Best (Mustang) In Show

Daddy got his first trophy last weekend at a car show we go to annually. He was voted the #1 Mustang! I dont have any pics of Kalina from the show since she was adamant about finding something else to do :P but we dragged Brooklyn along, who absolutely loved waving to everyone in the parade.

Kalina Crocker & Mommy Stewart

After a successful Chicken Pot Pie, Kalina & I decided to try our luck on an Apple Pie. Turned out great! We were pretty proud :D

Brooklyn ~ 18 months!

My little booger is 18 months already ~ hard to believe. She loves shoes, her pooh bear, sissy, being outside & puzzles.

Her vocabulary is expanding rapidly ~ shoes are "Ewww's" and sissy is "Na-Na". Daddy, Dogi (our dogs name) and Doggie all sound the same. When she wakes in the morning she SCREAMS for us to get her - there are no soft calls to mom or dad. Just loud demands - letting us know shes up & ready to go! Shes very social and makes friends everywhere she goes. She loves to sing and dance and will not pass up an opportunity to laugh. Her little personality is strong & determined - and she knows what she wants. Tantrums are plentiful when we cannot or will not give her what she wants but we're working on those. Shes an awfully picky eater - partial to fruit and cheese. She will try anything and has no fear - she'll go down slides, climb up tables & chairs and fly down flights of stairs.

18 months is one of the most fun ages thus far. She struggles trying to verbalize what she wants but she is changing and growing every day. its amazing watching her little brain develop. I wish I could keep a little bit of '18 mos' locked away somewhere - even with the tantrums, its a great age.

Birth Plan Change of Heart???

With Kalina - I was 19 and not very educated on my 'birthing options'. My mom had labored med-free and told me I could do it too - so thats what I thought I should try for. When I got to the hospital I was sure that I was dying a torturous death. I asked for pain meds when the nurses were putting me into the gown ... they laughed at me and told me it was time to push. I arrived at 7 or so cm's dilated and had Kalina an hour to an hour & a half later. Insane but so incredibly exhilarating.

I knew that if I were to ever have another child I wanted to go med-free again.

When pregnant with Brooklyn I committed myself to going med-free and managed to have a very similar experience as with Kalina. I arrived 8 cm's dilated and thought I was surely dying - yet again. I cried and cursed and again - felt completely exhilarated after the delivery.

However - this time - I am truly scared shitless (excuse my french). I think the pain is much too fresh in my memory to truly go into this feeling motivated & empowered. I dont want to do it. Even Braxton Hicks make me cringe this time.

I wonder - has my pain tolerance been compromised?? Are my nether regions traumatized and causing me to rethink this crazy med-free birthing? Something is obviously wrong when I find myself considering an epi'd induction like my OB is encouraging. Last time I was frustrated each time my OB would even consider mentioning the icky 'induction' word.

Im sure some of you are thinking my common sense has finally kicked in. I get it. I do.

Baby #3 - 32 weeks/8 Mos!!

I cant believe it!! I have less than 60 days left til my due date! Where is the time going?

Pregnancy: 32 weeks ~ 8 MONTHS!

Weight Gain: 30lbs (you can forget about that stomach bug affecting my weight gain)

Sleep: Im exhausted, not sleeping well & it shows around 2pm everyday.

Gender: BOY!

Name: Dayton James

Feeling: Excited that all my maternity leave is squared away - I will spend next week training a temp.

Health: Good - I have an appt on Friday afternoon.

Movement: comes in spurts :)

Belly: heavy.

Next Appointment: Just had one on friday - BP was great, measured on track, and even got an impromptu sonogram. Baby is head down and all looks well.

My Mothers Day was awesome - thanks for askin'!

Heres how my day went:

2am - wake to a wailing toddler covered in puke

230am - bathed & put toddler back to sleep

3am - crying toddler, rocked her to back to sleep

330am - up again, screaming

530am - up for good :-/

730am - finally let the dog out & find shes covered in pee :-( poor thing!

clean kennel

8am - resentfully decide to make own breakfast, as I am still the only one awake with toddler.

burn the bacon, realize there are no eggs left.

toss pots & pans around, stomp loudly.

830am - oldest child wakes to smell of burnt bacon

9am - husband finally wakes & informs me that hes feeling pukey too :(

cancel plans with moms, aunt & mother in law.

make a run to grocery store for 7up & saltines

10am - bathe cranky toddler in attempts to calm her

... calm & quiet, followed by a tub filled with baby ruths ... and NO, I am not talking chocolate here.

11am - amazing 2.5 hour nap for toddler & mommy

The rest of the day is a blur but I realized ... what is being a mom in the absence of poop, pee & puke anyways??

{... still doesnt come close to the way my heart swells when I read my handmade card from my 10 year which told me she thought I was the most stylish, smart, pretty & COOL (yup - her words, not mine) woman in the world! ... and my husband telling me he was sorry he was sick and still thought I was the best mom he'd ever witnessed and how lucky he thought they were to have me. ::sigh:: Tis the blessed life of a mom ;) }

Daytons New Kicks

now tell me Dayton doesnt *need* these ... ;D