Pre-K Graduation Slideshow :)

My Sweet Madeline

 Tomorrow is the big day; graduation.  It's a day I've been both really looking forward to and dreading at the same time.  There's a safeness I feel at the preschool; it's become familiar.  The teachers, students and parents have basically made up our little community for the past 4 years.  It's the only school we've known.  Trust me that there have been moments of frustration at the preschool but overall it's been amazing.  Maddie has seriously grown up there.

Maddie began preschool the day after I delivered Gracie.  So, there's something full circle about the fact that I'm now super pregnant again as she ends her preschool career.  She was 22 months old and she barely had enough hair to fit into a ponytail.  My Mom and Gabe took her for her first day.  I was in the hospital with Grace who was only 12 hours old at the time.  Back then, she couldn't write her name, recognize letters or numbers, use the potty or stay up past 7pm; she was basically a baby.  My first baby and it was hard to let her go. 

So, here I am 4 years later and the neat thing is, I know her so well.  She is a real person now; not just a baby.  She has thoughts, feelings (major feelings), emotions, and so much love to give.  She has one of the kindest hearts I know.  She humbles me with her generosity towards others and with her ability to seriously love me just as I am.  She also has an amazing love for the Lord.  She has these questions about Heaven, and Jesus and I love the simplicity of it all.  I'm just so very grateful that she was given to me.
 
Tomorrow will be here before I know it and the tears I'm typing through are just the preamble to tomorrow's real waterworks. I fully expect to be an emotional mess but I figure I won't be the only one; plus I'm pregnant and hormonal! 

Kindergarten is just around the corner and she is ready.  She cannot wait.  I'm so happy for her, that her life is changing and that she's excited about that change.  For me, it will take some getting used to.  I still see her as my first little baby and it's heartbreaking (in a good way).  I want to still protect her from everything; I never want a single bad thing to happen to her.  But, I know that's unrealistic.  So, tomorrow I will watch her performance and clap and take tons of pictures.  I will try not to cry too much and I will be present.  Afterwards, we will go out to breakfast as a family and she will get her new charm bracelet as a graduation gift.

And, I will remember it always. 

Mason's Sweater

I literally just finished this minutes ago and I'm SO proud of it so I ran downstairs to post it here and now I'm ready for sleep....
Tomorrow I will buy the buttons for it :)

What's in a name?...

Gabe and I officially decided on this baby's name, Mason James, back in February on our way to California.  However, it should be noted that back when we were having Maddie, she too would have been named Mason if she was a boy.  It's been our favorite for a long time.

This week the Social Security Administration published it's findings stating that Mason is now the #2 name in the country for little boys.  USA Today reasoned that it's because Kourtney Kardashian had named her now 2.5 year old Mason.  I have to admit that this gave me a little panic.  I don't want people to think that I just jumped on some bandwagon and copied a celebrity reality personality to name my child.  Ugh.
I began reflecting.  Since I knew that over 6 years ago I already loved the name Mason, I had to remember where I first heard it.  And then it came to me.

It was 2001 and I was 23 years old.  I was really into Jack Johnson and had tickets to his concert in San Francisco.  My boyfriend and I got there early and we heard the opening act; it was Mason Jennings.  I immediately fell in love.  His music consisted of just him and his guitar (a harmonica here and there) and I LOVED it.  I bought his album and it sort of became the anthem in my old Toyota Camry on my way to class at SFSU everyday.
 
So, what does all that mean.  I guess it means that I first favored the name because I loved (and still do) the music someone with that name made.  I think it gives me some nostalgia for a time from long ago.  A time without much responsibility and with a lot of freedom.  It reminds me of California and the Pacific Ocean.  It feels like home.

When Gabe and I chose it for our baby this time we reflected on the fact that this will be our only son and in fact that word "son" is actually in his name.

I don't know what it is about me that wants the world to know that I in fact loved the name long before anyone heard of the Kardashians, but I do.  So there.  I was years ahead of the trend ;)

Listen below to hear one of my fav's :)

#3

I have so many things to blog about but at the moment I'm tired.  So, here's a sneak peek into the photo shoot we did a week and a half ago with our fabulous photog Megan Keys of Keys Photography. 
I can't wait to see the rest!
In other news, I am extremely pregnant.  Yes, I know this isn't earth-shattering information but it's all I can think of/feel.  Everything is getting hard to do; shaving my legs, putting on shoes, bending down to pick something up off the ground, rolling over in my sleep... You get the drift.  However, today I heard someone say that "it's all a matter of perspective and if you look for it, there's always something to be grateful for."  So, I will say that I'm grateful for this baby boy that is healthy and moving all the time.  I'm also grateful that tomorrow we are doing a 3D ultrasound and will see his sweet little face.  I'm also grateful that there's only 5 weeks (or less) until I get to hold him :-)

PS: As some of you may remember, when I had Grace my blog's web address had to change.  Well, it's happening again ;)  I won't change it until Mason arrives, but just FYI, it will change next month :)

Happy Mother's Day!!!

At the Farmer's Market yesterday am :-)

34 weeks pregnant today :-)

Baby Shower!! / 6.5 weeks to go!!!

The Girls and I at my Baby Shower last weekend :-) 

 

 

"Beauty Shop"

I've been busy doing chores around the house.  Maddie came up to me and asked me for "a bowl of water so Grace can soak her fingers."  What?!?  I asked what they were planning to play in the basement and she, very matter-of-factly replied "Beauty Shop."  Please understand that I've never taken them to the beauty shop.  Sure, they know I go there.  I get a pedicure regularly.  But there is something very perceptive about Miss Maddie. I went downstairs a few minutes ago to check on the progress and the pictures above show what I found. 
Several things stand out to me in these pic's.  1) Maddie is taking her job very seriously.  She's really getting in there and working to make Grace's feet beautiful!  2) Grace is EATING IT UP.  She is thoroughly enjoying herself and the relaxation that comes with someone making your toes look better.  And finally 3) I don't know how she knows this, but Maddie even brought in a few books/magazines for Grace to peruse while she's being serviced!  This cracked me up the most :-)
Madeline sure is growing up.  We registered her for Kindergarten this morning.  It was bittersweet (but heavier on the sweet).  Life is about to change in more ways than one. 

Workin' on the nursery...

I know I look super tired in these pic's but this is what we did Sunday afternoon :)  The baby's room is really starting to come together!!

Dresses & Inchworms

This week seemed to fly by!  The girls and I found a great deal on dresses this week so that's why I took a pic of them before school Monday.  They looked so cute!  Then, the big thing on the playground at school were inchworms.  I took pic's of the ones we have brought home and are now living in a jar next to our coffee pot :)
On another note, I had a doctors appointment this week and everything is going along as it should.  Mason gave a huge kick while we were listening to his heartbeat.  Even Gabe saw my whole tummy jump from across the room!  I've got 9 weeks until my due date and 7 weeks until he's considered full term.  Time is ticking down.  I'm working on the nursery every day and will hopefully have pictures of the finished product this week.
Happy Sunday!

Happy Easter!!!

Pictures at Fort Point

In each of my pregnancies I've had the opportunity to go home to California for a visit.  When I was pregnant with Maddie, the thought crossed my mind to go to one of my favorite spots in San Francisco, Fort Point.  It almost feels like a secret place :)  It's under the Golden Gate Bridge in the Presidio and it's a place I grew to know and love while I was in college there.

The picture on the far left, is me pregnant with Maddie.  I'm 28 years old and it is June 2006.  I had come home for a visit and for my baby shower that my Aunt Susan was throwing for both me and my sister-in-law Jen.  I remember it being such a fun, special trip.  The same week I came home, Gabe and I had moved into our very first home.  He stayed in Virginia and unpacked most of our belongings!  I remember feeling like life was pretty spectacular.  All I had ever wanted was to be a mom and it was finally happening.

The middle picture is me pregnant with Gracie.  It is my 30th birthday; March 2008.  My Mom, Jer, Maddie and I had all ventured into the city to go see an Annie Leibovitz exhibit at the Legion of Honor.  It's what I wanted to do on my big 3-0!  I remember it being a beautiful day but I also remember feeling somewhat exhausted from taking care of a 17 month old while pregnant.  At the time Gabe stayed in Virginia/North Carolina to go to a dog show and to work.  I remember feeling sad that he wasn't there for my birthday but I also remember that almost every day of that visit, a present showed up at my Mom's from him; a Coach purse, a gigantic cookie, flowers, a Nintendo DS (It's what I wanted; honestly!).  I also remember that on that trip was the first time Maddie's hair fit into a real ponytail.  She seemed so big.

The picture to the far right is me pregnant with Mason.  I am 33 years old (1 month before turning 34) and it is February 2012.  On this day it is only Gabe and I.  We are off on an adventure; both of us doing something we've never done before.  Gabe has just finished his first tour on Alcatraz; he loved it, it was a lot too much walking for me.  We ate lunch before the tour where I had my first experience having Dim Sum.  We ate at Hop Sing and it was fantastic.  I am in love with steamed pork buns.  We had a really amazing day and it stands out in my mind.  When this picture was taken, we had only known for 2 weeks that we were having our first boy.  I think my mind was still reeling from that reality.  On the airplane to get to California, Grace leaned over and hugged my tummy and said "Hi Baby Mason."  Gabe and I looked at each other and decided that Mason would be his name.  We were probably somewhere over Colorado :)

I'm proud of these pictures.  I just love, love, love capturing memories through photos.  I'm surprised as I sit typing this how much I remember about each of those time periods in my life.  They are all special and I'm grateful.  I'm officially 29 (almost) weeks pregnant which means time is winding down on all this.  I'm getting excited to meet this little guy and terrified of labor/no sleep/etc. at the same time.  I'm focusing on the positives though and fighting the fears :)

Real Housewives of Virginia: Preschool Edition

There I was the other day, chaperoning a field trip with Maddie.  It was a beautiful morning and we were outdoors.  Lots of other moms attended the field trip and a couple of things really stood out to me.

First, there are some really fun, nice, normal women that have children in my daughters' preschool.  They are very similar to me in fact; they drive minivans, make lunches for their kids, believe in God, etc.
But, there are a couple of moms that are something else.  There are 2 of which I'm speaking and they are both older (by at least 10 years), their youngest(or only child) is the age of my oldest, and they are bullies.  The are friends with each other, in a cliquey way; only I would never want to join their clique because they are mean.  They are also both really loud and aggressive in the way they speak.  I'll call them "thing 1" and "thing 2" for the purpose of this post.

During the field trip, I could feel "thing 1" studying my face while I talked with another mother.  At one point, she interjected (it was breaking news of course) that she "could finally tell by looking at me that I'm having a boy."  "How?" I asked.  (New Rule: Don't ask questions of the bullies.  It's not worth it!)  "Oh," she says, "They say your face/jawbone change shape while you're pregnant with a boy and I can see that's happening to you."

I wasn't sure what to say so I did some nervous, weird laughter and hoped she would move on.  Was this a compliment?  An insult?  It was so confusing and honestly, pregnant women don't want comments on their appearance unless it's positive.  It must be clearly positive.  So, I told myself to avoid "thing 1" for the rest of the field trip.  However, I held on to that comment the whole morning and mulled it over and over; still not making heads or tails of it.

Then, the field trip was over and it was time to pick up Grace from school and her, Maddie and I went to the playground.  As soon as we entered the gate, I noticed "thing 1" and "thing 2" standing near me.  Ugh, I thought.  "Thing 2" approached and asked if we have any baby names picked out or "Are you one of those people who keep it a secret?"  It needs to be pointed out that the tone she used for this part of her interrogation was that of a whiny-sing-song-mean-school-girl.  "Umm," I said "We're still narrowing it down but I'm pretty sure his name will be Mason."  I said this with that excited smile you have as an expectant mother who has thought about this every day since she found out she was pregnant.  "Thing 1" nodded and said "That's a nice name." It seemed sincere, really it did.  "Thing 2" on the other hand, contorted her face and practically made a sound that resembled puking.  "Oh, I don't like that name.  There's a kid in my son's class with that name that I can't stand."

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THIS?!?  In the moment I was caught off guard so I didn't say much.  I mumbled something about liking the names "Gabriel and Micah" too but then I sort of wandered off.  I spent the rest of the day thinking about that interaction.  It bothered me; it still does.  These women are rude and I'm questioning why I didn't say something to them along those lines.  Probably because they are bullies and when you're in the midst of bullying, you just want it to end.  I've made some decisions since this happened.  I've decided that I will be polite to each of them by saying "hello" but that's where our dialogue will end.  I will not share any more details of my life with them.  I will keep it brief.

It was a good reminder for me though about where I am when it comes to standing up for myself when I feel that I've been treated poorly.  Looks like I still have more work to do. 

Saturday Night Art Club

My girls LOVE to create.  All they ask for all day long is playdough, paint, paper, crayons and markers.  They are obsessed.  For the past few evenings, we've been pretty cooped up with sickness (yes, again!) and so it was time to bring out the paints.  They were in heaven.  There is something so fun about watching them make something.  It's also interesting how different they are.  Maddie wants to only paint princesses and her own hands, while Grace just plays with colors and textures.  It's been a long couple of days of coughing, breathing treatments, and just sickness in general.  I'm ready for a new week!

My 34th

I had the best day with just Gabe, the girls and I.  It included getting a massage, napping, opening presents (throw pillows and pj's; all chosen by Gracie!), eating polenta with gravy followed by ice cream cake.  Sometimes, that's all you need!  Happy 34th to me :-)

What I See

I thought I'd take a moment to share the way things look from my eyes as of late.  The other day, as I was washing eating a ton of strawberries, one fell from my fingers and on it's way to the ground it landed directly on my expanding tummy.  It made me laugh.  As I peered down, I realized that I'm at that point in pregnancy where my shirts are bound to get something on them at each meal and where I can barely see my toes peeking out.  I'm 24.5 weeks today and it's exciting.  Knowing that this baby boy is growing right on track and that I can feel him moving all the time is really fantastic.  I am really focusing on appreciating everything that I feel because this is going to be my last baby. 

As I type this, Gabe and I are on a vacation in the Bahamas.  It's been really good.  It's fun to be able to finish a thought and a sentence.  I've enjoyed meals where I get to eat the whole thing without getting up to get someone more water or a different fork.  But, at the same time, I miss them terribly.  They truly are my world.  It's funny how life is; last week I was counting the minutes until I could shower uninterrupted and now it feels oddly quiet when I can pluck my eyebrows without a barrage of questions!

 We talked to them yesterday and Grace is simply carrying on with life as usual (that's SO Grace) and Maddie is sad.  Last night we talked to Sandy (who has been watching them) and she said she came downstairs to find Maddie sobbing while looking at a picture of Gabe and I.  I was heartbroken to hear this.  She is my emotional one.  She told me before my trip that she doesn't like me to go away because even though she can talk to me, she can't touch me.  I totally get this.  Being hugged, held and loved by people who are connected to you is irreplaceable.  Deep down, she is fine and I have to keep telling myself that.  My heart is so connected to hers though.  I woke at 2:12am and stayed up until around 4.  I couldn't sleep and she was the first thing that entered my mind; actually it was her and ordering a crib.  A mother's mind never rests :)

Pajama Day/ Gracie's Dress

We are back from our trip to California!  The girls had been concerned as we left that we may miss Pajama Day at school but lucky for us, it was Tuesday.  Gracie chose jammies that best reflect her interests and Maddie chose the "perfect ones" because they have ponies on them and she's in the pony class! 
Today Grace wore the dress I knit for her.  She was so proud to wear it to school and told her teacher right away that "Mommy made it."  Her teacher was impressed and to be honest, with how long it took me to finish it, I'm proud too :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Finally!!

I FINALLY finished Gracie's dress last night :)  I started it in June, but to be fair I took a long hiatus while knitting Christmas gifts.  Now Maddie wants one...
As soon as I finished this, I started my baby boy's sweater!  So excited to be knitting something new :-)
Happy Monday!

*If interested in the pattern for this dress, you can find it on Ravelry or here.

It's a BOY!!!