Abbie playing the piano half-naked at Mommom's and PawPaws in Florida....

Here's a little belly pic - we were getting ready to go out to eat and see the Avett Bros. on NYE...

Since I am home for the second day in a row because of the crazy snow storm we've had here in Western NC, I figured maybe I'd blog a little. Abbie and I spent this past weekend down in Atlanta with Wes in his "new" home for a little while. He is living with a friend of ours until I can get down there, which is much better than a hotel. It's a great house, in a really urban area of Atlanta. You walk most places to eat, there is a market on the corner, a bakery, etc, and everyone is young and hip, it seems. Not a lot of families and kids. But we did drive around down there and find a few neighborhoods we like. See we can't live out in the suburbs of Atlanta, really, because that won't be convenient for Wes. So we probably, when we move, will be living in one of those little urban areas of the city, but for the sake of our kids, I do want to find somewhere somewhat family friendly, where I can take the kids and not be stared at like I'm disrupting everyone - that is sort of what happened when we took Abbie to a few places this weekend right around where Wes is living now...

So anyways, as far as updates on my move down there, a few job opportunities have presented themselves in the last week. Well, really just one so far, and I could hear today, any minute in fact, that it's kaput, but I am holding on until I hear otherwise. And I have applied for several positions where I feel like I might get a call back. We'll see. I truly hope and pray that God works something out soon for us! We are both over being apart! And Abbie is too, of course. We both cried Sunday as we left Georgia - Abbie calls wherever Wes is Georgia, by the way. Like everytime we would leave the house last weekend, she'd say, "I want to go back to Georgia!"

We also took her to the Georgia aquarium Saturday - it was pretty awesome. I have only been to the New England Aquarium before that, and it was nice and all, but this one was really, really impressive. And it was only 2 miles from where Wes is living. So very cool.

Let's see, what else. Oh potty training. It's going great. Really great. I think anyways. I mean she has accidents, mostly just pee accidents, but she recently has started being able to go on big potties, like when we are out in public and stuff, which is wonderful. She even pooped at a rest area on our way home from Atlanta Sunday! I was pretty impressed with that, considering I wouldn't even do it!! She definitely doesn't stay dry at night, but I also don't limit her milk or anything else before bed. I just figure her bladder will develop on it's own. She is still in a crib too, and probably will be until we move, so there is no point in getting her up in the middle of the night to go.

Oh and I almost forgot to update you on baby boy! I went back to the doctor last Thursday for another ultrasound - last time they couldn't see his heart really well - so anyways, they were able to see all four chambers this time, which I was very thankful for, and everything else looked good, even though they really didn't look at anything else. But he's definitely still a boy. They did say something about me possibly having a bladder infection, but told me they'd call if I tested positive, and I haven't heard, so I am assuming I don't have one. I told her I'd been getting dizzy here and there, and she told me it was because I have low blood pressure, so I just need to be sure to drink lots of water and keep food on my stomach at all times. I am definitely feeling him move a ton more, and it's much stronger this time around because I have a posterior placenta instead of the anterior like I did with Abbie, where you have the cushion.

So that's the latest on what is going on here - is anyone else ready for spring already like I am? We might as well just move back out west if you ask me, since at least there you can snowshoe and get out in this stuff! Here we are sort of just stuck because the road conditions!

Happy January, I suppose!! I will keep you all posted if I hear more on job or house stuff.

Things I am loving right now...



1. All three of us in one house! Our week is coming to an end now but it has been nothing short of wonderful.

2. Peppermint chocolate chip milkshakes from Chick Fil A. Well I've really only had one, but I loved it and I plan to get another one very soon, before they go away until next

Christmas!

3. The excitement of some new Christmas gifts that I will be using very soon - my new Color Nook from Wes, and a stand up mixer I got from my family in Florida! (I am finishing up reading Water for Elephants ((thanks Amy Bazley!)) and then I plan to start using my Nook.)

4. Feeling our little boy kick more and more!

5. This cute little butt running around everywhere - because we are potty training in full force! It's going great, I might add!

6. And one more to add to the list - my new MAC make up! Oh I highly recommend it if you are looking for a new line or just a new look - whatever it is.

I wrote this post a few days ago in hopes of being able to get my computer to upload pictures from my camera but it's still not happening, so this is a pictureless post.

Happy New Year everyone!!

Family

We just got back from a busy and fun weekend in Pigeon Forge – my whole Mom’s side of the family (minus my Mom basically) got together at a cabin up there again this year to celebrate Christmas. As always we had a great time, and the kids had a blast too! We had 21 people, and 17 of us stayed in one cabin, so needless to say we had a full house!

It’s so fun to watch each of the kids because everyone’s personality is so different –

First there is Troy and Michelle- they have two boys, Joshua is almost 4 and Brennan is about 6 months. They are both so sweet. Joshua is still pretty quiet compared to Abbie – he is all boy though and loves sports and the Wii! Brennan is the sweetest little baby and so content. He just smiles all the time.

Stefanie and Jay (Jay wasn’t there because he is the one I’ve told you about that is in Iraq) have three kids, so they were all there with Stefanie. The two older kids, Kaylee and Zachary, are wonderful and they are not shy by any means, but mostly you have to engage in conversation with them. But they are so sweet. Then there is Andrew. He is the jokester of the three, for sure, and the youngest of them at 8. He is such a ham, but more on him later…

Then there is Kristen and Ryan, who have Evan. He just turned 2 in November and is sweet as can be too. He talks and about half the time you get what he is saying, but he has the cutest jibber-jabber I’ve ever heard! He and Abbie had a lot of fun going up and down the stairs about a million times! They chased each other around and played really well together!

Last but not least, there is Marc and Kendra. They don’t have children just yet – but they have plenty of others to play with and are so great and patient with all the kids!

So anyways, talking about personalities, Saturday night after opening presents Andrew wanted to sing everyone a song. It was basically about the 12 days of Christmas, but it was about Jesus’ salvation and really had a great message. Still there was this one part, on the fifth day of Christmas, where the regular song goes “Five Golden Rings” real loud and pronounced, he said something else and was really animated and I can’t remember it now but seriously, he was a ham. As he got to about the 7th day, I think Abbie grew tired of watching and wanted to join in, so up she went, stood next to him, and looked at him and said “Let’s sing our song, Andrew.” She started dancing next to him and singing as much as she could, and then at the end she did her famous “Clap Mom!” to me, and I clapped and she bowed her head, her blonde hair flinging over, and said “thank you, thank you!” Oh if it wasn’t the funniest thing I’ve ever seen, I’m not sure what is. I’m telling you, those two could be on stage.

Now we are off to Florida for a few days to enjoy some hopefully warmer weather! Merry Christmas!!

Trains, Trucks, and well....it's a BOY!!!

In case you haven't heard by way of other social media or our big mouths, we found out Friday we are having a BOY!!

The ultrasound went really well and everything looked great, which was a huge relief. Then came the moment of truth - would our baby cooperate? "It" was all squished up and laying low so I wasn't sure, but as soon as the ultrasound tech got to that part she pretty much said - it's a boy! And Wes, well Wes had been sort of relaxed and just sitting back in the chair, but when those words came out of her mouth, he leaned forward and said "Really? You're sure about that??" And she said I'm pretty sure, and then went on to show us more and said yea, I can say with almost 100% certainty that it's a boy!

So I do have to go back in 4 weeks because the way he was positioned they couldn't get a good look at all 4 chambers of the heart - fine by me! I am excited already to see him again! And I'm actually measuring ahead of schedule although they didn't change my due date.

I am truly so excited that Abbie will have a baby brother next spring!

Belly Pic

Here is your 17 week belly pic! I'll be posting after Friday's ultrasound appt to let everyone know all the details! Have a great week!

Holy Moly, Spicy Guacamole

Sorry, that's one of Abbie's favorite phrases lately, thanks to Moose, I think it is.

It's been a while so I felt like maybe I need to blog. There is so much going on, yet so little at the same time. Wes and I are still living apart, and so far nothing has really opened up with our house or a job for me - but we are remaining hopefuly, or trying anyways! I have good days and then not so good days. Thankfully Wes is pretty wonderful and stays positive practically all the time. I've learned through this that I'm not a pessimist by any means, or an optimist, but a realist. It's so boring, I know. The good in all this is that Atlanta is close enough to where Wes and I can see each other every weekend. He comes home on Thursdays and stays through Sunday, then with the holidays coming up we'll be able to see each other more.

Abbie is doing great - we are working on potty training - she is not catching on as quickly as I had hoped, she freaks out sometimes when I ask her to go on the potty - and the whole #2 thing is challenging, because she is far from regular. I know, TMI, but I think that sort of contributes to the fear of it all for her. But now her babysitter is working with her and some of the other kids too, so I think that will help. I can't remember if I've shared her theory about the baby yet, but she says that she has a baby brother in her belly and I have a baby sister in mine. It's pretty cute!

I will be 17 weeks pregnant on Friday. I am really starting to pop out and I have started feeling little kicks, mostly at night. And next Friday we go for our big ultrasound! I have no predictions whatsoever on what we will have. I really truly just want a healthy baby more than anything. I am feeling good for the most part. I had a nasty stomach bug a couple weeks ago, which was awful. But other than that, I feel pretty normal. I eat a lot at breakfast and lunch but I don't have much of an appetite at dinner, which has worked pretty well because I haven't really had to cook much with Wes being gone during the week. Abbie and I just eat whatever is around and I don't worry about it too much. It is nice that she can just eat a pb&j and be totally happy!

We are getting family pics taken on Saturday with Sunday Grant! I'm very excited to have her do our pictures again, because I loved them last time! I will share those soon hopefully! And I'll try to have Wes take a belly pic of me to post too -

Until next time!

Introducing baby Laura!

Last weekend on our way back from Peachtree City we had the privilege of meeting my newest cousin, Laura Marion Lowe. Her Mom is my first cousin, Hillary. Hillary and I are 2 months apart in age and have always been really close. We got married a week apart, over 10 years ago! Laura is their first child, so we are very excited for Hill and Brandon! Laura was born on October 18th and she was teeny tiny but she is doing great and gaining weight now. What a sweetheart. Abbie and I so enjoyed getting to meet her....