Nesting projects

While pregnant with Maria I did several house projects just shortly before she came, and now a repeat has happened.  I couldn't hold out any longer and took a couple days to prime trim, some doors and a set of cabinets in the kitchen.  We also had a cupboard in our dining room I had been wanting to do something with.  So I jumped right in and did it.  I am very happy with the result and even happier that Larry was able to help wrangle Maria while I did part of it, though she was SO good while I painted.  Not once touching what I had told her was wet paint.

The set of cabinets and the door leading to the basement before and after.

This is the cupboard in the dining room before and after.

I still have a couple things planned to accomplish...a dresser that needs sanded and painted to match the nightstand I also did, but didn't get pictures of...it's nothing too exciting, just white!

We have plenty to praise God for; completed projects.

Friends are Friends Forever

Anyone who knows Michael W. Smith well knows about his song "Friends".  My friend Lee and 

I have been to several concerts together, I think this was only my 2nd time going to one without her.  She went back around Christmas with her son to the same concert tour and Sunday night I got to go as an early birthday present.  It was strange not being there with her as memories of concerts past came to mind and she was a part of all but one of them.  

It was the first time that Michael W. Smith and Steven Curtis Chapman have been on tour together and it was excellent.  They really worked hard to represent their music over the years and not play only new, or only older stuff.  The best part was when they did a back and forth montage of each other's music.  Quite funny to hear the song from the other singer!  

Larry and I, his mom, and his sister and husband all went and we had a wonderful time.  It started at 7 and we didn't get to Larry's parents, outside of Lafayette, where we were staying till after 10.  The kids were tucked into bed, thanks to Grandpa and we were in bed shortly ourselves.

We have plenty to praise God for; worthy musicians to spend time and money on.

31 weeks and counting...

Seems like time is flying by and this baby girl will be here before we know it...

We have plenty to praise God for; only about 2 months till we meet our baby girl.

zany friends

zany \ˈzā-nē\ –adjective

1.	ludicrously or whimsically comical; clownish.

Maria was giving Zane a kiss on the head, although it looks like she was smelling his head!

We were so happy to have Mindy and Zane come to visit us today, Maria especially had a great time playing with Zane. Mindy and I got to visit for quite a while as the two took a simultaneous nap for about 2 hours! It's her spring break, so she will be back to school in a couple days, but she usually make the trek over to visit us during her break and we love it!

We have plenty to praise God for; great friends to share life with.

it's all in the name

I had seen this idea for a name banner, just a bit different than the wooden letters. So I made one for Maria and for Anna.  I used fabric that mom had left over from making her quilt. I think it turned out pretty well. It was relatively easy too. After cutting out the squares and letters, I appliqued the letter onto the square, then sewed two squares together. Then put ribbon in between the squares and voila!

We have plenty to praise God for; Maria's name only has 5 letters in it!

Tub time

My brother and his wife have given Maria a couple of sets of tub crayons and that is definately her favorite thing to do while she soaks. Here is a bit of her artistic handiwork, and her proudly showing off the crayons.

We have plenty to praise God for; she loves the tub.

I happy now

One thing Maria has been saying lately that really makes us laugh is "I happy now". Usually said after she just got done crying and being upset about something. I think she heard it from Ruthie, the girl I watch twice a week. She also said it when she saw that Piglet was happy after being sad on a Pooh show she watched the other day. I kind of had to stage this so I could get it on camera...pardon my teasing her to get her to cry.

We have plenty to praise God for; a daughter who reminds us just how easy it is to be happy with things in life.

changes

Maria really is a chatterbox lately...saying new things all the time. Just the other day she told Larry "Sit down, baby" (she calls us that alot when she asks us to do something) She wanted him to sit by the juice I had just bought at the store and I think she was going to feed it to him.

Also her hair has grown long enough I can actually pull it up in a small "Bam-Bam" ponytail. She loves putting bows in her hair so this makes it a bit easier. The top two pictures were just before church on Sunday.

She must be in a phase of liking being under things because we often find her under the table, chairs, etc...sometimes crawling though, other times just laying there. Must be a good view!

She has started singing more by herself(to her dolls and animals) and with us, especially her ABC's. She also does some counting...skipping a few of course. I got a bit of it on camera...but she usually just wants to see herself on the camera and gets distracted from her song!

We have plenty to praise God for; spring is coming and it holds the promise of new things.

6 months

6 Months!

Can't believe we're getting so close to meeting our new baby girl. She obviously didn't want her picture taken with me!

Can I have a kiss?

Smooch!

Maria and I were having some fun on our bed...she loves to "fly" onto our bed and crawl around to play.

We have plenty to praise God for; no major complications to this pregnancy.

Kissin' Cousins

Maria and her cousin Joshua are only 6 weeks apart and have fun whenever they are together. Larry's sister and her husband came to visit this weekend and brought my Christmas present, we couldn't bring it home ourselves, a glider rocker for the nursery! On Saturday we took a walk to the local coffee shop where they have a fish tank that the kids liked watching. We got a chance to try out our new double stroller. The only problem we encountered was not fitting in the door at the coffee shop. Luckily we feel comfortable parking it outside and believing it will be there later!

Joshua cheesing

Cousins smooching is okay, right?

Peek-a-boo

cheesing for the camera

checking out the fish

trying out our new stroller

We have plenty to praise God for; Maria has a cousin so close in age that she loves playing with.

I guess I will eat this after all

Well, we thought Maria would never change her dislike of potatoes. Especially since we had gone way over the stated "you have to introduce foods as many as 15 times before a child might decide they like them" information we had read. We usually have some on her plate even though we know that most times it comes right back out of her mouth about as fast as it goes in. She started this early too...one of her earliest starter foods was potatoes and as you can see from this picture she didn't care for them!

So much to our surprise over the last couple of weeks she has started trying and actually eating them. She had soup last week and ate some, we had chicken and baked potato on Sunday and as you can watch on the video she actually ate it. We know she prefers something on them...ketchup, sour cream, butter, whatever...but hey, we're just happy she is eating them now, most of the time anyway! Let's not jinx ourselves just yet.

Oh, and just a random photo of Maria as a superstar in her new sunglasses(a thrift store find by Maria). She thinks its fun to wear them around the house, especially upside down! Don't you think she looks a bit like Elton John?

We have plenty to praise God for; you can change your habits...and how appropriate as Lent starts this week. Maybe mom needs to stop eating so many sweets!

round and round

Maria has really started loving certain songs lately...here is her helping me sing one of them.

She will ask for us to sing Wheels on the Bus by doing the round and round motion sometimes. At night she requests us to sing twinkle, twinkle, Jesus(Jesus Loves Me), puppy(How Much is That Doggie in the Window), EIEI-O(Old MacDonald), sunshine(You are My Sunshine).

It's very cute how much Maria is saying these days. She communicates pretty well and even refers to herself as I in sentences. "I potty" "I want cracker"

She is doing well on the potty this week. She has had 5 days of "panties" and seems to be friends with the timer(we figured we'd let it be the bad guy). When it goes off she knows it's time to head to the bathroom.

She has fun twice a week when I watch a 4 year old girl after preschool. Ruthie and Maria especially enjoy running the circle through the house. Maria can't wait for me to pick up "Uthie" from preschool next door.

We were able to go out for dinner on Valentine's Day thanks to our sitter Sarah or "Warah" as Maria dubbed her. She could have cared less we left her for the night, Sarah was so much fun.

Since we have been back from vacation, Maria keeps asking to go on a "hike" It's funny to think about hiking here in town!

Also since vacation Maria seems to think bedtime is a negotiable time...as she screams when we leave the room. AH, tonight she went to bed with no problem...maybe it's the bathroom light we left on. The beginning of "dark is scary" stage??

Maria knows that a baby is is mommy's belly, but sometimes gets confused and thinks she has one too. Let's hope that she continues to understand that some things are for the baby and wants to share when the baby is actually here.

Maria's favorite game is "tickle, tickle" where we chase her around the house and tickle her!

She also has started figuring out hide and seek; well, sort of...sometimes she hides when she is supposed to find Daddy and sometimes she counts when she is supposed to hide! It's a work in progress.

She can sit for at least 30 minutes "reading" books from her basket. She also loves for you to read to her on the potty. It requires parent patience as she usually wants the same book every time!

We have PLENTY to praise God for; a beautiful, loving little girl to watch grow up and learn all about the world.

vacation shots

Last week we enjoyed another week in Jamestown, Tennessee at the cabin we stayed at last year. On the way down we were able to stop and see friends Mike and Reed and daughter Susanna. Mike is finished a program at Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, KY. Larry and Mike are good friends from seminary and he performed the dedication on Maria. It was fun to see them and hang out for a bit. We enjoyed our time at the cabin, especially when the weather decided to warm up a bit. It was only in the 20's and 30's the first couple of days and the cabin stayed pretty chilly. Then the temps were in 60's maybe 70's and we could get out and hike more. Maria enjoyed actually hiking herself some until she was too tired and Dad carried her.

We hiked about a mile in to see the Twin Arches. They were pretty amazing, we even were able to go on top via a huge set of steps, but the view was worth it.

The North Arch.

More hiking.

The South Arch.

South Arch.

Hiking beside the arches.

Our view from on top of the Arches.

On top of the Arches.

Maria and Daddy hiking...lots of steps!

And lots more steps!Maria in the warm sun!

Maria was enjoying looking at the trees and clouds in the sky!Maria hiking part of the trail.

A visiting deer, (sorry, it was cropped closer), he is in the middle to the right of the pine tree.

A Red-tailed hawk

(this was edited to be cropped closer too, but for the life of me I can't figure out Picasa sometimes...any advice out there!)

Maria and Daddy

Mike and Reed

Maria and Susanna playing.

We have plenty to praise God for; a very cheap, relaxing, uneventful vacation!