Florida!

We had so much fun in Florida with family!  I had spent weeks looking forward to the weather and seeing everyone and of course the week went by way too fast.  The weather was amazing every single day.  It was in the 80s and sunny all but one day.  It was overcast one day with a little rain for about 15-20 minutes, but gorgeous the rest of the trip.

We spent a lot of time by the pool.  Zoe was in heaven swimming every day.  She was swimming all on her own by the end (with a life jacket).  One day she made up this funny little routine.  She'd step on this filter cover which she called a polka dot, walk over to a raft that was on the side of the pool and put her foot on the headrest, walk to the edge, jump to Uncie Nate, then swim to the edge.  She would narrate the entire thing.  She did this over and over and over.  We finally had to tell her only a few more times or else she probably would have done it for hours.  

While we were limited by naps, we still tried to squeeze in a few things outside of the house. We went to the ocean a few times, walked to the splash pad, walked to the park, got ice cream, and the adults even got to go out for drinks while Nana and Grandpa stayed home with the sleeping kids.

It really was so special to spend the week with family.  Hopefully it works out that we can all do it again another year!

July 20, 2014 - 23 Weeks

It's always sad saying goodbye to vacation.  While I was getting ready to get home to our own space, I definitely didn't want to leave Zoe and go back to work.  Oh well...I suppose it's work that allows us to take such fun vacations :)

Nothing really new pregnancy-wise.  It's definitely exhausting trying to do everything with everyone with a 20 month old and pregnant.  Thankfully there were plenty of hands to help out.  I was able to do most everything, but there were a few things I had to sit out of.  And obviously no drinking which was a major bummer....there were a few night I really could have had a glass (or bottle) of wine.

Zoe slept essentially the entire way from the airport to Glenwood Springs.  She woke up with maybe 30 minutes left and just watched out the window.  We didn't do much Sunday - just unpacked and went to Chile's with Papa (exciting dinner I know) and quickly grocery shopped for the week.

Monday we headed to Snowmass to meet my BFF and her family for a few hours.  We had fun but didn't take many pictures!  It's funny how our time together has changed a bit now that Zoe is older.  It's getting harder to just sit and chat like the old days!  But it's fun to see how it's changed too watching the little ones run around (or sit quietly as is Harper's case for now :) ).  Monday night we made dinner and somehow clogged the sink....so many dishes and no where to put them.

Tuesday we decorated the reception venue....for FIVE hours.  It was gorgeous in the end, but it took FOREVER and only a few disagreements :)

Wednesday everyone else went hiking to Hanging Lake while Zoe and I found a park.  I made the mistake of trying to tell her where we were going and she cried and cried about the swings until we finally got there.  I think we swinged for about 35 minutes before I could finally coax her off of them :)  That night we went out to dinner for my dad's birthday (60th! later this month).  After dinner was music in the park and Little Miss definitely got her groove on. She LOVES to dance.

I'm glad Andrew can fake it.

Rockin' it out with Beeba.

Thursday was our rafting day.  Zoe and I went down the lower portion after the rapids.  She had so.much.fun.  I have never heard her squeel and laugh so much in 2 hours in my life.  Unfortunately, we couldn't take phones, so I don't have any pictures, but she was so freakin' cute.  Whee!!!  Whoa.... were common words heard from the front.  There was one wave that caught her off guard but she quickly recovered and was squeeling again.  She definitely passed out that afternoon for her nap.  We had to finally wake her up at 4:30 to get going to the park for our bbq.

Friday Aaron and Zoe went for a LONG bike ride where Aaron saw a bear (Zoe was napping).  Us girls got out nails done and finished decorating and got ready super fast for the rehearsal.  Zoe did GREAT walking down the aisle with the ring bearer...our only hope was that it would go just as well on the actual wedding day.  She was crabby at dinner so we didn't stay long.

Saturday was the big day!  Zoe did perfect again :)  So cute!

And other randoms from the week...

Feeding the fish every morning.

She warmed up to the ring bearer really fast once she realized he had an iPad.

It only took about 5 days for her to finally become friends with Aunt Cathy :)

Petting the many wildlife in the backyard.

July 13, 2014 - 22 Weeks

I really am writing this one late so hopefully I can remember a week ago :)  Things can slow down any time now....

Vacation has started!!  It was exhausting cleaning the house (I clean Fridays and didn't want to come home to a messy house) and packing but it was worth it.  Zoe was a champ on the plane and loved every second of the bus ride to the airport (no car seat!) and takeoff and landing.  She did get bored and fussed for all of 15 minutes, but I don't blame her.  I was antsy too.

Eating some cereal on the landing.

What mom? Everyone else is holding onto these poles.

Besides being tired, I'm feeling great.  I feel like this will be the story of my life for the next who knows how long so maybe I should just stop complaining about it.

Still trying to think of a baby name.  I have a list and can't tell how Aaron feels about any of the contenders.  We haven't had time to really sit down and talk about them (I told him while he was feeding Zoe so it was hectic).  No progress on Zoe's room or baby's room either.  I do have lists!  But haven't had time to do anything.  That's August's project :)

Sorry for the horrible post....I guess I should have been better about writing as the week went by!

We Made It!

And of course, I worried for nothing.  Zoe was AMAZING.

We started off early Thursday morning.  Zoe was a little cranky in the car but soon enough was chatting away with Beeba.  Zoe decided to check out the planes for a little while before we took off.  We were a sight to be seen though.  I had so much stuff.  Thank goodness my parents were there to help.  I'm really bummed we didn't get a picture of our getup as we went through the airport.  Mom had Zoe and her c-pap machine.  Dad had two carry on bags.  I had Zoe's car seat on my back, her diaper bag over my shoulder, a carry on and then her stroller bag (when she wasn't in it).  I'm pretty sure I hit about ten people on accident with the car seat bag (it was HUGE).  It was very convenient though, and I'm glad we had it.

Zoe was only somewhat intrigued when got on the plane.  She was much more interested in playing with the TV on the back of the seats.  She did sit with Grandpa for a little while watching as we got ready to take off.  On her second flight, she even got her own seat.  The Delta staff were nice enough to rearrange our seats before we even asked since there were open seats and they saw that we had a baby in our group.

We got to Colorado and all piled into Auntie Jodi's Chevy Cobalt.  Somehow, almost everything fit in the trunk.  Beeba had the stroller at her feet and I had the diaper bag (I'm not sure how I got the front).

The weekend was filled family time, laughs, and trying to wrangle a 10 month old :)  I wouldn't have had it any other way.

Playing with Uncle Mark, playing cards, snuggles with Lambie, playing Guesstures.

Rafting, first taste of Olive Garden, frisbee from Scott, tuckered out after shopping.

Hanging with Aunt Jodi, at the airport way too early, enjoying her first taste of McD's pancakes, taking a snooze.

We can't wait for next year when we are ALL out there for the wedding!

Excited but oh so nervous....

In less than 48 hours, I will be venturing into the world of flying with a child under the age of 1.  Or should I just say child period?  Any way you put it, I don't think it would be easy flying with any age.  Newborn?  I'd struggle trying to nurse in public, calm the ear piercing colicky screams, and not have every passenger hate me.  Baby entering toddler hood?  How in the world do you keep them occupied sitting on your lap for 4 hours?  Toddler/child?  I don't even know but I'm sure there is something...whining maybe?? :)

I have my packing list made.  Zoe has 2.5 columns, I have a half a column.  It's organized into carry-on, diaper bag, and checked luggage.  Yes, I have OCD.  Unfortunately, Aaron can't make the trip with us, but thankfully my parents are being super grandparents and driving to us so that I don't have to fly alone.  I have no idea how I would make it through the airport with everything plus Zoe.

First, I really am excited.  I've haven't been out to CO to see my sister ever and this trip is LONG overdue.  Plus Zoe needs to be able to love on her auntie and uncle-to-be.

However, not only do I have OCD, I also have major, major anxiety.  Which means I've run through every possible horrible thing that could happen to us.  What if she freaks out on the plane?  She hates being held for more than 5 minutes and wants to venture on her own.  What if she poops and I have to change her diaper in the bathroom?  I hate peeing in there myself!  What if her ears bother her?  How am I going to feed her lunch and breakfast?  How is she going to nap (because her evil twin makes an appearance if she doesn't nap)?  Are the other passengers going to give me evil looks or worse actually make a rude comment to me?  And that's just the plane.  How is she going to sleep in a different time zone?  Does this mean she's going to wake up at 5am every day??  I am an ok morning person, but 5am everyday on vacation?  That's a little too early for me.

But thankfully Beeba knows just how to calm me down and will take over if any (or all...hopefully not) of the above happens.  Regardless, we'll have fun memories in the end.  And Aaron will owe me many weekend sleep-ins..... :)

Thankfully, she's cute so anything she does automatically gets erased from my memory.

Ten month update soon to follow.  We have been so busy lately! 

Zoe's First Visit Up North

We are alive over here!  Summers are just so busy for us.  And July has been crazy.  This is the first weekend we've been home all month.

It's no secret I love up north Michigan.  It's absolutely gorgeous.  I don't know how you can't love it - especially in the summer when it's warm and sunny and the beaches are beautiful.

Every year (almost), my family goes camping up north.  When we were little, we'd go to different campgrounds, but at some point we got stock on Traverse City and we've been going there for a LONG time now.  We weren't able to go last year because of my brother's wedding (it was worth it!), but this year we were able to fit in a few days around the 4th of July.  And Miss Zoe got experience her first trip up north AND her first time camping.

She did awesome for the most part.  The last day/night were rough.  She was hot, tired, whiny, and cutting a tooth so it was just a mess.  Not much sleep was had.  But thankfully it was the last day/night and the rest of the time was perfect.  

She even got to sleep on Uncle Andrew's table bed.  She was one lucky girl to have that whole thing to herself!

She LOVED the beach.  She could have
stayed there the whole time.

She even took a 45 minute while Grandpa held
the umbrella for us so it wouldn't blow away.

Beeba helped us take a bath in the same "tub"
the three of us used as kids with original stickers
on the side and all.  She BARELY fit.

Aaron claims this was the cause for his
horrible game.  I won by the way.

She loved the campfire!  I can't wait for when she can
actually stay up a little longer to enjoy it.

Mommy even snuck her some frozen yogurt.  It was like crack.

And her 4th of July outfit.  Nana got her and Ida matching onesies and I found
this headband on Very Jane along with some super cute bloomers that she
has on that you can't see.