I'm melting.

It's ridiculously hot around here and the swamp cooler isn't really making a dent.  All I want to do is lay around and wait for the sun to set.  For naptime today, I literally sweated myself to sleep.  Terribly terribly sticky, hot, and miserable.

Feeling wimpy a bit

(Wish I looked this cute)

I'm five months pregnant and beginning to feel very out of shape.  Granted, I have been eating lots and lots of junk.  I crave sugar all of the time, and especially when things are tough at home, I eat way too much of a good thing.  So when I hopped onto the elliptical today, I was tired after about a minute.  I seriously considered sitting on a bench for the hour to at least get my money's worth out of the daycare.  But I plugged along.  It was so hard today.  

I did what I could do.  And I got a break from the house and the kids.  My brain was empty for a small chunk of time and that felt wonderful.  I hope this rough workout doesn't become a trend, because I still have a ways to go in this pregnancy.  As for today, though, I'm proud that I worked my heart and my muscles.  Go me.

And Bingo was his name-o

Actually Jovie will be her name-o.  We finally decided.  Maybe it didn't seem like a long time to you; but as I went through every possible baby name on babycenter AGAIN, it felt like this process would never end.  I am very thorough.

But now it's settled and we're happy.  Our little girl will be named Jovie Beth Peck.  Jovie means joyful, which I think is an excellent goal for my daughter.  Joy does not come naturally to me; I have to work at it.  Beth is after a very good friend of mine, who is basically the epitome of a wonderful mother, friend, woman: she is kind, patient, loving, and genuine.

When I name my kids, it's sort of like I'm making a little wish for each of their lives.

Taesya Fe (faith)
Benjamin Canon (power of God)
Keller (dear friend) Davis
Jovie (joyful) Beth

I love my little kiddos and I'm so glad that each of them are here (or on their way.)  I'm a lucky mommy.

Blessings

That little being inside my tummy is officially a girl.  And she is lovely.  I felt mesmerized as the ultrasound technician showed her to us.  We saw her brain, heart, stomach, kidneys, arms, legs, and feet.  She was very active throughout and she seems just perfect.  I loved seeing her long kicking legs and her cute little profile.  I started to imagine Ben and I with a tiny little girl in our arms and I got very happy.  December is so far away, though.

I feel peaceful and happy, in the midst of feeling pretty sick this week, thinking of my daughter inside me.  What a wonderful blessing.

Tee Ball 2010

My son is adorable; that's really all there is to it.  It's been great to see him make friends and look forward every week to his "big game."  Time to start scouting for his next activity.  Oh he's so cute!

Approaching the half-way mark

The big gender ultrasound is on Friday.  I'm itching for the days to pass.  So what do you think the big news will be?

I want a girl, but I am not expecting to get my way.
Ben's pretty sure it'll be a girl.

Care to weigh in?  Oh, and if you need additional info to make your very calculated estimation, let me know.  Like the fact that I am carrying low, which I am.  K?  Loves.

We love you, Riley.

 

 

 

Riley was a wonderful dog and he loved our family so much.  We will miss him.  But we will remember how he loved to sleep on the Lovesac, and how he would carry toys out of the bathtub, and how patiently he would wait for Keller to drop his cereal.  We're so glad we got to share those few short months with such a loving boy.  We love you, Ry.

On the way to the gym

Canon:   My job is to play football all day long.
Me:   That sounds like a fun job.  What's my job?
Canon:   Hmmm.  To do laundry.  And to clean up Keller's bum.

Awww man.

Interesting

Just lookin' up baby names (only girl names, really, because I so have my heart set on a cute, chilled out little female) and I came across "Taisha."  It says that it's Arabic and that it means "she who lives; alive one."  Interesting.  Taesya is definitely alive, and full of life, too, I would say.  Love that girl.

Taesya Fe
Benjamin Canon
Keller Davis
.... who will be next?

Good Times

  

Photos courtesy of Mortensen Family - Thanks!

Give that lady a gold star

I accomplished mighty things today.  It feels wwwwonderful!

Thanks in part to our kiddie pool, I had a large chunk of time in the morning, which I used to pay bills and plan our monthly finances.  Then I trekked to Cookie Cutters and had all three of my children made to look a bit more civilized (haircuts).  The kiddie pool granted me another bout of freedom this afternoon; I put away three baskets full of laundry.  Now my delightful children each have a drawer full of clean underpants and pajamas.  Yay.

Amen to getting things done.  Feels mighty spectacular.  I even set aside some red, white, and blue for the kids to wear tomorrow.  Honestly, my messy house looks about the same as it did this morning, but inside of me, it looks different.  I am proud.

Hope you all have a fab holiday and wear lots of sunscreen!