3:12pm

I just got done looking through all the old posts I've made on this blog. What fun memories! Sometimes you truly forget how much kids grow. It's fun and at the same time a little sad. I am so thrilled for August to come. Today Jude had hiccups. How amazing is that?! Deron had hiccups a lot in my tummy, and when I look at pictures of him as a newborn it makes me yearn for the day this new bundle will arrive. I can't wait to watch through tears my Love holding our little creation in his big arms. And I can only imagine the insurmountable joy that will overtake me when I see my Bug hold him for the first time and point out features all over his little body.

Trimester #3 has brought old friends back. Primarily heartburn and gas. But we have some new arrivals: uncomfortable sleep and smushed tummy syndrome. But again, it's all worth it. I'm so glad to be pregnant with a healthy baby.

New cravings:

ice (of all forms)- I eat it constantly and love it endlessly!

Cheetohs. Yum.
Cookie Dough.
(Not your well-balanced diet, huh.)

At least I'm going to the gym again. Yay! I've missed it actually. Primarily I've been hitting up BodyFlow and just working on the elliptical on off days. I tried BodyPump last Tuesday and got really sore, unfortunately. It's just too easy to push myself and I don't want to overdo anything. As Philip keeps reminding me, "This is my baby too." I feel like I'm being a lot more careful this time around at least. With Deron, I helped move my in-laws and did a lot of heavy lifting (stupid). Oh well, 4 years of wisdom helps a little I guess. I'm just so glad to be back in a gym schedule. I need to try out water aerobics again, too. The old people are fun!

"Marital Fulfillment Excursion 2009"

Pre-trip pictures:

Philip stressed. This is what we were hoping to eliminate on our trip.

So we noticed on our trip out that this is the 3rd year about this time we've taken a 2-day getaway just the 2 of us. How cool of a tradition- and we didn't even realize it!

May 2007 - surprised Philip with a 2 night stay in a hotel (with jacuzzi-in room, I might add), we also went to a Harry Connick, Jr. concert. SO fun!

July 2008 - stayed in another nice hotel for 2 nights and attended a marriage seminar at Gateway Church in Southlake. After that, we met up with my family and drove to Arkansas for a few days on the lake

May 2009 - were blessed with another great hotel, this time in Arlington. This time we learned a lot about traveling and how we like to spend vacations. We got in late Friday night and I was craving chocolate (which didn't surprise my sweet husband). So, we found a Wal-Mart (I said it was late - otherwise, I keep my distance at all costs!) and picked up some Ben&Jerry's to take back to our room. Yumm! The only sad part were the hoards of small children that people had in tow at midnight! Seriously!?! People! Children need SLEEP to function properly!! Anyway... we had fun staying up late and eating our yummy ice cream!

Saturday morning was blissful. Waking up on our own leisure, cuddling and talking for no set amount of time. We got up, had our coffee and unexpectedly missed breakfast- oh well. It was wonderful. I did have a desire to drive into Ft. Worth to walk through the Japanese Gardens again- it had been years. So we had lunch in Sundance Square at a lovely Italian restaurant I highly recommend called Taverna. The food was great, the atmosphere elegant, but not haughty. Then we drove to the Gardens and took a nice walk through them. I think Philip liked them even more than me! If you haven't been, you should go. I recommend going in March or April when it's not so humid, but there is enough shade to keep most of it cool. Here are a few pictures:When we left there, we went to see the new StarTrek! Amazing! I had pretty high expectations since I have heard nothing but great reviews- even from non-StarTrek-loving people.After going back to our room to freshen up, we drove out to Dallas to sample a restaurant my brother recommended called Cafe Madrid. It primarily serves tapas, which I had only heard of- but still had no idea what they were. It also had a very cute outdoor dining area which I desperately wanted to wait for, but after 15 minutes of waiting, we decided to just eat inside. The tapas were delicious and different! A few notable ones were fried goat cheese covered in sauteed onions and honey, grilled mushroom (yes, a single huge mushroom head- this was my favorite), meatballs in an almond sauce (my 2nd fave), spinach and cheese croquettes, and marinated artichoke hearts (these didn't impress me as much as I had hoped). When we left I again had an urge for chocolate, so we found a Marble Slab close to our hotel that we took advantage of. Oh, how I miss Marble Slab. Sorry, ColdStone fans, Marble Slab is waaaaay better. :)

Sunday morning we decided to drive on up to Southlake and go to Gateway Church. It was so wonderful to get to church at 10:30, enjoy a wonderfully inspired service, and LEAVE! Usually, quite literally, we are the first ones to arrive on Sunday mornings, we are both running around like crazy to get things ready for the service and practice all while making sure our little bug isn't getting into anything. Then the services, for Philip at least, can be much more work than worship, unfortunately. This is something we're praying for transition... It was so relaxing and sweet to be able to SIT with my husband and worship! Yay!

After lunch we drove back out to Highland Park and ate at yet another brother-recommended Latin cafe called La Duni. Now this place... incredible. Loved it! Fantastic atmosphere (except the tables are a little crowded to me- we kept getting distracted by the interesting people's conversations around us! Sunday's they only have breakfast and brunch, but we got sandwiches that were divine. And if you go, order a berry lemonade and experience the party in your mouth! It takes the whole meal to drink this thing. And since their pastry chef was named #1 in Dallas, we had to try a slice of her award winning Venezuelan Triple Chocolate Truffle Cake. And you know you need to expect a lot when a 12" cake costs $85. This aint no Albertson's birthday cake. It was decadent. Yumm... I can't wait to go back and try their coffees.

Then we drove up to Northpark Mall just to waste a few hours, but it turned out to be a jackpot! First, I quickly was drawn into Papyrus. For a year now I've been keeping my eye out on some specific pens called LePen. If you're not a stationary/art/pen person, you might not understand this fetish, but I just love these pens! They write beautifully and are completely worth the $2 they cost each. :) Well, anyway, I found some- in a variety of colors and got 'em! Along with some new stationary of course.

Philip needed some new tennis shoes, so we began our hunt to find him some good ones. FootLocker, zip. FinishLine, yes! NewBalance are the only brand that he knows fits really well, so we were trying to stay with those and not pay an arm and a leg for them. Before we left FinishLine empty handed, I browsed the clearance rack "just in case"... Score! Wouldn't you know, we found the EXACT pair he wanted, in a 14! (a rare size, obviously. Yes, he has big feet. And I love 'em.) AND they were discounted. AND they were "dotted" to be an additional 30% off! Now, that is what I call favor!

After our jaunt to the mall we headed north to McKinney to attend a friend's wedding that evening that was just too cute. The preacher forgot to do the groom's ring vows- she was standing there holding the ring on his finger and he went on to communion! She nudged him and asked him, "what about this ring??". So funny! Congratulations, Chris and Melissa!
After the wedding, we drove back to Irving to stay with my parents and drove back this morning with our darling bug. What a great trip! Next year I've already decided on Colorado. Yay!

27 weeks

I had another sonogram last Thursday, everything went great! Let me just say, this doctor who I go to solely for ultrasounds is a fast one. He doesn't dilly-dally around or really explain too much (unfortunately). After the last one I had with him at 21 weeks, I knew I'd have to request the pictures that I wanted or I'd get another that no one can decipher! (not even his office workers who are trained could tell what we were looking at)! You're guess is as good as mine... I think it's his face, the circle being an eye cavity, but it's just a bad picture.

This time, literally as soon as he put the thing on my belly, he said, "looks good!" and started measuring everything. The whole thing only last about 7 minutes, and I was trying to stall him by asking questions. Oh well, I know our little Jude is healthy and growing perfectly, so I'm happy. Here's a picture!

I told you guys I would change my mind as far as bedding goes. For some reason, I just wasn't settled with the monkey theme. I just don't think it'll be Baby Jude's personality. Does that sound weird? If it were Deron, definitely the monkeys, but Jude just seems like he'll be more docile, more sweet, serene and snuggly. So, when I saw this online a few weeks ago, it clicked. Plus, it's organic cotton and cheaper! 2 great points! So anyway, the deer is what we're going with. Some people love it, some don't as much, but as my mom would always say, "to each his own!"

This little guy is really moving around a lot and his kicks are getting harder and harder. I don't quite remember that with Deron. Bug had hiccups at least twice a day everyday, but his "kicks" felt more like nudges. This little dude has some force behind them! Isn't it strange how every baby is different. God is so creative. Understatement of the day.

Cutesies

This is what my bug did during the graduation ceremony. I thought it was so funny! Thank goodness for grandmas!
Soft serve ice cream is so hard to eat in a cone! It melts so fast! By the time he was actually done doing damage to this poor ice cream cone, he was amazingly filthy. Ahh, to be a kid again.

So I think my son is the smartest kid ever. Really! He just turned four and has learned to write his name, as well as every other letter in the alphabet. He is sounding out words and reading them (and loving that he's doing it!). He also just started drawing people. Amazing!This was his first (ok, the first was on the magnadoodle) drawing of a person. I've never seen him draw anything but letters, numbers, or train tracks on paper before, so this really surprised me! He calls it his rendition of "Baby Jude". :) The circles under the face are his neck, belly, and booty. haha... My mom saw this and asked if he could draw baby Jude kicking. So he drew the little figure around where the stomach is and a little leg sticking out. That is now baby Jude's baby Jude. And he's kicking.

Yes, this cap might come before we know it.

the graduate

Well, I've done it. It's over. Done and done. A combined 11 semesters of college (plus a little summer school now and then). I thought I would be more emotional about it all, but really, school is still in our life until December- when Philip graduates. Then we can REALLY party. Still, I am elated. Here are a few memories from Saturday.

Deron telling me "I love you" in sign language.

Me and my almost 90-year-old grandparents who drove in to Dallas from Northwestern Arkansas. They're awesome!

There I am! It's official!

The gorgeous roses my love got me for my accomplishments. They are stunning! He's so proud of me!
I sure love that man.