Getting Ready for BABY

Georgetown Hospital offers a 'big sibling' class!

Ainsley got to learn:

- swaddling

- diapering

- how to hold the baby

- where mommy and baby will be

- what she can bring to the hospital when she visits

tour!

2 weeks to go??? excited? (vid taken a couple of weeks ago)

Waiting for Baby Daybook

Outside My Window...
What a glorious day!  70's, sunny, breezy, and leaves changing color.  Glad we got out in it today at Hains Point Park near the water to throw the frisbee for Jake-pup and run around.

I am thankful for...
Pregnancy.  It's an amazing, glorious, happy thing!  So grateful I get to experience this!

I am thinking about...
being ready for the arrival of our wee one.  Our lives are about to CHANGE. Forever.  Our idea of family. Our day-to-day rhythms.  Our hearts.  Our minds.  Are we ready for this??

Learning all the time...
Me - learning how to let go.

Ains - she's really into learning letters and asking a ba-jillion questions about the world.  Really, she doesn't stop talking.  EVER.

From the kitchen...
Tried some chocolate chip muffins this morning.  Is it wrong that they are already half-disappeared? And pancakes.  And pork-bacon sausage.  Tonight? Ains and my favorite: steamed clams with bread and butter!  (In a few weeks I can have wine with it!)

I am creating...
little pockets of space for baby stuff - and getting rid of piles, piles, piles.

oh. and a baby, of course! (a very kicky one at that!)

I am working on...
breathing. calming. and trying not to worry too much about delivery and recovery.

I am going...
to work only 3... THREE... more days.   Baby is near!

I am hoping...
to cross a few more things off my 'list' before baby arrives.  Scrub walls? Vacuum the dust out of the laundry area? Clean the desk area again? Declutter big sister's room?

I am reading...
50 Shades.... a deliciously devilish read that all my friends already burned through this summer.

I am praying for...
a strong, healthy, happy baby girl with a smooth arrival into this world.

I am hearing...
The Little Mermaid - Ainsley's latest obsession

Around the house...
pretty clean, actually! Gotta love nesting.

One of my favorite things...
cold washcloths draped over my tired, achy feet at night.  And a good foot-massage from Jasper!

A few plans for the rest of the week... 
- wrap things up at school for my replacement teacher
- 'the list'
- go to bed early and put my feet up often

Picture thoughts I'm sharing with you...

37 weeks! Can you tell Baby dropped?

Preschooler With a Camera

This is what I found on my phone when a certain pre-schooler figured out the 'flip the camera' feature to take pictures of herself while mom made dinner.  NICE.

More Fun with Dad

Dad and ABear played at the park near the White House - also right next to Dad's work! :) What fun!

First Ball Game

Father-Daughter Day!

Dad took ABear to the National's Stadium for her first baseball game.  Boy, was she excited!!  She lasted for hours, coming home late and talking a mile a minute about the 'funny heads'. :)

cooling off with a fan - guess it was a bit hot!

I think this will be the first of many!

playdates

Putting on a *SHOW* with Ian

a real actor in the making!

upstaging - watch out!

At Marie's Farm!

she wants her own farm now, and asks why we don't live on one

She fed carrots to the horses with Marie's help!

Another date with D-man!

check out the DAWG gear on this little man

Does a playdate with mom and dad at Yards Park count? :)

3 princesses - all dressed up 

Ains is happy to be going to school with these neighborhood friends now!

Play Date at the County Fair! 

(we met up with sweet Molly)

 pregnant momma's favorite part?  the FOOD!  funnel cakes? check.  corn dog? check.  cotton candy? check. ice cream? check. nachos? check. Dang, I love being pregnant. :)

can't take the 'FERNDALE' out of the girl. ;) 

these chickens were SO LOUD!

mom and ains on carousel

She wanted to do this "ride" all by herself.  Mom and dad were breathless and proud!

 Dad won this GIGANTIC pink gorilla for A-Bear by shooting hoops.  Way to go, dad! You still got it!  (of course, then he had to carry it around for the rest of the day! hahahaha)

There's that sweet Molly!