Back to the Grind

It is amazing how fast 4 days flies by when you have a 1 year old! I was so looking forward to having 4 days off from work. I had all these plans to get my house cleaned down to the floor boards, get my Christmas decorations up, make Christmas cards, etc... but it just doesn't work out that way with a child! Not that I'm complaining - we had a blast spending time as a family- but man, things change when kids enter the picture :)

And from Wednesday's 15 month checkup:

Ali weighs 28lbs 14.5oz- 99th percentile :)

Ali is 33 inches tall- 90th percentile for height

And the doctor was super impressed with all her words- and oh yes she told her almost all of them non-stop the entire appointment!

Dr. P said Ali is perfect and so cute and she asked to give her kisses, which of course I let her!

So to the old man who said "My, she's a husky one, eh?" in Cabela's yesterday- she's a big girl for her age, and she's smart and happy and cute! So shove it!

Snow!

It snowed over the weekend (don't worry, it's all melted now).. and Ali had her first official romp in the snow. She had a blast, and absolutely loved it- which made me excited for the winter season... normally I'm not a big snow person, but seeing the winter weather through a child's eyes sure changes your perspective.

Needless to say, Ali had a blast and cried when I was too freezing to be outside anymore and we had to go back in. I was bummed when it all melted the next day, as I can't wait to use her red wagon that Gramma got her last Christmas And not to worry- we live in North Idaho- snow is inevitable :)

On Sunday evening, we went to my parents house for pizza and to take the Gabourie Family Picture for my parents' Christmas card.

My family is just lovely- I can't think of a better word to describe them. I love and cherish each of them so very much. I am so thankful that they live only 7 minutes from us and that we can spend as much (or as little) time together as we want. My family is awesome- Griff and I had a wonderful upbringing, and I am so glad to share that part of me with KK and Ali.. and baby on the way! Ali just loves Grammie and Papa, we have so much fun with them. The way my parents and brother love KK also makes me so thankful for them- it's just a big, happy fam-dam!

This weekend we are heading downtown for the annual Holiday Parade and tree lighting. My dad also rented a room at the Coeur d Alene Resort, so we get to spend the holiday weekend on a mini-vacation! I'm so excited to just "get away", relax, spend time with my family, and celebrate the holiday season! KK's birthday is Friday, it will be great to celebrate it that way! He's also got a Thanksgiving Basketball Tourney, so we will be action-filled and super fun! Can't wait!

Apparently I only post on Thursdays

Ali is so stinking full of life these days... I captured her at her finest the other night. She does not like to wear clothes anymore, and even though it is currently only around 30 degrees outside at night in North Idaho- she doesn't mind at all! As long as she's got her Elmo slippers on!




And just for fun- here's a picture of me at 15 weeks- I took it myself this morning, so it isn't the BEST picture ever- my bangs are terrible! And I went to work like that!
Anyway... the baby belly has definitely made itself known to the outside world! (Still not in maternity clothes yet- I'm hangin on by a thread!)


I'm thinking it's another girl- not for any "motherly intuitive " reason.. mostly just because we are hoping for a boy- and God is funny like that! Poor KK is going to have to get used to a houseful of women! (My theory will be proven right come Dec. 21- that's our 20 week ultrasound!)
Anybody else want to make a guess? You've got a 50/50 chance!

Thoughts for Thursday

• Yesterday us teachers had a workday, so the students did not come to school. May I say, it was awesome! I got so much work done (thank God), plus it was a nice refresher to be away from the little angels for a day!
• A student that I totally had problems with - i.e. he told me to "shut my mouth" one day, on another day he told me to "F*&^ OFF" another day, has checked out of our school and transferred to another- PRAISE GOD! You could not imagine what a breath of fresh air that is for me, and how much easier it makes teaching that class, allowing my full attention to the students who deserve it (did I also mention it is a remedial English class? - yeah, not good).
• Another student (male) has a behavior problem that I am not sure how to control: he passes gas during class time- all the time! I think he does it to be funny, or just does not have any manners... I'm contemplating a call home, just not to sure how to handle that one. 14 year old boys never cease to amaze me!
• My daughter is hilarious- I put a little potty in her bathroom, just to show her it's there, and let her get used to the idea that one day she will go to the bathroom there. Last night, I had her all ready to hop in the bath, and I ran back to her room to get her PJs before putting her in the tub. When I came back to the bathroom, there was Ali, crouched down in front of her potty, holding on to it for leverage- so she could poop on the floor, right in front of the potty! Apparently she has yet to understand the concept of the potty ! hahahaha- gives me a good chuckle every time I think about it!
• This morning, Ali had her baby in her booster chair, and was pointing her finger in the baby's face, giving her the "what for"- not sure where she learned to ream out a person like that from- I'm not a big pointer, I don't think? But from the looks of it, she's sure gonna make a bossy big sister!
• My mother-in-law has found a way to be at our house every night this week. Fabulous. Of course she's just "dropping by" quick- just to drop off something.. yeah, it never works out that way- the woman usually ends up sucking at least 30 minutes of our evening, not like we don't work full time and have 1,000 things to do... not to mention my hubs left this morning for a tournament in Wyoming for the weekend AND had a game last night, so she pretty much sucked all the time we had to be together- lovely. She's on this kick that Ali needs to be wearing chords because they're just "so cute" and she loves her chords (this is coming from the woman who has overalls in every color imaginable). Here's the thing- Ali's chubby thighs make it real hard right now to put her in anything besides stretchy pants and sweats- so the woman is buying Ali boy chords- which equal ugly in my book. My daughter does not need to be running around wearing boy clothes, especially when she has a million other pants that work! GET A LIFE, LADY! cause I'm gonna loose it if you don't leave our family alone!
• I have not gained any weight since my last doctor visit- whoo hoo for me! I'm still wearing non-prego pants with loose tops~ some are tighter than others... but I'm really trying hard this time not to get to chunky.. I have this fear that losing the weight after the 2nd child will not be as easy as it was with the first.. and believe me, I've still got a long way to go to be toned again! HA!
• I can totally tell I've got the emotional pregnant hormones running strong lately- I cried about a cell phone commercial yesterday- and was bawling in tears reading about the Christmas family my 9th graders have adopted this holiday season- and I mean, like sobbing- what is wrong with me?

Phew- and there's my brain thought waves for the morning- glad I got all that out :) Happy Thursday everyone!

November 11, 2009

Thank You to Our Veterans. To those who gave their lives, and those who served, and are serving this country so that I could be free, and raise my daughter in a country where her freedom is not taken for granted. Thank you is not enough to say! Happy Veteran's Day!

Pretty Interesting ...

Introducting Baby #2

Yesterday was my 12 week ultrasound/appointment! I'm actually 13 weeks along.. and they moved my due date to May 8, 2010. Everything went perfect- the baby looks perfect and healthy and so sweet- I can't wait! Seeing this baby on the ultrasound made me so excited for a tiny little bundle to hold and cuddle- not that my 14 month old isn't a sweet lil cuddle bug.. it will just be that much fun to have two babies to squeeze! I'm so looking forward to this meeting this next one- we are so blessed!

15 things that change when you have a Baby

1. You finally stop to smell the roses, because your baby is in your arms.
2. Where you once believed you were fearless, you now find yourself afraid.
3. The sacrifices you thought you made to have a child no longer seem like sacrifices.
4. You respect your body ... finally.
5. You respect your parents and love them in a new way.
6. You find that your baby's pain feels much worse than your own.
7. You believe once again in the things you believed in as a child.
8. You lose touch with the people in your life whom you should have banished years ago.
9. Your heart breaks much more easily.
10. You think of someone else 234,836,178,976 times a day.
11. Every day is a surprise.
12. Bodily functions are no longer repulsive. In fact, they please you. (Hooray for poop!)
13. You look at your baby in the mirror instead of yourself.
14. You become a morning person.
15. Your love becomes limitless, a superhuman power.

How much is that Doggie in the window?

I must update all you Mommies who gave me great advice that I am proud to say that it only took one night of Ali screaming bloody murder- and not being picked up by her mean momma and daddy... and she got it! The kid is back to sleeping through the night- Hallelujah!

And we had so much fun on Halloween- Ali went around with our neighborhood friends and watched them trick or treat from her wagon. She wasn't into going up to any houses, and she totally didn't care! Our housing development is like Trick or Treat Central- there were so many people out that I had to take the wagon on the street because the sidewalks were full! Ali just loved to watch all the kids walk by her in there costumes- she laughed and said HI to everyone, it was a blast! She's such a fun-loving, mellow kid... I'm thanking my lucky stars for her every minute! We also had warmer weather for Halloween night(rare for North Idaho) so we didn't have to worry about bundlin up in jackets... it was a balmy 50 degrees people!

And please excuse the food all over Ali's face (and hanging from her mouth) in her pictures... she has recently taken to NOT smiling for the camera, and not really looking at it without some sort of bribery- stubborn lil thang!

After trick or treating, we went back to our friends' house and Ali helped everyone hand out candy. The highlight of the night was when Elmo and Cookie Monster came to the door- I sooo wish I had brought my camera because Ali was in awe. She just stared at them, mouth hanging wide open, and kept repeating Elmo over and over. From that point on, whenever the doorbell rang, she would run and look for Elmo- priceless!

..switching gears...

Tomorrow we have our 12 week ultrasound- let me just say I cannot wait to see that little bug wigglin around in there- and hearing the heartbeat for the 1st time.. there's nothing in the world like it!

As for MY growth- I'm reaching that in-between clothes stage to the point now where I only have about 4 pairs of pants that fit and I am in to some smaller maternity tops. Maternity pants are waaay too baggy so I'm pretty much screwed on that part. I hate this point of pregnancy- I just want to move forward already... but I'm the unfortunate pregnant lady who just looks chubby - you know, undefined muffin top waist- till I'm about 6 months along. I finally told my students that we were expecting so they wouldn't gossip that Mrs. Knowles is gaining weight at an unquestionable rate! (believe me, it happens- )