I Love Ikea

I'm more mobile now so my mom, my brother, the kids and I took a trip out to Coquitlam and I made a "quick" stop at Ikea to pick up a few things.

Number 1 on my list were these containers:

I bought a few last time I was there and fell in love with them!  They fit perfectly in my cabinets and drawers!  Now I know I have cabinets to hide whats inside them but, how beautiful do organized cupboards and drawers look?



See...they look beautiful!!! And yes I'm proud of my cupboard organizing skills! I bought 10 and I really wish I bought a few more (my laundry room cupboards could use a few)! And they're only $4.99 each!

I really wanted to find a lace table runner to make our house a little bit more feminine (I live with 3 boys and a potential third on the way) and I found this fabric at Ikea...on sale...for $1.99 a meter.  I bought 3 meters which was plenty and now I have a beautiful new table runner!

You Know What I'm Looking Forward Too...

I can't wait for this moment:

The first meeting. 

Falling in love with my baby all over again.  It's that everlasting unconditional love.  It's all the little firsts you can't help but take in.  Hearing their first cry.  Seeing my angel for the first time.  Holding my baby for the first time.  Looking into my their eyes and kissing their sweet lips for the first time.  That newborn smell.  Oh those moments that stop the world.  That moment when everything is perfect!


And moments like these:

Watching my husband fall in love with our babies.  Does it get any sweeter?

I can't wait for this:

But this time I'm going to have two little boys coming to meet their new little brother or sister.
This picture still makes me tear up.  I still remember holding my sweet little Nate and seeing Lincoln coming through those hospital doors and coming to meet his new little brother for the first time.  I can't wait for that moment this time of around.  It makes me teary eyed.  My boys are both going to be big brothers. 

It's that moment when 2 become 3 and 3 become 4 and 4 become 5.  It's about being a family!

It's moments like this I treasure deep down in my heart:

It's that first meeting.  That first bond.  Knowing they are going to love each other forever.


Oh I have so much to look forward too...my heart is bursting with love!  It's pretty darn awesome!

Life Lately (this and that blog post)

I am almost there:-)  I'll be 34 weeks on Saturday and every day that passes I am able to breathe a little sigh of relief!  A few weeks ago I had my last ultrasound regarding the baby's heart and my cervix.  And I am pleased to say that our little ones heart is perfect:-)  No more pericardial effusion:-)  As for my cervix-it's shorter and I'm 1.5cm dialated.  I have been for 3 weeks now with no change so at this point the doctor's aren't too concerned.  And on Saturday I no longer have to take my progesterone pills (ya)!  It really does feel so good to have made it this far!  I am feeling very very blessed.

How precious is this baby?

According to the measurements the baby weighed 3lbs 15oz (give or take a pound).  So far this baby is measuring normal.  My boys were big so we'll see what this one weighs in at!  It's little heart rate is 150 beats per minute and according to the doctors, it has the most picture perfect heart!  Praise God!

I got to see my little angel yawning!  It was quite precious!  And I am so blessed for all times I've been able to see my little one throughout this pregnancy (and for the abundance of ultrasound photo's)!

Baby yawning!

I've been feeling large...very very large.  And my face (and my whole body for that matter) looks like I've been stung by a bee and have had an allergic reaction.  I fantasize about running and working out daily.  I've never fantasived about excersing...ever!  And I can't wait to wear jeans...without an elastic waist band.  And I really really really want these boots!  And I want to wear them with a new pair of skinny jeans and an oversized shirt.  Realistically I know I probably won't wear them this season but they are on sale and I don't know if I can wait till next year to get them!  I think I really want new boots because at this point it's the only thing that will fit me!  I've been sqeezing everything into my regular clothes and Lord only knows this body isn't an extra small any more!  I no longer walk, I waddle and I do a mean grinch walk as well!  But it does feel oh so good to be living life "normally" again!  Ya to "just taking it easy!"


Me Loves A Good Sale!

I love a good sale.  Love love love!  Saving money (and spending money) just feels so good for the soul (I think that's one reason why I love Christmas so much)!!!  I really wanted to get new ornaments for the Christmas tree this year but I thought I'd wait till after Christmas to get them (when they are on sale).  Well it just so happened that Michaels was having a super good sale and between 8 and noon you got to save an additional 30% off your whole purchase including sale items!  And I SCORED all new ornaments for the tree!!!!!  White and silver...plain and simple!  Oh and new garland and silver ribbon for the staircase.  I'm itching to get decorating but the hubby says not until December 1!

On Wednesday I packed up my desk at work.  I officially start maternity leave on Saturday.  As hard as the last few months have been it has felt SO good to be home with the boys!  And what a difference it makes (and feels) not having to wake up early and go to work all day!  I missed it (abit) probably more for the social aspect but I love my mornings with my boys! 

Last night Lincoln spent the night at my parents.  As much as I sometimes need a little "mommy time" I miss my boys so much when I'm not with them!  I did however feel super grateful to get some snuggles in this morning with my littlest man!  Hard to believe he's going to be a big brother soon!

And who says boys aren't cuddlers?  Both my boys love to cuddle!

I've been loving my time with my boys lately!  I have my days where I just need a break but watching these two...I don't even think I can describe it...it's just heart warming (when they aren't stealing one another's toys)!

And I loved waking up to the first snow fall!  Sitting at the table, drinking hot coffee and knowing we could stay in our pj's all day!

My little photographer has been getting annoyed with me lately.  Poor Lincoln just wants to watch cartoons but instead I have him taking belly pics.  He always says "Just one picture mom!"  I always rope him into taking more (Halloween candy has been coming in handy)...the first few are always blurry, side ways, out of focus, too zoomed in, too zoomed out-it takes us awhile to get one good one and I don't know who gets more frustrated-me or him!

This belly is low!  And surprisingly measuring smaller than I did with the boys!  Only a few more weeks to go!

33 weeks with #3!

33 weeks with Nate

32 weeks!

#3

Nathan

31 weeks!  Picture number 3 makes me laugh!  I tried so hard to look pretty when I was preggers with Lincoln but nothing worked.  I was a hot mess!

#3

Nathan

Lincoln

2011 Christmas Photo's!

Photo's with Santa should be fun, exciting something children look forward to.  Not for us!  For me, they are tradition (when the heck did this start) and getting 'er done with as little pain as possible. 

There I was sitting at the table Saturday morning sipping my coffee and "reading" the paper.  Santa was going to be at the mall that afternoon.  I originally planned to take them during the week.  I figured it would be less busy.  But that urge came over me "I must get this done NOW!"  So I showered, got the kids dressed and headed to the mall (sans husband).  I knew we needed to conquer this task.  I prayed there wasn't a line up.  And my prayers were answered.  Only because it was 2:30 and Santa wasn't returning until 3.  So the kids and I were first in line and it was painless!  Last year we waited in line and Lincoln got antsy and Kev took him around the mall to try and distract him, and it was hot, and the line moved so slow and it was not enjoyable the least bit.  But this year was awesome.  Well except Nate wanted nothing to do with Santa.  And to my surprise-Lincoln loved Santa.  Last year he had to sit on my lap but this year he was a changed man.  As I was paying I turned around to find him already sitting with Santa (Nate clung to my leg).  And when we were done with our photo's he even ran back to give Santa a hug!

And I had to go back and purchase the pic of Nate crying-it's a classic and I knew I'd regret not getting it.



And when did my face gain 25lbs?  Kev says it's water retention.   How did I not notice?  At least it's for a good cause!

And oh the memories from last year:

Christmas Pajama's!

Our Christmas PJ's (Kev will be rocking his traditional sweat pants that he always wears)!  After hours and hours and hours of searching I think I've found the perfect one!

Hanna Andersson

Hanna Andersson

Victoria's Secret

And I might need to buy this in case baby Edwards decides to come before Christmast!



Family Dinner

Who knew eating out with kids could be fun?  We never eat out with the kids...well at an actual restaurant where you sit down and someone takes your order and then brings you your food.  We use to with Lincoln-that way one of us could enjoy our meal but when we had Nathan we opted to just order in.  The last time the 4 of us went to an actual restaurant Lincoln through a fit on the floor and then started licking the door.  I never did get my deep fried banana dessert that night!  If I'm going to pay for a meal I want to enjoy it.  So for the last 19 months the only time we eat at a restaurant is if it's just Kevin and I!

Tonight I suggested we go out.  Normally on Friday nights we order in-it's just so much more simple and easier.  We headed to the Spaghetti Factory (they're kid friendly).  And to our surprise the 4 of us had such a great time.  No melt downs, no fits, no whining.  Just some good old family fun.  And Kev and I got a glimpse into our future...the table next to us.  It was like looking into the future-I had let myself go and was sporting a stache and a bad case of mom bum and Kev was wearing glasses and was missing a tooth.  We had two boys and girl.  Then they argued with the manager about using their $10 gift card towards their purchase and how they were charged for a kids drink.  It was quite funny!  At that moment I promised Kevin I'd never let myself go.  And I'm almost positive the poor woman heard us talking about her stache for movember!

Gotta love family time!

I Heart Fall!

I think I could sit here all day and watch the leaves fall!  It's definetely a hot apple cidar day (once the kids go for a nap!

I heart fall!

And how can you not love the colors of fall?

Pet Peeves



I can spot 3 pet peeves in this 1 picture:

1. Clothes on the floor.
I've been told he keeps them there incase he has to go to a fire in the middle of the night and he needs to quickly throw something on.  Well I don't think he'll be "throwing" on a suit to attend a fire so why is that STILL on the ground?  I don't know!  And after almost 12 years of being together you'd think I'd be use to it or he'd finally get sick of my nagging and just put the darn clothes in the laundry basket but no they lay on the floor waiting to be put back on again "in case there's a fire" ...and for your information he hasn't gotten a middle of the night fire call in ages!

2. Open drawer.
Close it for crying out loud!  It's super simple and super easy and will take just a second...I promise!

3. Unhung picture frames.
I don't know if unhung is a word (most likely not) but it's been 6 months and every time I bring it up the response is "I'll do it tonight."  I'd do it myself with my meat tenderizer acting as a hammer but I hate unnecessary holes in the wall and I know I'd ending up putting oodles of them in while trying to hang two photos side by side perfectly!  So I will continue to wait patiently.  FYI I put those frames on his side of the bed to haunt him every night when he goes to sleep!  It clearly isn't working!

And Kev I'm not nagging I'm just pointing out the obvious!

Lincoln and Mama's Special Day!

I loved everything about Friday:-)  Waking up early-these days 9 am is early for us; seeing frost every where, gotta love fall mornings; going for a drive with the fam out to Vancouver; drinking my first eggnog latte of the season; and spending the day with my oldest little man:-)  I was just thinking the night before that I wanted to spend some one on one time with each of my boys before this baby comes.  Now I understand that Lincoln probably wasn't too thrilled to be shopping with his mama but at this point I'll take whatever one on one time I can get! 

We walked the streets of Vancouver, grabbed some Starbucks and did a "little" shopping!  There was something special walking the busy streets of Van with Lincoln.  Maybe because it felt so good to get out of the house and breathe in some fresh, crisp fall air!

I scored big at Zara.  Hands down best store EVER for boys clothing!  I originally went to ONLY buy the boys sweat pants and sweat shirts for flying in but they had new stuff since the last time I was in and I couldn't hold back...so I didn't!

When I had Nate I had alot of people tell me how lucky I was because I got to save money on clothing.  That however is NOT true.  Having two boys means buying double of everything!  Yes it's great that I get to see some of my favorite clothes on Nate but kids clothing is just like adult clothing-it goes out of style too!  And my boys have different looks and different personalities so some clothes that looked good on Lincoln just don't look as good on Nate (no offence Nate:-) 

After shopping we grabbed some lunch and then headed to the park.

I am so blessed to have spent such  a great day with such a special little man!