Speaking of Anna, she'll be here before we know it! I'm 32 weeks so the countdown is on. She was breech at my 20 week appointment and as of Thursday, she's transverse (sideways). This isn't optimal because by now she should be head down and ready to go. My OB said Anna has 4 weeks to turn until we start talking about a C-section. Yikes! I really don't want surgery, but I'll go with what Dr. B thinks is best. The surgery itself doesn't scare me...it's the recovery. I can't imagine trying to recover from that with my 2 girls. Especially Ellie. Oh, goodness, Ellie. BUT, the good thing about a C-section is that it is scheduled and it cuts my remaining 8 weeks down to 5 or 6. Woohoo! My heartburn is raging and I can't bend down, so I'm just about ready for Anna to make her arrival. We still have to buy a few things (car seat, sheets, boppy, etc.) but other than that, we're almost ready to go. Lucas got his nesting done last weekend (putting crown molding in the nursery and Ellie's new room) so my turn is next. I hope my closets are prepared to be cleaned out and organized. I hope Luc is ready to help with the bottom shelves, because again...can't bend down.
Summer picture recap time!
Ellie is crafty. And by crafty I mean very clever and is able to use her quick thinking skills to do things most 15 year olds can't. This is a picture of her unscrewing the cap to her eczema medicine and applying it to her itchy spots. She can also remove the lids from child-proof pill bottles, unlock the cabinets, climb the outside of the stairs, open doors, and choose her own clothes. Did I mention I'm constantly tired? She keeps me on my toes but in stitches. She's a hoot and such a sweetheart when she needs to be. She strategically plans her kisses for when she has just emptied another cabinet or undone another roll of toilet paper. Or opened the fridge and consumed half a watermelon while I folded laundry.
She's FINALLY walking! It only took 15 months! Her little feet turn out and her ankles roll in so it has made walking very difficult for her. I bought her some boots from Stride Rite and those have helped immensely. I'm ready for the day she's solo walking (as opposed to a mixture of walking and crawling) because her knees need to heal. Eczema is the worst!
Caroline started dance at a new studio and she loves it! I love it too because the waiting room is huge and it gives Ellie plenty of room to roam. Caroline's good friend is in her class so that means I get to visit with the fabulous Sarah every week! Woohoo! Sweet C really enjoys dance, even though she is as graceful as a newborn giraffe. I'm hoping that'll flourish as quickly as her insane vocabulary has. I constantly have to remind myself that she's only 3. And then I'm instantly thankful that she's only 3 because I'm not ready for her to grow up. She starts pre-school in 2 weeks...I don't know who is more excited! She loves her school and I love that she gets to play with friends 3 times a week. Ellie is first on the waiting list for mother's day out (same place C went last year and will go again this year), so please pray she gets in! She is a social butterfly who loves to explore. MDO is perfect for her and it'll give me some alone time with Anna. Fingers crossed!
Ellie sat still and watched some birds play in the backyard this week. I had to document that rare, quiet moment. She LOVES playing outside but this Texas heat has been brutal. Our swing time has been cut in half. Sorry, girls! We have a great splash pad near us but it takes 100% of my energy to keep up with Ellie while we're there. She runs amuck and tries to climb everything! I'm so thankful that she's fearless but it is exhausting!
Caroline just finished a summer session of Teddy Tennis. She did great! We spent Thursday mornings on the local tennis courts with Caroline's buddy, Maddie, and Ellie's boyfriend, Cole. Ellie and Cole ate snacks and chased balls while the big girls hit volleys and backhands. It was a blast for everyone!
See those giant pixie sticks? Caroline ate one, then a donut on the last day of class. I had a babysitter come that morning while I got some errands done. I wasn't surprised in the least when she texted me saying Caroline had hit a serious sugar crash and was too tired to put on pants. Ah, sugar. Such a glorious thing.
32 weeks! My belly is very wide thanks to Anna's current position. I'm very happy that I'm pregnant in the summer because there's no way I could bend down to pull on boots or tie my shoes.
Caroline and Luc spent some time one night constructing a princess castle. Ellie woke up early and destroyed it. As you can see, Caroline was crushed.
Ellie was not crushed. She was very proud of herself.
This girl LOVES to play dress up. She was determined to put on the high heels over her boots. She was successful in getting them on, but didn't have the same luck when trying to walk in them.
Dress up was orange themed that day!
I surprised Caroline one night and took her to get ice cream after her bath. She was so excited! I love that there is a drive -thru Culver's just around the corner from us. I don't love that it has started to give me heartburn. Boooo!
Just another day at the races. I really need to get Ellie a helmet.
This lovely Elsa was the reason we drove home from Destin in 1 day. Twelve hours. About 12 pit stops. We had already told Caroline she was going to an Elsa birthday party on Sunday afternoon, so we made the drive home on Saturday. We survived....that's a good summary of the drive.
Sweet Caroline after arriving at the beach. She LOVED the beach!
Silly cousins going on a crab hunt. Thanks to Becky for the glow necklaces! I forget how dark the beach is at night, especially if the moon isn't full. Those necklaces made spotting the kiddos so much easier. They all had a blast that night making memories.
Caroline was NOT a fan of the seaweed. She took a break from it in her cute chair. Her little pose was making everyone laugh. Such a little lady. The seaweed got better and she was back in the water in no time. Ellie, on the other hand, was trying to eat it and wear it.
Ellie and her daddy in Destin. She had a great time waking everyone up early and partying with her cousins on the beach. We stayed in a fabulous 5 bedroom condo in Destin, right on the beach. It was perfect for the whole family. I can't wait to go back! Maybe they'll build an airport by next year? Please?
Lucas and I went on a "babymoon" to the Woodlands Resort this summer. It was a quick and fun getaway without the kids. Thanks to Mom and Dad for watching the girls! We spent the weekend at the pool, in nice restaurants, and at Nordstrom. We took full advantage of the Anniversary Sale and bought some clothes for the fall. We got these cute boots for Caroline and she's been asking to wear them daily since she opened them. Fall is just too far away! She's still in her "dresses only" stage, so I bought her some cute dresses to match the boots.
Matt and James came to Houston for a week and Mom and I took them to the zoo. It was hot. So hot. Sooooo hot. And I made the mistake of letting Caroline wear new shoes. I ended up giving her a piggy back ride for the last hour while Ellie slept in the stroller. And the contractions haven't stopped since. BUT, the train ride was really fun!
The best thing about summer coming to an end is this girl! C's best friend is moving back to Houston and we couldn't be happier! I see a lot of trips to the Woodlands in our future.
I hope to find some more time to write again before Anna gets here. 8 weeks and counting. Can't wait for our family to be a party of 5!
wooohoo! been waiting for this!
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