Mommy Turn (GULP) 31!!

Although I will have to admit, 26 was the hardest birthday yet.

When I turned 26, I was single - newly out of a very bad relationship - and feeling like I was running out of time. I was definitely closer to 30 than 20, and aside from a pretty good career, didn't feel like I had accomplished nearly what I should by that age. I was very upset when I turned 26.

By 27 I was still single, but was very happy with my single status. I had rediscovered what it was like to be me without a boyfriend and was thoroughly enjoying myself. I had backpacked around Europe and felt like the world was my oyster. I decided that I would celebrate every birthday that still started with a '2'.

28 was the first birthday that I celebrated with my now husband. I knew on our first date that previous July that I was going to marry him. I had reacquanted myself with community theater and was performing with quite a few local groups. I loved being on stage, I loved being with Brandon, and I loved 28.

Gosh.... a lot can happen in a year. By the time I turned 29, I had bought a home and was planning my wedding. We got pregnant on our honeymoon, so I also had a baby before I even turned the big 3-0.

So...31 really isn't a big deal. I still have a great job. I still have a cute husband (who is a GREAT father), we're working on renovating our house, I've got a beautiful, sassy daughter and I'm pregnant with our second child. I feel like my life is just where I want it.

A special Thanks to husby for taking me to The Melting Pot for my birthday. You made it very special. I love you.

Whatchoo Talkin' 'Bout, Mommy?

I'm now entering my fourth month of pregnancy, walking boldly out of the first trimester, but morning sickness is still holding on strong. Morning sickness, afternoon nausea, and evening queasiness to be more accurate. I'm taking a lot of naps, because, quite frankly, sleeping is the only time I feel good. I feel like I've been missing out on Sophie, though and that makes me really sad. She's such a fun kid, but I struggle to play with her and keep down my lunch, leaving me with a very short wick. I've been feeling extra sentimental lately and am trying to get her to snuggle with me and kiss me any chance I get. Either she screams and claws at Daddy to save her or I get this look.....

The only times that she comes to me voluntarily are if I have food/drink or if I hold up my shirt so that she can see my belly button. She loves to poke me in the belly button (her version of tickle) and to kiss the baby aka my belly. I feel kind of cheap, but I'll take what I can get, I guess.

The doctor estimates that my nausea should be gone within the next two weeks and my energy should get a boost, too. Until then, I'm a stranger to my little girl :-( I miss you, Stinkerbell.

Easter

Easter...what do you give a thirteen month old for Easter. As I overhear mothers at the chiropractor debating which $50 Wii game the Easter Bunny will be bringing and cringe, I wonder....When did Easter become mini-Christmas?? But I also didn't want Easter to be candy-centered, especially so early in the game. She just ate cake for the first time...I don't want her to OD on robin's eggs. In my search for a happy medium that didn't cost more than $20, I found myself in the dollar bins at Michael's and am quite happy with the economical Easter compromise.

First the basket. Some leftover ribbon and a recycled gift basket from Sophie's birth were transformed quite nicely into her basket. I managed to find some fun, springy, practical toys that were in my price range.

Finally, Sophie woke up. Yes, I'm blessed with a baby that not only sleeps through the night, but that sleeps IN!! We introduced her to her Easter loot.
A snap bracelet in the shape of a happy flower (which she carried around ALL DAY)...

Her first pair of sunglasses....

A dapper duck (he's wearing suspenders).....

Not pictured were also a mini watering can and hand rake so that we can play in the dirt outside when it gets consistently nicer. And yes, I gave her a little bit of candy. I found a package of jelly beans that contained maybe 30 (she eats @ 1 a day) and one package of peeps (which she generally shares with mommy). For her first peep experience, we let her dive in on her own. When mommy gave her a bath later that day, I had to scrape yellow gooey sugar out of the rolls in her neck.

And our Easter grand total.....$12.50. This is a holiday I can definitely get on board with!!

Apparently the Easter bunny had made a stop at Grandma Judy's, too. When we got there for dinner, there was a handmade sock monkey waiting for Sophie. Daddy, appropriately (and unimaginatively) named him Sockers.

Here's a little rewind to show you how much can change in a year. This is last year's Easter family picture....
And this year's (with a family of 3.3)....

My family is very musical. EVERYONE of the Duncans (including our parents) can play a musical instrument and/or sing. The talent, we are finding is definitely hereditary, because it's seeping into the grandchildren as well. My nephews Nathan and Chad were even professional enough to play in the band at our wedding. Sophie will probably not be an exception. In addition to the fact that she sings constantly (mostly da,da,da) she is also showing an early affinity for percussion. Daddy's brother Ted also happens to have some musical talent and brought his snare drum down to the living room so he and Sophie could have a jam session. Honestly, Ted spent most of his time dodging drumsticks (apparently she's all about injuring her aunts and uncles), but Sophie had a blast.

We had a hard time convincing her that it didn't double as a seat when she needed to take a break.

And she ended the evening trying to figure out how Aunt Sue's camera works. She takes after her Daddy, too, after all :-)

Not Everyone Looks Good in Hats

I do believe that I am one of the few that do, however. My first real job (where I stayed for seven and a half years) was at TGI Fridays, back in the era of suspenders and flair and crazy hats. I quickly found that a variety of hat styles suited me and love to go glam with hats when I'm on stage. My daughter, however, may just be one of the hat disabled.

Yes, folks, that's a Steak n' Shake paper hat that she was surprisingly willing to wear for about 15 minutes. Of course, I remember this photo and think that there may be some hat hope for the girl...
Lots fo things have happened since my last blog, so a little recap before the big Easter post.

First, my office is relocating. While we get paid for time that we spend packing up communal areas, we are forced to donate our own time to pack up our own offices. Sadly, the new space doesn't have as many offices, and in a company of lifers, my eight years actually has me as a low man on the totem pole. I, therefore, not only have to pack up my office - I have to downsize back to cubie-land. To give my husband and my brother in law a break a few Saturdays ago, I took Sophie and my nephew Carson to the office for a playdate adventure while I packed up and cleaned out. I had to explain to Carson that an adventure can happen anywhere that you visit someplace you don't normally go or do things you don't normally do. He decided that his adventure involved collecting any keys he found around (like for locking cubicle filing cabinets) and putting on Aunt Debbie's glasses and doing a prissy and not so favorable impression of me. I did happen to catch him being a bit big-brotherly when Sophie started to get hungry-sassy at lunchtime.
On the reading front....Sophie isn't ashamed of her new obsession with reading anymore. She's embracing it. Here she is lounging in her chair and reading (and tasting) her birthday cards.

On the walking front, she's doing quite well and picking up speed. She's mastered the art of the sit-stand transition from her camp chair.

And every Sunday morning when Daddy reads the newspaper, she needs to be a part of the action. Most of the time giving her an ad or book of coupons suffices, but sometimes, it's just not enough....

Happy news, is that Sophie has learned to give kisses. She comes at you saying 'mmmmm' and hits your mouth with hers. Much better than her former attempts which included a lot of tongue and drool. UUGGHH.

This must have been pre-sneeze. Not really sure what she was doing here if it wasn't.

Oh yeah....Sophie's figured out how to climb into her toy box. Hasn't quite mastered the getting out part yet, so the toybox is kind of becoming a new and better playpen - one she choses to enter without crying.

I'll leave you with a picture of Sophie napping with Grandma last weekend while she babysat. Next up...Easter!