Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Precious!

So Almost 2 year old Baby H spent the night with her Pops and LaLa this past weekend. Big THANK YOU to my parents for letting me get some much needed rest and a few last minute things done around the house. I  had to share my favorite picture they sent from the weekend.

I think these two are each others biggest fans! We hear all about Pops's truck. Love this picture!

Sunday, July 24, 2011

I might need a new title huh?

Still here, still pregnant. Very pregnant. About 97% pregnant I believe. Ha.
So we need to switch the name of the blog...again. But I want a different address too, so I will let you know when/if that changes, as there will soon be four little birds in our nest!

Sorry to have dropped off the blog. We have had a few changes in our home life and it means a little less free time for mama. But we are really thankful for the extra work and income that the Hubs is getting. Y'all just say a prayer for him as he is driving back and forth to Memphis those few days. He finishes up his degree at Belhaven at the end of October and we are just anxiously anticipating the new opportunities that may come our way as a result. Don't worry Oxford friends, we are not going anywhere with a newborn in tow! This spring we decided to take at least a year and prayerfully consider what God has in store for us in the future. Right now I am just trying to sort through the noise so that I can hear a bit more clearly. Intentional praying is a skill that I am not proficient in, or maybe it is the listening? Perhaps a combination of both.
Lately I tend to be a pray when I think about it person. Just little short prayers, bullet prayers I think they call them. I am really looking forward to maternity leave...for lots of reasons. But I am planning to use this time to be more intentional about my prayer life. And have fun with my new little one of course.

So here is the latest progress on the baby room:


We cannot wait to find out who will be living here!

And here is the latest progress on the belly:

Also cannot wait for whoever is living in there to GET OUT!

Back to the doctor on Wednesday and hoping for some good news! We have everything ready now, even put the infant car seat in the car - I thought having two cribs in our house was a shock. I was not prepared to have my entire backseat covered with car seats, books and remnant goldfish. You know what would make a million dollars? A hand vac that you kept in your car! Like in the trunk or something and charged off the battery. Man, I would buy a car just for that reason.
Don't steal my idea, you heard it here first! And I need that million, we are about to have two in diapers and daycare!

Monday, May 23, 2011

Catching up...

Whew! Being pregnant with a toddler is a lot harder than I thought it would be. Or it is at this point anyway. God bless our sweet daycare teachers! So let's see, it has been almost a month since I have posted anything. Unfortunately nothing remarkable has happened, save the exceptional weight gain I have experienced, 12lbs in four weeks, eek! But my OB assured me that is it "all baby." Girls, this is how you know you have a good OB.
So here are some pictures from Easter, yep Easter was a while ago. The problem is our family photographer relocated to Birmingham, so unfortunately you will only get quality pictures on major holidays from this point forward. And our babies better be satisfied with phone pics of themselves - I mean who are we kidding, by the time they care about pictures of themselves everything will be on high tech devices, so really we are doing them a favor by saving a step.
I think it's obvious to say they are related!

When this little girl was born she looked exactly like her Daddy, so what does it mean that at almost two years old she looks very much like my father-in-law?
Bubbles have become one of our favorite activities, along with sidewalk chalk, playing in the yard and bossing around Lola. We are entering the phase of dirty and daily baths are pretty much a necessity. This wouldn't be too much of a problem, except that she has decided she doesn't really like bath and if she has to get in one she would rather not sit down. I have no idea where this determined nature comes from. Ha.
  This is one of the few family pictures we have. I keep thinking that a nicer camera will make me take more pictures, but I really prefer the arrangement we have right now: someone else documenting our lives is much more convenient and time saving. I joke, but seriously if it wasn't for one sweet sister-in-law we would only have about half the pictures of our child that we do.
Thanks to wonderful parents we have gotten all of the spring cleaning done in our yard and minimal planting completed. This will be a low maintenance summer yard year. We have half cleaned out a room for our new baby and my plan is to have it done by the end of June, with about four weeks to spare until arrival. So hopefully we will come up with some names by then.
We are loving our CSA and I have learned how to use green leafy things in so many ways. Disguising spinach or kale in a fruit smoothie is a perfect way to pump up my green adverse toddler. Our home is becoming more of a regular spot for dinner with friends, which we love. And The Hubs and I have both been challenged and are learning a lot about our relationship and our relationship with God. Exciting times.

Ok, I am going to try to be better about posting and taking pictures to post. I need to get in the habit now, or this second baby will end up having a baby folder instead of a baby book.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Diaper Bags: what gives?

So here I am browsing through the Cribsie Awards and have discovered several things: 1) this is a pretty awesome time killer 2) it is also a helpful and revelatory site. So I am browsing down the categories and I see one of the categories is "Chicest Diaper Bag that Doesn't Look Like a Diaper Bag." Yes seriously, that really is a category. But you know, in the hospital they don't give you the option of "Post-partum Body that Doesn't Look Like I  Just Had a Baby."  So who are they fooling? I am pretty sure that everyone will notice the adorable, but sometimes drooling and smelly infant in your arms. But maybe if you have a super cool really expensive diaper bag they won't think its yours!And I am sure no one gave a second thought to that expanding beach ball under your shirt.

So here are some of your baby disguising options:

The Kate Spade Stevie Bag  - I know I have seen several of these floating around town.
Petunia Pickle Bottom's Touring tote
Anything Vera Bradley - especially if you are from the South

I am fortunate enough that I had a friend make a bag for Not so Much Baby H that has held up beautifully for almost two years now, complete with changing pad. You can find her on Facebook. Of course with our excellent timing, it is starting to look like we may need to invest in another bag. Either a regular one or one that is a bit larger so that we can put both babies things in one bag. Thoughts or suggestions?

Edit: I began this post a few days prior to the storms that came through. We are all ok and hope that you are too! There was quite a bit of damage in Oxford, one of our church families lost their entire house. We continue to hear about more damage across the south and pray for those who lost more than just earthly possessions. 

Also, there will be an Easter post coming soon!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Time Warp

I thought it would be fun to do a little comparison with these babies of mine. Since, let's face it, that is what I will be doing for the next year or so. They are already SO different. This little one is so still and Baby H was a mover and a shaker. I always felt great with Baby H and well... so far with this baby I have had 4 months of nausea, followed by 2 weeks of cold that ended with a sever ear infection and then another 3 weeks of cold/allergy/sinus funk that has resulted in a bruised rib/ torn side muscle. Fun times people. Fun times. And I still have 4+ months to go - no telling what is in store for me next.

I thought I would share these pictures taken at nearly the same time but two years apart. Yes, only two years.
Here is one of me with Baby H at 20+ weeks:
Here is one of me with Baby on the way at 20+ weeks:

I know that your first response was "Wow you look great and haven't aged a bit." RIGHT?! And then you can go ahead and say what I am thinking - that belly in the second shot looks a lot bigger. Yikes! Oh and yes it is the same tank top, for my fashion conscious readers. I have heard all about the showing earlier, but I didn't know that meant you showed bigger too.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

No words

There really are no adequate words to describe the range of emotions that I have gone through over the past month. A range of EXTREME emotions. I have gone from complete and utter stress and despair to high celebratory joy,  to be brought down by grief - and there is the ever present overtone of anxiousness that I can't escape. I am not going to go into the details of the causes but let's just say the sermon I heard Sunday could not have come at a better time. Jesus calms the storm, Mark 4:35 - 41. It is no secret to me, nor the Hubs that I have some real worry/anxiety issues. I am better than I used to be, but they have gotten to the point of frustration - the point and which I am ready to really do something about it. So, God and His incredible timing gave me these verses:
35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

So the part that I had always overlooked was where Jesus said "Let's go across to the other side." Now why would he have suggested this journey's destination had he not intended to reach it? Anyone who knows me knows that I always have a keen eye on the weather, especially if things are predicted to get stormy. Throw in a large body of water and you might as well throw me the Valium. So if I was on the boat I would have been the first person to inform Jesus of my personal assessment of the situation. And then politely but emphatically suggest "Stop sleeping and get up and DO SOMETHING!"
But in an effort to conquer, over the next few weeks or however long it takes I will just keep repeating this tailored version to myself and imagine Jesus saying "Megan, why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?" and then plead for an increase in faith in my weak moments. Because I know that God would not have told me I would get to the 'other side' and then not let me get there to meet Him. Amen?

Oh and looking forward to heaven and angels. Here is a picture of one sweet angel baby!

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Back from Texas

One of my favorite Christmas presents this year was a trip to Austin, TX to visit my sister! My friend Meg went with me and we had a wonderful and relaxing time. The relaxation was much needed. That and a lot of Mexican food, seriously I never eat so well anywhere else. I don't know what it is, but the food there is always so fresh and healthy. Most of the restaurants we visit are all about local growers and sustainability. And there is always a vegetarian and most of the time vegan option. So everyone was happy! And I finally managed to get my pregnancy weight gain on to the positive side, I gained 2lbs so I am now 2+ over my pre-pregnancy weight. My OB will be so proud, and will stop threatening me with Ensure shakes, nasty!

This pic was taken from my favorite meal of the trip, ha. Really it was a ton of fun and really good to see Boo Boo for several uninterrupted days. We did a little bit of shopping, went to this handmade art pop-up store, and did a lot of walking. I needed the walking. This poor baby is not getting nearly the amount of exercise that H got. But I guess it's the baby's fault because I was also not nearly this sick for this long either! Not that I am complaining, by this time with H I had gained 15lbs so now I just have less to come back from. Not to mention chasing a toddler helps - of course there is still plenty of time left to pack it on so I better not speak too quickly!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Not whining...

 I am not whining, but I came across this article that made me want to say "YES that is me!!" Though the thought of planning a vacation is a luxury that I can only dream about right now. Warning: this is more about the working mom dilemma of balance. Now, don't get your panties in a wad non-moms and stay-at-home moms. This is not the gauntlet being thrown. I am adult enough to recognize all walks of the womanly life, and I know that none of them are easier or better than mine. Ok now that's done...
So here are some lines to ponder (if you cheat and don't read the article), and I really want to know your thoughts...
"First, any illusion that mothers might have had about full-time employment as a “lifestyle choice” has, in this economy, been stripped away. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics data, 77 percent of American women with school-age children work; a quarter say they sometimes work from home; a third work on the weekends."
So that means there are A LOT of us out there, in all forms. Part time, full time, work at home...etc. I work is because I like to eat, not because I love getting up at 6am everyday.  But here is the line that made me think, and I am not sure I totally agree with it:
 "Beneath these newer realities of modern life lies an indisputable truth: American corporate structures and marriages still do not fully accommodate the working mom."
I don't know why but this line really stuck with me, for several reasons. Maybe it was the word, "accommodate" that made me think twice. On the one hand, there are several things that I feel could be remedied to help women (mom or not) feel that they are equally valued in corporate America. And as a mom, yes, I would make some changes if they asked me. But no one is really asking - and is that the problem? Not so much that there do not appear to be solutions, but that no one has even considered that there is an issue here.
However, should my business be required to "accommodate" me when I was the one who set my path to working motherhood? But did I have a choice (about the working, not the motherhood)? However, why should I not be considered worth accommodating? Is having a family just a professional bump in the road with predetermined and less than favorable outcomes?

Just some things to ponder. And gender equality issues notwithstanding, I would like to say that having a working mom - to me, and I am biased - would seem to be a perk. Can you imagine the capacity and strength of character that it takes to have two full time jobs? Where really there are no "days off" and multi-tasking is not even thought about as a talent, it is just a way of life.
I know this is not a new issue, and I don't have any solutions. But it is something that consumes my thoughts these days. So I just thought I would put it out there.
And I am just not going there about the marriages. :)

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

The Not-So-Weekly Update

Sorry! We have been busy and then sick and then VERY sick at the Prescott house.We are all tapering down off of our super antibiotics, slowly but surely.Who else is ready for spring weather?? Oh wait, that is what got us into this predicament. Thank goodness it is February, the beginning of the end right? RIGHT?
Well, because we like to keep it interesting at the Prescott house it wasn't just our colds that kept me away. I have been under the weather for the last couple months now with a whole other type of bug...yep that is right another little Prescott doodle bug will be making his or her appearance this summer!
We are just thrilled and would love your thoughts and prayers for these next few months!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

We survived

But just barely. I went to work today, the roads were fine. I am pretty sure that either my child or husband will not survive tomorrow if daycare doesn't open. I'm taking bets on who will come out alive...feel free to leave yours in the comments section. And I'll let you know when I get home today who is still breathing. Forget betting on Lola she went into a mental break somewhere around the time when the babe became mobile. Poor dog is in permanent survival mode. It's nice to know I have some company though.
Here is an awesome video done by a local photographer. Really smart!

Zero to 10...... inches of snow on the Oxford square from scottburtonphotography on Vimeo.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

My head is spinning

I feel like I was hurtled into 2011 through a time warp. There is SO much going on. Babies, weddings and birthdays OH MY! Most of the events are good though we did find out some sad news of two deaths in our family, on the Taylor side. I just feel like an incredible amount of life has happened in the past 6 days. I am terrified this is indicative of what the next year will look like. Scary.
Well I can tell you that this year, this six days of this year, has been incredibly full! The first day of the new year we loaded into the car and drove up to Memphis to meet The Moustache, other wise known as my sister's rather serious but not to be labeled dating partner. We also had a great dinner with some wonderful family friends - it's an annual event. And we all marveled at how much everyone has done and how our kids have grown. Yikes, our kids, yep I have a child, sometimes I forget that.  Then the next day Boo and the b.f. drove down to Oxford to hang out with us and the Baby Girl on her own turf. She has turned into quite the performer these past few months. Anyway, back to The Moustache (I prefer this spelling, it's fancy). He seems level headed, but its hard to see beneath all that facial hair. Appears outdoorsy while using $18 deodorant, so I am sensing some hidden high maintenance needs.No judgment here, I use at least 4 hair products. It was fun and what a risk taker; to meet the family and friends of a person you are so interested in - I mean we could be crazy. Bravo for him for staying at my parents house for four nights!
Monday was a blur of laundry - that is somehow still not done. And work has been busier than ever. What is it about the holidays that make you feel like to need a break before returning to work?
That is why I am so incredibly thankful for what might be my favorite Christmas gift - a trip to Austin, with babysitting included. Woo hoo!