Must do one more post before the New Year!

One more day and it's 2010!!! Whoohoo!! We are having a little party at our house tonight to ring in the New Year and I'm very excited about it! Nothing more exciting then getting to start a new year, fresh start, new season of life, etc, etc, and all that. LOL! Plus, now I'm starting my third trimester and before I know it...I'll be popping out a baby! I can't wait!

In baby/pregnancy news you know you've started your third trimester when you find yourself visiting the ladies room multiply times in a 20min period. Not to mention the waddle starts. Why? why dear Lord must I look like I'm waddling? I guess it's not to bad, but after a long day and being extra tired I find myself waddling around the house and I just want to start quacking.

Jade has loved playing with all her new Christmas toys. I think the best gifts were the three little board games we got her "Candy land, Chutes and Ladders and Hi Ho, Cherry Oh". She pulls the games out first thing in the morning and we find her still playing with them when it's time for bed. Thankfully she believes in cleaning up after herself before bedtime, so the games get neatly put away and stacked on the shelf till morning.
Of course, she has also adored the Princess clothes from Grandma M and loves helping me cook using her very own cooking set from Grandma B. not to mention "My Clifford" that she got from Aunt Autumn. I think there is a part of her that thinks ALL her gifts were from Aunt Autumn since the first two gifts she opened where from Aunt Autumn and when she opened those two she said "that's enough gifts". hee, hee

Jonathan has taken some extra time off work the past two weeks and it's been SO nice having him around. He has spent a good amount of his "home" time working from home, but still...home is home.

Today he took us out to Taco Bell for lunch and then we did some odds and end shopping at Target. I love that kind of shopping. Nothing you "have" to get but a few things you could "use" and just taking your time, no rush, no worries. Feels like vacation. One more day of vacation and then it's back to work we go.

Not that I mind. I like work and routine for the most part.

So, goals for 2010 pretty much center around being a good Mom. I had high aspirations to spend quality time working one on one with Jade last year, and aside from achieving the goal of going on lots of bike rides and spending a good amount of time at "park days" there wasn't a lot of that "one on one" I had hoped for. So I am renewing that goal and actually setting up a plan so I'll be able to stick to it.
Once baby Cutter arrives I know life will be a bit crazy for awhile so if I can get my routine in place before April...then it will be easier to fall back into the routine.

So that's my goal, more time spent with Jade, finding fun extra-curricular activities to do with her and soon babykins and just working on being a good wife, mother, daughter and friend. That's all:)

My little Princess

Dress-up clothes was one of the presents from Jade's grandparents. After nap time today she brought me her outfit saying "it's time to be a princess now!"

Christmas Eve Service and presents!

Jonathan had to help out with the sound for the Christmas Eve service at church, leaving Jade and I two hours with nothing much to do on our hands. So I decided to get Jade all dressed up. First a bath and then hair rollers. She LOVED having me put her hair up in rollers and did not want to take them out.
Once they came out she was thrilled with her "bouncy" hair and was happy to pose for this picture.
She then took the camera to take a picture of me. Do you like my Christmas red lips?
During the church service she danced and sang with gusto during all of the Christmas carols. For the actual sermon however, we had to rely on the games on Dad's cell phone to keep her busy. And then...we all go to light candles. She was SO excited! Sat perfectly still holding up her candle and singing "Silent Night". It was precious, I couldn't resist taking a picture right in the middle of church.
After Christmas Eve Fettuccine and the reading of the Christmas story, we all got to open one present. Jade opened "Clifford" books from her Aunt Autumn
She was ready to read the books, not take pictures of them
Still, she demanding this last picture be taken with her face hidden.
Jonathan and I opened our Calendars that we buy each other. JB got a "Peanuts" calendar and I got one on making food! Now it's time to pull out the hidden presents from the garage and watch some corny shows. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Boston Cream Cake

Here is my first attempt at making Boston cream pie (or cake). My cakes didn't rise as much as I hoped and I guess I went a bit over board on the cream...but I'm pretty sure it will still taste good!

Christmas week fun!

Yesterday morning Jonathan surprised me with an early Christmas present. He had gotten me a gift certificate to receive a Glowing Mother-to-Be massage package with an appointment already set up for later yesterday morning. It was wonderful. I got to spend nearly four hours being massaged, pedicures, facial ed, hair/scalped rubbed, aromatherapy-ed...relaxed.

After my morning/afternoon of relaxation I came home and we got ready to head to Bellevue Square for the Snowflake Lane Christmas show. Jade decided to get extra dressed up for the event and tried on the 3-D glasses we had from a movie.
When we got to Bellevue we were a bit early, so we walked around the mall. Jade's favorite store was Potterybarn Kids, where we found the cutiest little, real, pink phone!. She sat down at the desk and proceeded to make phone calls to all her friends.
The phone costs $40 but I'm REALLY tempted to buy it for her! How cute is that? It looks like a toy!
30min before the show we found a spot outside by one of the toy soldiers. Jade danced and sang along to the music.
When the show actually started it was a bit to crazy and dark for me to get any pictures, I'm pretty sure you can't see a thing in this picture I took below of one of the drummers. At the end of the show they made it "snow" all over the town with what appeared to be soap bubbles. Jade was in awe and tried to catch every single one.
After the show we got to meet all sorts of fun characters like Rudolph and toy soldier men on stilts and we even passed a Snow queen or two. Jade really wanted to meet the Snow Queen and I really wanted to get a picture of them. However, when the Snow Queen offered Jade a chance to touch her magic wand, Jade tried to take it and run. ahahaha!
It was a very fun, wonderful evening. Something I hope to do again! Merry Christmas!

What Jade has been doing for a long time

Pretty much ever since Jade was first gifted with these blocks from her dear friend, Kristen, she has been building "chairs" for her "Mr. Bear" with them. The below picture Jade took by herself.
Then I told her to get in the picture too so you can see that cute, little, proud grin on her face.
p.s. Daddy helped.

Brown Sugar

While making cookies the other day I was scooping out some brown sugar and found myself staring at it as it slowly fell into place in my measuring cup. Every time I scoop up brown sugar I find myself drawn to it's texture and the way it seems to continually move as it settles.

I do love brown sugar, it tastes great and makes cookies smell so good. I just wished to share that with all of you.

Poached Eggs

Today I had a Julie & Julia moment. I felt just like the Julie character in the movie when she was able to complete one of the odd cooking tasks that she had never tried before.
Today with 7 of my Bible Study pals over for Brunch I attempted to make Eggs Benedict, which meant poaching an egg for the first time. And...they came out GREAT!! Poaching eggs is genius and SO deliciously yummy. I already knew I loved poached eggs, but I love them all the more now that I know how to poach them myself.

So, I just had to brag to you all that I can poach an egg and I had eggs Benedict for breakfast this morning without leaving my house:)

Six months and counting

Here is my updated pregnancy photo. I feel HUGE. I have a few girlfriends here who are also in their sixth month and I am definitely the largest of us all. Aw well.

Baby Cutter moves around like a crazy person. I love knowing he's alive and kicking.

At my six month checkup they again asked me if I wished to have another ultrasound to check babies feet. At my last ultrasound (I was told) the technician thought it looked like Cutters feet were turned in. She couldn't be sure though as he moved to much for her to get a really good picture. My midwife suggested another ultrasound to confirm, but I denied this since it doesn't effect that babies or my health and there isn't anything you can do about it.

Then, at this checkup, she told me the technician didn't think his feet were just turned in, she actually said that she thought he had clubbed feet.
I don't know much about clubbed feet or what it even looks like. So yesterday afternoon and today I've done a little research. From what I can tell there are plenty of options out there to try to correct the positioning of the feet. It appears its something you usually can fix at or shortly after birth and if all goes well can have great success in a year or so.

Also, from what I've read, multiple ultrasounds won't guarantee that they will be able to know for sure.

Regardless, this is now on my heart and mind and I know the next three/four months I'll always be wondering what Cutter's little feet will look like when he enters this world.

Feeling Pregnant

I feel like the last two weeks pregnancy really has been a bit of a pain. And by pain what I really mean is aching back and tired body. I'm so, so, SO very grateful I'm not sick or suffering from any food aversions but I am so very tired and feeling so very big and I'm only at the 6mon mark.

With Jade I didn't really drink much coffee, with this one I'm drinking almost a cup of coffee a day. I feel like I can't survive without it. And yet, I know I just need more rest, more water and more exercise. Why is it when we are tired and sad those are some of the first things that we forget about?

Tonight is a work party that I'm looking forward to. We have a sitter so it's just Jonathan and me. I like those kind of events. Of course, I love bringing my sweety girl with me everywhere too...but sometimes you just need a little break.
Saturday I'm throwing a small Christmas party at my house. I can't wait to have friends over and play games and laugh and not think about chores or cooking or drinking enough water. LOL

I like being pregnant when I also know a lot of other pregnant ladies. It does help put things in perspective when one friend can't keep anything down and the other can't gain any weight where as others can barely move. I really don't have it that bad.

Did I mention this is a pregnancy post? LOL

Oh, we have a name. Do you want to hear? Of course you do!! hee, hee. We are naming our little guy "Cutter David Bechtle". There are some cool things about Cutter's name, one...his initials are the same as his Great Grandfather Bechtle, two his middle name is the same as his Grandpa Bechtle and three...we got the idea for his first name from our favorite coffee shop!! *grin*

I do plan on having a backup girls name, just in case those ultrasound photos were WAY off, hee, hee. But I'm thinking they are right and probably we won't need a backup name. As soon as we figure out what that name is though, I'm sure I'll want to share it.
I'm not one for secrets. It runs in my family;)

Washington has had wonderful chilly weather this whole week! Temps as low as 7degrees and days chilly and sunny and cool. I love, love, love it! I love Washington. We get the wonderful cold and so far no horrible icy or snow or other driving hazards. I hear snow is on the forecast for tonight...but I don't mind since I won't be driving...Jonathan will!

I'm pretty positive I'm completely done with all my Christmas shopping! I say "pretty positive" because the only way I'm not done is if I decide to buy gifts for people I wasn't first planning on buying gifts for. And in that case, those presents don't really count. Because I bought all the gifts for everyone I was PLANNING on buying gifts for. See? So I'm done. Granted I didn't buy a ton of gifts this year, I didn't get any for the nieces or nephews, and not all the Aunts and Uncles...and Jonathan did most of his/our shopping the day after Thanksgiving so I didn't have much to get for him. But even still...I'm done.

I guess that is all for now. I better get the baby girl up and start this day!

Christmas Tree day!

After Jade's afternoon nap we all bundled up and headed to the Christmas Tree farm. The past two years Jade hasn't been very into getting a tree, but today she was ecstatic!
running to and fro and calling to daddy when ever she thought we had found one.
It was a bit chilly out, so if she got cold she'd ask me to hold her to warm her up.
She thought it was pretty cool when Daddy cut down the tree and then we had fun following behind him as we took it back to our car.
At first we planned to help Daddy put the tree on the car
But Jade was cold so she waited in her carseat.
It didn't take us long to decorate the tree once we were at home. Jade took the picture below
And here is our tree! Woohoo!

Hello

While I was cutting up vegetables, getting a head start on dinner, Jade was sitting on the counter watching me. Over an over she kept asking if she could "put my fingers in the water too". After I got it all done I looked at my little love and said "I have a better idea, how about I give you a bath?" she thought for a second and said "yep, I want a bath, then I can get all wet!" :)

Earlier today while out driving around, I was in a parking lot and came to a rolling stop just slightly past the stop sign. The driver coming the opposit way began frantically yelling and point at me, telling me to stop. Normally when confronted by mean people like this I just mouth "Sorry" but not today, I mouthed and yelled right back with motions telling her "I AM STOPPING" who doesn't roll to a stop in a parking lot? Hello? Whatever. Not very Christian like or in the Christmas spirit but I had total control of my car and was NOT going to hit her.

I'm so happy that I stopped by the Family Christian Bookstore last weekend and got a few CD's for only $5! I'm not listening to wonderful Christmas music on my iPod and loving it! I'm not one to buy CD's often and I have the smallest collection known to man. One of these days I'm going to actually start buying music I like all the time.

We've had a few pretty days in a row now, well, the sun has come out for at least a few hours at a time. Jade and I have only been able to take advantage of it once, with a nice long walk, but even seeing the sun from inside the house or car windows really does wonders for your brain and energy. Thank your Lord for the bit of sunshine this week!

Hopefully we get to pick out our tree tomorrow! Woohoo! I can't wait!

I wouldn't mind a pair of these for Christmas

I find these ridiculously cute and they seem to be VERY comfortable. Anyone is free to buy me a pair if they wish for Christmas. L.L.Bean. I'm a size 6. Thanks! lol

Project

Sometime last week I decided I needed to have an Advent Calendar of some kind to do with Jade this year. She is old enough to start making these special memories and I realized it would be really fun for Jade and I to do every day in December. I went online and googled "Advent Calendar ideas" where I was given a million options. I was most inspired to try this one who got there idea from Martha Stewart kids.

After two different trips to Michaels I was finally able to gather enough mini paper mache boxes to start my project.
First I painted all the boxes (with two coats of a paint and one coat of sealant)
I wasn't really sure what to do about the numbers. The blog I was inspired by did some really cool stuff with their numbers, but I'm sure she also spent a pretty penny on all those little extras. I'm not quite ready to invest so much in my crafts since I don't craft often.
I went down to my local "A Little Bit of Heaven" scrap booking store and found some chipboard numbers already done. However, after getting home and beginning to paint the numbers, I realized I was short about 9 number 1's and 1 number 3. I went back to the scrapbook store and told the ladies my problem. Kindly one gal went in the back of the store and did 9 die cuts of the number 1 for me and 1 of the number 3. She did all those for just $1! Saved me from spending a lot extra. I LOVE that scrapbook store now!
Anyway, I finished painting all of the numbers and then I just used elmers glue to put them on the boxes.
My "design" on the wall isn't quite what I hoped, but I just wanted to stick all the boxes up with the wall puddy I found to see if the boxes will actually hold and not fall off the wall every time someone walks by. If these hold over night I'll try to make a pretty design for the wall.
Jade is SUPER excited about her "counting boxes". I've already bought some tiny nativity ornaments to put in half the boxes and I'll probably buy little candies or special verses or something for Jade to open up each day leading to Christmas.

There you go, my first attempt at doing something cool for Advent:)

A few pictures on Thanksgiving

I started off the morning sending Jonathan to the store to find a roasting pan for my turkey. He said it was full of husbands on cell phones picking up things like pam spray. lol. It wouldn't be a holiday without sending your man off to the store to buy the one thing you forgot, right?

We got the turkey in the oven in record time. Oh , and it's not bleeding, it's just VERY heavily seasoned. lol
Jade didn't get to help with a lot of the turkey day prep, but I did ask her to help me squeeze some oranges for the basting liquid I planned on using. She LOVED helping with that. And I must say did a really good job.
But mostly, Jade spent the day munchin' on snacks and playing with her new friends.
Aunt Jo and three of her College friends drove down from Spokane to spend Thanksgiving with us. I put them to work right away, Jo made the Zeppolas.
Hannah and Elizabeth kept JB company watching Football.
And Stephanie kept Jo (jade took this picture)
and Jade entertained.
While Stephanie was clearly Jade's favorite guest of the weekend, she did cozy up pretty quickly to Aunt Jo, Jo as well. Especially when she realized what a great tickler Jo, Jo was.
Right before we sat down to eat there was a small fight on who would get the second drumstick (JB instantly one the first drumstick). There is only one way to win a fight on Thanksgiving day...with the WISH bone!!
I think, as it turns out, Hannah won the wishbone battle...but still gave up her trophy to Aunt Jo.
We had a great Thanksgiving! The only sad part was my dessert didn't turn out right, thankfully Jo brought pumpkin pie and Stephanie brought delicious pumpkin cookies, so we were OK. :) Jade REALLY liked the "cream" that came with her pumpkin pie. Yum!

Thanks girls for making the trip down!

MOPS, Cleaning and a Party

Today was MOPS day (Mothers of Preschoolers). I wasn't planning on attending really since I still have the dregs of a cold going on. But when our normal sound system person wasn't going to be there and I, being the fill in, was suppose to step up. I did what any good wife would do and asked my husband (who happened to have the day "off" though he's still working via email) to come with me to MOPS and work the sound system for me. hee, hee

So while he was up working on his day off I got to enjoy a relaxing, enjoyable time with my MOPS gals. Our table has grown significantly in the past couple weeks so conversation is never at a loss. Sometimes I wonder if I talk to much at my table, but then afterward I feel like I've had a such a great release (talking with adults does wonders for your sanity) that I don't even care.

Needless to say I'm glad I went to MOPS and got some laughing and talking and just plain old good fellowship with my friends today.

Now I have a bathroom to clean and linens to find (we don't' really have extra linens for when company comes) to get ready for my Sis, Jo, and her college roomates, as they are joining us for Thanksgiving this week.

Then tonight I'm hosting a "Partylite" party at my house. I know, crazy to throw a house party on the week of Thanksgiving. But who knows, maybe there are half crazed people out there who just need a break from all their holiday prep and get a few hours of fun at my house.
Of course, I've had quite a few people cancel on me, so I'm worried I'll have to eat my apple, toffee, cheesecake all by myself. That and my dip and crackers and fruit and cheese...and apple cider drink. Oh well. If anyone around here, who reads my blog, wants to come help me eat food and play some games and look at candles...COME TO MY PARTY! lol

I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving this week. I get to make a turkey, and sides and dessert and sweet potatoes and I even got a book on Thanksgiving to read between courses to Jade:) Thanksgiving is a wonderful day and I'm so glad that we have this day, every year, set aside to celebrate, reflect, remember and just be plain old thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Getting over being sick

Friday morning I woke up feeling like I had been hit by a Mac truck. It was just a cold, sore throat, stuffy nose, no big deal right? Wrong! My whole body was so pathetic and lethargic and exhausted. I decided it was a day to dedicate to the wearing of PJ's. Jade thought this was a fabulous plan and decided to join me.

Looking back I'm kind of proud of my super lazy, did nothing at all, Friday day. We watched some tv shows together, read books, played on the computer, did "School" organized baby clothes and then both of us took a three hour nap. Three hours! It was heaven.

Sadly, Friday night Jade got hit by my cold. In the delirium that is deep sleep, I agreed to a crying Jade that she could join us in bed on Friday night. She had a bad cough and couldn't sleep in her's. Poor Jonathan was beside himself so he went searching for baby cough medicine (which seems to have disappeared from all the store shelves, is it that dangerous now?). Jade did finally fall asleep, insisting that my arm be wrapped tightly around her little body in order for her to do so. I didn't get much sleep but this is only the second time in her little life that I've gotten to make a memory of Jade sleeping with us. So I decided not to be to grumpy about it.

Saturday Jade seemed to be fine except for her cough and I was okay for the most part. Still, I decided not to infect my friends and declined all my afternoon activities. I also canceled working in Sunday school since Jade was still coughing and I had the dregs of a cold.

Sunday I did wonder out into the world. Stopping at Micheals and JoAnn Fabrics in search for some very specific sized, mini paper mache boxes, for an Advent Calendar craft. I also stopped at Target for some more hand soap and zinc lozenges. Which, btw, I just realized I'm suppose to be careful about how much zinc and vitmain-c I take. *sigh* seriously, pregnant ladies aren't suppose to take ANYTHING for colds while pregnant and then when you reach for the more natural remedies your also told "NO!". Oh well.

Jade went to bed early last night, seeming to be just fine. I slept like a baby as well with no wake up calls from sleepless two year olds.

We have a lot of cleaning, laundry and grocery shopping to do today, so I'm hoping the bulk of our colds are gone and we can accomplish this without infecting the world. Needless to say I'll be traveling with my disinfectant wipes (grocery cart) and hand sanitizer just in case! lol

Colds the week of Thanksgiving are not very well planned.

I also, had to laugh, when reading my pregnancy book where it said "Most pregnant women will get at least one cold during their pregnancy" and how I'm barely at month sixth and this is already my third cold. I really am dis-liking my immune system right now.

In happier news, my little sis, Jo and her three roommates from college will be joining us for Thanksgiving this week. I'm really excited to have the company and have someone to cook for!! I mean, it's nice cooking for JB and Jade, but let's be honest, they don't really eat much. So now I have a legitimate reason to buy a pretty big turkey today and not feel like I'm being wasteful.

False Start

Jade has so many little quirky things she does these days, I forget to post some of the cutest ones on my blog. But today's was pretty memorable. While playing with her little board games she stopped to show me her new favorite hand signal. Frantically she began rolling her arms around each other waiting for me to respond in some way. I started laughing and asked Daddy what on earth was she doing?

He laughed and said "oh, she's doing 'false start' you know, like the refs in football?"
hahaha! I wish I had a picture of that. Neither Jonathan nor I do this special hand signal, I guess Jade really does watch football more then I realized!

Flexible

Sometimes I'm just NOT good at being flexible. Most of the time I am, and most the time I thrive on having my whole day change and rearranged. And then there are those days where I think to myself "why, why now? Haven't I been flexible enough for one week...MONTH?"

The changes made to my schedule today aren't really that bad, or horrible or hard to juggle around. I'm just tired of having to change around my schedule.

Lord, please help me to be a loving and forgiving person. Help me to look at circumstances through other people's eyes and not just my own. Amen.

New hobbie

Thanks to a friend at MOPS, who clued me in on the gadget "Knifty Knitter" ,I am now becoming quite the experienced knitter of little hats. The first hat I made I didn't really follow the directions on so it didn't come out right. But the second hat came out perfect and only took me about an hour to make! It sticks out kind of funny on Jade (below) because she is wearing two hair bands on each side of her head.
This pink hat I made last night, it's actually big enough it fits my head! I bought a few more yarn colors and I'm hoping to make some baby hats for friends and some more hats for Jade and me:)
Perhaps I'll even make some to give away as Christmas gifts. If you want to make hats, but two knitting needles are just to much for you. Check out the knifty knitter! It's SO easy! Jade even helps me make these!

Funny little things Jade says

The other day we were in the car driving home. It was rainy and cloudy and almost dusk-like even though it was about 11am. I heard Jade in the backseat talking to herself saying...

"Hello Moon! oh, no moon. Hello Sun, oh no sun. Hello stars! Oh, no stars, Hello blue sky, oh no blue sky. Hello birds, where are you birds?"

Then the other day when a big stink bug was crawling around on Jade's floor she got me to come see. I was really upset and told that stink bug he wasn't allowed in our house I said "you tell him Jade". So Jade said "you have to leave, you aren't allowed in our house". A few seconds later Daddy came over with a paper towel and got rid of the critter for us...permanently.

Jade is becoming quite the talker and doing pretty well on pronunciations of things. Though, she still calls "Hiccups" "Make-ups" and "Buttons" are still "Butts". But we are getting closer.

When daddy is home working on the computer she'll ask him "Oh, you working on your email?" guess she knows what I do all day.

Two of her favorite cartoons are Dora and Diego. If we are out anywhere and she's 'running" while holding my hand she'll say "I'm running fast like Diego, I go, go, go!" she'll also play pretend with her toys and if I ask her what she is doing she'll say "I'm playing Dora. You want to be Boots?". lol I think Boots is the monkey character. Nice.

Sometimes when she finds me laying down in the middle of the day, she'll ask me "Your tummy hurts?". It doesn't hurt any more but I guess those first three months really made an impression on her.

Of course she says tons of other cute stuff. But that's all I got for now

Math and Reading

A little while back I bought Jade a few "School" supplies. The first thing I got (well, after a preschool activity book at Wal-mart) was The Bob books level 1 readers. From time to time I pull out those books and Jade and I read them together. She pretty much has the first book memorized and is now working on the second.

Another fun "School" tool I bought were Cuisenaire Rods mostly all we do with them is play and match up colors or find colors to match up with a longer rod, etc. Last night, however, I came upstairs and found that Dad and Jade were making super cool designs with the rods, doing counting and colors. Here Jade is pointing to each rod and telling me which color it is.
And here she is posing for the camera. My little, shy daughter:)

It's so much fun to watch Jade learn and have fun with it. I love being able to just do "School" at our own pace and not stress about it much since she isn't "school age" yet. Soon we'll start official preschool/kindergarten and actually create a routine. But for now. We just have lots of fun.

On a reading note. I'm trying to find a child book on the first Thanksgiving. I went to a few bookstores in the last month or so and haven't really found anything I liked. I did google a few online today and put two on hold at the library (thank you, all of you who told me to put books on hold FIRST before going to the library). However, if you have a favorite children's Thanksgiving book you wish to share with me...I'd love to hear what it is! Thanks!