Where I've been...

Okay, so I didn't fall off the face of the earth. I'm just a really bad secret-keeper, so instead of having to have willpower to not share our big secret, I decided to not blog for the past few weeks. But now we're ready to spill the beans, so...

We're having another baby!

I'm almost ten weeks right now and have had two good ultrasounds with a very strong heartbeat both times! We're so excited. The estimated due date is March 9, 2009. We've kept the news pretty quiet but are excited to have as many prayers coming our way as possible! Please be thinking of us as we're excited but a little cautious (I had an early miscarriage in May). We can't wait to add another precious baby to our family!

Here's a quick video of Addie's thoughts about the whole thing:


(She loves the "raise your hand" routine for anything ;) - oh, and she has changed her mind weekly about whether she wants a brother or a sister)

FINALLY!

My little ham has decided she likes being a "movie star," so I finally got her singing "Twinkle, Twinkle"! Never mind the fact that half the words are missing. Oh, and the same with the "Teapot" song. I think I count 3 words total to that song. HA HA HA!

What have you done?

I got this from plastic please. Love it! You highlight what you have done. Now you guys do it! Leave a blog comment so I can come read yours.

1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hotel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a campfire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Responded to a NJP newsletter

St. Augustine 2008

We had a great week at the beach and, truthfully, were not quite ready to come home! It was just perfect. Addie did great on the plane rides (I really think her being in the car seat helped tremendously) and was overall really good. Granted, there were a couple of times where I was trying to figure out if she had been switched at birth because really, could a kid of MINE act that terrible?! Ha ha ha. I think she's just trying to remind us that she is two, after all. ;)

Anyway, we had a great relaxing week. We spent the mornings at the beach (and I actually got a little tan - woohoo!) and then spent the afternoons in different ways: at the park, at the Alligator Farm, and JM and I actually got to go on TWO dates (one to the movies - we do NOT recommend Indiana Jones, and one to the Conch House - a very cool restaurant with little tiki huts over the water). Thanks so much Mom & Dad for watching Addie! We love you!!!

Addie had such a great time being able to see her Mimi and PawPaw all the time, and we had a good time having them so close, too! We also got to see two of my uncles and one of my aunts which was really great. I have such a wonderful family. So, really, to sum it up, it was an AWESOME week. I am looking forward to going back (although with the bar exam next year, I'm not sure if it'll happen...but we'll figure something out!)! Again, I have to thank my mom & dad for everything this past week. We had such a good time and were so sad to see it end!

OH - a funny thing. We caught Addie singing "Twinkle, Twinkle" one day in the car. It was the cutest thing EVER! I am trying to catch it on video and I will be sure to post it as soon as I'm lucky enough :)

Silly goose.

Addie with her "subbel" (even though PawPaw tried to convince her it was a fork - hehe)

That is definitely Addie in the hole.

Some of the alligators and turtles we saw! These were the itty-bitty gators, but we saw some HUGE crocodiles!

Addie riding the tortoise

...and this would be one of, oh, about 3 naps Addie actually took last week! And her newest prized possession, her stuffed white alligator!

Addie was very proud of her "Do-wah" sunglasses and was proud to put them on. She was very upset about her tummy showing in her bathing suit, though. :) Look closely and you can see what she didn't realize would be showing instead! Hehehe.
(I know, she'll kill me when she reads this in 10 years!)

We could see the Anastasia lighthouse from our tiki table at the Conch House!!! I am slightly obsessed with this lighthouse and think it is the most beautiful in the country. I have climbed to the top twice!

The "real" view from our tiki hut table at the Conch House. I took a picture of our yacht so you could see it. Isn't it pretty?

Hehehehe...

JM re-remembered how to turn on the black & white setting on the camera so he was playing :)

I love this guy!!!!!!

Happy Fadder's Day, Daddy!

Just wanted to post quickly to wish John Michael a Happy Father's Day! I can't believe it's the third one (and I think we'd both agree they just keep getting better!). I love you so much. You are an amazing father and husband. Who could've guessed 12 (!!!) years ago that we'd be where we are today?! I am having so much fun with you and am LOVING watching how much Addie adores you. Thanks for being you!

(I also want to wish Happy Father's Day to my Daddy, because without him, how would I truly know what an amazing father should be like? You're the best, Daddy! I love you SO much!)



And now, from Addie:

It's been a while!

I am such a slacker! We've had a good few weeks, although they've been very busy. Summer school started up, but my class seems pretty interesting. It's pretty much learning about my job, which is funny considering I've been working there for 9 months. HA!

Last week Addie and I had fun visiting with our friends Amber and Jacks! Amber and I went to college together and lived right down the hall from each other. She and Jacks were here visiting family and made some time to visit! We were so glad! We had a gourmet dinner of Chick-Fil-A (hehe) and then ended up going to the mall to let the babies play at the play place! I "borrowed" some of Amber's pictures of Jacks and Addie! Jacks is SO very cute and smart. Thanks again, guys, for playing! We can't wait to do it again. But next time, Amber, we have to get a picture of all four of us!!!

This past weekend I drove to Greenville, SC for my college best friend's bachelorette party. Although it was fun, I really wasn't prepared for how much I'd miss JM and Addie! I kind of felt like the first time I spent the night away from home in kindergarten. In fact, I was very proud of myself for not having to have Kendall's mommy call JM to come pick me up - HA!!! Seriously, though, it was so great to see Kendall, but I think having a baby might make you officially too old to thoroughly enjoy a bachelorette party. Oh well. :)

On a fun note, Addie got her playset last Friday and she LOVES it! She's a little skittish of the slide, but she's fine to go down it if she sends something down first (usually, her sunglasses!). It's hilarious. She ADORES the swings though and is always saying "Higher, Mommy! Push higher, Mommy!" Wonder how long that'll take to get old? ;)

On a not so fun note, OH MY GOODNESS could the tantrums get any worse!? I lovingly call Addie "Mommy's Little Monster" now. She loves it and is pretty proud of the title :) She's a mess, but luckily, a cute one! She continues to crack me up with her sentences - especially the ones that make no sense! I love it. I'll try to get some video soon.

Also - we're going to the beach soon - YAY!

Can you believe I only took TWO pictures since my last post? What a bum!
Addie prefers the "big girl" swings, but...

we taught her that if she sits in the "baby" swing she can go much higher!

Thanks so much, Nana and Papa, for the AMAZING playset! We ALL love it.

Mountain time is fun time!

We took a long Memorial Day weekend up to Wears Valley with Nana, Papa and Aunt Carol and (overall) had a good time! We went up there Wednesday afternoon and stayed in an awesome cabin. Thursday, we went to the Pancake Pantry and Ripley's Aquarium in Gatlinburg and also took a short hike in Elkmont. On the way back to the cabin, poor Addie got sick in the car. We thought it was just what she had eaten that day (one word: SUGAR) and just figured she'd be fine after that. But my poor baby was sick off and on the whole evening, then some more Friday evening, then some MORE Saturday afternoon. To top it off, she came down with pinkeye on Friday along with a bad cold! It was so pitiful. Needless to say, we took it very easy on Friday. Saturday, I actually came home early to see my friends graduate from law school (the class I started with - a little sad, but I'll get there!!!). Addie and JM got back on Sunday and by then, I was sick to my stomach, too, so Addie and I spent the day on the couch. I can't say that I hated it (besides the being sick part, of course :)). Anyway, we really did have a great time. It was so nice to get away and the weather was absolutely PERFECT! We really enjoyed hiking and I was happy that we didn't see any snakes. :) Seriously, though, sometimes I forget to take time to really enjoy how beautiful it is outside, especially in the rare areas that aren't developed! I can't wait to go back there again. Hopefully we'll make it this fall for a football game! And hopefully we'll stay well!

Ready for the Aquarium!



The traffic was stopped on the way to Gatlinburg (there was a tree in the road) so we got out and stretched our legs. Doesn't Addie look thrilled?! :)


Addie really wanted Daddy to have his hat!



Our little family on Friday - we didn't get many smiles out of Addie this day :(



Papa took a turn carrying Addie in the backpack because JM sprained his right shoulder last weekend. Addie INSISTED on holding her Daddy's hand





This one isn't from the cabin weekend, but I thought it was cute (disregard whatever face I'm making - who knows...). Addie likes to sit with me in the mornings and "help" me get ready (a/k/a put on my jewelry, headbands and whatever makeup I'll let her play with) - WHAT A STINKER!