pictures of various in May

So even though the past few weeks have been interesting, we've still gotten some things done.  These are some pictures I meant to post.  Eventually I'll put some up of people.

Here's some pictures of the garden growing:
May 4(Sunflowers on the right and little watermelon plants on the left):

May 20 (Tomato plants):

May 20 (Sunflowers on right and watermelons on left):

May 22 (little white frog in the peony leaves):

May 22 (bean plants):

And some baby's room pictures:
Her bright purple paint (5/13)!

And the start of the wainscoting, without trim yet (5/21):

Steve putting up the gazebo (Beca took this picture):

The gazebo on the deck:

And lastly, the poodle pouting (either no one would play ball or laser with her or she was mad about no one letting her sleep because we keep moving stuff around):

Beca's birthday wishes

In an effort to get Beca's mind focused on shopping at Target for things other than toys Beca wanted, Steve told Beca they would write up a birthday/Christmas list.  Gratefully, she's not in the same category as her father, where every wish list item costs in the hundreds of dollars range.  But Steve wrote down her wishes.  Some are impossible but she was convinced when I said these toys aren't all available that Santa would be able to take care of it.

I'm sure by "light fairy" Barbie, she means Iridessa.  I'm also pretty sure that she would have listed Fawn, Rosetta, and Silvermist.

In addition to the list, Beca loves games, puzzles, and books - and she's really starting to read more words so any early reader books would be good.  She loves anything Color Wonder but I don't particularly love the paint ones - they may not actually make colors on anything but they do make a mess that is difficult for her to clean up thoroughly.  She also likes the Berenstein Bears a lot - and yes, we have the "New Baby" one.  She has a slight obsession with Toy Story lately, and especially Jessie, who has been more difficult to locate items for than the more well known stars of Buzz and Woody.  Beca has confiscated Steve's Woody doll that I got for him for Christmas when TS2 came out and I worked at the Disney Store.  I know it's more of a "boy" movie trilogy and that the merchandising for Jessie off TS2 was not as popular as Disney/PIXAR had hoped.  Luckily, the big box from the Disney Store arrived during her bath tonight bearing her birthday gifts from us (boots, hat, swimsuit and PJ's).  Now I just have to find Toy Story wrapping paper with Jessie on it.

crazy weekend

The best part about the weekend is that Steve's pain meds seem to be on the right dosage/schedule.  Actually the best part is that I got 3 bras that fit (a true accomplishment given the difficulty in finding this particular size) but that's completely selfish.  Steve's pain meds is a good thing though.  He is actually sleeping which means he can get to healing, and he is also able to accomplish things besides just the dishes and making dinner and playing WOW.  We actually went out to get lunch today and make a visit to Lowe's.  He's got 2 walls of wainscoting and trim completely up and another wall part way finished with the baseboard and wainscoting.  The rest of the walls require lots of cutting to get around the window, closet, and over to the door.  Originally, he thought the entire thing would take him a weekend to put up and maybe a night or two to paint.  Oh well.  Now he's just hoping he can get out of the house - he's attempting to work tomorrow, as long as my mom can drive to pick him and Beca up.  She had vertigo so we were down to 50% capable drivers today - good thing Dad and I are fine.  Hopefully that clears up quick and she can get to her accupuncturist to clear that up.
I was able to disassemble the linen closet, finding homes for most of the linens on Beca's new bookshelf which up until it held linens was completely and totally empty.  We just hadn't moved books over yet because it hadn't been anchored to the wall.  Then I took out all the wire shelving and hardware and puttied the holes.  Last night, I got it painted so at least one of the closets getting organizers is completely done.  Hopefully, the other two will get their work done next weekend.
And amidst all the thunderstorms, TV (mostly Phineas and Ferb), movies, and computer time, I was also able to plant the last of the things that needed to get in the ground, like the garden beans and pumpkin seeds.  That little tiny garden is so full and I think I have a better idea of what needs to be done next year to spread some stuff out.  I found these little metal fences too for the tomato plants - they ended up being a quarter each at Target.  I managed to convince Beca to pick out some cute Toy Story stuff for her birthday party treats.  She managed to watch Toy Story 2 at least twice this weekend.  And she keeps telling us every time she sees a Toy Story 3 commercial that it is coming out and that she told us already that Jessie is in it.  I also started getting some of the stuff to donate packed up.  Oh yeah - I also finished putting everything into Beca's 1st baby album.  I'm horrible at weeding out things so it only covers through her baptism.  Oh well.  Maybe baby sister will give me some time to work on the next one and I can get to like 4 or even 6 months old on Beca's scrapbooks.  I'm already giving up on everything being fair.  That's just not going to happen.
And Zoe believes we are truly horrible.  She has not had enough time to just sleep and everyone keeps staying in the house and we come and go and split up in separate rooms and then there's the whole outside business with the squirrels and the bunnies and sometimes the birds and most definitely the geckos and frogs (but only by day).  The frog noises at night creep her out and she often refuses to go into the yard.  Her age is getting her a bit - thunderstorms are much more torturous than they ever used to be but I think that's because the noise is a bit like fireworks, which didn't scare her until we moved here and then the fourth of July happened when lots of people set off their own fireworks very near our house.  She just wants some peace and quiet for once!  Quite frankly, me too.

sensitive Beca

Beca has taken to crying during sad parts or emotional parts of movies/shows.  It's very sweet.  She likes watching Toy Story 2 and actually the first Toy Story but it makes her upset enough that she has trouble talking for a while.  She tries to get through it but then she thinks about a part coming up and trips though her words and then with big fat tears welling up in her eyes first, she just starts to sob.  It is absolutely one of the most darling things and I'm amazed at her level of emotional capability at not quite 5.
So her birthday presents from us are mostly Jessie (the cowgirl) related and Toy Story 3 will come out just after her birthday - in IMAX.  Need to figure out how to get tickets for a family outing to the movies.  She is super excited about the whole "turning 5" thing.  I'm sure we're going to mess up some sort of the planning in her head though.
And tonight was her last ballet recital for a while.  Hopefully, once Steve is feeling better, we can join the Y and head over to the pool a couple of nights a week.  luckily, my parents are probably going to join as well.  Beca will love just being in the pool.  In her new Jessie swimsuit, I'll add.

week 29 already

3rd trimester officially - well as of last week!  Baby girl is probably about 2.5 pounds and 15+ inches - I think she tries to stretch out longer than that!  She is still moving like crazy - constantly and if you are watching, you can see her kick or punch or move around.  Except when she is kicking into my cervix, pelvic bone and even my tailbone and butt but I think those are usually punches or her head jerking when she has hiccups.  That's still one of the weirdest sensations ever.  The scheduled date for her arrival is July 27 so that's the latest possible birth date and I like having a plan with an end date that isn't going to move later!  I had my glucose test this morning as well - nasty stuff.  I didn't gain much weight since the last check but the nurse was more worried about it than the OB.  Any weight I have gained is all in the front half of my torso and not necessarily all in my belly.  And all this extra spacing doesn't work well in booths.  I actually get a little dizzy and nauseated when I am sitting too close to a table.
Thus far, we have purple paint on the walls and all the wainscoting pieces in house (up on one wall), closet organizers coming in June, clothes and other baby stuff waiting to move in, and a big pile for donating because I can't get it together enough to have a yard sale.  Steve's case of shingles has kept him from being able to do much at home except the dishes so its been a little at a time on everything else.  I know it will get there eventually.  It doesn't help that I'm always tired too.  It does help that my mom can drive past our house to pick up Beca in the mornings and drop her off and that my parents can help do things in the house.
I am loving certain foods - McD's Sweet tea (get over the lecture now because I stopped sodas, I don't drink coffee and this is my one vice that keeps me able to function), Blue Bunny ice cream - especially the double strawberry - it's like heaven mixed with cream and strawberries, and the Goldfish S'mores bag.  The last is a recent discovery.  But I don't crave much.  In fact, I usually don't want to eat with the bongos being played on my stomach so I am eating because I know I have to.  Less than 10 weeks to go.