Showing posts with label Friday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Friday. Show all posts

Friday, March 9, 2012

It's Friday!

This week has been rough... between trying to get back into the swing of things and overdoing it, I am exhausted. Thankfully it's Friday and that means the beginning of the weekend. More importantly, it's the last weekend of Ian's busy season! We don't have any plans this weekend and I hope to conjure up enough energy to do something fun with the family.

Today Stephanie and Connor came over to play. I figured the kids could play outside, burn some energy and then we'd have lunch. Bella and Connor played outside at the sand and water table and chased each other in the grass. The weather was warm so the kids were pretty hot and rosy cheeked after about an hour. We decided it was time to come inside and head to lunch. We went to a local Mexican restaurant called Luna's, which has some pretty yummy food! We finished lunch and headed home just in time for nap time, which I definitely participated in. Bella took a fantastic nap and so did I. I guess we both needed the extra rest.

We decided to eat out for dinner and went to Beef O'Brady's. It's a family-friendly restaurant and the food is pretty good. Plus, there are always coupons for $5 off so it's a cheap place to eat, too. We discovered that Bella LOVES ranch dressing and dipped EVERYTHING in ranch at dinner. It was really cute! She refused to sit in the high chair so she sat alongside her daddy and ate at the table like a big girl.

After dinner we went home for our nightly bath, book and bed routine. Everyone in our household is exhausted and so after Bella was tucked into bed, Ian and I caught up on some DVR'ed shows and I also caught up on blogging. It's an early night for us, but that's okay. We work and play hard so we deserve the extra rest.

Love always,
Ian, Kim, Bella & Baby #2

Friday, March 2, 2012

Good news!

While Ian was taking Bella to Grandma Ruth's for the day, the good news just seemed to start pouring in!

Ian's client lap top went on the fritz on Tuesday and he's been without it for a few days. Luckily the client had someone local to repair it and he called to let Ian know he could pick it up this morning. The lap top was being repaired near the airport, so when he received the call, he was already on the Veteran's Expressway, heading in that direction. It saved him at least an hour out of his busy day and he was quite thankful of that.

I had my 33-week OB appointment this morning and I also received good news. I am no longer on modified bed rest! Woo-hoo! The nurse practitioner assured me that the OB who prescribed it and the hospital were being overly cautious. This was music to my ears! She did say that I need to continue to take it easy and limit how much I'm picking up Bella. Contractions off and on during the last trimester are completely normal and if contractions start, I need to empty my bladder, lay down and drink plenty of water. This good news means Bella and I will no longer be homebound during the week... yay! Obviously I won't be running any marathons or jumping on a trampoline any time soon, but I'm sure if I'm feeling well enough to take Bella out, then that would be perfectly alright.

The nurse practitioner and I also discussed the size of baby #2. I shared with her my concerns about delivering a 10-pound baby and the fact Bella was born 2-weeks early and weighed over 8-pounds. She said she would look over the u/s results from last week and share my concerns with the OB. She didn't want to commit to any course of action, which is fine by me, I just wanted to let them know just how big this baby could be. When she reviewed the u/s report from the perinatologist, she said, "Oh, she's only in the 57th percentile overall." ONLY?!? All of the measurements, except for one had her 2-3 weeks ahead. I really don't want to be induced, but I also really don't want to deliver a 10-pound baby. If my labor and delivery could go exactly it did with Bella's birth, I'd be a very happy mama. I hope this baby decides she is ready, any time after 37-weeks, and decides to come before she gets too big. I'm glad the OB will be keeping an eye on this and when the time comes, we'll have a plan in place.

I finished my afternoon with a wonderful prenatal massage. I have been experiencing some pain in my lower back and shoulders, so this massage was definitely needed. During the massage, I nearly forget I was 33-weeks pregnant and I left the massage feeling like a new woman. It's amazing what a good massage can do! We rounded off the evening with a mini-date night. Ian and I went to dinner at the Italian Kitchen and had one of the best meals ever. We even ordered dessert (surprise, surprise) and split it like two civilized adults. With the exception of Ian spilling his entire glass of water all over me, it was a really nice date. We discussed what we'd like to do with Bella over the next few weeks to ensure we spend quality time with her before baby #2 arrives. We also discussed what we were most looking forward to when baby #2 arrives. Ian said he's looking forward to seeing the differences between our two children, which I quickly interjected and said, "I hope not much because Bella has been close to perfect and she's made this really easy for us." I said I'm looking forward to seeing the girls interact and form a bond. We both agreed that we're looking forward to seeing what baby #2 will look like (I'm sure she will look like her father and sister) and discovering her little personality. Aww, just thinking about all this makes me very eagerly to meet her!

Our weekend will consist of work for Ian and a few projects around the house for me. I need to hang all of the wall decor in baby #2's room this weekend and finally complete the nursery project. Everything has turned out beautifully thus far and I can't wait to make the big reveal! We will pick Bella up from Grandma Ruth's tomorrow afternoon after her nap. We're going to a local place that builds customized swing sets with the hope of finding the perfect swing set for our backyard. Bella is going to be so excited to see the swings and slides, but just wait until she finds out she may be getting one in her own backyard soon! Speaking of which, I need to go take better measurements tomorrow so that we know how much space we are working with. In the meantime, Ian and I will continue our mini-date night with our DVR and a movie. I suggested we do this from the comfort of our bed because I can't seem to get comfortable anywhere else these days. Oh the joys of the last trimester of pregnancy!!! Goodnight y'all.

Love always,
Ian, Kim, Bella & Baby #2

Friday, February 10, 2012

Making the most of the day

I woke up this morning, after a fairly restful night of sleep, with plans to make today a good day. Despite feeling awful today (stupid IBS), today was a pretty good day! After struggling to make it through the week and feeling like the worst mother in the world for most of the week, I was determined to make the most of today.

Before music class, we played outside at Bella's new water and sand table. It's only been filled with water, as the lanai is being pressure washed on Monday, but she absolutely loves it! She splashes, plays with her water toys and even chases Kaiser around the lanai with her watering can. Poor Kaiser had no idea what he'd be in for when he ventured outside during play time. I can't wait to add sand to the table and move her kangaroo climber to the lanai, once it's nice and clean. I foresee lots of time outside this spring and winter!

We went to Sprouts to sing and play with our friends. Today's group was small but music class was still a lot of fun. The kids were asking for bubbles the moment they walked through the door, too bad they had to wait until the end of class for parachute and bubble time. Free play is still Bella's favorite activity and she loves climbing on the equipment. The kids even received a special treat for Valentine's Day from the teacher, fruit snacks, which they loved!

We went to lunch at Luna's with Stephanie and Connor and then headed home for naps. Bella took an almost 4-hour nap and I accidentally fell asleep watching a movie. I say accidentally because I didn't intend to fall asleep, but I wasn't feeling well and I was exhausted, so it just kind of happened. I really hope this doesn't affect my sleep tonight.

We have a busy weekend ahead of us. We have a birthday party tomorrow and we're planning on going to the state fair on Sunday. We also have a few things to get accomplished around the house. We're hoping to get everything finished on Saturday so we can relax and Ian can work on Sunday. Busy season is well underway and Ian is super busy with work... only 9 more weeks until he's on paternity leave! Yay!

It was a pretty good day overall and even though I didn't feel 100%, I made the most of the day and enjoyed the time Bella and I spent together. Making the most of the day isn't always easy, but it is totally worth it.

Love always,
Ian, Kim, Bella & Baby #2

Friday, January 6, 2012

Busy Friday

This morning I had my monthly OB appointment, complete with the dreaded 1-hour glucose test. The good news is that baby #2 is doing very well and I am progressing as expected. I am almost 26-weeks along and I am measuring perfectly! The baby's heartbeat sounded great and the nurse practitioner said that both the baby and I seem to be doing very well. We talked about how different this pregnancy has been and how I've been plagued with chronic nausea and back pain. She sent in refills for my anti-nausea medications and I was given the green light for prenatal massage! Yay!

For those of you who have undergone the dreaded glucose test during pregnancy, I will just say that it doesn't get any better the second time. I drank the "flat Sprite" and waited an hour. I chatted with a few other expecting moms in the waiting room and browsed the Internet on my iPhone. Before I knew it, it was time to have my blood drawn. I said a little prayer to pass the 1-hour glucose test because the 3-hour glucose test really sucks. With Bella, I failed my 1-hour glucose test but passed my 3-hour glucose test. Thankfully, I didn't have gestational diabetes and I didn't have to follow a strict diet or test my blood. I hope I pass the 1-hour glucose test this time around and avoid the 3-hour test. I should have the results by Monday.

I left the OB's office and headed to Target to pick up a few last minute things for my organization project. Target was having a sale on storage items, so I picked up a few bins to better organize holiday stuff, including the huge stockpile of wrapping paper and bags I have accumulated through really awesome sales at Old Time Pottery and Target. I enjoy being organized so the process of actually getting organized doesn't really bother me. In fact, I think I enjoy organizing a little too much... but is that really a bad thing?

The babysitter was staying until 1pm so I had two hours to work at taking down holiday decorations, including our Christmas tree. I managed to put everything in it's proper storage container and so all Ian will have to do is put the containers away in the garage. I was exhausted after untangling strands of Christmas lights but felt very accomplished and my load felt so much lighter. It's my goal to have the house back in it's normal, organized state by Monday morning. You see, we're having the house cleaned on Monday and I like to have the house neat and tidy for the cleaning folks. My mother-in-law bought us a Groupon for three 3-hour cleaning sessions. I gladly accepted the generous offer and quickly scheduled our three sessions for before baby #2 arrives. There's nothing better than having someone else clean your house!

Despite my super busy (and exhausting) day, I managed a quick mom's night out with my friend, Stephanie. We met for dinner at the Italian Kitchen and enjoyed nearly 2-hours of uninterrupted adult conversation. The food was absolutely amazing, especially the delicious chocolate mousse desserts we both ordered. I've had a bit of a sweet tooth lately, so the chocolate mousse really hit the spot. Every time we have a mom's night out, we always say how we should do this more often and blah, blah, blah... I just wish there were hours in the day or endless amounts of energy to do so.

We are slowly but surely getting back into the swing of things. By next week, we should be back on track with our normal routine. I know I keep harping on our darn routine, but it's what keeps me sane. But it's late and we have a busy weekend ahead of us, so I'd better get some sleep.

Love always,
Ian, Kim, Bella & Baby #2

Friday, October 28, 2011

Making the most of a rainy Friday

It's Friday... woot woot! Bella and I spent the morning with Grandma Ruth at Citrus Park Mall. We had an appointment at a photography studio for a reshoot of Bella's 18-month pictures. Grandma Ruth wasn't satisfied with how the first set turned out, so she demanded a reshoot. Bella was definitely not in the mood for modeling, but still took some pretty cute pictures.

We left Grandma Ruth after lunch and headed back to our side of town. Bella fell asleep on the ride home and so I ran a few errands while she was asleep in the car. I ran to the bank and got gas while she slept and she ended up sleeping for a little over an hour. I was bummed that I knew her normal 3-hour nap would not happen because I was in desperate need of a nap myself.

When we got home, it was still raining so we headed outside to play in the rain. Bella loves playing in the rain so when the weather permits (i.e. no lightning) we try to go outside. I strip her down to nothing but a diaper (which is doable in Florida). She giggles as she jumps in puddles and squeals as rain falls on her. It's adorable. We had a fun, rainy afternoon on our lanai (a patio/verandah/porch for all you non-Floridians) and I even took a few pictures.

A close up of my little cutie.

Sitting in a puddle is such fun!

Examining a puddle.

Getting up after a face plant... my poor girl!
We had a blast and kept ourselves entertained until Ian returned home from work. This weekend marks the beginning of Ian's vacation!!! I am so excited he is finally able to take some time off from work to spend with us. We've missed having daddy around and we're looking forward to some fun day trips as a family. Hopefully Ian doesn't have to work too much (or at all) during his vacation, but unfortunately his job is pretty demanding so I'm sure he'll have to do some work. It's better than no vacation at all! Happy weekend y'all!

Love always,
Ian, Kim, Bella & Baby #2

Friday, September 23, 2011

Shopping with Grandma Ruth

Today Bella and I had the pleasure of having lunch and doing some shopping with Grandma Ruth. I know this seems like a common occurrence, but we enjoy our bonding time with Grandma Ruth and it's nice to have some extra hands when we're out and about.

Grandma Ruth had a coupon for Ruby Tuesday, and I loathe the location at the mall, so we drove all the way to Ruby Tuesday in Riverview. The restaurant is bigger, the staff is nicer and so overall, it's a much better experience. Bella hasn't been a big fan of lunch lately, but today she managed to eat half of my plate from the salad bar and some macaroni and cheese. She colored and conversed with other patrons as they walked by, which I find absolutely adorable. It was a fairly relaxing lunch, which is something I always appreciate.

We hit Babies-R-Us after lunch to pick up a few things up. I always end up walking around and buying things we don't need, but want. Luckily today I was able to restrain myself and we only purchased what we had originally planned to purchase. To be quite honest, I was quite proud of myself. Instead of walking out of there with two new toys for Bella, I walked out with only what we needed. Yay! Go me!

After Babies-R-Us, we went over to the mall with the intention of only going to JCPenney. Well, as luck would have it, we ended up walking around the entire mall and ended up in stores other than JCPenney. Bella snagged herself some new pajamas, a singing dog and a Minnie Mouse Christmas ornament. I snagged myself a new pair of pajamas, a new bra (woohoo!) and some free chocolate from Godiva. Sadly, I think I'm most excited about the new bra... sigh. Oh, and Bella is the only child I know who can convince their grandmother to buy them a $25 singing dog from Macy's. Like the child needs another toy... let alone a damn singing dog.

By 4pm, we were back home and Bella was dunzo. She fell asleep within moments of me placing her in the crib and slept to almost 6:30pm! I woke her up so that we could go play with our friends, the McGills. Reese, Aidynn and Bella definitely need some wild-child time. They ate snacks and chased each other around the house until almost 8:30pm. All three girls were exhausted and I knew this would make for an easy bedtime at the Lasher house. Sara and I chatted and ate homemade frozen yogurt... yum! It's so nice to relax at a friend's house while all the kids play nicely together in an adjoining room. Life doesn't get much better than that!

Bella is in bed and I am not too far behind. It's been an extremely hectic and draining week. I wish I could say that I'm happy the weekend is here but that is not the case. Ian has to work and it'll be just Bella and me. Is it November yet?!? Have I mentioned lately that I cannot wait for busy season to be over?!? I just want my husband back and Bella just wants her daddy back... sigh.

Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella