Father's Day weekend

Friday, we spent a lot of time outside since the rain cooled things off a little and it was bearable. She loves being outside but its too hot to stay out usually.

Anna Riley would not take an afternoon nap (she went through a phase last week of not wanting in her bed...more on that later) but I did make her at least come in and "rest".

Riley took her for a wagon ride so I could finish dinner and she fell asleep sitting up in the wagon! 

It was just enough of a power nap to keep her going!  Since it was so nice, we decided to eat outside and then AR played some more.  I wish it always felt that great outside during the summer!!

Saturday was pretty busy.  We went to eat breakfast at FIG that morning and then when AR laid down for a nap I went to get a pedicure and pick up my Dad's father's day/birthday gifts.  We had our nephew, Brilyn's, birthday party from 1-3 and then my parents were coming to keep AR so we could go to Riley's cousin's wedding at 4.  Mom and Dad took AR out to eat (they were brave)!  So, after the wedding Riley and I met up with the Stricklands for dinner at DePalmas. 

The birthday party was at the Playhouse Christian Academy (its a preschool but they rent out their facility for parties).  They have a few jumpy houses, ball pits and the playground like McDonalds and places like that.  Anna Riley had so much fun and was non-stop going from one thing to the next.  I decided that her birthday party would be there next year!

Sunday, was of course Father's Day. I made a breakfast pizza and Cinnamon rolls for breakfast and Anna Riley gave Daddy her two cards.  One was a handmade card with her hand print and her "drawing" and the other was a Minnie Mouse card that she held onto throughout the store.  After church, Anna Riley and I took a nap until lunch (we go to early service so we are out by 10) while Riley enjoyed a nice long run.  Then, it was off to the pool.   That evening, we had dinner at Papa Doug's.

Usually, I would not post a picture of me pregnant in a swimsuit, but I thought this was so sweet. Recently, she wants to lay her head on my belly and I think it is just precious. 

We had a wonderful weekend, celebrating the special men in our life!  I am very thankful for having such a great Dad and Father-in-law and an especially wonderful husband and father to our children!

23 weeks

Symptoms:

I'm still feeling pretty good at the moment. No complaints!

Weight gain:

12 lbs.

Cravings:

Mexican, sweets especially chocolate covered peanuts and cookies and hotdogs (or turkey dogs)

Sleep:

I have slept pretty good this week.  I still have to rotate sides often so my back doesn't hurt.  I also sleep with a pillow between my legs.  I used the Bobby pregnancy pillow last time and loved it but I couldn't get compfortable with it last week so I am just using a regular pillow.

Maternity clothes:

Dresses are still the most comfortble.  My normal size shorts are starting to get a little uncomfortable but the size up is still a little big.  I think I might get a pair of maternity shorts soon.

Movement:

Yes! All the time!! This is my favorite part of being pregnant!  I just love those little kicks and jabs and somersaults in my tummy.  Riley finally felt her kick on Sunday. 

Other:

--I have been working on cleaning out the guest room.  The closet didn't have too much in it, mainly a few coats and several of those will be given away. 

--We are waiting to get a sleeper sofa for the playroom before we take down the guest bed. 

--I ordered the bedding last week and I went with the one I showed but I changed it up a little so I can't wait to see it...it should ship in July sometime.

--I am ordering the furniture as soon as I make time to go to the store to do so.

--My biggest thought right now is whether or not to convert AR's crib to a toddler bed toward the end of summer.  My only reason of wanting to is because as I get bigger, it will be harder for me to put her in her bed and also after the baby is here I can't pick her up for a little while.  I just don't know if she would be ready for it.  Any thoughts?  We can always change it back if it isn't working I guess.



Practicing

In the last month, Anna Riley has really taken to her "babies."  She has always played with them but she is so motherly with them right now.  She carries one of them around most of the day, feeds her, strolls her, rocks her and has one of them to sleep with her each night.  Hopefully she is practicing to be a good big sister!! :) 

Week/weekend recap

    We had a pretty busy week with Kindermusik, 2 doctor's appointments for me, 2 playdates, our anniversary, pool time and a cookout.   I have never taken as many naps as I did this week!  Getting out in the heat makes me so tired! 
     Monday, we had another Kindermusik class.  Anna Riley is really enjoying her class and we both love the teacher! 
    Tuesday, I had a doctor's appointment and everything is looking good.  I am measuring right on track and we put the C-section in the books for October 6.  It is nice to have everything arranged ahead of time with who will be with Anna Riley while we are in the hospital!
    Last weekend, Riley and I tried the fairly new restaurant in Northport, Opus, for our anniversary while my Mom and Dad kept AR. So Tuesday night (our actual anniversary), I just cooked Pecan encrusted Tilapia, fried squash, garlic roasted asparagus and we had turtle cheesecake for dessert!

    Wednesday, we met Celia and her two babies and Mandy and her triplets at CHOM for a playdate.  Unforunately, I forgot my camera so I didn't take any pictures.  Anna Riley was in a mood that morning so I probably wouldnt have gotten many anyway.
     Friday, we met Peyton and her kids at the Annette Shelby park and splash pad.  The kids played in the water and we had a picnic lunch.  Thankfully, the weather was not so bad and we actually had a nice breeze under the shade trees.  Anna Riley loves playing with Cooper and Lily Grace.  I do actually have pictures of that..

       Friday night, we actually picked up food from Newks and relaxed at home and Saturday we spent the day at the pool and grilled out with some friends that night! 

Bye Bye Pacy!!!

I am so happy to say that we have thrown all the pacies away!  She went all day Thursday without it but I had Bunko that night and would not be here to help with bedtime so I told Riley to go ahead and give it to her if needed but he didn't and said she only cried when he walked out and that was it.  So, we stuck with it the rest of the weekend and to my surprise she did great!  She was even around our friend's baby Saturday and Saturday night and he has a pacy.  She never tried to take it but she did insist that he have it!  She kept trying to put it in his mouth.  I am so glad we are through with that...I just hope potty training and toddler bed will be as easy!!

22 weeks

Symptoms:
Nothing really different from last week...

Weight gain:
10 lbs.

Cravings:
Mexican (this child is going to love some Mexican food!) and still wanting sweets.

Sleep:
Sleep has not been so great this week!  I am not sleeping well at night, all I do is toss and turn or get up to go to the bathroom.  Plus, Anna Riley has been waking up earlier than normal this week also.  We have had a pretty busy week so when  we get home, I'm exhausted.!! I have taken full advantage of her nap time this week and had naps myself!  But I haven't made it to the gym at all this week and I think that makes a difference in my energy level.

Maternity clothes:
All my shorts and most of my shirts fit fine right now.  Dresses are the most comfortable though.

Movement:
Movement has been big this week!  I am feeling her kick and jab a lot more now and I just love it!  I feel her the most in the afternoon and at night before I go to bed.  Riley still hasn't felt...just as with AR in the beginning, she always stops when he has his hands on my tummy. 

16 months

Anna Riley is 16 months and I am loving the stage that she is in!  Riley and I both said how much we love this stage but as I flipped through our blog scrapbook I realized we said that at every stage!! :) 

- She is wearing mostly 18 month clothes and some 24 month.  Her shoe size depends on the shoe but most of them are 5 and will be 6 very soon.  Still in a size 4 diaper.

-She is taking 2 naps for the most part.  After she refused her afternoon naps at the beach, she has taken wonderful naps this week! 

-She tans SO well!!  She definitely got her Daddy's skin completion!  Her hair is mostly blonde right now.  She favors her Nana's childhood pictures a lot!

-Anna Riley LOVES fruit!  I think she could just live off that and be just fine!  While at the beach, that's all the wanted.  Her favorites seem to be bananas and strawberries but pretty much likes all fruit.  She likes that she can hold the banana on her own and eat it.

-She does not like her food to be cut up.  I still have to cut some things up for her but she eats it a lot better if it is something she can just pick up and take bites of on her own.  She is getting so independent!

-She is doing a little better using utensils.  She is better with a fork than a spoon.

-She is so much fun to play with right now.  She is all over the place and constantly giggling or laughing.  We just love to hear her laugh, it's so cute!

-She LOVES books!! I think if she didn't have any other toys she would be content with just her books!  She likes to look at them on her own and she studies each picture.  She will bring us the ones she wants us to read to her.

-She loves to sit on her Daddy's stomach or take rides on his back.

-Anna Riley loves to amazed by planes and birds. 

-Every chair is a rocking chair to her.  She will get in it and rock back and forth.  It's so cute when she rocks her babies. 

-Her vocabulary is building everyday.  Sometimes, she says some words a couple of times and then we won't hear them for a while.   I can't even remember all the words she has said or is saying at the moment.  Some of the latest words/ phrases are:  kitty cat, where's ___?  (usually its Da-da or daddy), Jesus, all gone, stinky stinky (obviously usually referring to her diaper), diaper or dipe dipe, hotdog,  bye bye (she used to just wave and never would say it but now she says it and rarely waves! haha), baby, no no no and go go go (yes usually in 3's), ... I am sure there are more new words but just can't think of them.

-When we count 1, 2 she will say 3. Sometimes she will say 2 also.  Same as if you say Ready, set she says Go.

-She says "thank you"  on her own now.  She used to just repeat it sometimes but now when we give her something she will usually say "thank you." 

-We are constantly getting on to her for trying to drink the pool and bath water!!  She will stick her face in and drink it like a dog!! Gross!  So now she thinks she is sneaky and she gets water on her fingertips and puts it in her mouth!   You would think the child never had anything to drink!

- She is climbing on everything right now!!  I saw her trying her best to climb on the table in her playroom the other day. So I'm sure I will go in there one day to find her standing on top!  Her favorite thing to do is climb up the slide.

-She loves to drive her pink Tot-Rod.  She gets in and is gone!!  Now if she could just learn to steer it!

- She runs everywhere she goes!  It should be lots of fun chasing her in a couple of months when I am really big!

-If I ask her to go get something, she usually understands and will do it...it might take forever but she will eventually get it to me!  Same as if I ask her to hand me something that she has.

-She also brings me anything she finds on the floor that isn't supposed to be there.  I am just glad she doesn't put it in her mouth anymore.

-When we say the blessing, she claps after we say Amen. 

-She makes the funniest faces.  Sometimes when I go get her in the mornings the first thing she does is look at the camera and make a funny face! haha

-We are going to take the pacy away this month.   I am kind of glad we had it while her molars were coming in...that was brutal!   The longer she has it, though, the more attached she is getting and I really want it taken away before Ava Kathryn is here.

- She is constantly hiding things.  She has like 4 or 5 spots that she usually puts things.  She hid her milk the other day and I found it a couple of days later!  Gross!  She also hid one of my picture frames that sits on the end table.