Baby Grace - 28 weeks

I'm 28 weeks pregnant today. Hello third trimester!

We had a 4D ultrasound this morning which was really fun. We didn't have that opportunity when I was pregnant with Brennan, so it was really exciting for us. Brennan was fairly well behaved...you know, for an almost 4-year old in a room full of gadgets! He sat next to me and held my hand, and played with the "slime" that was all over my belly. Apparently the slime is much more exciting for him than actually watching the baby on the television. But, he did ask for his very own picture of his baby sister.

Baby sister seemed more interested in playing with her hands and keeping her face squished against the placenta than posing for us. I guess if I was stuck in a uterus with nothing to do I would find my hands amusing too :o) Here are some of the pictures that the tech was able to capture (don't mind the black blob next to her face, that would be the placenta!):

Not me! Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

As for me, I did not allow my son to wear eye shadow because he insisted on primping while I was trying to get myself together. Furthermore, I didn't think it was hilarious when my brother's friend referred to it as "guy shadow"!

I did not buy Pillsbury sugar cookies with ghosts on them as a fun, indoor activity for B because the cute pumpkins and black cats contained too many "bad colors" (Red #40, Yellow #5, and Yellow #6).

Even if I did buy ghost cookies, I certainly did not eat some of them for breakfast yesterday.

I am not secretly relieved that B hasn't chosen a Halloween costume therefore letting me off the hook from having to parade around town this Saturday and visit friends and family; and also making it easier for me to warmly dress him for the Fall Festival at the Nazarene church near our home.

Oh, and I did not go to the store specifically for coleslaw and buns last week and somehow manage to forget the buns. My darling husband did not proceed to laugh at my expense for about 5 minutes when I arrived home bun-less.

How about you - anything you care to admit?

It's a...

GIRL!!!

Brennan was very excited to find out that a baby sister will be joining him in February. Everything looked great during the ultrasound and she was quite active - which seems to be a trend with my children :o) Maybe she'll have a chance at keeping up with her big brother.

Today, I am 21 weeks pregnant. I can't believe that I'm more than halfway to the finish line!

Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall

I don't know about you, but I am so glad that the hot, humid, hazy, mosquito-infested days of Summer seem to be behind us. I am not a Summer person (in case you couldn't tell). I'm much more of a Fall/Spring type person. Cool, crisp mornings/evenings and warm days with cool breezes. Yes, that's my type of weather. We've been spending lots of time outdoors - which I don't mind doing now that the mosquitoes have disappeared. We even had an impromptu bon fire on Saturday night. Unfortunately for Brennan, we only had mini marshmellows so we couldn't make s'mores.

Speaking of, not really but I needed a transition, Brennan has learned how to ride his balance bike (video/pictures coming soon). A balance bike is a two-wheel bike without pedals that teaches kids to ride without training wheels. Three weeks ago he would only attempt to ride it if we made him, and now we can't get him off of the bike! He calls it his "motorcycle".

Here is a video of Brennan enjoying the gorgeous Fall weather at the park on Friday. Enjoy!



In other exciting news, I'll have my 20-week ultrasound next Wednesday (9/30) and we will hopefully find out if we're having a girl or a boy.

Remember me?!

It's been a while since I posted - sorry! We've just been enjoying a lazy summer at our house...meaning I've been too lazy to do much of anything let alone blog about my laziness! Here are some pictures from the annual Hammett/Biffel Family Picnic that took place over the weekend. B had a blast swimming in Grandmommy's pool, but after a couple hours exhaustion took over and he turned into a bear!

B and Uncle B

Big, blue eyes!

Picking crabs with Pops and Momma. No, that's not his beer!

Lean, mean, swimming machine!

That's My Boy!

I love my son. He never ceases to amaze me with this creativity and fun-filled spirit. Tonight, he wanted to go swimming in his semi-new pool (bigger than the dino pool). But it was after dinner and neither Josh nor I was really feeling like a dip in the freezing cold pool. So, I told Brennan to grab his floaties from the pool and bring them in the tub so he could "swim" in there. I washed his hair and lathered him up with soap as usual (we get the "business" part done first so he can play the rest of his time in the tub). I then left him so that I could change the laundry, etc. I called to him to make sure that he was doing alright and walked into the bathroom to find...

Look at how brown the water looks - ewe! Boys are gross!

Wordless Wednesday

Making space

In an attempt to make it look like I had accomplished something this weekend, Josh and I rearranged what was B's playroom into what is now more of a bedroom. He liked sleeping in the playroom anyway, so it was time we moved his bed in there. Josh and I waited until B was in the bath tub and then we scrambled to move the bed while he was preoccupied and contained (read: out of the way!). He was pleasantly surprised when he got of the tub. Actually, he's been playing quietly in there for the last hour.

Not me! Monday

Inspired by MckMama to be brutally honest and live to tell about it! Check out her blog for other amazingly funny stories from mothers who don't claim to be perfect.

As for me, when asked how I was doing one day at work I did not claim it to be a "good day" because I didn't dry heave once during my shower that morning. That is just completely disgusting and embarrassing and *TMI for a coworker.

*too much information

I am not ashamed that I just realized that I have not updated my blog since June 13th. Afterall, what is the point of having a blog if you don't update it? I did not also just realize that my comment about dry heaving in the shower will only make sense to those who already know that I'm pregnant since I never made that announcement on my blog.

I did not wear pajamas for all but an hour and a half of yesterday. My son did not come to me at 4:00 pm and say "Uh oh. Why am I wearing this?" when he realized that I had never gotten him dressed either.

I am not proud that I can still fit in my regular clothes at 7 wks and 5 days along. I do not have a personal goal of making it to 8 wks without wearing maternity clothes when most woman can go much longer!

How about you? Anything you care to admit?

It's the Little Things!

B woke up from his nap today and announced that he would like to go swimming. He then proceeded to go into his room, find his swimming trunks and water wings and dress himself. There's only one problem - we don't have a pool! Just a small technicality really :o) We had a little pool that we got last summer, but when I drug it out to clean it this afternoon, I noticed a rip in the bottom. At least I hadn't totally cleaned it before I found the rip!

There is only one thing to do when you have a big, blue-eyed toddler looking up at you already donning his swimming gear and you realize that you have no pool for him - you pack him up and head to Target!

A bag of popcorn from the Target cafe and a dino pool later and you have...

One happy boy!

Wordless Wednesday (it is Wednesday, right?!)

Sunday Evening at The Hixson's

My guys hanging out on the couch this evening (in between wrestling and building towers with bristle blocks). By the way, the pelt on the wall is a wallaby from Sydney, Australia (from Josh's Aunt Cassandra and Uncle Graham).

And here I am relaxing in B's Tonka Truck chair :o)

Reunited and it feels so good!

Josh and I playing with my new laptop last night.

Josh was able to come home yesterday. It was a long day with lots of ups and downs, but in the end he came home and that's what is important. There is going to be a lot of adjustments and there is a whole new set of rules, but things are starting to feel much more normal (if there is such a thing as normal).

In other news, my body has decided that it is exhausted and I am not battling some sort of sinus ailment. I feel good for the most part, but I have a lot of head congestion. I guess if I have to be sick, at least it's now when Josh is home to help with B.

Answered Prayers

B and Josh, May 2008

We learned yesterday that Josh will be able to come home possibly as early as Monday. We decided that instead of waiting and petitioning for the judge to reconsider the sentence, our best bet would be to request in-home detention (house arrest). This situation will allow Josh to still carry out his sentence but he'll do it from the comfort of our home where he can help me care for B and take care of things around the house. He'll have to wear an electronic ankle bracelet equipped with GPS so he can't go more than 1000 feet from our home - except to go to work. I especially like this stipulation since I have a lot of work I need done around here! Kidding -- kind of!!

While this whole situation is far from "ideal", I still stand firm in my belief that God works all things for good. He doesn't want us to hurt and go through hard times, but He does promise to use those hurts for good. I can attest to a lot of the good that has come out of this less than ideal situation. And while I'm admittedly apprehensive about the weeks ahead, I am also so excited to see the amazing things God has planned for my family.

So if you think about us this week, please pray for an easy transition for my family, especially for B.

Happy Mother's Day

I know most of you are probably thinking this very same thought with Mother's Day quickly approaching - but I'm fairly certain that I have the greatest mother on the planet. Not only did she give me life (which I hear wasn't easy due to umbilical cord complications during my birth!), but she has taught me about life. Not by words, but by example. She inspires and encourages me on a daily basis. She is beautiful inside and out. She is my best friend and biggest fan even when I'm least deserving of love and admiration. I am so blessed and I thank God every day for her. While it's nice of Hallmark to give us a day to honor our mother's, I think my mother deserves a celebration every day.

I love you, Momma!

4th Birthiversary

Yesterday was my "birthiversary". Josh and I were married on my 24th birthday, so it's a combined birthday/anniversary celebration. This birthiversary was difficult for me, obviously, because I wasn't able to celebrate it with my husband. I was able to see him, hold him, and exchange cards - for that, I am thankful. The past few weeks have taught me to cling to what is good and find any positive I can in daily life. So instead of being depressed and sad, I had a good birthiversary and was thankful for the things that God has given me even though I am undeserving. As silly as it sounds, I am even thankful for the current circumstances because they have made me dig deep inside and strive to be the momma/wife/sister/daughter/friend/etc. that I know God wants me to be. When people ask me how I am doing or comment on how well I am doing, I want them to know that it is not because of me - it's all God. I would be a complete wreck without His grace, mercy, love, etc.

What is "normal" really?!

Michelle & her girls

Well B and I seem to have fallen into as "normal" of a routine as we are going to get for a while. We have been keeping VERY busy with our friends and have quick visits with Daddy when we can (before/after Josh is at work). My friend Michelle has been so awesome and supportive over the last couple of weeks. She lets me cry/vent/laugh (or whatever I need to do at the moment) and she just lets me be me.

Michelle and I met through some mutual friends when we were both attending the local community college about 8 or 9 years ago. I would say we were acquaintances at the time. After college, we never really hung out anymore. Around a year and a half ago, our paths crossed again, only this time we were both married with kids (well "kids" for her, "kid" for me!). Anyway, Michelle and I have spoken at length about this - and we both honestly feel that God brought us back into each other's lives at the perfect time. She is such a beautiful, caring, and loving person and I am so blessed to be able to call her my friend. The last year and a half hasn't been the easiest for either of us, but it's been a lot easier since we have each other. I thank God every day for her - and B thanks God every day for her daughters (his best friends!).

JOSH UPDATE: I know so many people are praying for Josh and my family and I cannot tell you what that means to us. I have seen such an awesome change in Josh and I think we know the only ONE who can bring that kind of peace and change.

Drawing a blank...

So, I started writing this post a couple of times over the past week. Then I just draw a blank, or stare at the screen, or start watching funny videos on YouTube (best therapy in the world, by the way!). I guess it's tough to know where to begin and exactly how to put into words the things I would like to say. I struggle with being vulnerable, letting my guards down and exposing my less than perfect life. But hey, who doesn't? And then I remember, in the Bible God never once promised us that life would be easy or without pain and problems. In fact, He promises us that this life will be painful and hard.

As for my life, it's been going something like this:

Late last week, Josh was found to have been in violation of his probation (for an offense that occured a couple years ago), and the court ruled to revoke his probation. Basically, this means that his original sentence has been imposed and he is now at the county detention center. While Josh knew he was wrong and had admitted to making a mistake, neither of us expected his day in court to go quite so badly. Needless to say, it has been a tough transition for the entire family.

And while the situation is most definitely less than ideal (to say the least), I have had a great sense of peace. Don't get me wrong, I miss my husband dearly and it pains me to have to think about how much his heart is aching being away from us. However, I deeply believe that God loves me and He will never leave me or forsake me. You see, God doesn't make mistakes and He is not surprised by anything that I am going through at the moment. Instead of being hurt, or angry, or sad, I am trusting completely that God will make all things right if I surrender to His will for my life.

As for Josh, he told me this past Monday that he is happy with the outcome of his court hearing because he knows that it was exactly what he needed to put his life into perspective. He knows that surrendering his life to his own will is never going to work.

Thank you for all of your prayers and support. This week, please pray for a continued sense of peace for our family and that Josh will be able to rest. (He was moved into the work release program on Tuesday so that he can continue working - major answer to prayer. However, he has some less than steller "roommates" who stay up all night long playing cards, watching TV, carrying on, etc. making it extremely difficult for Josh to sleep.)

Bring the Rain

This has not been a great week for our family. In fact, if I were going to be completely honest, I would say it was our worst. If I had the brain power to put it all into words, I would. But I don't. I hardly had the brain power to take my son to Wal-Mart this morning. For now, this Mercy Me video about sums it up for me. Please keep my family in your prayers.

Audrey Caroline

From Audrey's mom (Angie) on 1/7/09:

There are two sides to this post. The first is that I fell completely in love with my daughter all over again because I hadn't seen her that way since the day she was born. I cried until I couldn't breathe, and my computer screen was covered in the fingerprints of a mother who wants her daughter back.
The second (as you will see) is that ONLY the Lord Himself could have orchestrated the peace that filled the room the day we had with our girl.
I want to say something really profound here, and to give you life-changing words that you will carry with you, outpouring from a heart that has experienced God's grace firsthand. Of course, the only way to know that peace is to know Him. Nothing I say can make you believe in His love the way He desires you to.
As you watch, please know that I am choosing to share this video because I trust you with my daughter. I feel safe with you, and I want you to know that the transparency I am able to display is quite simply because it is not my story to tell.
I just showed up and asked the Master to speak to His servant.
I hope you will too...in many ways. And if you have questions about Jesus, please e-mail me. I would be honored to talk to you about the One Who really matters.
The One that allows a mother to reveal the darkest day of her life in the hopes that others will seek the great light that is our Lord.
I am humbled, honored, and blessed to introduce you (in a new way) to my fourth daughter, Audrey Caroline. May her life continue to be the beacon it was intended to be, and for the rest of my days, may I humbly serve as her voice in this life.
Thank you, Sundays.
Now make yourself comfortable for about 11 minutes, and meet the one who captured all of our hearts...I do want to make you aware that when the girls are sitting on the bed with me and a nurse comes to take Audrey's pulse (approximately 9 minutes into the video), she nods to tell me that we have lost her to this world. You will see me mouth the words, "she's gone." The girls never knew that she had just been greeted by the King of Kings. I needed to keep up a strong face for the kids, but I was crushed. I ask them if they know where she really is and then ask what she might be doing. I kind of do a funny dance for them to picture her dancing, but other than that, I don't make a big deal out of it because I was really worried about their response. I mention all of this so that you can use your judgment in sharing with others who may not be comfortable with the situation.
At the end of the video, you will see us sitting by her casket as a family. Sarah Kate is ripping off the band-aids to signify that she is healed; and praise God, we believe she is.
"For in our suffering, not apart from it, Jesus enters our
sadness, takes us by the hand,
pulls us gently up to stand, and invites us to dance.
We find the way to pray, as the psalmist did,
"You have turned my mourning into dancing" (Ps 30:11),
because at the center of our grief
we can find the grace of God."
(excerpt from Henri Nouwen's "Turn My Mourning Into Dancing")
With more love than I can express,
Angie,

Now CLICK HERE to meet Audrey Caroline. And please keep Angie, Todd and their three girls in your prayers today (Audrey's 1st birthday) and throughout the week.

Guess where B & I are going?!

This Saturday. Oh boy! Pray for me :o)

"Not Me!" Monday ~ Stellan Style

As most of you know, "Not me! Monday" was started by my dear (blog) friend MckMama as a chance for us all to prove that we're not afraid to admit our imperfections. This week's "Not me! Monday" is in honor of MckMama's sweet baby Stellan who has been in the hospital for the last week battling SVT. We love you, Stellan!

As for me, I did not check MckMama's blog at least 35 times a day for the last 8 days. (I would just like to add that I still managed to care for my son and cook dinner in between all of my blog checking!) I did not take an unplanned hiatus from my own blog due to all of the time I was spending on following MckMama's blog and thinking of and praying for baby Stellan.

I did not have to explain to my Facebook friends that I don't actually know Stellan (or his cool mom) in real life after I requested prayer for the cute little dude.

I did not have to think hard about things to "tweet" because I found myself only wanting to type "thinking of/praying for Stellan".

I did not find myself checking MckMama's blog for any updates on Stellan at 4:30 am (before getting ready for work) because I didn't want to wait until 7:00 am (when I arrive at work) to see how he is doing.

I did not have more than three phone conversations with my sister regarding Stellan and whether or not one of us had read the latest post on MckMama's blog.

*** Please, please keep praying for dear baby Stellan and his family. ***

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)

That's Just Really Sad!

You know what's really sad? The fact that I have not updated my blog since March 8th! That's 20 days ago. Do you know what is even sadder? The fact that after 20 days, I can't think of anything interesting to blog about! Things have been pretty status quo around here, not that I am complaining. It just makes for a boring blog! Nana did take pictures of B last week, so I will be sure to upload those on Monday. In the mean time, I'm just going to continue to pray for these sweet angels: Stellan, Gabe, Seth, and so on!

Good boy?!

Houston, we have a miscommunication! For some reason, Brennan confuses being a good boy, with being a big boy. I don't know why. A couple months ago I told Brennan that if he was a good boy while I shopped I would let him have some Pez when we reached the checkout. He proceeded to tell me "I'm a big boy!". No son, good boy not big boy! 

Well, tonight while eating dinner he made a little mess with his shredded cheese. He started flipping out because, fortunately for me, he likes things to be tidy while he eats. He wanted me to clean it for him and I said "No, you can do it. You're a big boy." To which he replied (with a sad, serious look) "No Momma, I'm not a good boy. I'm just little". 

That's my boy!

Ever had one of those weeks?

You know, the kind where you feel like all you do is spend time doing laundry and scrubbing things with bleach and yet somehow your house is still a disaster? Yeah, me either :o) 

Oh wait, that sounds a lot like me this past week! Poor B spent the better part of this past week throwing up, taking baths, and laying on the couch. I'm fairly certain I did 5 loads of laundry on Wednesday alone just to wash his soiled clothes & blankets, oh, and don't forget the bath mat (which, by the way, had already been washed on Sunday when B's friend had an "accident"!). 

Poor B has a double ear infection and I'm not a doctor but it would appear he has some type of stomach virus on top of it. Just when I think he's feeling better, he gets that "leave me alone and let me lay on the couch with my bucket" look in his eyes. Poor thing. He only weighs 25.3 lbs fully clothed (per the ER scale on Wednesday night). I'm pretty sure that his 6-month old cousin Jonathan is going to out weigh him soon (if not already!). 

Needless to say, I've been reminded this week that I am truly blessed with many things. I'm blessed with a child who is, for the most part, healthy & happy. Who hasn't had to spend the majority of his little life in a hospital bed fighting every day like poor Gabe and Abby. And with a job that provides leave to allow me to stay at home with my sick child, and even let me work from home when he is resting. I have definitely been given more than beyond measure and way more than I deserve. But I guess that's GRACE - God's Riches At Christ's Expense.

Wordless Wednesday (Maybe)

Can you guess who has been fighting a stomach bug since yesterday evening? Poor little bunny!

You've got a friend in me...

B and Abby

Is there anything greater than a good friend? Last night my awesome friend Michelle kept B for us overnight so that my hubby and I could escape for a romantic getaway. Josh and I had planned to go to Ruth's Chris on Saturday (today), but it seemed like everyone we knew had plans which made finding a sitter difficult. But after Michelle happily agreed to keep B for me on Friday night, I got to work planning a little surprise night away for Josh and  I. Michelle picked B up after she got off of work yesterday and I got all dolled up and surprised Josh when he arrived home from work. He was a little shocked at first because he thought we were going out on Saturday night, but he was thrilled to have some stress-free time away from work. 

We checked into an awesome hotel in NW Washington, DC (not far from the White House), and the nice clerk upgraded our room to a king-size corner suite on the 12th floor with gorgeous views of the city. Then we took a taxi to the restaurant. I work in the city, so I'm a little more accustomed to the hustle and bustle. It was fun seeing Josh enjoy his time out of our more rural community. Dinner was amazing! It was so refreshing to have a meal without saying "Sit in your chair...Eat your dinner...Ssshhhh! People are trying to eat!". 

Oh, and did I mention the ten hours of uninterrupted sleep we got last night?! 

It was a little chilly in the city this morning, but that didn't stop us from taking a stroll just to see the sights and enjoy each other's company. We definitely needed some time away just to regroup. 

As for my super-cool friend Michelle, she happened to have a surprise party to attend this evening for her grandfather, so I happily agreed to keep her youngest daughter Abby for the night. (And I was worried how I would be able to repay her for keeping B for me so I could whisk Josh away for a romantic getaway!!)

Happy 3rd Birthday, Brennan!

I can't believe that it has been 3 whole years since I brought my precious little guy into the world. He didn't come willingly, he fought the whole way, and he's been a fighter ever since! Always aware and curious of what is going on around him and always looking for adventure. My mom used to joke that she would be amazed if my younger brother (Uncle B, Brennan's namesake) made it to school age. Now I think I understand what she meant :o) I don't know what I was expecting when we named B after Josh and my brother - both are quite the adrenaline junkies! 

Brennan has a smile and a personality that can light up a room. He never ceases to teach me new things, mostly patience :o) He is very mechanically inclined and always on the move. He started walking at 10 months and hasn't stopped since. He could climb out of his crib before his first birthday and would move toys/step stools to open doors and reach things on countertops by the time he was two. Now, at three, he knows how to use a screw driver; takes batteries out of EVERY electronic controller/remote/device we own; can unlock doors; he can ride a scooter; jumps off of our 2 1/2 foot deck; etc.

I could ramble on and on, but in short - I love my baby big boy and I feel so blessed that God chose Josh and I to be his parents. 

Happy Birthday, Brennan! 

Photos from the Poconos!

Finally! I finally got around to uploading the pictures that we took last week while we were on our little retreat to the Poconos. We had a lot of fun on our trip. Brennan did not really enjoying skiing, but he definitely loved seeing all of the snow and liked the change of scenery. We did a lot of swimming in the indoor pools - I think that was B's favorite part of the trip. Here is a few of my favorite pictures:

Trying to ski with Daddy.

Enjoying the heated pool. Fun at the Crayola Factory (where I did not lose him!).

"Not me!" Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I don't care what anyone tells you, I did not lose my son for about 8 minutes in the Crayola Factory while we were vacationing last week. I would never allow such a thing to happen, especially when there was a 2:1 ratio of adults vs. child. Upon finding him unharmed and completely oblivious that there was two adults frantically searching for him, I did not grab him by the arm and threaten him within an inch of his life scold him for running away.

I am not now sitting here wondering what in world I would do if I had two kids to keep track of!

My brother-in-law may say otherwise, but I did not fall twice just getting to the ski lift and off of the ski lift at the bunny slope while visiting Shawnee Mountain. I was not embarrassed to watch five-year-olds conquer the lift (and bunny slope!) with style and grace!

I did not post a "Wordless Wednesday" post on Tuesday last week because I honestly thought that it was Wednesday. I just wanted to see if my readers were paying attention!

How about you - anything you care to admit?

You might be a mom if...

You totally get your days confused, and you don't realize it until the end of the day :o)

Not-So-Wordless Wednesday :o)

Catching snowflakes (that are so tiny you can't see them!)

Climbing on the deck (see, there's a snowflake!!!)

mmm! Thanks for the candy necklace, Uncle B! (I wonder why he never eats dinner?!)

Out for the count!

ABC's of B

I just realized that B's "birth month" is upon me. My baby will turn 3 years old in just a few short weeks :o( In some ways it seems like the last three years have flown by, but in other ways, it seems like he has always been a part of our life. I can't really remember life before him. I'll save the mushy stuff for his birthday post though. For now, I thought it would be fun to have some fun with his name. Can you tell I have some free time on my hands while we wait for him to wake up from his nap?!

B - Bold

R - Radiant smile

E - Energetic, to say the least

N - Nana's boy

N - No fear

A - Awesome kid

N - Ninja Turtle lover

J - Josh's son

A - ALL boy

M - Momma's baby

E - Excellent ball thrower

S - Scooter rider

Laughter Lives Tuesday

This post is part of "Laughter Lives! Tuesday" on the Riggs Family Blog. Check our their blog to read everyone else's "Laughter Lives!" posts.

"I love you back."
One day, while enjoying some snuggle time and a book together, Brennan turned to me and said, "I love you, Momma". To which I replied, "I love you back". Several days later I said, "I love you B.", and he quickly turned to me with his charming little smile and bright blue eyes and said, "I love you back". It's "our thing" now :o)

Squeeze three times...
Way back when, before we were married, Josh told me that when he was a little boy he and his dad would say "I love you" by either 3 hand squeezes or 3 taps, etc. One squeeze for "I", one for "love" and one for "you". After he shared that story, we were holding hands in the car and he squeezed my hand 3 times. It's been "our thing" ever since!

"Not me!" Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

As for me, I did not spend nearly all of yesterday (minus 2 hours to go to church) in my pajamas. That would just be really lazy.

B did not drop a deuce (or "have a bowel movement" for you medically correct people) in his pants while waiting for his Daddy to turn the bathroom light on for him. Even if he had, he would never try to fix the problem on his own resulting in poo falling onto the bathroom floor. My husband did not proceed to step in said poo while walking into the bathroom to turn on the light. I did not have to get out of my warm, comfy bed in the middle of the night to scrub poo out of the tile grout with an old toothbrush. Not me!

I did not just write about poo on my blog - that's just gross!

My husband did not tell me at 6:30 am today that he plans to take me, B, my brother and my brother's girlfriend skiing for a few days next week. He knows that I am a planner and telling me the week before does not count as "planning ahead". I am not secretly really excited :o)


I did not allow my son to watch 3 episodes of Zoboomafoo in a row yesterday because it was making him laugh big belly laughs.

How about you -- anything you care to admit?

Mr. Fix-it

B "fixing" the fireplace - just like Daddy! (Ignore the mess, B had a friend visiting with him today so they pulled out almost every toy we own!)

"Not Me!" Monday

That's right, folks! It's time for another edition of "Not me!" Monday. Be sure to check out MckMama's blog for tons of other moms who are not afraid to be brutally honest.

I most certainly did not make a special trip to CVS specifically to buy toilet paper and leave with only water colors for B, a free tube of toothpaste (gotta love those Extra Care Bucks!), and a pack of orange tic tacs. I do not have the advanced stages of "mommy brain" in which I would forget my head if it wasn't attached. This definitely was not the second time I had forgotten to buy toilet paper in one week. Who needs toilet paper anyway?! (I would like to extend a special shout out to my mom, Nana, for giving me two rolls of toilet paper!!)

I did not go on a date with my hubby to a cool new restaurant near our house where we proceeded to order flambe and apple pie desserts as our entrees. We did not justify this by saying it was alright since our son wasn't with us to witness us eating dessert for dinner and we had eaten a crab dip appetizer which is kind of like real food :o)

Speaking of, I did not just steal a nibble (or more) of my husband's crab dip while he went outside to take a phone call!

And despite what you may have heard, I did not drive through a shopping center last night and forget to turn my head lights on. My mind is as sharp as a tack!

So sharp, in fact, that I did not forget to bring home the two dozen fresh eggs that a friend picked up for me at the Amish farm -- 3 times! You read that correctly, I did not leave them in the fridge at my mom's house on Thursday, Friday, and last night when I visited. 

Wordless Wednesday #3

Brennan-isms

Momma: "B, when did you get so big?"

B: (Shrugs) "Friday morning." (Walks away)

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Momma: "I love you, B!"

B: "I love you back." 

Momma: (Heart melts and she forgets all about the 36 hours it took to bring him into the world!)

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Momma: "B, hold my hand so we can cross the street."

B: (Quickly shoves hands in pockets) "I can't, my hands are full." (Shrugs)

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Momma: "B, check out this (free) toy I got you at work today. Do you like it?"

B: "It makes me 'ha-hee' (happy)."

Momma: (Heart melts and she forgets about the major tantrum he threw in Wal-Mart last week!)

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Momma: (Bends down for 2 seconds to pick something up off the floor)

B: (Quickly jumps on Momma's back) "Horsey ride. Horsey ride. Give me a horsey ride!"

Momma: (sighs....then gives in!)

B: "Wee-haa"

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Momma: "Pops had to get a shot today, ask him if he cried."

B: (shrugs) "He din't cry, he big boy." 

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B: "Momma, I want pez."

Momma: "If you're a good boy while Momma finishes her shopping then I'll get you a pez."

B: (semi-loud and a tad annoyed) "I'm a big boy!"

Momma: "Good boy, not big boy"

"Not Me!" Monday

Be sure to check out MckMama's blog for more updates from moms who aren't afraid to be brutally honest. Here is my free therapy for the week:

I did not neglect to post my "Not Me's" last week out of sheer laziness. And even if I did, I am definitely not going to combine a couple weeks worth of happenings into this post.

My nearly three-year old son did not try to "eat my tummy" (breastfeed) after my niece told him that is what her baby brother was doing to her mommy. I was not a little mortified by the fact my grandparents, mother, sister, and brother-in-law were all in the room at the time.

I did not find myself negotiating with my son in the middle of Wal-Mart just to get him to try on a pair of shoes. I would never give into such disobedience by trying to bribe my child, he will listen or be spanked -- the way I swore these type of instances would be handled before I actually became a mother (you know, when I knew everything!).

I did not eat raw break-and-bake cookie dough straight from the fridge one evening when I wasn't even baking the cookies. I did not do it the follow evening either...

I was not asked for the fifth time if I am pregnant by the same person. Ya think any hints are being dropped?! Speaking of, my son did not announce to his father and I that he wants "a 'Wosie' yike Caillou" (or A Rosie like Caillou -- meaning a baby sister) this past Saturday. I am not now wondering how to lose the baby weight from my nearly three-year old "baby" before trying to conceive a "Wosie"!

Anything you care to admit???

Family Fun Night

I didn't have a camera (story of my life!), but here's a cell phone shot of B and his Daddy enjoying our family fun night at a local go-kart/jumpy place. 

It's a really fun place filled with inflatable contraptions, arcade games, a go-kart track, etc. Let's just say it's the perfect place to take a hyperactive toddler who is starting to get cabin fever in mid-winter. He had a ton of fun bouncing around and riding shotgun in the go-karts. Here's hoping for a good night's sleep!