Foto Friday - Chillin'

M just chillin' watchin' Bambi.

This duck was supposed to help her with her bath time when she was a baby...she hated it then. I guess I should be happy she's at least using it now!

Just realized I haven't blogged in 2 weeks...whoops!

Foto Friday - Zoo

Our first zoo trip of the year was on Monday. I only took 3 pictures if you can believe it!

 

So happy to ride the train.

 

She's been talking about Snowflake ever since. She keeps saying, "I wish I could ride a horse."

 

The pig was her favorite at the petting zoo.

 

We can't wait to go back again!

It's Like Winning The Lottery...

...but then a couple weeks later, after you've planned what to do with all the money...you find out it was really some cruel joke and the million dollars you thought was yours is now nothing.

 

That's how I'm feeling right now about my miscarriage.

 

Dramatic? A bit...I can admit that.

 

I've been feeling a bit negative lately. Ugh. It makes me uncomfortable even admitting that...but it's true. I thought that maybe writing about it would help. So...

 

My Mother's Day and Birthday weekend was awesome...but also a bit sad for me. It was the weekend I had planned on publically sharing the pregnancy with family and friends. I couldn't help but remember that.

 

I really feel as if something was stolen from me. Before becoming pregnant...I knew I wanted a second baby, but I have to admit I wasn't 100% committed to it. I mean, I wanted a baby...but I was ok with whatever happening, happening...if that makes sense. I wasn't necessarily thinking about it everyday.

 

It's like my whole lottery example...can you imagine having $1M dollars in your hands for a few weeks...and then someone just taking it all away? I mean a baby is obviously worth more than any amount of money in the world...but you get what I'm saying, right?!

 

Anyways, now, I think about being pregnant probably almost every day. Babies, pregnant bellies, baby clothes, birth announcements, pregnancy announcements, seeing baby siblings, etc. all have a different effect on me than before the miscarriage. I suppose that's natural...but still. As I'm writing this out...I realize what I'm feeling is jealousy. Ugh. Jealousy is ugly. I don't want to be like that.

 

Part of me wants to be pregnant right away. Part of me is scared.

 

I also have am immense amount of gratitude for our precious Madison. I don't think I have to say much more than that.

 

With all that said...I still firmly believe that what happens is meant to happen.

 

And...a picture of M. Because we all know I take a million pictures of her.

 

Disclaimer: NO ONE has said or done anything to hurt my feelings or make me uncomfortable. This post is just full of the emotions and thoughts that are in my own head and are not the result of any person's questions or comments or daily conversation with me. I don't want any of my family or friends to think they've said anything to me, or to not want to talk to me anymore! LOL!

Birthday & Mother's Day Weekend 2013

Just wanted to recap this last weekend. We celebrated a lot since my birthday was on Mother's Day. I wish I would have taken even more pictures...but oh well.

 

Josh got me a new laptop...this is my first post from my new laptop. It's going to take a while to get used to...it has Windows 8 and is touch screen! I feel old trying to navigate and figure it out. LOL.

 

Anyways, on Saturday after Josh did a bit of work, we decided to go to the zoo. BUT...the zoo was PACKED...no parking spots were open. :( So...we skipped it. We drove by Madison's preschool that she'll attend this fall and she played on the playground for a bit.

 

 

We headed to Teske's and the highlight of her (and Josh's) day was holding the baby bunnies! SO cute!

 

Of course Josh wanted to take it home...but I said NO. I have to admit watching her hold and cuddle the bunny was pretty precious.

We decided on a whim to start a garden. So...we bought some watermelon, pumpkin, and strawberry plants. Wish ME luck! A post on our garden will happen sometime soon...

 

After that we headed to VandeVeer to feed the ducks. Here they are goofing around!

 

Later they made me cupcakes! Madison was great at supervising her Daddy.

 

M was in charge of the sprinkles. Her favorite. We took them to my family dinner that night.

 

We enjoyed a cupcake together before our family birthday dinner. We match! She requested I wear my zebra shirt (when she thought we were going to the zoo).

 I was too busy visiting to take pictures at dinner. Whoops!

 

On Sunday, Mother's Day, we met Tracy, Louie, Bev, and my Dad for lunch. Here's M with the caterpillar and coffee mug she painted for her G'ma and Great G'ma.

 

Then...it was off to the lake for kayaking! It was a bit chilly. BUT...the highlight of the trip was the baby turtle that Great G'ma Bevy found for M. SHE LOVED IT!

 

I was a little grossed out...but she loved holding it.

 

What a cute baby turtle!

Bev asked her what she wanted to name him. M said, "Ummmm. Ummmmm. Turtle." Haha! 

 

I love her face in this picture. I think it was coming out of his shell or wiggling his feet or something.

 

So, Turtle rode on the kayak back to the shore to show Grandpa Dave and Great Grandpa Louie.

 

Then...it was time for some fishing! Of COURSE she caught a fish. She always does!

 

So proud! Don't worry...we threw him back in!

 

We let Turtle go, too. Bye, bye!

 

My girl and me. LOVE HER!

 

It was a wonderful Mother's Day and Birthday weekend. I can't believe I'm 31...but I'm excited to see what this next year of life has in store for me!

Disgusted with A&F

When I saw this image and this article floating around FB, I was appalled.

I've just now learned that A&F does NOT make clothes in XL or 2XL for women, and their jeans stop at size 10.

I immediately vowed to myself to never purchase clothes from this business...and I will not allow Madison to either (once she is older obviously).

After the shock wore off, I remembered when Coralville, IA opened their new mall. I believe I was a sophomore or junior in high school. I remember my friends and I asking/begging our parents and getting permission to take a day trip there...which was a big deal since it was about an hour drive. The store we were most excited about was Abercrombie & Fitch. I can still picture the long sleeve shirt and sweater I purchased...for an extraordinary amount of money. I remember feeling anxious about spending so much of my hard earned money on a couple shirts, but I was also excited, and couldn't wait to wear my new shirts to school. Mission accomplished from the CEO's perspective I guess. :(

As a mother, I hope that I raise Madison to understand why this man's statements are hurtful to so many people - no matter their size - and in so many ways for so many reasons. I hope that when she's old enough to understand, I can read her this man's statements and ask her how it makes her feel, and if she feels she should support this man's business by purchasing clothes from A&F. (As a side note - as an adult, I've been very uncomfortable with the hyper-sexual ads A&F used anyways.)

I actually feel very sorry for this man.

TWSS - Zebra

Thursday morning when I went to get M up for the day I was already dressed (which usually doesn't happen too often). And, I was wearing a new shirt she hasn't seen before.

She stared at me for a few seconds and then this was our conversation.
Me: Madison, do you like Mama's new shirt? Is that what you're looking at?
M: Silence.
Me: Madison, how do I look?
M: Silence. You look like a zebra!!!

Later that morning, she says to me, "Mama. I love your beautiful zebra shirt!"

Love her! I so appreciate seeing the world so fresh and innocent through my two-year old's eyes!

Foto Friday - Mom's Favorite Outfit

I bought this outfit for M weeks ago and have been patiently waiting for the right weather to dress her in it! That happened this last Wednesday. And of course I had a little photo shoot.

Hi.

Hello.

Hmmmmph.

Super model!

Gangsta!

Jazz Hands

Kissy face.

LOVE HER!

May We Go To The Flower Shop?

We pass a garden center on our way to Stroller Strides a couple times a week and they have all their flowers outside. M's had her eye on them, and Wednesday, she said, "Mama, may we go to the flower shop and buy beautiful flowers."

How could I say, no???

Gotta love her fake cheesy smile. :) I can't get her to stop that...basically because it's hard to explain what a fake cheesy smile is to a 2 year old who's just trying her best to do what you're asking.

I let her pick all the flowers.

All set up and ready to start!

She's posing so well since Josh's traveling for work. She's a bit more cooperative when I ask her to take pictures if they are to send to her Daddy.

Using her elephant watering can - her favorite part.

The two large pots are for the front. The rectangular container went out on our back porch.

(Next week's project is repainting our doorway. It needs it! Plus, Jengo scratched a bunch of paint off, too! Darn cat!)

Videos - Jumping Rope and Soccer (And Pics)

Just a couple videos from yesterday. And some pictures, too...why not?! I know if you're reading this blog you know I'm kinda overboard about pictures...oh well.

(Also, I wanted to share them here so Josh can see them while he's in WI, too!)

M has been begging me for a jump rope for a while. I finally gave in since Target had them for $1.

I can't believe I said, "jump roping." I think I should have said, "jumping rope!" Oops!!!

I love her hair-action-shot! Of course Jengo had to check out the new jump rope.

Also, M was doing great dribbling the soccer ball yesterday at the park. She really surprised me! SG did great at kicking the ball!

Ellie and I already discussed our girls joining a soccer team together when they're older! :)

Oh, and I should also add that our girls kinda argued over who would use M's Dora ball all afternoon. For the most part, I made M share it with SG since it's our ball and M could use it all the time at home. M was not really happy about it, but did share it. However...by the end of the afternoon, this resulted in M purposefully stepping on SG's fingers while SG was crouched down holding the Dora ball. :(
Oh, M!!!!!



So, for the last time on the field, Ellie told SG that it was now M's turn to use the Dora ball, and I told M now it was her turn to use her Dora ball! Yay...M should be happy, right!? Well, we got them out of the swings, and magically, M wanted to use SG's soccer ball and was totally ok with SG using her Dora ball.

*SIGH* Oh 2 year olds!!!

TWSS - Froggy and Choo Choo

Just a couple fun conversations from M that I want to remember!

Tonight there was a HUGE horsefly in M's room as we were getting ready for bed. It was so big that it actually scared M. You could hear it buzzing when it was flying. Yuck!

Me: Madison. It's ok. Mama will get the bug out before you have to go to sleep. It's ok!

Madison: Mama. I don't like that bug. Mama. I don't like it.

Me: I'll get it. Hold on.
Madison: You need to get it roight now. Put it outside now. THAT FROGGY WILL EAT IT UP!!!!

(We found a frog (or toad...whatever) in our yard yesterday...I told her it ate bugs since she was trying to feed it grass. Guess she remembered that!)

A few days ago the girls were eating a snack at the table while Ellie and I chatted at the counter.

SG: Madison, do you want to go to the mall and ride the Choo Choo?

M: Um. I don't have any money.

SG: No, money?! Where's your money?

M: Um. At home. In my piggy bank.

It was so precious to hear one of their totally independent conversations!

Foto Friday - Beautiful nails...

...on a lion. Gotta love the lion's claws. M says, "Look at his beautiful nails, Mama."

She's really been working on her coloring skills!

Here Fishy - Fishy!

Last Sunday was one of those days that I wished would've never ended.

We spent the day at West Lake. 

It included the following:

Family - even Winky!

Kayaking.

Turtle Sightings. 

Fishing. 

Sun with a Slight Breeze.

French Fries (M told me to add this.) :)

A rare picture of my Dad being silly!

Winky!!!

I love our double kayak. Less paddling for me!

One of the 6+ turtles we saw while kayaking. M wanted pictures of all of them. lol!

Fishing time. Good thing Grandpa came along since Josh and I do not like touching the worms!

Love!

The first fish! M caught the second one and got all the bites after that.

Here she is reeling her fish in all by herself. Her focus was adorable. She would say, "Here fishy, fishy. I have a yummy worm for you!"

She finally got brave and enjoyed choosing the worms to bait her hook.

The last ride of the day. She loves spending days like this with her Daddy!

Here's to many, many more days like this Spring and Summer. Who wants to join us next time?!