I have officially been tagged! Thanks Amanda! Woohoo! This is the 6th picture in my 6th pics folder. This beautiful picture is of Ryan and Lexi last summer for his birthday. How time flies! I don't have a huge blogging crowd but I tag Debi, Mom, Megan, and Jamie! Have fun!

Oh what do you do in the Spring time...

...when you are stuck in bed? Today my doctor informed me that I am to have another 2 weeks off work and in bed. Anyone that knows me, knows that I am not the kind of person to sit still. I watch TV once a week on Thursday nights. Almost all other times of my day are spent moving around doing things. I rarely sit down except at nights to read. Here are some of the things that I am up to now.

Chuck on Monday nights!! Fabulous! And you can watch it on NBC.com anytime during the week!

On Thursday nights you can catch the most hilarious show ever..The Office! LOVE IT!!
Followed by 30 Rock!! Very fun show!
Some other things that I am also enjoying now includes Sudoku puzzles...

I have been reading quite a bit from the scriptures. What better time to try and find peace in your life when you are forced to take it easy and relax

I am also reading the Harry Potter Books. I am currently on The Goblet of Fire and enjoying it so much! I have also been spending a lot of time planning for the baby. We still have so much to do and now all I can do is sit and plan. I have actually made a list of all the things we need, price checked from Babies-R-Us, Target, and Wal-Mart and totaled up the final cost. (too much time)

So, my dilemma is that I am trying to find something to do that will make me feel like I am being productive and won't make me break my doctors orders. What suggestions do you have?? Any thoughts would be great!!

Easter

This was probably the best Easter! Ryan and I had so much fun getting everything ready for Lexi and of course she loved it!

She was a little reluctant to get out of bed.
Even once she was out of bed it took a little bit for the excitement to hit.

But once she saw her Easter basket she had no trouble waking up!!

She had such a fun time finding all the eggs. (I never noticed how short that gown was getting)

We all know she has no problem reaching the chandelier...or hanging from it.

Doesn't she look so cute?? She had a matching dress for her new sock monster she got at the baby shower the day before.
After church we went to to our friends Helmont and Jeanette's for Easter dinner. We had a little hunt with their daughter Julianna.
The boys were so mean and hid most of Lexi's eggs to high for her to even reach!! I don't think I could have reached this one.
What a fun Easter it was! I can't wait until next year!

Baby Shower

My friend Jeanette totally went above and beyond and threw the most amazing baby shower! It was so beautiful! She served everyone Butternut Squash soup with salad and bread and had a thank you gift for everyone that came!! She is such an amazing friend and I am so lucky to have her! Lexi, of course, had to help open the presents.

Ryan's coworker, Lynne was there and was so sweet and brought Lexi a gift as well! She and Gavin both got sock monsters!

Megan Madsen put this amazing bag together the day before!! She is so talented!! I am so excited to use it. There was such a good turn out! And don't the tables look amazing?? Below left to right: Lynne Anglin (Ryan's co-worker), Blaire and Jan (friends of Ryan's mom), and Donna (Ryan's mom).
This picture shows Juli McFarland and baby Eli; Kate Homer and baby Owen; and Megan Madsen and 3wk baby Blake. Not pictured is of course Jeanette and Tonia Katschke behind the camera! Thanks Tonia!

The Children's Museum

Let me begin by saying that going to the Children's Museum the week of Spring Break is a good way to go crazy. It was so busy!! Not so busy that we couldn't have a fun time though. During our museum adventure Lexi was able to find her place in the Lego Kingdom as Princess Lexi.

As Princess, her first request (or I think it was her Mommy's request) was to ride the carousel! We love the carousel!! However, it was a little more difficult to climb up on those horses while you are 7 months pregnant.

Then the girls decided to have a tea party with the 3 Bears. However, Lily was persistent in letting Lexi know that it isn't a tea party. "We don't drink tea" she said. Fun all the same!!

After all that tea they needed a little something sweet, so we decided to get some ice cream from the Ice Cream Parlor. So many flavors to choose from...how did they ever decide?

With their bellies full, they needed a little rest and relaxation. Lexi, using her ever growing reading skills, decided to read a story.

Then the girls make beautiful toucans with feathers and stick glue.

With a little rest the girls were ready to get back to work! Lexi decided to go into construction but found that too tiring.

So, her and Lily found the world of water much more fascinating!
We then ran into some pretty intimidating dinosaurs...look at Lexi's face! Pretty scared, huh?

So, to face her fears, she decided to dig up dinosaur bones.

They found some pretty cool dinosaurs and thought that they should try on some dinosaur costumes.

In the process, Lexi turned into a dinosaur! Very intimidating! (Don't mess with that dinosaur!)

Even Sam thought she was scary!!

By then, we were all a little worn out and ready to head home. So, we got our train ticket and home we went...

Just another ordinary day at the Children's Museum.

Lexi the Toothless Wonder

And she has 4 more loose teeth!! We may have to start putting her food through the blender like in the nursing homes if she keeps up this pace! She has a solo in her upcoming school play (date TBA) and she has to say 'wish'. Imagine saying that without your 2 front teeth. So sweet!

I'm Back!!

I have recently been reminded of how little I have been blogging lately. I think the lack of blogging is a sign that I have the energy to actually get up and do something! I have been quite productive over the past couple of months...growing a baby...and all the things you need to do to prepare for that. I haven't been doing a very good job of taking pics though so I will start doing that soon. Here are a few of the ones that I did catch though!

While my sister Amanda and her new baby Jason were in town, Lexi and I were able to make it down for few days thanks to my sweet husband for coming to get Lexi on Monday night after school. This allowed me to stay and spend the next day with them. My sister Ashley and her kids were there too! Above is Lexi holding Sam and Lily holding Jason. Sam was just a little too wiggly for Lily. He still doesn't hold still for long. He's a very active little baby. I also got some pics of the snow we got. I don't think this was the big one we had. During the big one where they missed school all three of us were sick. I don't think we would have even noticed the snow except we had to get out in it to take Lexi to the Dr and ER. However, this was one of the prettiest snows we had this winter. This was the view from our back porch on the first day of snow. So relaxing!Lexi was so anxious to get out in it. This was the most time she spent out in the snow ever. She was always too prissy to stay out too long. She is finally loving to be outside more! (Yay!!!)

This was the view from out front porch as the snow really began. I was totally in love with the snow this year. We had so many beautiful days to just sit and enjoy the beautiful views. We better watch out though. Here it is April and we have snow in the forecast for this weekend! Yikes!

The Best Valentine's Day Ever!

(Someone sent us this pic of our Valentine's Day dinner. How fun!!)




With Lexi gone for the weekend, Ryan and I picked up and had a fabulous Valentine's weekend. We started our night out at the Benjamin Harrison home where we listened to readings (Ryan's mom was doing) and then went to a very nice dinner. We then went to a hotel in Carmel that was so cool. It was just such a fun atmosphere! We watched Il Postino (The Postman) which is such a cute movie! We also had some yummy treats...the usual, sour patch kids, Ryan's favorite! The next day we went home and we opened 'the envelope' together. To all those who don't know what the envelope see the below posting but quickly, this is the envelope that had our baby's sex in it. If you can't tell by the blog we are having a boy!! I can't believe it! We are so excited and suprised! So, we now have 3 boy cousins all within 7 months. Lexi is, of course, just so excited to be a big sister. She is going to be such a big help! So, we will soon see what having a little boy in the house will be like.

AND THE GENDER IS.......

...sealed in an evelope, hidden somewhere in my house unknown to me. (sorry, I have to tease others since I don't know) Ryan and I decided to wait until the baby is born to discover what we are having. However, my husband knows me all too well, and decided to have the technician write the gender on an index card and place it in an envelope in case I were to come to him in tears wanting to know what it is. I have been very good and haven't asked once. He seems to think I have obsessive-compulsive qualities that inhibit me from waiting until June 12th to find out. I have no idea what he is talking about and I am out to prove him wrong! However, we do have these absolutely sweet pictures of our little one which we are so proud of!

To Mommyhood

I got a call at work last Sunday night from Ryan telling me Lexi didn't look so good. He gave her some cold medicine and sent her off to bed. The next night while watching a movie together I noticed a strange sound. After muting the movie, I noticed the sound was a wheezing sound coming from none other than Lexi. So, we carted her off to the doctor the next day only to be told she sounds fine and to keep an eye on her. The next day who should get sick, but poor Mommy. So, I ask my sweet hubby to pick up some Benadryl to help with the sniffles and the sleeplessness. I take this at 11pm and at 12pm the fun begins. Lexi decides that just as the Benadryl is kicking in, she is going to begin vomiting over and over and over again. She proceeded to do this until 7:30 the next morning when I finally woke up out of my Benadryl transe and realized 'wait, this isn't right!' (Those nursing instincts were just a little behind that night I think) We get her to the doctor and low and behold, her lungs are all junky! (The mom told you so 2 days ago!) We got an X-Ray, started her on albuterol treatments, got her some zofran and then tried to get her to pee. Well, she didn't like that idea and proceeded to cry for the next hour saying she couldn't go to the potty and she just wanted to go home. I finally talk the doctor in to letting me take her home and just catch some urine at home. So, we go home with Zofran and breathing treatments, she is happy, we are happy, and we all sleep for the next 4 hours!! Then we have to wake up and take Ryan to work. Half way there, Ryan looks at me and says, 'I think I am going to be sick'. (AHHH!) So we turn around and go home, get Ryan in bed and chill at home. Or so we think... Lexi then spikes a fever of 102! As does Ryan. So, because I never use Tylenol in my home (I love Motrin) I have to go out again to get Tylenol. While I am out, I call my poor sweet sister Ashley, who the listens to me gripe for the next 5 minutes about how I am pregnant, sick, sleep deprived and forced to take care of my sick hubby and daughter. I think I am being reminded of what Mommyhood is like. Lexi has been a breeze for the past couple of years. Well, Ryan is doing much better and poor Lexi hasn't eaten much since Wednesday...what she does eat she doesn't keep. I, of course, am still sick, but at work and sucking it up like a real mom does!