8 Months Larger

I am continuing to love this little baby boy in my big belly. I do love this stage, and I'm terrified. KR promised to help me put together a crib and dresser, and set up a room this weekend. I need to wash all his little baby clothes and find and hang a valance.

That valance seems so important right now, he just can't come until its up. I'm not worried about packing for the hospital or that he doesn't even have a crib sheet, I just want him to have that valance.

Raw Meat

Someone once told me that by handling raw pork I can get worms that will ravage my body. I don't touch it with bare hands anymore. Would you?

I also tried to saw off the 3 inch layer of fat consuming the top. I left a little for flavor. I poured a blended mixture of salsa, brown sugar, coke and cumin over the top. It's not quite Cafe Rio pork, but it was pretty alright.

Sledding at Home

Our new home.

KA likes to push the empty sled or mom down the "hill."

We have a decent sized, sloping front yard - just enough to enjoy some sledding together. Even 8-month pregnant mom will sled, if you ask nicely enough.

I can't wait til summer, well until a summer when we have a yard put in, and a garden. I want to grow basil, a yard full of basil.

Potty Time

This is officially Kyla's first success with her potty. I'm so proud, that yes, I am posting a picture of it online. We've worked months for this. Followed shortly by not so much success:

Let me explain. The contents of this bag were scooped up off the carpet in her bedroom. I knew she had been quiet for too long, and when I went to check on her she exclaimed, "Go away!" with a stop sign hand up to confirm her request. Translation: "I'm pooping mom, leave me alone!" Which is usually fine, except when she is naked and standing in the middle of her room on carpet. She then said, "I messy, clean up." We put it in the bag and I asked her where her poop was supposed to go. She proceeded to carry the bag into the bathroom and place it into this potty. I guess on some level its sinking in. Since then we have had one more success with the former and one success with the latter, followed by a huge accident with both that absolutely traumatized my little one. She doesn't cry that hard for anything. So we are taking a break. I'd rather change a diaper honestly.

And feed her hot dogs. For breakfast.

Its a Mac 'n' Cheese Kind of Day

I am grateful that it's 7:30 that comes too early these days, instead of 5:30. KA still calls for me when she wakes up and doesn't come out of her room til I get her. How'd I get so lucky??? As usual we started with a movie this morning-Diego has been her favorite. I always pretend I think she'll let me sleep a little longer while she watches, but 10 minutes in she wants breakfast. We had a smoothie this morning followed by mac 'n' cheese an hour later. She ate like a champ.

I knew the day was coming...she figured out that her tea set can hold real liquid. That lock button for the water in our new fridge is going to come in very handy these next few weeks. She also learned to clip her fingernails and pee on the floor. We tried Dora panties today and we're 0-2. I wonder how realistic this goal is to get her out of diapers before baby #2 comes.

We made it out for exercise class at the church and KA had a blast. Part of the class involves dragging the kids around the gym on a blanket. Does it get any better than that??? Next its my turn! Afterward she pushed her baby around in the snow for awhile - then ate snow for awhile - then, after licking the snow off of them, complained about cold fingers for awhile.

Baby #2 is active and I love to grab his little foot as he kicks my right side. I am starting to love being pregnant finally - maybe its that my belly is finally big enough to take the attention away from my ever widening hips. Still planning for a natural birth. I felt so robbed by my C-section with KA. I just feel confidant, given the chance, I can birth naturally - I've got the hips for it!

Dinners aren't going so well this week. I've been saving ham drippings in my freezer for awhile to cook pinto beans in. It was a good idea. They smelled so good...and tasted so...lets just say I know where my "lost shaker of salt" ended up, and its no where near Margaritaville. I rinsed mine in a strainer and they were better. KR and KA ate chips for dinner. This was about as good as the raw chicken I made for the missionaries on Monday, but we didn't back up with pizza this time.

KA isn't taking naps lately. I still am. I think that's how she is learning so much - I'm not stopping her. Her Daddy left to play basketball tonight and she donned snowpants, coat, Dora hat and rain boots. Couldn't stay in after all that effort! Thank you Family Dollar for opening in this town! I long for a mall so often, even Walmart would be wide arm welcomed. But Family Dollar we love you too. And on the way home at 7:30 my little snow monster fell asleep in full snow attire. Sweet girl, asleep at last.