I'm THAT Mom!

Zack is a boy...and when I say boy, I mean BOY!  He climbs, he runs, he is loud and he thinks the world is his playground.  I have learned which battles to choose, which activities to turn down, the face he makes when he is about to throw something and when it's time to leave the store.  I have learned that Zack will climb around in the cart (stand up, change positions etc...).  I break the rules and let him "sit" in the basket, and when he is in the seat I let him stand up and change positions.  Twice on Friday other shoppers made a comment to me about him standing up in the cart.  I know it's unsafe but he is actually really good at being careful...and I keep a very close watch.  It's the ONLY way to get through a store.  I do let him out of the cart to "help" in the grocery store.  I let him put the groceries in the cart and he runs ahead of me.  He is a pretty good listener and doesn't run too far from me (unless he thinks we are playing chase).  I get dirty looks from some of the other shoppers and comments like "you have your hands full" and a lot of snickers from mothers whose children are sitting perfectly still and quiet in the cart (are there really kids that do that?) but really he doesn't bother anyone, I get groceries, and he has fun.
I am also the mom who lets her kid play with her i-phone and watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on the FREE Disney app.  The other day my doctor appointment ran over by over an hour...which brought us past lunch and close to nap.  I HAD to eat something and thought Bruggers would be best...fast and close.  Zack threw a fit and I was about to vomit if I didn't eat so out came the phone and the dirty looks from the ladies who lunch and old couples.  After I got him quiet and started eating a woman came up to me and said "wow they will be really close together...is it a boy or a girl" I told her another boy and she goes on to say "The next one is going to be even more boy, even more destructive and even more loud then the first..." because that's how her boys were...Thanks lady...after drinking glucose that morning, waiting in the doctors office with no toys for an hour using up my bag of tricks and fighting my child who was more than ready for a nap that's EXACTLY what I wanted to hear.
I am also the mom who lets her child eat off the floor, fall down, wear clothes that have spills, jump in the mud, climb the big kid playground, go down the big slide, watch TV, let other kids push him down etc...
And yes I may not be able to shop for clothes (they would only get ruined), we are not able to go back to library story time, I may always get dirty looks but my goal as a mom is not to turn my child into someone who fades into the background and is afraid to have fun at the grocery story.  My goal as a mom is to teach my child to behave (to an extent), love life and become a productive member of society... I'm thinking Olympic medalist in track (someone has already offered to train him).
I love that Zack feels like the world is his playground, and even though he may be a little crazy the only times he throws a fit or really misbehaves is when we run into nap or meal time or if we force him to sit or be held for a family photo. And let's be honest...I am the same way.
I have come to grips with my reality, I can wrangle a very strong toddler like no other, I can ignore a tantrum (it usually doesn't last long...the benefit of an active child...they are easily distracted), I am ok not going to library story time, I know that I will not have nice clothes (I tend to end up with blood or mud on any shirt I wear), and I have used the word durable several times with the sales people while looking for a new sofa.
When I was a teacher I LOVED boys like Zack...they were the ones that the teachers in the upper grades knew, the kids that the other teachers enjoyed hearing stories about but were glad they weren't in their class.  I prayed that I would have an active BOY boy when I was first pregnant...I feel like I am meant to be the mom to those kind of kids.  God must have agreed and I am truly blessed.  No matter what type of boy Hunter turns out to be I am so excited to be the only girl in their lives, to be the one that appreciates them and enjoys their craziness rather than try to "tame" them as I raise them. In the end I am exhausted but certainly not bored.

Christmas Card Preview!

I'm sharing this because I get $10 off my next order! I love shutterfly and I have already picked out Hunters birth announcement. Enjoy!

Stitched Memories Christmas

Turn your favorite family photos into Christmas cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

Christmas Card Photo Shoot

My awesome friend Sarah offered to take our family picture. I was so excited because I felt like I needed to include little H in the Christmas card and didn't want to use the sonogram picture. I also didn't want to hire a pro (for the reasons I mentioned before...my awkward face, Adam's lack of smile and Zack's tendency to run plus I felt guilty having nice family pictures taken without our little guy...he is coming so soon and I want to save the professional for our complete; at least for now...we'll see; family of 4).
I was right to have concerns...I really never know what to do with my face, Adam was thrilled that it took 15 min to park, and we had pictures taken at the beautiful Pullen Park...great photo spot and a great place to play...plus there is a "choo" (train)...needless to say Zack loved taking pictures.
Sarah brought her kids which was a great way to distract Zack between shots. In the end I was really happy to have several really nice family pictures and I am really excited to update some of our frames because apparently we haven't taken a decent family photo since Zack became mobile.
Here are some of the favorites that didn't make the Christmas card...

The Milton 4! (use your imagination for what the guy in the belly looks like)

and a couple outtakes because they are so much more real...and a lot more fun!

Yes I am holding a stick...a "toy" for Zack to play with to try to get him to sit , Adam is bringing him back for the umteenth time.

One of the first shots...Adam and I were thinking that this was going to be a rough hour 

See the out takes are the best!  He totally wiped out and landed like this. How cute is this outfit?

"CHOO"...we had the perfect view of the train going by. Basically he was either excited to see the train or wondering where the train went.

Zack running...a little blurry but I love these running shots because he is always so happy. 

Maybe next year I'll keep it real and my Christmas Card will be two blurrs with a beautiful background.

30 Weeks

How Far Along: 30 weeks! NO WAY

Maternity Clothes: ...or belly shirts ;)

Best Moment This Week: Christmas card photo shoot complete with a "shoe shot". I have wanted to do this for a while!

Weight Gain/Loss: +6

Gender: BOY...Hunter (still working on it) Milton

Movement: yes! He is very much on a schedule...kicks during my nap, bedtime, and around 5:00 am... Plus several times during the day. He has been re positioning a lot and it feels really weird.

Food Craving: spicy hamburgers and milkshakes

What I miss: being comfortable

Sleep: not so great

What I am looking Forward to: Our Christmas cards coming in!

Symptoms: huge belly, fatigue, sore back, swollen feet (after a day at the park)

Same/different: I still don't have a huge appetite, I was hoping this was just a short term thing but it's been 3 weeks! A funny similarity...I have all along said it would be OK bring a baby to this home, but all of a sudden I got really upset at the thought of bringing a baby here (I can't get past what it looked like before). When I was pregnant with Zack I lived with spotty hot water for 6 months and with NO hot water for 3 months and one day got so upset about having a baby in an apartment without hot water that I called Adam told him I was going to a hotel and we needed to move after we got back from Australia...1 day after I went apartment shopping 3 days later we had an offer and a month later (29 weeks preggo) moved.

Tummy Shot:

 Thanks Sarah for the super sweet picture...this is for sure a favorite!

My little guinea pig...

A few weeks ago some friends and I decided to do our own (free) photo shoot of the kids. We had such great results that we decided we needed to step up our game a little bit. We have been reading about how to actually use these expensive cameras we have and are going to work on one thing a month. This month we worked on shooting in Aperture mode. I tried it out one morning in the playroom and at an afternoon in the park. Everything I read says this is best for portraits...not ideal for a moving toddler but I got some great shots! Out of 468 pictures I took in our playroom maybe 130 weren't all blurry and 50 were really great (35 of those being of just the toys, hands or feet).

Hand shots

and feet

toys and what not

it seems a bit dangerous to read and drive

This is his reading face

Someone LOVES his dog

Cute...even with a snotty nose

Counting face

Seriously...he makes the BEST faces

Major cutie

At the park I took like 30 pictures and have just a few good ones...

I didn't edit this at all and I feel like it looks like the background is spinning. 

again...cutie with a snotty nose

Concentrating

strolling through the woods

I still plan on using auto mode for most events (I'd hate to miss a moment because the picture was blurry or I was trying to be artsy). Maybe someday I will be good enough to shoot in Av mode most of the time but for now I need to practice so I can be ready to take pictures of the little cutie joining the family in January. I plan on getting a professional but I can't afford for someone to come every day to document every change...that is where my new photography skills will come in (and my amazing friend who is learning with me already offered to come help). So watch out blog readers...this is the start of photo overload!

Back To Life

Zack and I have been playgroup slackers for pretty much the whole summer and the beginning of fall.  We have both been feeling the effects of too much at home working time.  Our home is ready for someone to buy, our closets are organized, our boxes are organized or unpacked and the nursery and Z's big boy room are finished enough to be presentable to buyers.  Thankfully we got ourselves together in time for Halloween and Pumpkin Patch outings.  Our schedule is almost completely full until mid-January!  I love that I have mommy friends who are interested in the same things I am (saving money, photography, crafting, our children) and Zack loves that those mommy friends have kids his age that LOVE playing together.  He gets so excited when I name the friends that we will see that day.
I know January will bring a new challenge that will hinder our activities, but until then I am focused on having fun with my big boy!

28-29 weeks

How Far Along: 29 Weeks

Maternity Clothes: yes, I must be carrying lower because maternity pants aren't staying up very well

Best Moment This Week: hearing Hunters heartbeat yet again and the good report from the doctor

Weight Gain/Loss: +5

Gender: BOY...Hunter (still working on it) Milton

Movement: More everyday! Hunter had hiccoughs the other day for the first time (at least what I have felt)

Food Craving: spicy hamburgers and milkshakes

What I miss: not having to pull up pants and pull down shirts

Sleep: not so great

What I am looking Forward to: the holiday season

Symptoms: huge belly, fatigue, sore back, Braxton Hicks, food aversions

Same/different: I am beginning to lose my appetite and I have been having Braxton Hicks contractions. I had all this with Zack but not until my last few weeks.

Tummy Shot: