We Love Grandma!

(Sorry, this one will be long!)

My mom was recently here for a visit. The kids are HUGE Grandma fans. But really, who isn't? Especially when it involves lots of sugar and good times.

Here are a few of the hundreds of photos from her week-long visit:

We went to the new Bass Pro Shop! Gideon was not impressed that he was left in the cart.



Trying on hats.



Her Grandpa's genes emerging. Oh, you didn't know I was raised a redneck?



Ice cream!



Heritage Park

Judith: "Hmmm, that curb doesn't look that big..." Gideon: "Woo hoo! road trip!" Me: "13 more years before I have to worry..."



Waiting to board the train. Gideon: "Whoa! That's big!" But he loved riding on it!



The kids LOVED the train!



Gideon looking at the chickens. Putting two and two together by the looks of it, and getting hungry...



Judith's favourite part, by far, was the rides. Especially the ferris wheel. She went on that one twice!



Horse-drawn wagon ride was another favourite.



And of course, the sugar.



At the Zoo!







Gardening!



Gideon took it upon himself to put dirt all over the walls.



"Mama, this doesn't taste so good."



"A dandelion, for you Mommy!"



We planted some sunflowers and cosmos, you know, the fool-proof flowers...



Then Grandma and Judith planted some potted flowers, so it wouldn't look so barren for now.



Judith's favourite job, which she has done faithfully every day since! And I am happy to report that so far 3 sunflowers and several cosmos have sprouted!



Judith is definitely Grandma's girl.



2 months until we get to go back and visit Grandma and Grandpa at the cottage!

One Thousand Gifts

I've seen this on a few people's sites before, but I think I will take the plunge now. Hopefully it will give me something to spruce up my blog. Especially since I have been so sick lately (but hopefully that will be over soon with me approaching the second trimester).

You can go here if you want to read what it's all about.

Here are a couple snipets from the site:

"A List of a Thousand Things, beginning with #1. I am daily jotting down items on my Thousand Gifts List, working, one-by-one, up to a thousand gifts. Not of gifts I want. But of gifts I have."

"Yet my list is different than another's for a reason: God has made me uniquely me. The Gift List is about gratitude... but it is more. It is about what defines me and my own personal identity. Reflecting on The Thousand Gifts List... "...cracking open a new book... pushing children on the swing.... old men looking at cards in the stationery aisle..." I am thankful for the things on it, yes, but I am also thankful that He has given the gift of me; that God made me who I am and I am one who sees and experiences the world in a way uniquely her own. The Thousand Gifts list is about the gifts Abba gives this child every day... and, ultimately, about the very gift of self, life as I know it."

So here are my first 5:

1 - Being able to finally open the windows and enjoy some fresh air in the house.

2 - Ordering pizza to feed my family when I'm too sick to cook.

3 - Being the only house on our street with dandelions on our lawn.

4 - All of the neighbourhood kids stopping by to pick said dandelions.

5 - Baby giggles.

DSLR Cameras

Ok, so I've decided to go for a digital SLR camera for my birthday instead of another point-and-shoot. A friend of mine convinced me it would be worth it. I love photography and take pictures every day, and have not been satisfied with the photos lately. I don't know a whole lot about DSLR photography, but why not learn, eh? It would give me something to delve into and get passionate about. Well, the passion for photography is there, and I think I'm good at capturing great shots of the kids, I just need to develop the technical skillz. Maybe it would help kick-start my brain? And definitely my creativity!

Soooo.... I have been looking at/researching cameras, and I would love everyone's input. What kind of SLR cameras do you use? I know so many of you post fabulous photos all the time! Don't make me track you down.

I've been thinking about the Nikon D40 (or 60 or 80), but after actually playing with a bunch of cameras, am leaning towards the Canon Rebel XS. I think that would would meet my needs quite nicely, but also leave me lots of room to grow, and it's totally in my budget range ($600). What do you think? Any recommendations for a DSLR newbie photo enthusiast?

Thanks to those who already gave me their advice on facebook!

So Precious

I went to my first midwife appointment today, and got to hear the little heartbeat! It was so sweet, I almost cried. With my last 2 pregnancies I thought hearing the heartbeat was cool, but this time it seemed a lot more special for some reason. I think I am finally realizing just how much I really do want this baby. I am so blessed. I'm glad that pregnancy is still so special, even the third time around. Even though most of the time I don't get a chance to actually think about it, despite how feeling sick is a constant reminder. Maybe that's why I am sick, and was sick with Gideon too, just so I wouldn't forget when life gets busy. =)

This is from BabyCenter:

Your pregnancy: 12 weeks

See the big picture

How your baby's growing:

The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.

Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.

See what your baby looks like this week. (Or see what fraternal twins look like in the womb this week.)

Note: Every baby develops a little differently, even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

How your life's changing:

Your uterus has grown to the point where your healthcare provider can now feel the top of it (the fundus) low in your abdomen, just above your pubic bone. You may already be into maternity clothes, especially if this isn't your first pregnancy. If you're still fairly small and not yet ready for maternity clothes, you've no doubt noticed that your waist is thickening and that you're more comfortable in loose, less restrictive clothing.

You may begin to feel heartburn (also called acid indigestion), a burning sensation that often extends from the bottom of your breastbone to your lower throat. Many women get heartburn for the first time during pregnancy, and those who've previously had bouts of heartburn may find that it gets worse. During pregnancy, the placenta produces a lot of the hormone progesterone, which relaxes the valve that separates the esophagus from the stomach. Particularly when you're lying down, gastric acid can seep back up the pipe, which causes the uncomfortable burning sensation. For many women the problem doesn't begin (or get worse) until later in pregnancy, when your growing uterus starts to push up on your stomach. The discomfort may range from mildly annoying to intense and distracting.

Suggestions?

I want to do something new with my hair this summer. I miss my dreads dearly, but I don't think I'm ready to have them again just yet. So my options are:

1. Just leave it and deal with it and grow it out because I do love having long hair (and I will most likely dread it again in a few years).

2. Cut it all off and dye it some fun colour (ie purple, blue, pink, etc).

3. Get a new cut. If I do this I will probably just go to a salon and tell them to do whatever they want. I have been looking through hair magazines and the only thing that slightly interested me was this:

My hair would be curlier than that, of course. Would that suit me? I'm totally not good at this. I have no idea what's "cool" anymore, or what would suit me. Ugh.

Help!

My Pretty Kitty

She waited in line for half an hour for this, but she thought it was worth it!





Then this was another one of her favourite experiences to date.



She was so so proud of her face paint! She made everyone look at her and admire it, and for a while would only meow (and not actually talk). It was so much fun.

Laundry Boy

I'm so proud that I have passed on my love for laundry.

"WOW! This is the coolest thing EVER!"



"Seriously, mother, this is the most interesting device I have ever seen!"



"LOOOOOOOK!!!!"



"Hmmm, what does this do?" He LOVES playing with the buttons and dials! And he would totally just sit and watch the laundry go around and around all day. I'm glad I'm not the only one. =)