Healthy Shopper....Big Belly!

It's so not funny how FAST my belly has grown over the past two weeks! I am officially HUGE everyone....and it's only going to get worse! There have been so many differences between this pregnancy than with Carter, but one thing has remained: I don't really start getting big until about 24 weeks....then I BLOW UP like a BALLOON!!!!!
This is what I looked like around the same time in my pregnancy with Carter.....

And here is my gigantic self now.....though I haven't gained anymore weight than I did with Carter at this point.

Though gaining weight, having weird pains and always feeling tired and full are not fun at all right now....I'm enjoying feeling this little boy kick with more force, roll over in my belly and thinking about what he's going to look like. It's so much fun being pregnant right now because this little guy has his personality showing already!

For those that don't know: we go to the Health Food Store often in our home. Timmy needs his Vegetarian Dog Food, Carter needs his "All-Natural" treats and I of course need my dairy-free treats as well. The best part of this store is that they have these little shopping carts for the kids to use. Carter absolutely LOVES these carts and fills his up with this treats every time. It's so funny to watch because he knows which treats he can have and which ones he can't. When he sees the ones he wants, he acts like a crazy shoppper and just keeps piling them in the cart until I tell him to stop.

When we're through shopping, he proceeds to the check-out counter and puts each item on the "conveyor belt" to be rung up! It's such a fun experience....so funny to see the little in action!

St. Patricks Day, Friends and Spring Fever

I know St. Patrick's Day has past, but we had such a great one this year, I just had to share. My family is Irish, so it's always been a tradition to really get into this holiday. We always have corned beef, (minus the cabbage) and my mom even made us "Lucky Clover" shirts growing up!

My cute sister-in-law had a great idea for St. Patty's Day: A Scavenger Hunt complete with clues from a Leprechan in hopes of finding a treasure! Though I totally get into this stuff, I really just threw it all together that morning. (so don't mind the "creative" colors and prizes!) Carter and Scott were sent around the house following the clues, (they were all places Carter can reach like the bath tub, his dresser drawers, etc.) and when they were done the treasure was a basket filled with goodies! (this pic was taken after Carter went through it!)

Here's my two boys enjoying their new sexy glasses!
Carter and I ended our day at my mom's for some traditional Irish fixins while Scott went to work.

Carter may look a little mad in this pic, but this is how I've found this little boy ever since St. Patty's Day! He absolutely LOVES wearing these glasses! It's only thing he'll actaully keep on for a period of time.

Yesterday Carter and I met up with Jackie and cute Rylan (not that you're not cute Jackie...but Rylan is adorable!) And we took them to the Treehouse Museum! It was so much fun, the boys played for almost two hours together and explored everything! Once naptime hit though...it was time to go...
The last couple of days Carter and I have been enjoying being outdoors again! I can't wait for Spring to come finally!!!! Scott's been doing some much needed "spring cleaning" in his garage. For those that don't know, we have a 4 car garage but he has packed it full with stuff it's hard to work in there. So that's our goal over the next month or so....to get his garage in "working order." (Is is bad that I seriously LOVE organizing?!?)


Being outside and playing in the sun is making me so excited for a Summer baby! Carter was so hard to have in October because it was so cold...which also limits what you can and can't do too! So this time around I'm so excited to have a baby that I can actaully go outside with and not feel guilty!

Jackpot Weekend...

This weekend was so nice...the weather was great, Scott was off on Saturday and there was some much needed Family Qulity Time going on for us! (It's been awhile since we've been able to have more than one day together...so this was a real treat!)

It all started with a fun trip to Fat Cats...one of my favorite places to eat and play. We only cashed five dollars and decided that needed to last for us...well as I was at the skeeball machine with Carter, Scott hit the JACKPOT! He won 500 tickets with one token!

This picture is just so funny because Carter honestly can entertain himself on one token for 15 minutes at a time! LOVE IT!!
Saturday was so nice...the weather was beautiful and the sun was shining...I think that could make anyone happy! So after giving my car a much needed washing, Scott took Carter for a ride around the block on my stepdad's 4wheeler. As they pulled in the driveway...I could hear little Carter yelling to keep going! So funny...
As far as baby/pregnancy news goes: I've officially reached the "I'm prego, not just fat" stage! It's fun now to watch my belly grow and feel the little guy move around. It also comes with the pains, cramps and completely "full" feelings though too! My back hurts, I'm never hungry (but know I have to eat anyway) and seriously feel pregant now. (Don't mind the trash cans in the background...it's one of those after-thoughts) I'm 22 weeks along now!I do have to give credit to this guy though....what would I do without him right now?
After Conference today Scott took us up to Monte Cristo for one last ride on the snowmobile and sleds! Here are my two boys enjoying the snow...
Carter I sled down some hills, hung out and watched daddy go really fast and just enjoyed being in the snow for the last time this season...(like my sexy goggles?)

This one is really funny, Carter absolutely LOVED being on the snowmobile and pretending to drive it! I already know where this is going to lead....
This pic was just too funny not to include...Scott and I kept calling him "Christmas Story" because he could barely walk or bend in all of his gear. And yes, the scarf is really mine but I'm one of those paranoid mom's when it comes to being cold.

Overall, it was a great weekend. It's weekends like these that help make the bad ones not so bad. And only a week and half before Scott's back on the day shift and our lives can get a little better schedule-wize.

Starting Early with EVERYTHING!!!!

This little boy has seriously kept me on my toes! Especially lately now that he can talk, walk and give me attitude. My mom is the Reading Specialist at West Clinton Elementary School, so Carter and I frequent there a ton! (When I'm bored I figure why not help out mom right?)

Well, it just happened that my mom was coordinating and "Family Math Night" that was "Car" themed! You know we just had to take part in that. It was a great night that was meant to help parents get ideas of what they can do at home with their kids to help with math skills. Carter had a blast...he didn't love "sharing" his grandma with the other kids and parents though....poor little guy is used to having her all to himself. (one of these cool cars, drawn by my mom, even came home with us!)

Carter thought Grandma needed his help while conducting the "Pit Stop" game and picked up the microphone and began singing "Twinkle Twinkle Litte Star" for everyone! Good thing we turned the mic off before that though. So funny what he comes up with sometimes.

Yesterday we had to take Carter back to Primary Children's for his yearly visit. (one thing I can say about having Scott on swings is that he can come to the doctor appointments with me now!) For those that don't know, Carter was born with a small hole in his heart (heart murmur) and we have been going to Primary Children's to check on it since he was 3 weeks old.

I love going there and being reassured by seriously the best Cardiology doctor ever! She's amazing and knows her stuff. Carter actually was the best little boy ever....so now Scott thinks it's a piece of cake to take Carter to the doctors!

They have the smallest little cuffs for the blood pressure machine and we just had to get a shot of this...

Good news is he's fine and will soon outgrow it completely, but for now we will continue to go there once a year.

Only two more weeks and my husband is back on day shift...I can't wait! Carter has been struggling watching Scott leave, which makes it worse on me and I am just so ready to have our regualr family dinners, Friday nights and evening chats back! As far as baby news goes, he's growing like a weed! He's almost a pound now and I have finally reached the pregnancy belly stage! I'm erally excited because for while I looked like I just "hit the buffet really hard" but now I actually look like I'm pregnant. It's so much more fun this time around.

Catch Up...Schedules...Timelines...

Things have been so crazy for our little family lately. Scott has been on Swing Shift for about 3 weeks now and I have to admit I'm really struggling with it...I'm not dying I just really miss him at night. It's hard especially to have Carter watch his daddy leave us during the day and know that he won't see him until tomorrow. (Poor little guy cries everyday for Scotty....that's also not making things easier on poor Scott either!)

The good news is that after this month, Scott will be back to his normal shift working days again. (I can't wait...I have a "mental countdown" going on right now)

Our schedules have been so weird because I want to spend the time with Scott that I have, but that also means not getting my "daytime" things done until after naptime...so it's really throwing me off here! :)

Don't think Carter and I have been bored at home the past few weeks without Scott....

We have gone to the park near our house, almost every night this week. (I'm taking advantage of the weather while it's still nice...I hear it's supposed to snow again!!) Carter's favorite thing to do on the playground is "drive" the "ship" around town. It's so fun to see his little imagination at work.

And I have to admit...while the Cat is Away...the Mice Sure do Play!

Carter and I have shared Oreo cookies and milk just about every night before bed! I know it's great to put your kids to bed while hyped up on sugar...but it's so fun to have these little moments together.

Because everything has been out-of-whack for us....potty training has been slower than planned. He's actually doing really well....it's me that not adjusting to thinking about when he needs to go potty. He's so interested in the whole process though...and at night asks me if we're "doin potty trainin" again tomorrow. So it's slow but still progressing.

Since my husband has been gone at night...I've had a lot of time on my hands to think about things....and I've come to realize that I don't think I want Carter to start preschool quite yet. He's such a bright little boy, but I really miss him! I know the Prego hormones are totally taking over my brain....but even when I leave him to go to the doctor's I miss him! Is that weird? I think it's going to be hard on him when his little brother arrives...and I think having more quality time with him will (at least) make me feel better about everything.

Keep checking back...I go to the doctor's tomorrow for my 20 week check up! I'm HALF way there!!