Want to follow my 'new' blog? Send me an email and I'll give you the link.  I'm giving myspace a break - I don't like it as well as blogger.  I'd love to keep in touch with you, though - so send me an email and if I think it's appropriate, I'll give you the inside scoop to the blog that I update regularly!

Until then...  enjoy pictures from Rich's myspace page :)  There, you can meet Rebecca Lauren, who was born at 10:29am on Thursday!

The cute little ticker on my myspace page says I have 32 days left to go!  In reality, I only have 26 days left to go, because we now have a scheduled C-Section on 9/20!

The baby is healthy and thriving and is expected to make it to term.  According to our sonogram last Tuesday, she's already 6.5 pounds and 19 inches long. Yowza! Babies are expected to grow about .5 pound per week while in utero, and I still have four weeks left to go.  This could be a very big baby!
Then again - those weight guesstimates by sonogram are never accurate.  When we had Julia, the sonographer told us she'd be over 9 pounds, and she came out 7 pounds, 4 ounces.   I guess we'll just have to wait and see!

I've been having contractions a lot lately - mostly the Braxton Hicks kind... the ones that don't hurt but feel really funny.  I have had a few "real" contractions, too - those are uncomfortable but at this point, I can handle uncomfortable - since I understand that my body is just preparing for birth.

The woman's body is so amazing - the things it can do. 
I can't wait until little missy is here to meet you!

Where do I even begin to update this?  Last blog I posted was from the last ultrasound... when we found out that Julia is having a little sister.  So much has happened that I could report on since then, but I don't have it all organized in my brain - so here is some random updating for you:

- Rich turned 30 in June.  I like to announce that, it makes me giggle. I can get away with it, because when I turn 30 in January, I know I'll get it back at me...  but for now, I can still tease him with "Yeah? Well at least I'm still in my 20s!!"

- We had our 6th wedding anniversary in June as well.  It was nice.  Not much of a party to speak of - but that's the way I like things... low key, laid back, and reminiscent.  I love my hubby.

- The baby is kicking!  A LOT!  She seems healthy, and I think she's making this pregnancy relatively easy despite the back and muscle pains that I complain of.

- VBS was a blast. I forgot how much fun it was going to be while we were planning for it.... the prep work is what causes the most stress and anxiety. But, the week of VBS is glorioius....  we really had a blast!

- I strained my back on Thursday, right after the conclusion of VBS.  I think I pulled a muscle in the lumbar region... at least, that's the diagnosis I can give myself given the wise old internet to refer to.  I didn't rush myself to the hospital, because preggo women get back pain a lot and I would have felt silly.  But, I hobbled around on crutches on Thursday night and Friday morning...  I rested a lot, did a lot of hot and cold therapy and it's better. I can now walk around without looking like the hunchback.   But, YOW!  Who knew that I had that high of a pain tolerance?

- Julia is suffering from allergies.  Who isn't, with all this rain, anyway?  I feel like I live in Seattle - it's rained all day, everyday for about a week now.  It's nice because it keeps the temperatures down... 

- The baby's nursery is coming along.  We have installed a cork flooring in there.  I say "we" as if I had anything to do with it.  Rich has to paint some kinda sealer thing over the floor, then he can put the baseboards on and we can finally start moving furniture in there and making it look like a baby room. I think that is going to change a lot of things around here... I will LOVE going in there with Julia and talking about the baby.   Gotta give major kudos to Rich for working hard around here... he keeps up the lawn, painted the nursery, put the floor down, takes care of me with my back pains, entertains Julia, works full time, and also lead an awesome station for VBS this year.  He's like SUPERMAN.  Seriously, I don't know how he does it.

- I'll be 28 weeks along on Wednesday.  That's 7 months, folks.  Can you believe it?   I'm so excited, stressed, nervous, happy, anxious, worried, and everything in between.  It's going quickly!

- I am in serious prayer for those who are working on the FL office space during this time.  I pray for their wisdom, safety, and guidance from above.  But, (secretly), I'm also praying for the job to go quick quick quick! I'd love to have CMT stuff moved in before the baby arrives!  Is that selfish?

- Alright, I think I've done enough rambling.  Thanks for reading!

    I had no idea what I've done to myself this Summer until I sat down and wrote a paragraph about it.  I'm learning a lot - and next Summer is going to be VERY different.  It's not a healthy predicament for me to be in, especially pregnant, but at least I can recognize it now and will be able to avoid it in years ahead.

Here's what the paragraph said:
Pretty crazy, right?  So, if you're reading this and wondering why I haven't been keeping in touch with you, or why I haven't called you lately, or why I seem so frazzled... please forgive me.  I'm not making excuses - I'm confessing my faults. :)  That's always fun, right?!

   She said I have to do this, so here are 10 random things you might or might not already know about me:

Okay, well now I'm supposed to tag ten people to do this.  But, I'm going to rebel and just say that if you wanna do this, too - go ahead!

Julia got a new sandbox, full of the beautiful white beach play sand.  She has sandbox toys and the box is under the deck - a place that is shaded for most of the day.  Everything about the sandbox is wonderful... it's a perfect place for me to sit with a book or the laptop while she enjoys exploring her world through building, sculpting and pouring.  There's only ONE problem with the sandbox:
Julia once saw a roley poley bug on the lid.
For some reason, Juila is terrified of bugs all the sudden.  She gets scared and runs away!  Now, she won't go in her sandbox at all.  It's really quite cute, and I know that this paranoid phase will soon pass so that she can enjoy toddlerhood before she becomes a full grown kiddo.
I was lucky enough to catch a couple pictures of her playing in her sandbox before she freaked out ...  Such a girlie girl!

For memories, I thought I'd jot down some recent anecdotal records for Julia.
- Julia is very particular about bedtime.  She'll go down without a fight - if everything is done correctly.  First, pajamas. Then, teeth brushed.  Third, story. Fourth, lights and covers.  Lastly, a quiet song or laying down with her.  Always, though - I have to hold her hand.  I can let go of it moments later ... but she always says "hold hand! hold hand!" and we have to hold hands for a few moments before I can leave the room.  This 20 minute routine is the VERY BEST part of my day, everyday. 

- Julia is finally starting to display some characteristics of the "terrible twos."  She loves NO! and LEAVE ME ALONE! ... both of which, I adoringly find humerous.  I'm glad to see her coming out of her insecurities and starting to step up for herself and take a bit more control.  But, Julia - let's not go overboard, okay?

- Bribery often consists of chocolate or babydolls.  They are equal in currency and both very effective tools for bribery.

- Julia has been fully potty trained for a month now, save the random 'accidents' that happen when we forget to remind her to go.  Today, it happened in a restaurant - I hate when that happens.

- Julia recognizes Jesus.  She'll find pictures of him in magazines or on walls and point him out to us.  We love this.  We are also glad that her label of Him has moved from "sweet little baby Jesus" to just "that's Jesus!"   She also points out the sheep or lamb that are often pictured next to him.  I love this about her.  Likewise, any book that has bible stories in it, she immediately recongizes as a Bible.

- Jula is into cleaning.  Someday, she'll get good at it.  Right now, she loves to find a baby wipe and start wiping down doors and counters. I find this adorable.  She even loves to clean the toys that her friends bring over ... she wipes them down before they pack them up to take them home.

- There's much more.  When I started this post, I had so many wonderful brag points to share.  But, now - I can't think anymore and I must go find her to give her a big smooch.  :)

    For whatever reason, I'm wuvvin my dog more lately than I have before.  Not that I didn't wuv her before - She's always been a good dog.  But lately, she's been snuggling up with me and wanting to play more.  She's more full of energy lately - maybe it's because I'm spending more time with her?
   At any rate, it's nice to have that companion there.  She's really sweet - and so incredibly forgiving.  I can shut her out for an hour or more having forgotten about her ... and she will come in cuddly or playful - never resentful, as I imagine I would be if the tables were turned.  haha

..remind you of anybody else we know?

    When I left for work today, I didn't realize I'd be spending 10 minutes scraping my windows!  I listened to the weather forecast last night and heard about the 'ice storm' we are to be expecting, but I had no idea there would be an inch of ice on my car when I woke up!  I scraped it off, and then drove the 20 second drive into work...  it would have been much faster for me to walk there ... but I'm glad I didn't as the walk home would have been miserable.

Half hour after I got to work, one of my students was getting dropped off and her daddy told me about the accident outside.  I guess another mom had fallen and broke her ankle on her way in this morning.  My class and I were watching the firetruck, emergency response vehicle, and the ambulance tend to her for about 20 minutes.  She was transported away and her ankle was pretty bad, from what I heard.
I'm praying for her - who knew it was that slick... Freezing rain is so creepy!

On a lighter note, I started my first fire today!!  I'm very persistent and hate to fail at anything... every cold day this year, I've tried to make fire in the fireplace - and every time, I've failed.  Not today - today, I used a lint-filled paper towel roll (per the suggestion of a fella blogger) and I have success!  The home will be nice and warm for hubby bubby when he gets home... awww.

Hey - Weds was my birthday!  Someone (ahem...) told the entire CMT that it was my birthday (or somethin?) cuz everybody sent me a note or a cute e-card. It was awesome. I really enjoyed it... last year I remember having felt forgotten.  I'm totally loving my church family right now. *Warm Fuzzies*

    I caught Julia doing a series of really cute things today... but I couldn't take any pictures because our camera batteries are only lasting 2 seconds or so.
She was following the dog around, copying everything the dog was doing.
Daisy sprawled out on a quilt on the floor (one that Julia had previously placed there for her baby dolls to "take a nap") and Juila went to join Daisy, sprawling out just as Daisy was.  Daisy, of course, wanted her peace and quiet, so she moved to a new location. 
I found Juila sitting on the top step right next to Daisy.
Then, she was laying on couch pillows just as Daisy was.
She followed Daisy into the kitchen, sniffing under the table (yes, Julia was sniffing, too).
Moments later, both were downstairs by Daisy's food dish - daisy was munching and Julia was just standing there, looking sad.  I said "Juila? What's wrong?" She said, "I want Daisy to play!"

I really need to get the camera batteries charged! It was adorable.  I'm glad they're becoming friends.