's Facebook page, I noticed that there are lots of moms complaining about temporary tattoos for toddlers (obviously it will make social deviants of them), but I thought it was cool that Citrus Lane offered a bunch of alternative uses for them as they will apparently stick to a lot of different surfaces. 

• Banana and Apple Pouch from Peter Rabbit Organics ($1.99): Who said pouches are for babies? Perfect for all ages, this 100% organic fruit pouch by Peter Rabbit Organics is a delicious and nutritious grab-and-go snack option that doesn't contain any artificial ingredients or preservatives. Enjoy them straight from the squeezable pouch or squirt onto oatmeal or cereal. Throw an extra one in your diaper bag or in the car for a quick pick-me-up for you too! Once again, Owen had to eat this immediately upon opening his box. He slurped it right up. I do sort-of wish that Citrus Lane would include a couple flavors when the boxes have food items. One pouch doesn't last us very long (approximately three minutes). Once again, folks on the Facebook page are complaining about "pouch" food for toddlers, but my kiddo loves them and they are a super convenient snack.

•  $20 from JUSTFAB: We wanted to introduce JustFab.com to all our busy Citrus Lane moms. This fashion-savvy subscription service combines the luxury and convenience of a personal shopper with the expertise of industry insiders, offering a one-of-a-kind shopping experience from the comfort of your own home. Each month, Style Experts handpick a customized selection of on-trend shoes and handbags to fit your unique fashion style based on a questionnaire. I am disappointed with this because I don't plan on signing up for this subscription service. I don't mind coupons when they are for one time purchases, but I don't want to have to join another subscription company to be able to use my code. Also, I have read a lot of criticism about this company online so I'm probably going to steer clear for that reason too. So for me, this has no value. Hopefully future mom items will be more along the lines of last month's awesome lip balm. Seriously, that stuff is magic.  

     Another new change at Citrus Lane is the referral program and current coupon codes. Currently, new members can save $10 on a subscription if they sign up through a referral link from someone who is already a Citrus Lane member. The Citrus Lane member will also receive a $10 credit. My referral link can be found HERE. I am unaware of any additional coupon codes currently since they started this new referral system, but the great thing about Citrus Lane is that they offer deals for subscribers to renew or add to their subscriptions a few times a year and that is how I've gotten a big discount in the past. The coupon code TAKEHALF has been a frequent advertised coupon code to get half off your first month's box. You can always try that too. 

     I have subscribed to several subscription boxes for babies and toddlers and Citrus Lane has been the only one to consistently impress me with the quality of their products, their customer service, and their price. In fast, I have canceled my subscriptions with all their competitors because I was tired of being disappointed by them.

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

      I am linking up again this week with Jamie at This Kind of Love for What I'm Loving Wednesday! Here's what I'm loving this week:

I'm loving that I have a play date planned for Owen today. And one for me and Tim on Thursday night. :) One of the things I've missed most about our home in Washington is my friends. They had boys within a few month's of Owen's age and we had play dates all the time. Since moving to Kentucky, I've had trouble finding people with kids near Owen's age. But Tim mentioned that a coworker of his has a son a month younger than Owen so he told that guy that I would like to arrange a play date and his wife called me soon after. I'm really hoping that the two play well together and that I enjoy hanging out with her. And another of Tim's coworkers has offered to babysit Owen for us on Thursday night so we can have a much-needed date. I am psyched!

I'm loving that we only have 10 days until we find out if Baby No 2. is a boy or girl. We will have a 30-minute elective ultrasound on March 30. My parents are going to be in town and they will be able to go with us which will be really special for them. So far on the blog poll to the right, people are guessing girl for the most part. But there are still nine more days left to cast your vote if you haven't already.

I'm loving planning Owen's "big boy" room. I haven't done much yet, but I have started looking for inspiration on Pinterest. I know I want to have a room that is colorful and fun and not too theme-y. Owen needs a new bookcase with more space and a reading nook. And I would love to get him a little table and chairs or a train/Lego table. We will begin transitioning our guest room into Owen's room sometime next month. 

I'm loving The Walking Dead. It's my favorite show on television. Which is funny because I don't like horror movies or those with a lot of blood and gore. But this show is about so much more than zombies. It's about human nature. I love it. It's the only show on television that consistently surprises me with its plot twists. And I love all the characters and find them so interesting. Another crazy thing about the show is that none of the characters are safe. Moms die, kids die, old people die. None of that women and children are safe stuff. There are two episodes left this season and I just can't wait for next Sunday because the last episode ended in a cliffhanger. 

I'm loving holiday treats like St. Patrick's Day Magic Munch and Easter Cadbury Creme Egg Cookie Cake Bars. I love any excuse to make a new dessert and holidays are one of the best reasons to make them. So for St. Patrick's Day I made Bakerella's Magic Munch and for an early Easter treat, I made Cadbury Creme Egg cookie cake bars from the Picky Palate blog. Both were delicious! 

I'm loving playing Sugar Crush. I downloaded it for free on my iPhone and have been playing it daily ever since. I am currently stuck on Level 29. Basically its a match-three game with various goals for each level. It's tricky because there are either time limits or a limited number of moves you can make. It's highly addicting. 

So What Wednesday!

Today I'm linking up with Shannon at Life After I Dew for So What Wednesday! This week I'm saying So What If...

• I neglected to watch Owen for ten minutes on Monday during which time he got into a box of Sour Patch Kids bunnies and ate half the box and spilled the sour powder all over the coffee table and then proceeded to draw in it with his finger. 
• I refuse to talk baby names until we know the baby's gender. This will save us a lot of arguments if it's a girl. 
• I'm not having a traditional birthday party for Owen's second birthday. We don't know a lot of people with kids his age here and I did the whole spend an arm and a leg on food, decorations, invitations, etc. last year for his first birthday. This year, we're just going to head to the Cincinnati Zoo. I think it will be a bunch more fun than a party anyway. 
• Owen is going to wear the Easter outfit I bought for him last year because he was too small for it then and he has apparently not grown all that much in the past year. 
• I really want to buy cute spring and summer clothes even though I know I won't be able to fit into them come summertime. 
• I don't want to buy maternity clothes. With Owen, I couldn't wait to buy them like it was some awesome rite of passage. Now I've realized that they aren't that cute and are horrendously overpriced and I'm trying to stick it out in my normal clothes for as long as possible. 
• I'm pretty irritated that my husband has lost a good amount of weight in the last few months. This is really annoying because I am going to be gaining weight for the next five months. Obviously I know that I am supposed to gain weight and all that jazz because I'm pregnant, but seeing our weights grow ever closer to each other has me pretty bummed. At the same time, he does look pretty hot though...

Bump update: 16 Weeks

     
       According to my pregnancy app, the baby is about the size of an avocado at 4.5 inches long and weighing approximately 3.5 ounces. In the next few weeks, the baby will double his or her weight and add inches in length. The baby's legs are much more developed and his or her head is more erect than it has been. His or her eyes have moved closer to the front of the head and its ears are close to their final position too. The baby has also started to grow toenails. The baby's heart is pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day.

       I am feeling pretty good most of the time now, though I have been having almost daily headaches. I am trying to make sure I stay hydrated to help with this. I had the same symptom at about this time during my pregnancy with Owen too.
       I have felt little fluttering movements several times this week, typically early in the morning or late at night when I'm in bed and still. My belly is becoming more prominent and I finally gained a pregnancy pound this week. I am still not in maternity clothes and my regular jeans are still fitting okay. I think the tightness last week can be attributed to some bloating from my stomach bug because now my pants are fitting better again. Not that that should last much longer. I am craving lots of fruits and veggies this week and everything is tasting so good. I still sometimes wake up during the night starving and have to have a small snack or glass of milk. 
       We have less than two weeks until we find out the gender of Baby No. 2. At that point we will start discussing names more seriously and begin figuring out the nursery situation. If it's a boy, we'll largely keep Owen's nursery the same for this baby and only have to make a few small changes. If it's a girl, we will be repainting and buying new bedding and artwork. We are going to transition our guest bedroom into a big boy room for Owen and I have been searching Pinterest for ideas so far. 

Friday's Letters

Today I am linking up with The Sweet Season blog for Friday's Letters. 

Dear High School Reunion Organizers: A high school reunion at a brewery outside in August when I'm eight months pregnant sounds really awesome. Not!

Dear Husband: If you keep beating me at Scramble with Friends, you are never going to get lucky again. But if I find out you are taking it easy on me and losing on purpose, I am going to be really irritated. You're in a predicament now, huh?

Dear Cheeseburger Salad (without the cheese): You are so delicious and really hit the spot last night with my cravings for salad and pickles.

Dear Owen: Your Daddy and I are constantly amazed at how smart you are. Toddlers your age should be stringing two words together to communicate, but you are whipping out full sentences. Guess we should start saving for Harvard now.

Dear Kentucky weather: You suck. Seriously. It's almost Easter and I want some warm weather. Not snow. Though I guess the good thing about you is that if I don't like you, I just need to wait a few hours and you'll be completely different.

Dear iPhone: I love you and I don't know how I ever lived without you.

Dear Celebrity Wife Swap: I am surprised at how interesting a show you are. I actually really hate the regular Wife Swap because the people are really disrespectful of each other and it makes Christians and Southerners look bad. But the celebrity version is much better. And since most of my other shows have been showing repeats for the past couple weeks, I have been stuck looking for something to fill in. Thanks for filling that hole in my DVR.

Dear Blog Poll: What is going on with you? One minute there will be 15 total votes. Then the next day it goes down to 14. Right now, it's at 13 total votes. How can votes be disappearing? 

The Newlywed Game

      Today I am linking up with Karla from Forever Newly Wedded and Veronica from Passion, Pink and Pearls for a link-up called The Newlywed Game!
      My sister-in-law Leah participated in this link-up last week and I thought it looked pretty fun. Although Tim and I will have been married for four years later this year, I still consider us newlywed-ish. Minus having a kid. And another on the way. But compared to our parents who have been married for 20+ years, four years is nothing. 

Question 1:  What is your spouse’s favorite room in the house?
I really haven't the faintest idea. Probably our bedroom. Because he's a man. (For the record, he says I'm right.)
I would say our kitchen is her favorite room because of all the time and effort we've invested in it. It's a relaxing place when it's clean and Jessica loves cooking in it. (Good answer. I do love our kitchen. After a lot of work on our part, it's bright and pretty and big-ish and has plenty of storage. And I do love to wind down at the end of the day by cooking dinner while Tim wrangles Owen.) 

Question 2:  What was the first picture of you both? Where were you/when was it?
I couldn't remember what the first photo of us was so I checked back in my photo album from when we started dating and the first picture of us together was one from our spring break trip to the Great Smoky Mountains in 2005. We had been dating for probably six months or so at that point so I'm surprised we don't have printed photos from any earlier than that. Not to say that they don't exist, but they just aren't anywhere where I would know where to find them. 
The first picture of us both is probably one from a University of Georgia football game decked out in red and black. (That's a good guess and it might be true. I just don't know where those photos might be and I'm too lazy busy to search the computer for them.)

Sorry about the photo of a photo. It was easiest. 

Question 3:  Describe a typical evening at home.
Tim comes home from work anytime between 6 and 7 normally depending on how much he has to get done that day. Typically I am finishing up dinner while Owen makes a gigantic mess in his bedroom. Tim amuses the kiddo while I get dinner on the table and then we eat together as a family. Afterwards, we typically split up and one of us bathes Owen while the other does dishes. Then we read stories to Owen and one of us will put him to bed. Then we relax on the couch watching TV before retiring to the bedroom.
I come home from work, say hi to our son and Jessica, spend some time playing with our son and feeding him and putting him to bed and then relaxing with my wife on the couch watching some television.

Question 4:  What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you & your spouse in public?
The only thing I could think of is something that happened when Tim and I first moved to Kentucky last year. We were staying at a hotel until we found our house and on the day that we were moving, we managed to lock both sets of our car keys in their respective cars. I believe one set was in my purse which I had already put in the car and Tim had locked it and then while he was putting something in the trunk, he laid his keys on top of something inside the trunk and when he was done packing, he shut the trunk door. I know I said "Keys...." but it was too late. It was really embarrassing and annoying and having to call a locksmith to come break into our car so we could retrieve two sets of keys was pretty awkward. 
Tim couldn't think of anything that I would allow him to share on the Internet. 

Question: 5:  What do you like best about your spouse’s personality?
Tim is really outgoing and makes friends easily. I am definitely more "shy" and reserved at first. 
If I had to just choose one, it would be that Jessica strives to be the best and is determined to be the best at whatever she is doing. (Nice resume answer, Honey.)

Question 6:  When it comes to ________ my spouse would win first prize.
Packing a suitcase. Or the car. He is seriously really good at it. Minus the packing of the car keys in the above answer. LOL. Anyway, I don't bother packing my own suitcase anymore. I just lay out all my stuff and he fits it in there like a game of Tetris. His spatial skills rock. 
Cooking. (Hmm... This would obviously depend on who I was up against, but I do appreciate the sentiment. I really enjoy cooking and trying new recipes and I am happy that he will eat most anything I make and like it.)

Question 7:  What is your spouse’s best physical feature?
I really dig Tim's upper body. He has really nice shoulders and arms. And yeah, I went there. No eyes or smile for me. Though those are nice too. 
Her smile. (I don't know about this one. But it is the most Internet appropriate answer.)

Question 8:  What is your spouse’s most indispensable possession and why?
He would say his wedding band because he's mushy like that. Otherwise it would be his tablet or cell phone. 
Her engagement ring and wedding band because its a symbol of our love and commitment.  (This answer was correct until last week when I got my iPhone. Just kidding... Maybe.)

Question 9:  Do you think your spouse will be a good Mom/Dad  (why or why not) or if you already have children, what makes your spouse a great Mom/Dad?
Tim is a really wonderful dad. Watching him with Owen is one of my greatest joys. I think what I find the most amazing about him is that he can be a really fun dad one minute, but the next he can be teaching and disciplining our son in a really loving and compassionate way. And I know that he's parenting in way that will help our son grow up to be a good man.
Jessica is a great mom. She's the right balance of discipline with love and compassion. 

Question 10:  What is something that your spouse is optimistic AND pessimistic about?
I would probably say his job. He doesn't always love what he's doing right now, but he is really optimistic about the opportunities he will have with his company and I know that they really recognize and appreciate him there. 
Parenting more than one child. She's excited about having another baby, but freaked out about taking care of two kids at one time. (This is probably true. I just want to get it right and make sure that I'm giving both of my kids the attention they need.)