The Ins and Outs

Here are some pictures of Sydney's new room! 

Sydney's beautiful artwork.

Hairbow holder, made by a fabulous neighbor.

Well, we made it through night #1 just fine!  However, naptime today didn't exactly occur.  The cookout at the neighbors tonight should be interesting.  Hopefully she'll last past 6:30! ;)  We'll see how night #2 goes tonight!!  Wish us luck!

Here is a picture of Sydney and her hair pulled back in a ponytail from this morning. :)  She has a curly little ponytail and her bangs aren't long enough to pull back, so she wore one of my barrettes.

Oh, and here's my favorite recent purchase!

That's it for Sydney's room!  Hope you enjoyed it.  Next up, Taylor's room.

A Big-Girl Kind of Day

Today was an exciting day for Sydney... she got a big "present"!  (We try to hype her up when she gets something new, to teach her to be excited... it works!)  Her new furniture was delivered today, along with her mattress.  Daddy Dearest was so sweet to have her whole room set up by the time Sydney and I got home from work and daycare.  It looks great!!  I will post more pictures of the actual room later, as tonight I just got some of Sydney in the bed.  We also filmed her face as she saw the new furniture... she got a big smile and ran over to the bed, saying, "Up! Up!"

We went out to dinner tonight (to Chili's, my fave!) and Sydney sat in the booster seat instead of the high chair.  This may be something we should have done a while ago (who knows?) but she did great.  Plus, she totally drank Stephen's water out of his cup, holding it herself, no straw or anything.  And she didn't spill it!  Wow!  When did my little baby become such a little girl??

Here is our nighttime ritual, this time in a new setting:

I was a little nervous as to how she'd be without her crib, but I just checked on her, and this is what I found:

All seems well in Big-Girl land.  Sweet dreams, little girl!  More pics later!

Lots o' updates

I realized that I've been randomly blogging about things when I have a spare few minutes to write... not putting too much thought into them.  So, I thought that I would try to think about what's been going on lately and update everybody on the happenings!

Sydney- Coming up on 2!

Tomorrow, Sydney will be 23 months old... only 1 more month until the big 2!  It really is SO hard to believe.  Where does the time go??  So, I wanted to update you on some Sydney-doings, since she does/says something new and different almost everyday.

We are working on her manners... she has the "please" and "thank you" thing down, but now we're working on "yes, ma'am" and "no, sir" instead of her typical "uh huh".  It's pretty funny... she'll even say it to her stuffed animals.  Though, usually she'll say to the "boy" animals (Curious George, Elmo), "No, ma'am!"  And it's usually when they're doing something wrong (as much as stuffed animals can do wrong!).  I laugh, because I realized that I say "No, ma'am" to her when she's doing something she shouldn't be doing.

Remember that song, Insane in the Membrane?  Cypress Hill, anybody?  Well, if you saw Sydney's crib, that song might cross your mind.  Instead of padded walls, Sydney has padded crib rails.  For some reason, when she gets upset when we put her down to go to sleep, she will literally headbang her forehead onto the crib rail.  I'm talking, HARD.  One time it left a decent bump and bruise.  It doesn't help me sleep at night knowing she's banged her head.  She's only done this 3 times so far in a month's time (knock on wood!  Ha, that seems a little fitting, doesn't it?) but the other night, she would not stop.  Stephen had to get a comforter and beach towels and DUCT TAPE them to her bed rails.  That way, at least it wouldn't hurt her.  So, we've kept them up since then, just in case she decides to do it again.  I think the connection between the 3 times is that she's been overly tired + not feeling well.  Here's a picture:

Needless to say, it must be time for her to move on to her big-girl bed.  The bedroom suit is being delivered this Friday, along with the mattress we got her this weekend at Macy's one-day sale (woot, woot!) and the two bedrails we got at Babies R Us.  Stephen picked out an adorable comforter set that matches her room perfectly!  I'll take a picture once all that is together. 

Let's see... she is talking in sentences, though sometimes she says things that only Stephen and I understand.  She moved up to the 2-year old room at day care, where she sits at the tables in the big chairs to eat all her meals and snacks, feeds herself completely (note to self: don't dress her in nice clothes ;), and is starting to be potty trained!  They have a curriculum they follow, so she's learning new things every day, along with sign language and spanish. 

Oh, and this weekend, I had run an errand and Stephen said about 10 minutes after I had left, Sydney said, "Where Brooke go?"  She's said Brooke a couple other times this weekend, it's pretty funny.  I don't know where she picked that up from.

   Here's a pic of Sydney today, outside, while Stephen washed our cars.

Belly Update

I am now in my 25th week, and the baby is moving and shaking all the time.  I see the shifts in my belly when she kicks.  Only 14 weeks left!  (about 100 days!)  I'm going to schedule a c-section at 39 weeks, but I don't think they put you on the calendar until about 32 weeks.  So, we'll see what the actual day will be.  Anyways, besides being exhausted a lot, having Braxton Hicks contractions, leg cramps in my sleep, and not being able to paint my toenails very easily, I'm feeling really well!  People say I have really popped straight out in the last week.  Can you tell a difference between the two pics?  Can't wait to meet this little girl! 

Me @ 24 weeks.

And another one of me with Sydney.  25th week.

Nursery

The nursery has been totally painted!  It's a really pretty blue/grey color.  My mom will be doing a painting of a tree with flowers in the next few months, but at least the solid background color is up.  Here it is:

Before you think to yourself, ummm... aren't you having a girl??  Here is the picture I got my inspiration from:

So, it will look something along those lines, but with our own flare.  More pics to come once it's updated more!

House Changes

We haven't done too much around the house since the office renovation, but we did install two new chandeliers in the dining room and the kitchen last weekend.  Here are some pics:

Kitchen, along with new table and chandelier

Dining room w/ new chandelier

Sorry I don't have any before pictures to post, but you get the idea. 

On that note, I have to hit the hay!!  Just some updates, more to come later as I think about them.  Here's to another week!

It's the little things...

You know how we can all get caught up in our day-to-days and not think about what kind of impact we're making on others?  I have been so overwhelmed with my new job that sometimes I don't feel like I have time to breathe.  But, today was a sweet reminder as to why I decided to go into teaching.  My day started off with hugs and a new drawing for my wall.  Then, later, when I went into an inclusion class (which I'm only in for 45 minutes a day!), a parent was sitting in the class.  On a side note: today, the kids were making cookies in the shape of the US and decorating them according to the topography of the US, and many parents came in to volunteer.  Anyways, I told her hello and started to tell her my name.  She cut me off, and said, "Oh, I know all about you!  My daughter can't stop talking about you at home!  She just adores you."  I thought that was so sweet, especially this little girl who is soo quiet and, again, I'm only in there for one segment of her day.  I guess you never really know who you run into on a daily basis and what kind of impression you can leave on them!

Anyways, it was a good ending to a long, kind of stressful, week.  Poor Sydney has been feeling sick again and they are treating her for pertussis.  Apparently there is a pertussis epidemic in the US.  Luckily, Sydney has been vaccinated but they are treating her with an antibiotic used for many kinds of infections, just in case it is pertussis.  Poor thing.  I just want her to be 100% again... it seems like it's been about a month where she's been under the weather.  Stephen and I don't have any big plans this weekend (yippee!) but we will be finishing painting the nursery, doing some shopping for Sydney's big-girl furniture that is coming next week.  My sweet mom came down this week, took us to dinner, and painted the trim in the nursery.  Stephen will finish it up this weekend!

Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!

Working for the weekend...

The weekend is here!  Hallelujah!  We had a busy one, this weekend.  Started off with hosting 15 of my lovely neighbors with a game of Bunco.  I didn't win a dang thing this time, but we had great eats, talks, and laughs.  My neighbors really are awesome.  And hilarious!

Then, this morning, we woke up and drove to Roswell to have a photography session!  My dear friend, Sara, treated us to this session.  She's such a wonderful person and friend. :)  We met at Barrington Hall, a beautiful old home (-turned museum) with lovely landscaped grounds.  I can't wait to get the pictures back... don't worry, you will see them when I get them!  Luckily, the rain held off for our session.  It was a little gray and drizzly, but nothing we couldn't handle. 

Tonight, I went to my first Braves game in easily 3 years.  Maybe 4.  I'm a sad, sad Atlantan, I realize. ;)  It was great!!  The "100% chance of rain" turned into NO rain at all... I couldn't believe it!  (I was definitely prepared for downpours!)  Before we left for the game, we used a new sitter with Sydney... this adorable senior girl in the neighborhood.  She rocked it.  We will definitely be calling her again.  Anyways, back to the game.  We met our friend, Peter, and our friends Jamie and Jennifer hooked us up with 9th row seats by 1st base... not too shabby!  Except for the couple close calls of foul balls... ;)  It was fun to see Jennifer, because she is 3 weeks ahead of me in pregnancy, and we're both having little girls!  We have proclaimed them BFFs and they will certainly be bridesmaids in each other's weddings.  Great times.

Tomorrow should be a more low-key day... church, lesson planning, house organizing, etc.  Maybe a nap.  Getting ready for the long week ahead.  Can't believe I've completed 12 full days of teaching kids!  How many more until summer???? :)

It's 5 o'clock somewhere...

OK, I have to admit... I just cannot get used to waking up at the 5 o'clock hour!!  For some reason, to my body, there is a huge difference between a time starting with a 5 and a time starting with a 6.  The 6 o'clock hour has been my friend for so many years, and I just can't used to getting up so early.  But, with me having to BE at work at 7:00, 5-something is the way it has to be. 

Plus, on top of work, getting up early, the heat, and being pregnant, I'm also sick.  The doctor said it's some sort of a virus (probably what Sydney had last week, minus the vomiting, thank goodness).  I finally broke down and took some robitussin last night (doctor approved, I just hate taking meds).  So, if I look like a walking zombie, cut me some slack. ;)

Things are going well with school.  I love working with the younger kids!  It's so nice, you don't get the middle school attitudes and I haven't had to raise my voice once.  I'm teaching 9 different subjects and/or grade levels, so planning has been rough.  But, I'm hoping to get into the swing of it real soon. 

OK, that's it!  Just wanted to check in!  I'll post a picture of my sweet girl from this weekend.  Oh, and her latest saying is, "One second, Mama" when I ask her to come here.  She's too funny. :)

More later...