Weekend #7

Weekend number seven was so fun in a super laid back, low key kind of way. Again, with the great weather getting us out of the apartment...we have been so lucky!

Saturday started as most of our weekends lately do, with a little trip to Home Depot. We purchased our back splash tile and headed to Target. I know, can this day get any more exciting you're asking yourself. It did.

We headed over to a friend's house and just hung out! They had the pool out and canopy for shade and treats and drinks and it was a perfect backyard afternoon. And they had a basement full of boy toys that seemed quite foreign to us...but Emmie took to Parker's tools, Lego's and drums just fine. We need to start getting used to these things!

Sunday it was off to Gram's for breakfast, followed by a nap, followed by a trip to Grand Forks. We had to pick up our very last light and they just so happened to have it in Grand Forks...which also happens to have friends and the Red Pepper.

So we stopped by the Deere's to hang out for a bit and play. Again, just a low key afternoon that was so fun! Olivia was busy being Miss Social with the neighborhood girls and Emmie was more than happy to play with Isaac and all of his fun toys while moms visited and Andy ran errands.

Side note: let's talk about this neighborhood. It got me so so excited for ours. And hopeful. Liz and Josh had neighborhood friends over the night before for a BBQ with all the kids running about. While we were there, Olivia ran through with a little friend and then a neighbor mom and baby just bopped in for a minute. And it looked so fun! In our previous neighborhood we didn't really get to know anyone. So I'm hoping the new neighborhood will be like this; friends for the little ones, friends for the big ones, just hanging out, being all neighbory.

They've changed a bit since we took photos last year! 

 

 

And then we hit up the Red Pepper of course. It was Emmie's first experience. I was proud. She only had a hot dog, but still...

 

And did I mention how amazeballs Emmie was the entire weekend!? I guess she likes laid back and low key too. There was a mini meltdown leaving Target, but that was it, for the whole weekend. We were ultra prepared this time in the car: snacks for a football team and Elmo on repeat. But she was seriously awesome...and only yelled Owwie a couple times.

Oh, she's good.

In a totally naughty way.

I forgot to mention this super fun thing that Emmie started doing.

Saying the word Owwwwie!

The super fun part....she's started saying it in public, basically as a way to get anything she wants.

As in, no I don't want to hold your hand in a parking lot, so I'll yell Owwwie. Omigod. Everyone's looking, we swear, we're not hurting her!

As in, no I don't want to be strapped in the cart or even sit in the cart, so I'll yell Owwwwie. Again, ohmahgawd, we are not hurting her, we promise! People, mind your own business.

Andy and I just stood there looking at eachother like whathehelldowedowiththis?!

And so we left.

Phase over yet? God I hope so!

3rd Trimester

For real?

How am I two thirds the way done?  That means there is one third left! Yikes. And exciting. But yikes again. I feel like I need to make a list. I'm not sure what the list is going to be about...but it feels right.

I have an appointment tomorrow where I close one eye and pretend not to look at the scale and drink the orange drink and cross my fingers that twizzlers are still on the diet the following day.  Baby Dos is super active, especially in the evening. I'm feeling good in general, but definitely feeling big. Andy has been on bedtime detail for a while now, because rocking and reading is not comfortable for either of us right now.

And for those who like to compare:

The bump and our new brick.

28 weeks with Emmie.

Weekend #6

Another awesome weather weekend in Fargo and I can't believe it's the middle of August.  I also can't believe school starts next week. And I really can't believe that I still use school starting as a point of reference. Perhaps it's because of my teacher friends or the many college kids I work with...but I still want to get new school clothes and buy some notebooks.

Anyways...

This weekend we visited The Children's Museum at Yunker Farm. I'm thinking Emmie will be much more interested in a few years. It was just alright...but she did really like the music area. What kid wouldn't want to beat on a drum as loud as they could without anyone telling them no?

playing the piano.

getting her drums on

train ride with dad

Saturday night we hired a babysitter for a crazy night on the town. Crazy night on the town meaning Lowe's, Home Depot and Menards all in one night. I know, crazy.  We did get almost all of our lighting choices made and stopped by Kobe's for some delish dinner. Yes. We were home by 9. 

The zoo. The real story.

Did you think that Saturday at the zoo post looked like perfection? The happy little family just enjoying the whole day.

Do you seriously believe everything you read on the internet?

Funny how you can decide exactly what you want to post….

The real story goes a little more like this:

Emmie woke up at about 6:30 on Saturday morning…full of piss and vinegar. I don’t know exactly what this saying mean*, but I think you get the gist. Nothing was right in her world. She didn’t eat breakfast and threw everything on the floor (damn I miss that dog sometimes), her shoes weren't right and her pony wasn't right. Against our better judgment, we decided to go to the zoo anyways.

Emmie plays a new fun game called car seat killmenow aka try and wrestle me into that car seat you suckers, good luck.

And then the crying started. And the whining. And the holy shit fits because her sock was wrong, then her shoe was wrong, the goldfish weren't helping and then mommy was threatening to jump out of the moving car on interstate. I was really regretting the decision not to pack the Elmo DVD. Ugh. Parentfail.

She fell asleep for about 4.5 minutes and it started up again. I’ve never been so excited to see the Wahpeton exit in all my life.

The zoo was actually fine. She hung out in her stroller, had some snacks and that was about it.

We thought we were going to win the battle home when we decided to turn her car seat forward facing. Nope.  It just made the crying and whining louder. Awesome.

And then, she finally fell asleep. About 10 minutes out of Fargo of course…so that the second we pulled in, she woke up. For good. Oh for funsies, a ten minute nap for the day.

This is also real life. Is it the monkey or my kid? And why is my husband taking a picture?



 *Of course I checked Urban Dictionary:

Full of piss and vinegar. Used to describe someone who is agitated or hostile, similar to being "fired up".

Weekend #5

We headed South this past weekend...roughly an hour south anyways...to the Chahinkapa Zoo in Wahpeton. No offense to the Fargo zoo, but seriously? We didn't even get to the bathroom and we'd already seen two tigers, an orangutan, and sea otters.

And, it was a marvelous day. Not hot at all and just right for wandering the zoo.

Emmie was a little scared of the monkeys, they were all up in your business and wanted to put on a show.

Again with the eyes, this cougar looks like she's trying to steal my soul. I assume it's a she because all cougars are right?

Emmie and brother perched on the fence.

The rest of the weekend we spent visiting our granite (just to make sure we still liked it), contemplating our flooring choices and paint colors,  playing at the park, and visiting new baby Declan and the rest of the fam.

kids' rooms

Dad and daughter in Emmie's room.

Omigod, do you see those trees!? We're pretty excited about that...considering we had no trees at the old house. Emmie was just pissed she couldn't run around and play with nails.

Mama and Baby Dos in the nursery.

His view isn't quite as great, but he told me he's okay with it.

Seriously? No napkins?

So, you know how I go on about Noodles & Company and their kid friendly environment and yummy mac'n'cheese and fun organic milk. Well, Noodles & Co. we're officially in a fight.

Andy went golfing with the boys after work, so I met Alissa for a quick little dinner with the Miss.

We were standing in line and Emmie does one of those super quick jabs to the nose. Like, somehow in the blink of an eye she shoved her entire little finger up MY nose. Ouch. And then I did the quick hand up, God my nose feels like it's bleeding but I'm sure it's not....ohshityesitis.

Like a lot.

As I'm trying to pull my shit together and not scare Emmie, who is at this point just rubbing my back as I'm crouching in line trying not to get blood on my white shirt, Alissa is scurrying around the whole place trying to locate a freaking napkin...and I've got Cashiery McGee just watching this gong show ensue. And guess what, Noodles & Company does not have NAPKINS available anywhere but in rolled form behind the counter. Great. Super freaking helpful.

Thankfully I remembered the wipes in my purse and was at least able to make my way to the bathroom. LOCKED. Seriously, one stall bathroom. Eff.

So yeah, that was a super fun ten minutes. Sorry Alissa, if you're eternally busy for dinner dates in the future, I totally understand.

Weekend #4

You know it's going to be a good weekend when it starts Thursday afternoon. I took off early from work and jumped in the car with my gal pals for a much needed shopping trip to the cities.

We.did.damage. By Friday afternoon the credit card company had called to verify my account activity. Now that's funny.  Honestly, I didn't go that crazy, but there were a few random house things that must've set off some alarms. Lighting for above the island and a couple rooms, a kitchen sink...you know, the usual stuff.

Here is a look at the vehicle on the way home.  That's me in the back seat of an SUV surrounded by all our new friends.

Who needs to see out windows? Not us.

Baby boy got his first Sioux outfit and Puma tracksuit...and some vintagey flashcards that might just be inspiration enough for his room. (Sad that I was knee deep in Emmie's room at this time and poor Baby Dos doesn't even have a room!) And Emmie....well she got what she's been asking for forever...oh, is that my voice not hers?

Ohmahgah. Skinny baby Joes. Redemption from the last shopping trip and they were out of her size.





What did Dad and Emmie do while mom was out shopping? Who cares?! I got to pee without an audience for two whole days! They visited Tucker!

Not dead. Just Tucker being Tucker.

And Sunday it was family fun day at the zoo. Finally not a million degrees out, we took the kiddo to see the animals. She wasn't so much interested...though I was kinda scared of the goats myself. Fiesty little jerks they are.

I mean, just look at his eyes. Is this not a crazy, angry lookin' goat?



I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed.

The house decisions are piling up…and I like to take my time…and time is not what I have. 

Don’t get me wrong, we choose to build because I love making decisions like this (can you believe we're 31 and this is the 3rd house we've built?!), I just thought I would have a little more time. Cue Jesse Spano classic line from Saved by the Bell…there’s never any time!!

We’ve been making selections like crazy people and I’m afraid this house is just going to be a random compilation of choices, rather than a nice flowy design.  It’s funny too, I have always had a mental image of what I expect the house will look like (very modern, sleek, dark color palette)….and then all of a sudden, it heads in a different direction…and I just have to go with it and hope that it all looks good in the end (a much more beachy, cottagey, lighter feel).

I hit my breaking point last Thursday when the oil rubbed bronze versus brushed nickel drawer handles and light fixtures debate was all consuming to my baby brain. (I’m still on the fence and while everyone says I can mix and match and I’ve seen them mixed, it just doesn’t add up in my head.) And then Friday morning we had our electrical walk through, really, did I care where my outlets were being placed if I couldn’t even figure out a light fixture to go with them?

Still reeling from my mental breakdown, I hopped out of the car and walked up to the house…on the most gorgeous of summer mornings. The humidity had finally given way to a breathable air, not a cloud in the sky, and the most perfect of temperatures.

And suddenly, all was right again.

To see the house, coming right along, the row of trees swaying perfectly behind our house in the crisp summery air, well, I realized it is worth it. 

As always, I had gotten caught up in the little things and forgot about the big picture.

So as I move forward in the decision making process, I will try to keep this all in mind. If the light fixture ends up being not quite right, it is still quite replaceable and while the flooring and counters may not be as easily replaced, I’m sure they will end up being covered in toys and bottle parts and crumbs and last night’s dinner and they will be perfect.