In the Tube

We got out the crawling tube and the little playhouse the other day, and both kids were pretty thrilled about it!  My dad sent these to Jonathan when he turned one.



If there is a book or a hat to be found, Grace will know about it.



Just for fun, here are some pictures of Jonathan that I took of him crawling in the tube at 14 mos., just before he started walking.

20-Week Ultrasound

Jeff and I went to my 20-week ultrasound today. We are so thankful that things are going well, and thankful that Jeff could come in the midst of this busy time for him. The ultrasound tech had a hard time taking the measurements she needed because the baby was so wiggly...until she tried to get a good look at the spine, and then the baby stayed still but in an inconvenient position. I was glad to know that the baby is wiggling around, because although I have felt the baby moving for awhile, I don't feel him/her half as much as the pictures showed us today.

The midwife is happy with how the baby and I are doing. She said that she hasn't done an in-depth study of the ultrasound yet, but so far it looks great. We are so grateful for this sweet addition to our family. Here is our baby at almost 20 weeks:

Lidiya

We have been excited about this for a long time, but I have waited to post about it until I could point you in the direction of some pictures to go along with our excitement.

Our dear friends, Tim and Jo (whom we have known for nearly ten years now, I can hardly believe it) have been in the process of adopting a baby girl from Ethiopia.  They just got back from their trip there to meet her and go to court to get permission to adopt her.  Tonight, they posted pictures!  Oh, she is just precious.  They have two wonderful sons and will be adding a daughter to their family.  We have been praying for her for a long time and are hopeful that Tim and Jo will be able to go get her and bring her home in a month or two.  Be sure to grab your Kleenex before you go look at her pictures.  :)  If you haven't read their blog in awhile, remember to start at the bottom (older posts) before you read the top.

After I wiped away my own tears of joy, I showed the pictures of Lidiya to Jonathan, who has been wishing for a baby brother, and he told me that he'd like another baby sister.  He said that after he saw her pictures, he decided he wanted a sister, and that he changed his mind because of Lidiya.  You should have seen the sparkly look in his eyes when he said it.  He is thrilled for big brothers Graham and Wesley, and so are we.

Memory Lane, Just for Fun

Here's what Jonathan was like at sixteen months, the same age as Grace.

We Thought These Were Funny

Jeff had an extremely stressful week last week, and even though I should have cooked for him, he graciously consented to Chinese take-out at the end of the week. Yay! And it lasted for two dinners. Yay, yay! We thought our fortunes were fitting this time. Here they are, just for fun:

Me: You will travel far and wide, both pleasure and business. I'll take it!

Jeff: People who are late are often happier than those who have to wait for them. Ahem. Jeff is not the most time-conscious person.

Jonathan: Something nice is coming to you in the mail. Loved this one, because we happened to know that Jonathan really did have a nice package coming to him in the mail, from his grandparents. It came Saturday. Thank you! :)

Grace: You will be called upon to help a friend in trouble. Well, three out of four's not bad...

Blogger Pages

One of the blogs that I subscribe to in Google Reader (LOVE that time-saving gadget, and thanks to Karyn who told me about it) and usually skim posted this post about Blogger Pages yesterday.  Apparently, Blogger now gives us the ability to put tabs up at the top or sides of our blogs now, like the fancy-schmancier blogs with cool designs.

Not that I have time to be goofing around with my blog design, but if I did, what tabs should I create?  Does anybody out there use Blogger Pages or tabs on their blog-just ordinary family blogs like mine?

Working on the Spoon

The Ergo Carrier

Some days I am really nervous about whether this baby will make it into the world safely, and some days I think too much about the details of what it will be like once he/she is here. If you know me, I'm sure that doesn't surprise you even though it may not make sense. :)

One thing I have thought about a lot is how I'll need an extra pair of hands to go grocery shopping and take Jonathan to school. We'll also probably want to go hiking as a family again, but one secondhand Kelty backpack will not carry Grace and the new baby. I've been looking around and watching other moms, and I decided that an Ergo Baby Carrier might be my ticket to an extra pair of hands. When one of my frugal blogs linked to a great deal on the carriers-and deals on these are rare-we decided to take the plunge and get one.

The Ergo should work from baby's infancy (with a special insert) through toddlerhood, up to 40 lbs. I can only imagine how it works as a front carrier with a baby inside, and I think I'll mostly use it with the new baby (still nicknamed Apple Baby around here,) but I decided to try it as a back-carrier with Grace.

Clearly I did not get dressed up for this...and yes, I am rather bulgy these days! Jonathan took the picture for me at the end of a long day. Grace is heavy in the carrier, but not awkward and actually comfortable. And she likes it.

Here I am giving her a few bounces. I'm looking forward to using the carrier for a long time. If you want the link to the deal, just let me know!

Jail

When Jonathan first got a Lego set that had specialized parts, Jeff and I wondered whether those parts would be useful for anything besides their original purpose in the set's directions. We must be crusty, old grownups who have forgotten how to imagine.

Jonathan has not forgotten how to imagine. Check out his Lego jail. (Anna, he built this while you and I were on the phone.) The police guy on top is looking through his telescope, watching for bad guys doing crimes.

The guy underneath is in jail, and clearly not thrilled about it.

The yellow, round/hexagonal pieces with spokes that make up his roof and floor are from the single-drum roller. This may be my favorite Lego creation yet!

Free Museum Day

Click here to find out about getting two free tickets to an amazing variety of museums on Free Museum Day, September 25th.  Hat tip to My Frugal Adventures!