Free Udder Cover!

If you are a breastfeeding mama or know of one click on the link below for a free cover! Some like to cover some don't, either way these are adorable! I had a couple with Heidi and I am definitely going to have a couple more for this one!

Click here - FREE Cover

Use the code: Valentines2013 and it will cover 100% of the cost of 1 cover.

You will only need to pay shipping.

You are able to use the code as many times, but just open a new order each time and you will have to pay shipping each time.

*Pictures from Udder Covers

What I am...

..watching, well, really it is what I am DVRing and eventually trying to watch. One of my goals this year is to have more quiet time reading the word so I attempt to wake up at least an hour before everyone else in order to have my quiet time and shower. It is definitely a work in progress and each day is a battle. I must admit some mornings I instantly wake up and shower {because I wake up so sore from moving around and being so uncomfortable and the hot shower makes me feel much better} and then go straight to the computer for Facebook, blogs, or something other than what I have intended upon doing.

So - here is what is keeping me from doing what I need to and want to be doing:

The Bachelor: Same old same old. Seems as if the "creative date person" is losing their touch because we are seeing similar scenario dates. I am not really a fan of all the competitive group dates because really when it comes down to it the show is about finding your love not competing for it, right? I have a few favorites: AshLee, Catherine, Des, Sarah. I do like Sean as the bachelor and he seems like a super nice guy, as to be expected because he is the same as on the Bachelorette. I think I have given up hope in the true love of this show...but then each time I get my hopes up and I always think its going to work out.

Biggest Loser: Who wouldn't be inspired by these men and women? Who also doesn't watch while stuffing their faces with cookies and ice cream?

American Idol: A little here a little there. I've watched it since day one season one, but it seems to have lost its flair with me. Maybe it is the auditions that I do not enjoy. I do love trying to pick out the winner, but I feel so horrible for the embarrassing ones.

Pretty Little Liars: Just love it!

The Lying Game: It is hit or miss...

Revenge: Cannot get enough!

Grey's Anatomy: Fan from day #1

Big Rich Atlanta: Started watching because a friend from college is on the show...

Project Runway: Sometimes I have to delete these because the DVR is full...

Made It

I have made it to my own personal breathing spot in this pregnancy. I still cannot give a full "breath of relief", but I can let myself finally start to prepare for the arrival for our baby. This is crunch time for me. I have about 8 weeks until we will be bringing our little boy home. We have a lot to do, but we will have it finished in time. I still remember when we passed the 30 week mark with Heidi and the lady at the furniture store looked at me like I had one eye when she found out how long I had waited to order furniture. I have learned not to worry about other people and their time lines during pregnancy. You have to do what makes you feel comfortable and what works for you, it is the only way to get through the situations that are difficult for you.

So what do we have left to do you might ask? EVERYTHING. We are doing a little bit of room rearranging in our house, but in all reality the bed situation is not something I am too concerned about because Heidi still sleeps in our bed and this little bundle will be sleeping in our room as well. I am too paranoid not to have my babies safe next to me. I am still trying to figure out the logistics, but I think we will have the pack-n-play next to my side of the bed. With Heidi petrified of Swipper and these little invisible mice running around {which I found out was from watching Super Why - the episode with the rice cake eating mice} she is no where near sleeping in her room full time. She did try it a couple of nights this week. To be honest I don't mind that she sleeps in our bed. I sleep better knowing she is safe snuggled up next to me, even if I might not sleep at all.

This weekend I plan on washing and going through our hand-me-downs clothes getting them all set up in drawers and the closet. I also have to figure out possible outfits for the little one. I was calculating the 38 week mark which is the last weekend of March - also Easter. I am a little sad that I might miss out Heidi's Easter, but I know it will all work out in the end. I had mentioned this to John and how I wanted to maybe see if we could wait until that Monday, but he didn't see the point in that. After thinking about it a couple of days I know why he does not want me to wait. He has tickets to the Masters, well at least the practice rounds that week. I am on to your game there dear husband!!

I still have a feeling that this baby {who, by the way is possibly weighing in at 3lbs 7ozs} could possibly come on his own a little bit early and St. Patrick's Day is near that time, so I might need to have something for that as well! So many different scenarios.

Weekenders

Another weekend has past and here we are welcoming February! I am always amazed at how fast January comes and goes and then before you know it back again. I took a half day on Friday and picked up the little Goose from school. Heidi picked out her bow and sunglasses for the day. I try to let her have as much input in her outfits as weather appropriate as possible. It is hard to let her walk out of the house with something that does not match, but it is something that I am working on. So, if you see her wearing something funky know it was one of her creative days :)

We had a great time, as always, but did not too much. Heidi and I went back to my work for a little bit to see her daddy and then we all had lunch together. I opted out for nap time, even though I seriously needed a nap. For dinner we headed out to my current obsession - Cracker Barrel. I cannot get enough of this place. It was Heidi's suggestion, not mine at all this time. Usually we go on Saturday nights after church.

Why Heidi loves to go...

Why mama loves to go...

Saturday John headed to work while Heidi and I went shopping with my parents. Our first stop was to a local fabric store to pick out material for baby #3's nursery. We still are not even close to a name - so no, I am not just keeping it a secret, although it will be a secret once we pick it out until he arrives. Now that I am at 30 weeks I will allow myself to prepare for our baby to arrive. Soo...off to pick out material we went! Of course I will show you once it is finished. After material we all went to eat lunch and then to the mall to get some new shoes for our growing goose. 

Friday after school Heidi did not jump off a little curb that I normally let her jump off of because she said her shoes hurt her. I felt awful! I knew that Saturday would be a shoe shopping day. I have had her in size 5/6 shoes {seriously, it just depends on the shoe} and she measured at a 6 and 1/2 so she needs to be in a size 7. I felt like a horrible mama! We bought a pair of cute black ones, some plum dress shoes, and a cute pair of tennis shoes. The ladies at Stride Rite in the mall were so helpful! 

Our next stop was Belk because I needed some make-up and cleanser, staying loyal to Clinique ever since my June breakdown. We did make one little pit stop before Belk to Barnes and Noble. It was a little disappointing because they took the train away that was in the kids section. Heidi loved playing with that whenever we would come to the mall.

After leaving the mall we headed to church where John met up with us. I am sure Heidi and I looked a frightful sight. We had been out all day with no naps, my feet were swollen, I had not make-up on because I could not remember where I put my make-up bag. I am trying this new thing in which I find places for my things and if there it not a place for it I just throw it in the garage donate it. Apparently I found a place for my make-up and never thought to look in the new place. 

Sunday we had a family day. We cleaned, have I mentioned that I loathe that word? I also cannot stand a dirty house and this new organization kick is almost in full force. Heidi, John and I worked on the Valentine treats for her friends at school, played, painted a little outside, played with sidewalk chalk and went to the grocery store. John was wanting a hotdog and I told him I could only have a vegan one. I am not sure if that will be happening again - they were disgusting. Before bedtime Heidi entertained us with some dancing. I didn't get the best part on video, but you will have a little peek at her dance.

All in all a great weekend! Quiet and normal - for a few more weeks when we learn a new normal once again!

Manners

Remember your manners because it is right

Remember your manners its a Christian's delight!

{Patch the Pirate - Ron Hamilton - Kidnapped on I-Land}

I grew up on the songs of Ron Hamilton a.k.a Patch the Pirate and his adventures. I loved, and still love, all of the little songs that were so catchy. The songs were always teaching you something too. The song above was about manners and was sung in a round with verses like "don't talk with your mouth full it looks quite awful" or "please pass the cheese, thank you so much, achoo excuse my sneeze". Cute, right?

Manners are so important and sometimes it seems like we are losing the ability to use manners. Starting young with children in teaching manners is super important and the best way to teach them is by example. If you use the proper manners then prompting them to use the same manners should be easy - maybe? I am definitely not an expert on teaching anything, just a mom trying to do the best I can to help my child grow into a God-loving child.

Anyway, we stayed at my husband's brother's family's house a couple of times recently and they had a little design on the wall in the bathroom that the kids could put a sticker on after they went potty. Heidi put her stickers on when she went - super fun for her. I knew she would love to have something similar at her house. I did not want to do stickers for the potty because she is already set with pottying {I still cannot believe how lucky we were with her and using the potty} so I thought about manners. We made a little board that she can put a sticker on each time she uses her manners - unprompted.

Heidi's face lights up each time we praise her for good manners. She wanted a cat on the board to put her stickers on. I cut one out of construction paper and Heidi glued it all together. I am in no way an artist, so it is kind of a lumpy cat, but it works.

Snowmen

My goal is to try and have fun little things for Heidi and I to do each weekend. Once again I am preparing for my stay-at-home mom days that are so close in my reach. You know those moms  that have all these amazing art projects with their kids, meals from scratch - ha, yeah right. I doubt I will ever be that kind of mom, but one can only do the best they can! I cannot {absolutely cannot} wait to be a stay at home mom. I was never meant to be a working mom, I never intended upon being a working mom, but things happen. We usually have packed weekends, but sometimes we don't and there are the glorious half days I have been taking lately.

Each month I know I want to have at least one little art project so I tried to come up with one for January. Of course I scanned Pintrest for some inspiration and found some adorable projects. There were tons of snowmen ideas so I took one and rolled with it. Now, the thing you must know is that in south GA it has snowed maybe twice. I think it snowed once while I was pregnant with Heidi in February 2010 and then there was the "big snow" that came when I was in 1st grade in the late '80s. {Gosh, I am sounding like my dad more and more...}.

The prior information makes this part funny. Whenever I ask Heidi what we are going to do today/tomorrow she responds with "play in the snow". Why on Earth would she even think that? I think she has seen snow like once and that was when she was 6 months old while we were in Pittsburgh.

I cut smaller squares of blue construction paper - cut into squares. Next Heidi placed her hand in white paint and pressed onto the paper to create her hand print.

I also cut out tiny rectangles and squares out of black construction paper for the hats as well as little triangles for the noses. Now, this is where is got a little tricky. Heidi wanted to do all of this by herself, but wanted my help at the same time. We ended up with a system where she did all of the gluing {using a glue stick} and I was to place them on the hand. It worked out nicely. Toddlers just love to glue things. Seriously, I will cut out random shapes and let Heidi glue for as long as she wants. It really helps when I am trying to cook dinner or clean.

After we glued the hats and noses on we added a few little dots for eyes and a little "coat". Heidi had such a great time and I know she will enjoy our February creation just as much!

New Mixer

I was super pumped, I mean more pumped than any normal person should be, about a Christmas gift from my parents this year. I have wanted one for years. I am not sure why I never got one or asked for one, actually I did ask for one but someone {a husband that will remain nameless} said I needed to clear some other "junk" off of the kitchen counter before we added such an amazing kitchen appliance.

So I have had it for about a month and have yet to make something that requires using it. The first usage had to be special, something amazing and wonderful. I have been taking half days lately {slowly getting ready for staying at home once the little one is here - hopefully to be permanent!} and I told Heidi that we were going to bake cookies after school that day! Heidi was super pumped - and so was I. My plan was for these amazing oatmeal cookies that I remembered baking all of the time with my mom. It is a recipe that has been in my family forever and is delicious! What a great recipe to break in my new mixer with Heidi! We decided to add M&M's to our batch :)

I have to tell you, having a toddler help you with baking is much easier with a mixer. Much less of a mess as well. John probably appreciates the "less of a mess" part.

The key to a mixer is to make sure you are getting the right one. I am not a connoisseur of mixers, but I do know that my mom has had the same mixer for 45 years and has never had an issue. I would suggest one with the crank on the side rather than the one with the head that lifts up and down. When my parents were shopping they heard that the part on the head can go out whereas the crank on the side does not. A larger bowl is best and you will probably want to have one that you can add all of the attachments. I am super excited about getting a pasta making attachment!