Happy Birthday!

5 years ago today the best little dog was born! And just a few short months later she joined our family. We couldn't be happier with what a sweetie she turned out to be!

This is Roxy days after she came home with us (rescued from a co-worker of mine whose child was severely allergic to her). My how she has grown! We miss those floppy ears--every once and a while, when she is sleeping, they return. We love you punkin' dog!

Spring leaves!

With the rain storms yesterday and sun today we finally have little leaves popping out on all the trees! Presley loves to be outside even though it is still a little chilly (warmer weather is on the way, I hope) so we try to spend lots of time outside playing.

It is amazing what Presley soaks in! Just the other day while we outside she put her hands up to her face, like binoculars, and started singing "Popcorn popping on the Apricot Tree". I couldn't believe how many of the words and verses she could put together on her own. She learns very well through song. And thanks you Camille for teaching her "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam", she sings it all the time--my favorite is the ending which she likes to mix up a bit "at home, at school, at play".

Baby news.

I am due in just under 2 weeks! And I think we are all ready for this to happen. Of course at my doctor's appointment this week he made it seem like I still have a long way to go but I am hopeful that I will have this baby sometime near my May 15th due date. I got a hair cut and color this week and I am treating myself to a pedicure next week--after the pampering the baby is welcome to come at any time (well, after the 12th when Chris is back in town would be best!).

My friend Shannon had her baby 3 1/2 weeks early this week and he is adorable--hopefully out of the NICU and home with a name. No pressure though because I am sure we will be lucky if we have a name picked out before we leave the hospital with our baby. And Kimber has her birth scheduled for the 19th--good luck but I really do hope I have mine before she does (it is only fair).

Outside, finally!

The weather is supposed to start warming up--meaning in the 60's with sun and no real chance of rain or snow for a week! We all couldn't be more ready to spend some time outside together before the new baby comes. Here are a few photos of us outside playing and getting ready for spring.



We got new tires for my car (I guess the steel belts were showing on the front tires so it was time) and we rearranged the shelving in the garage so that I can now open both sides of my car wide enough to get Presley and the new baby into the back seat with car seats.






Presley and Roxy spent their time outside exploring the new grass that is starting to come up and looking at the daffodils and bark. Presley loves to have her sunglasses on but anytime she wants to look at something she pulls them down onto the end of her nose so she can see it better.

And we can't enter into a new season without Chris "tuning-up" something--in the winter it is the skis and the spring it is all the bikes. Presley got a kick out of dad jumping off the landscaping and testing out all the little fixes he made to one of the bikes. I was more than a little nervous when Presley asked for a ride and Chris scooped her up onto his lap and then proceeded to ride around the neighborhood one handed without any protection for either of them--we need to get her a helmet and a more secure way of joining up on a bike ride!

Contrasts.

This was the end of April, breezy but warming up . . .




And this was May 1st, waking up to 4 inches of wet, cold snow!



This has been a long winter--can I hope for a long summer and fall too?

Tagged.

I will make this quick--but I will say I like "tags" that have themes or specific instructions . . . Jen, it is good to have you back, I have been missing your 'comments'.

1. Favorite pair of shoes right now: Being pregnant I slip on that same Privos everyday and they are getting completely worn out--but I have liked them. I did dig out my favs once the weather turned a bit better, a pair of off-white, slip-on, leather flats with decorative flowers (just the right size), by Aldo. I wish I would have also gotten them in bronze when I originally purchased them last summer. Like Jen I am liking the Keens and Presley is a proud new owner (see below).

2. New Year's resolution: I didn't make one but now that I am almost done being pregnant I would have to say I look forward to eating a lighter, healthier, summer-time fare. I am thinking salads with strawberries, cashews, chicken, and balsamic vinaigrette.

3. Are you listening to music right now? No. Presley is eating dinner (an apple, she is on a fruit only kick) and I am listening to Iron Chef America: Battle Tomatoes. They mentioned a BLT and I was hooked (one of my favorite ways to eat a good, garden-grown tomato).

4. If you had $200 to spend on yourself? Where to start . . . I am done buying stuff for the house for a while and I will soon be in desperate need of some summer clothes. I fear my purchases would be more practical though--a nursing bra, comfy clothes to lounge in, and anything from the new Athleta catalog that came in the mail).

5. Favorite place in the city that you live in: Midway. It is a beautiful place. One of my favorite places is my deck--it over looks the whole Heber Valley and I can see up Lime Canyon. I also love just taking off on the trail that leaves our neighborhood and works its way to Snake Creek and the Wasatch Golf Course).

6. Book you are reading: I am very ashamed to admit that I am not reading anything right now. I used to be an avid reader and the time just gets away from these days. I would love to be reading ANYTHING. I did read the Alchemist a few weeks ago (on the suggestion of a friend) and I loved it so much I made Chris read it too. It is a quick read but full of personal insight and direction.

New.

Being pregnant I haven't felt like shopping much for myself--I only purchased 4 new maternity clothes during this pregnancy (and I am hoping the jeans I wear everyday will last the next 4 weeks). So Presley has been the beneficiary of my normal shopping habits. New spring clothes and new shoes were on our list and she got them both!

I am looking forward to pulling out my spring and summer clothes from last year and getting into them as soon as I can after the baby is born (assuming the weather cooperates and we actually have warmer temperatures). Maybe by the fall I will be ready to get into shopping for myself again . . . my fingers are crossed.

Strawberry Jam.

Every spring I make strawberry jam--and LOTS of it. Enough to last until the next spring when strawberries are at their peak again. This week Presley and I have been making jam and eating tons of berries. With her little cold Presley hasn't wanted to eat much but the berries have kept her somewhat fed and happy.



We have both been a sticky mess and the freezer is now full. We will continue to eat strawberries until Costco runs out of them later in the summer!

Tick Tock.

4 weeks and counting until the arrival of "lady baby"! Presley comes with me to my now weekly doctor appointments and insists that the doctor listen to the baby's heartbeat in her belly--thankfully my doctor is great with little kids and has put her up on the table and "listened" to her belly's heartbeat each time.

The baby moves a ton and is kicking my ribs constantly (not quite as much a P did but close). She is in the right position but is still pretty high in my belly. With any luck I am going to hope the doctor is right when he says labor should be about half the time it was for Presley! I wouldn't be opposed if she decided to come a bit early . . . I am getting so uncomfortable.

We still have NO names (looks like it may be a repeat of Presley--a no name baby until we get her home from the hospital for a day or two). Any suggestions? Presley is still stuck on "Lady Baby" or a list of her friends names and today she told me she would name the baby "Mom". That might be confusing . . . we are open for suggestions.

Kids say the cutest things . . .

Presley has quite a few sayings lately that really make us laugh. Here are some of our favorites:

• If you ask her if the sun went down she replies "No, not yet!" because she knows it is bedtime.
• "I'm cryin' " anytime she is unhappy.
• "Are you kidding?"
• "My back hurts because I'm pregnant." I am sure you can guess where she picked up that one.

I will post more as they come (which is practically everyday).