Busy and sweet

• Such random thoughts today but wanted to get some things down that I'm sure I'll forget about this oh so busy, oh so sweet time of life.

• We are 23 weeks into pregnancy tres and quickly approaching the point at which we were put on bed rest with Thomas. I am trying not to get anxious but anxious I am. The only thing the docs have said might help prevent it is to drink as much water as humanly possible. This is easier said than done, as I prefer hydration of the diet coke variety. However, I have a very long memory and remember just about every minute of that bed rest 11.5 months ago. So, aqua torture it is. Thankfully, I have been inducted into the sorority of carpool line moms as of late so I'm challenging myself to chug a liter during morning and afternoon pickups. So far, so good. I've had more water in the last few months than I have ever had in my life. No lie. And I will be very ornery if all this drinking/peeing/drinking/peeing is in vain and I still end up horizontal for these last 3 months.

• Speaking of the carpool line sorority, our Mary Kate started her first big girl school last week. Naturally that deserved it's own post but thanks be to the evil Instagram, there seems to be no need for official posts anymore. (If I go on bed rest, you people better start blogging again, p.s.) Anyway, our presh loved every minute of it and hasn't missed a beat. I am sure all kids are the same at this age, but she really does adore learning. I say that and then each day when I pick her up and ask her what she did today, she tells me what snack she had. So maybe I should ease off on the "my kid loves to learn" speech. Nonetheless, she loves school and I am loving watching her thrive and enjoy herself so much. Not a tear shed by this mama.

• And that brings me to my next random thought o the day. I don't think I cry at appropriate times. And conversely, I think I probably do cry at inappropriate times. First day of school, for example, while a little taken aback at how quickly they rushed my babe into class, I did not join the 5 moms crying over the balcony at First Pres. How awful of a mama does that make me? I love picking her up each day but whew, the break is nice. And we have another milestone approaching as Tom boy will be one year old in 12 days. The thought of it, yep, you guessed it, no tears. There are days when my love for that man child makes me tear up, yes. But thinking about the big 1st birthday? No, no siree. I have determined that it takes Stella here about a year to get her groove back after babies. I don't wish the time away, but new babies aren't my favorite stage. Instagrammers like Melissa are helping me in this sensitivity department, but I look forward to all that comes with more communicative, mobile (well, ideally. My children don't get mobile until forever and ever and ever, certainly not by first birthday) babies who are closer to having a mouth full of teeth.

• As for celebration plans for the big boy's day, poor kid's getting very little. We are moving this weekend and mom and dad are gifting ourselves with a weekend in Athens to watch Georgia stomp the chickens during the weekend before his day. Plans are in the works for a joint birthday with his daddy in October when we hopefully have furniture in our house. Sorry bud. I'll share a cupcake for breakfast with you happily on your special day. Your birthday obsessed sister will surely sing you an incorrect rendition of happy birthday 13 times and make you wear a hat you will hate. You won't be sad to see your birthday go!

• So I should go do productive things like work and pack and do some prenatal pilates to stop the barrage of pain I have these days. (Yes, doc, I know my body never had a chance to recover after Tom. I am aware that these pains are normal for "very very very close pregnancies." I so need to find Michelle Duggar's practice or some uber Catholic practice because apparently having kids in back to back years makes me a side show at my current '1.7 kids is enough, you have a boy and a girl why would you ever have more' doctor's office.) End rant.

• If you have extra prayers, we could use them. Our current house is under contract and I am praying so hard that he doesn't bail out in the last days of due diligence when what I expect will be a laundry list of inspection items he wants fixed aren't agreed to (nothing safety wise, just old house stuff.) Plus Ross is busier than he's ever been at work, I'm busier than I've ever been at work, we are moving with 2.7 kids this weekend, Thomas is cutting 2 teeth and Mary Kate **thinks** she is giving up her afternoon nap. This pace is not good for anyone but in our family it can spell Chernobyl. Trying to remember the basic tenets of our faith to put others first- their needs, their stresses, how tired they are. So, prayers appreciated that we come out of the other side of the tornado that is life right now still in love :) It goes without saying that we feel ridiculously blessed that these are our "stresses" right now. Calling them that seems laughable, though I know everything is worthy of prayer.

Hasta lluego.

First day of 3's, First Presbyterian Marietta

Walking with Sister Abelet, telling her all about her new school

loving on brother

morning breakfast picnic