30 week baby bump

30 week baby bump.

Love from the big brother.

When I look back at all the pictures we have documenting my pregnancy with Rhett, and then realize this is only the second one we've taken for this little boy...I feel a little guilty. 

Don't get me wrong, we are so excited for this little guy to come into our family, but we are not even close to being ready. 

Please tell me this is normal for baby number 2. 

Pregnancy is going smoothly.

This little guy was slow to get on the kicking and flipping train, but now he seems to think he is lord of dance, with long stretches of Riverdance-esq kicking. :)

I do feel a decent amount of anxiety and anticipation with the thought that the severe PPD that could happen after the birth of this one like it did with Rhett. 

I've been journaling some thoughts about it and I've debated on writing a post about coming to the decision of having another child after what we went through with Rhett, and how we're preparing for this one; but I always go back and forth on how personal information is appropriate. So we'll see. 

But anyway, we are very excited for March 10th to arrive! 

PS Rhett still doesn't seem to understand we're having a baby. He calls my belly an "ouchie" because I'm telling him constantly not to jump on it because it will give me and the baby an ouchie.    

Any suggestions on how to help prepare him as much as possible? 

Dear Santa, let me explain why I want a new toilet for Christmas

Dear Santa,

I figured by now you've received my letter asking for a new toilet for Christmas. I thought you might be a little confused by my request...considering I usually ask for new shoes and maybe a power tool or two, so I wanted to explain.

It all started the other day when our old toilet started leaking all over the bathroom floor. We wanted to be "professional homeowners" and fix it ourselves so we called some family and did a little research and figured the wax ring needed to be replaced.

We went to Lowes, got the ring, and even remembered to turn the toilet water valve off before we tried to move it. (Impressed? :))

We replaced the ring and we were so impressed with ourselves. 

Until we went to put the toilet back in place and discovered we had cracked the tank.

Sigh.

So that's why I'm asking for a new toilet for Christmas. If we replace it, it blows my budget for finishing the downstairs bathroom and laundry room and I am itching to get them finished. I promise I've been extra good this year. And I'm pregnant. Does that score me bonus point on the "nice" side of your list? Pretty please?

Love, Julia

PS Rhett has been practicing saying "Ho, ho, ho!" It's adorable. He's so excited for you to come. :)

Around this house...

We've been laying flooring.

We've been painting.

We've been cleaning and unpacking.

We've been playing soccer in our living room because our furniture is still all stored in the garage. 

We've been having cereal picnics at least 3 nights a week.

We've been meeting our neighbors and getting lost trying to find our mailbox.

We've done laundry in our bathtub because the laundry room still is not quite ready to move the washer and dryer into. 

We've been having parades around the house to this song and SO enjoying all the extra space we have now. 

We've been collecting all the rocks in the backyard and lining them up on the back porch.

And we got to bed every night exhausted, but so grateful for our new home. :)

PS: I am truly sorry for my lack of blogging for the past month. We were just a little naive with our to-do list when we moved into this house, and being 26 weeks prego means most of my energy is going to cleaning up wood glue and drawing large pictures of Big Bird (per Rhett's request) with sidewalk chalk on our driveway.

I'm hoping in the next week or so to get the remaining few items check of our to-do list and get this home ready for the holidays. :)