Meanwhile..

Despite waiting for our new baby, we have been keeping active-  which is pretty much a way of life with a three year old :)

Lots of park outings.

There have been rock concerts.

I canned several jars of locally grown apricot jam, sweetened with apple juice concentrate. Yum!

We (I've) been eating tons of watermelon.

I made bows!

Geneva has a newfound interest in bows but is very picky about which one she wears with which outfit.  She actually often prefers to match the bow to her shoes.  (???)

Tour of a firestation.

Gram is visiting!

OOPS!

Geneva has been asking a lot about adding numbers together (e.g. "What is four plus two?")

"Due" Date

Dear Baby #2,
In case you do not have access to a calendar inside of my belly, today is the day that our doctor predicted you would be born.  Now, I realize promptness does not necessarily run in our family (my side at least), but this is one time I was really hoping for timeliness.  Your older sister had me a bit spoiled since she surprised me by arriving three days before her predicted date.  If anything, I thought, being number two, you might come even earlier than that.  You see- you are already plenty big.  You have measured a bit long this whole time and your weight has been adequate as well.  Judging by the changes to the skin on my tummy, you are bigger than your sister was.  In my mind, this means you are ready, finished, fully cooked.  I am assuming that even if you do not realize it yet, you love me and therefore do not really want to get any bigger- for my sake.  Once outside, you have my permission to grow and grow without bounds.

If it is the 105 degree heat that you are worried about coming out into, please don't because I promise to keep you in the air conditioning.  If you are worried that your parents will be unable to adequately take care of you, please don't because your healthy and thriving sister is proof that we do not produce and then neglect children.  If you are worried that your sister will keep all of our attention, it is a valid concern since she does currently have a bit of a "princess" perception of herself.  But, please don't because we have all been excited about meeting you for these past 9.5 months- big sister included.  Plus, newborns have a way about assuming the spotlight anyway- you'll see.  If you are worried about not getting enough food, please don't because I'll make plenty for you and I would imagine you are getting sick of my diet of peanut butter toast and watermelon anyway.  If you are worried about the mosquito infestation we seem to have in our home, please don't because your father is making it a high priority to find out where they are coming from and decimate their indoor population.  The roaches are kind of another story since they seem to be something that must be dealt with if dwelling in Texas.  But, you won't be on the floor much and never unsupervised, so you have nothing to worry about.  If you are worried about not having a welcoming party, please don't because your grandmother has been here for a week and your grandfather is coming to see you this weekend.  But, I must warn you, they have to leave on Sunday- not to put pressure on you or anything.

See- nothing to worry about.  You have a big family that already loves you but is anxiously waiting to meet you.  Love multiplies and you definitely want to come out to experience that!

Love,
Your  impatiently waiting mother.

If you take 100 pictures....

Since receiving a new camera for Christmas, I have yet to pay for any type of professional pictures.  My theory is, even without knowing anything about photography or lighting, if we take enough pictures at enough angles, at least a few will be good enough to have printed to give away and/or display.  So far, this method has worked well enough.

I'm not huge on maternity photos, but I thought it would be worth our time (and effort- I had to straighten my hair!!) to get some shots of Geneva and my belly together.

Greg did a good job and even captured a few of both of us smiling at the same time (benefit #1 of new camera).

Here are a few:

Surprise Baby Shower

Last Saturday, I was completely surprised by a surprise baby shower hosted by my Sister-In-Law, Clarissa and my friend, Allison.

Greg had told me to put something on my calendar at 10:30am that day.  He told me it was a surprise and I kind of figured it was a play or some event for Geneva.  He just told me to dress up a little.

However, I was very surprised when I was led to a back room of a local restaurant/coffeeshop and found a room-full of friends, my sis-in-law, brother, and an aunt.

It was really very sweet and very surprising.  I felt very loved and supported!

Here are a few candid shots (kicking myself for not getting a group photo).  Also, remember, I was thinking child's event and therefore had done nothing but let my hair air-dry.  Oh well.

Yum.. fruit, sandwiches, (addictive) chips, and Red Velvet Cake made by Allison

I tiny clothes.

Thank you to Clarissa, Allison, and everyone who came to make it so special for me! :)

Affirmation

I have struggled quite a bit with the decision to take Geneva out of daycare for the summer (as if you couldn't tell from my previous "gushing post" about the end of daycare).  I realize maybe it is usually the opposite- many times I hear moms admitting feelings of guilt about their need or decision to work and send the kiddos to daycare.  For me- as long as I have always had a few extra days with Geneva per week, I have felt like I was doing the best for her by having her involved in a structured program.  As I embark on full-time stay-at-home-motherhood, I have been concerned about whether or not I can provide her with a similar level of stimulation, education, and social involvement that she has previously received.

This morning, before we were headed out to pick blackberries, she began singing, "Everyday, I love my baby mommy.  Everyday, I love you.  Everyday, I love playing with you. Everyday, I love reading with you.  Everyday, I love leaving with you."

That is pretty much all I need.

Here are some scenes from the past few days:

28 pounds of apricots and 4 pounds of cherries.

Lawn concert.

She is loving gymnastics!

Tour of the police station.

Yesterday, Geneva touched a python and a large lizard!

36 1/2 Weeks

Here we are at 36 1/2 weeks of pregnancy.  I don't even know what to say other than I feel and look humongous!  SEVERAL have people have thought I should have been due like yesterday and not in three more weeks.  However, I am apparently measuring exactly correctly but just carrying everything right out front.

A Gushing Post about a Daycare

Geneva's last day of daycare was yesterday (5/31/2012).  When we got the phone call that we had made it to the top of the waiting list two years ago, we had a difficult time deciding whether or not we were ready for group daycare.  Despite our knowledge that this was the very best center in town, we were still nervous about leaving our little with a group of other children.  To say that our reservations were undeserved is a vast understatement.  Instead, the children's center where Geneva attended proved to be an amazingly enriching, supportive, creative, and fun learning and play environment.  We felt like we were being greeted and loved by family every morning when we entered.  Geneva looked forward to every "daycare day" and would often request to go on weekends or on "mommy days."  She would run in to greet her friends every morning and would often protest leaving in the afternoons.  In fact, there were certain times of day that I just wouldn't pick her up because I knew she would be heartbroken to leave during those times.

It was a very difficult decision to make, but she will spend the Summer home with me and baby sister and then start part-time preschool in the Fall.  The preschool she will start is part of the school that she will have the option of attending through high-school.  With the crazy population-boom in our area, we felt like it was the right decision to get her (and therefore little sister) into the school while we have the opportunity.  I realize this sounds a little crazy, but I am not exaggerating the issues this city is having trying to handle the population growth and schools, children's centers, etc do not have expansion plans at this point in time.  Officials are projecting that the population will DOUBLE within the next 8 years!

We will always love and remember the time that Geneva spent at the children's center and hope that one day we will be lucky enough to send baby sister there for a year or two before she starts Kindergarten.

                                                               

 Geneva's first day at daycare when she was 15 months old.  She loved it from the very first day.

                                                  

Geneva as a bumblebee at the annual Halloween parade.

Geneva as a Dalmatian at this year's parade.

This year's end of the year carnival- coincidentally on her 3rd birthday.

A page from the book that her classmates made for her on her last day.

I am going to blame it on the crazy pregnancy hormones, but I have already cried about this again today.

Aunt Bethany's Memorial Day Visit

A little girl couldn't ask for a sweeter or more loving aunt that her Godmother, Bethany.  This special young lady drove 12 hours each way to spend the three-day holiday with Geneva.  In the 4 years we have lived her, she has made this trip 5 times, including a surprise trip just after Geneva was born.

It is an understatement to say that Geneva was so completely happy the whole weekend.  She loved being read to by her aunt (who better to sucker in for 5 princess stories in a row?), playing with her in the sandbox and pool, visiting the children's museum and playgrounds with her, and just hanging out and being nutty with her.

We are so grateful for the kind of love and affection she has for Geneva and truly cherish every visit with her.