Journaling last week.

With mom here all last week, I feel like we crossed one hundred and one things off a very long list. If ever a daughter needs her mother, I think its being eight months pregnant trying to keep tabs on an active toddler boy-child. My mom chased him and cooked for him and cleaned his little bum. She lifted him for me, bathed him, brushed his teeth for me, folded clothes, cleaned my kitchen, vacuumed, helped me switch closets around, shopped for me, weeded my yard for me, cut my hair, sewed for me, made oatmeal cookies for me, babysat, painted my toenails and put me to bed when I needed it.

Making Cookies

We dedicated Wednesday to getting things ready for baby. I was so emotional about pulling Morgan's old things out and was thankful to have someone there to tell me I wasn't being too silly over it all. I cried and cried all night and later, as we moved the crib mattress up to the highest setting, I found Jared just standing in the nursery. We had a sweet moment together as he expressed to me how excited he was to have a whole new person to love.

Jared watched Morgan while my mom and I stocked up on baby wash clothes, socks, sweet tiny diapers, baby lotion and my favorite infant gowns (I love Carter's brand!). It seems like not so long ago, I was shopping down those same isles with Morgan in my tummy. I swear I blinked and now we're a few years down the road. How our hearts have grown since then.

Thursday, we sewed.

Friday we went downtown and took pictures of Morgan. (I snapped the pictures while grandma instigated smiles and laughs!) I never did get around to it when he turned two, like I should have. He's 2 1/2 now and I say better late than never. I was so glad to cross this off the list!

Here's one of my favorites!

Saturday was super productive thanks to Papa and uncle Dude, and by the end of the day, Jared and I high-fived at how much we all got done. Of course we could hardly move by the time we went to bed, but no one cared.

Our washer and dryer hookups are in our garage and over the last month our washer has been on its last leg. It would overflow (wouldn't stop filling up). It would twist and shake all the clothes to one side so the washer was nearly shaking itself over (off balance) unless we went to even the batch out. Then it would keep going through all the different cycles - never stopping. Washing clothes over and over. And lastly, it shook so hard that it bent the washer lid so it wouldn't even shut. And sometimes, at random, it wouldn't turn on or work at all. Needless to say, Saturday was the day we said goodbye once and for all. I think I was most grateful for this. Jared joked it was my mother's day present.

It really was.

Here's a list of what went down Saturday:
Old washer and dryer gone!
New washer and dryer set up!
Made a trip to the land fill
Cleaned the shed
Cleaned the garage (even vacuumed it out!)
Started up the sprinkler system
Mowed the lawn
Fertilized the lawn
Pressure-washed the house
Weeded and pulled out grass in the backyard berm
and Built two wooden garden boxes
Whew.

Morg's new wagon

Sunday, we relaxed and cooked and celebrated mothers. Especially this one. We love her oh, so much!

We also discovered that if you leave a warm cake on the table with a little boy

and turn your back for five seconds, this will be your end result. Every time.

Dad and me (looking big as a house)

We had to say goodbye on Sunday afternoon, and as they packed up to leave, Morgan went and got his clothes and piled them by grandma's bags. We were so sad to see them leave and are looking forward to having them back in a few weeks when baby brother makes his arrival.

Counting down the days....

Basket's full.

EASTER WEEKEND

2011

Easter is one of my very favorite holidays. Growing up, we were always with cousins for the holiday, and I think that's why.

We drove home Friday afternoon and we so enjoyed the drive, pointing out how delicious the green fields looked against the blue mountains and how cute all the baby animals were.

All weekend, I couldn't get enough of color. And sun. Blessedly enough, home had plenty of both. Which was just what I needed. 

Saturday morning we had a successful Easter egg hunt.

Daddy pointed. Morgan scooped and scored. 

And mommy took pictures. 264 to be exact. 

Grandma held two sets of anxious hands.

And in about two minutes, it was all over.

But man, it was fun.

We dyed eggs at Kellers.

And scribbled our names on shells.

(He loves me.)

And I really love him, too.

We drove familiar roads.

And arrived at (my) home sweet home.

I smelled my tulips.

And sat in my sunbathed chair.

And baby and I rocked and rocked and rocked.

My rolling silhouette. 

We laid in the sun all afternoon.

I listened to kids giggling

and basketballs skidding across pavement.

We saw grandpa Bruce. We sang happy birthday twice, once to Kenz and once to uncle Dude. We ate ice cream cake and fruit pizza, which was the best I've ever had. We stayed up too late talking and ate too many jelly beans. And after Grandma Keller's yummy Easter dinner, Morg slept (almost) all the way home.  

Yes, our Easter was delicious. How about yours?