slugs and snails and puppy dog tails

So we found out last Monday that we are having a BOY! We are still in shock. We just figured we'd follow the precedent of Danny's older brother and his wife and have a gaggle of girls. But no. Regard:

It was extra fun finding out because Danny's older brother was in town (really, in Chicago but we kidnapped him for 24 hours) so he went to the ultrasound with us. Let's just say, the reaction was a loud one. 

Ava was not excited about it. At all. She said, "but we can change it to a sister." We kept asking her if she was excited afterward and she would either say that she didn't like brothers or that she didn't want to talk about it. I got the chance to talk to her about it, just the two of us, that afternoon and I discovered that she thought that having a brother meant that she couldn't keep her friends that were girls. I set the record straight, we talked about all the ways she'll be able to help me with the baby, and now she is alllllll about her brother. 

Crisis averted. 

Now, as I prepare to garage sale most of the ruffle-bummed onesies and all the pink! I've been hoarding I realize I need to get serious about my boy name list. Feel free to throw out any suggestions. And no, we will not be naming him Daniel.

Happiness in my hugeness

I think it's easy, as a pregnant woman, to get caught up in all the negative aspects of offering your body up as an incubator for nine months. I have had plenty of un-funness so far this pregnancy (I love that my computer didn't even try to tell me that un-funness isn't a word. So glad it's getting to know me.) but  I don't really care. Now, if I were puking the entire nine months, that might be a different story. As it is, I'm still in a state of awe at what my body is doing. I am making a human being.

So while the ever-swelling belly may get in the way a lot, I feel privileged that I get to experience such a thing. Too many women don't. And the joy from feeling all these little popcorn kicks overshadows the annoyances. By a lot. Plus maternity jeans are sooooooo comfy.

Baby Number Two

Remember how I had PPD after I had Ava? No? Well, you can read about it here.

Thankfully, Heavenly Father totally slipped some forgetfulness into my morning smoothie like I was hoping he would. We are having baby number two at the end of September and I am SO! EXCITED!

It feels good to be excited about another baby. It's feels right.
As far as PPD goes, I'm hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.

Until then, I will spend the summer on the beach. Resembling a whale. I will be a beached whale. And it will be awesome.

Spring Break?

Welp.

It's spring break. That wouldn't normally mean anything to me since my husband is done with all schooling forever and my kid is not old enough for school but this year, spring break means I don't teach my music class this week (Let's Play Music!). For some reason that makes me feel like I have a ton of time on my hands.

Secondly, the continuous cloud cover that hangs over these here parts for most of November-March is finally dissipating. We've had sunshine like, five days in a row and it is miraculous. (The cloud cover reminds me a lot of Ghostbusters 2. It's like pink slime over the entire midwest.)

Thirdly, I am into my second trimester of pregnancy with baby number dos (yay for babies!!!!) and I am FINALLY feeling like eating and living again. I have energy!

So. Let's recap.

TONS of extra time + sunshine that motivates my soul and gives energy to all living things + second trimester =

We'll see how this goes.....

On Being a Curmudgeon

I have been feeling this post bouncing around in my head for quite some time.

My name is Tiffany and I am curmudgeon. Specifically, a holiday curmudgeon.

Don't get me wrong. I love Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, 4th of July, and Halloween so much I might even Celine-Dion-LURVE it. But. I take issue with all the other "holidays" and "holiday traditions" that keep popping up, aided no doubt by Pinterest and blogland and this ever-increasing need to appear to be the best parent ever who does all! the fun! things!

I read this blog post this morning and it basically summed up my feelings about all these extra holiday goings-on. I know the pressure will only grow as Ava gets older and enters elementary school but I hope I can just stick to my guns like this mom.

In summation: the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. Thank you, Stephen Covey, for saying something so obvious and so often forgotten.

Kid art is favorite art

 Ava's new favorite way to pass her time is drawing. She's getting pretty good at it too.

 "A sun, a flower, and lots of rainbows!"

My new bed with lots of pillows:

a whale!

Annnnnd a doggy (my favorite).

 Not bad. In fact, this is slightly better than my drawing.

Today.

I handed Ava "The Friend" magazine this morning. She freaked out and said, "it made my dreams come true!"

Then, throughout our errand running session this morning, she started picking up leaves and rocks and such and insisting that she needed to keep them for her "collection".

I think we need to lessen the amount of Little Mermaid that gets watched around here.

Or not. Because it's kind of awesome.

Also? This: