Monday, May 24, 2010

It's Raining Gifts!

Two weekends ago my church showered us up right. I know it sounds weird, but it really just doesn't feel like you're having a baby until you start getting all the little clothes and things and putting in their room. Forget the aches, pains, and soccer practice going on in your tummy- you're not really having a baby until you get the little outfits and booties! Ha!

The hard drive in my laptop crashed so I'll have to go back and download a bunch of the shower pictures AGAIN, but for now I still have some pretty good shots that will have to do. My OCD is not going to let me go one more day without catching up on my blogging!

Emma was such a big helper! She was super excited about "Seeley's Party". The other pregnant girl in the pics is my sis-in-law Brittany. She's also having a boy-Parker Ryan. AND, he's due on the same day as Seeley-July 2nd. And no. We did not plan this. And yes. I know it's kind of weird.


Some of my very favorite things I received were monogrammed by one of my dearest friends in the world, Mollie. Her monogramming business can be found on facebook or on her website http://www.personallystitched.com/. She does some of the most amazing stuff-check it out! Just a few examples of the awesome stuff Baby Seeley will be sporting courtesy of Mollie:
Can you stand the cuteness! And just when I despaired of ever finding anything cute for little boys! And of course we got tons of other stuff from Mollie and others but thanks to my computer issues I'll have to track those pics down! Grrr.

Only downside to the whole shower- I was sweating like a pig the entire time. Seriously. Only side-effect of pregnancy that really annoys me. I can't even get ready in the morning without sweating and wanting to rip my clothes off! Too much information huh?

Also, Emma Lou got a new pet last week- a kitten. My cat of 12 years disappeared and Emma has been having a cow for a kitty. So, one of the teachers at preschool had a kitten that had hitched a ride to work with her one morning and once Em saw this kitten it was all downhill. I mean really, how do you say no to that face? She is so thrilled with her kitty and it is so cute to watch her play with it. Due to her asthma it doesn't stay in the house but I do let it come in and play with her. We're still working on teaching her that Socks does not like to be put in a choke hold or carried upside down. She's super gentle with her but sometimes just doesn't realize that kitty can't breathe! Oh, and thanks to kitty I've had to take one of my silk curtains to the dry cleaners. Poop does not come out of silk very easily in case you were wondering.
Tonight we'll be picking up Jeremy's Father's Day gift. Ever since his lab died last year he has thought off and on about getting another dog. And yes, we still have 11 dogs. But this was HIS dog if you know what I mean. He had her for 11 years and she was by far one of the best dogs we've ever had. Yesterday he found a chocolate lab female puppy and fell in love with her. So, we'll be picking her up tonight and adding her to the Zoo.
The nursery is 99% finished. So, pics to come soon. Promise! I'm so excited for everyone to see it because we've worked so hard on it and I've done a lot of the art, etc myself. I think we are overcompensating since it has taken us so long to get it ready! AND, according to my doc he may schedule for me to deliver Seeley a week early. At the very least he won't let me go past my due date b/c he's a little concerned that if the baby gets too big I'll tear during delivery like I did with Emma. Massive tearing. So, although that was probably way more than you wanted to know I'm super psyched about it. However, I think I may have to ask him to wait until July 1 because Eclipse (Twilight Saga) comes out in theaters on June 30th. Mommy really needs to see that movie!!

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

I Heart Mother's Day

Now that I'm a mommy Mother's Day has become one of my favorite holidays. And not just because the hubs has FINALLY broken his hard and fast rule of "no jewelry for Stephanie" but because I am just so very blessed to have Emma in my life and am looking forward to baby Seeley. 7.5 weeks to go!!

Jeremy has apparently decided to start his own tradition regarding my Mother's Day gifts- take Stephanie to the jewelry store and let her pick out her own present. Hey, I'm not complaining! This year I got this little babies:

I forgot to take an actual picture of my earrings but this is the stock photo from the jewelry store website. Yay me! I have been lusting over some classic and chic diamond stud earrings for quite some time now. Aaaah, can you hear my contentment? And bless the hubs, as we were leaving the store he asked me "Are they big enough? We can go back and get bigger if you want-I know I don't buy you jewelry very often and you deserve it." Just one of the thousands of reasons why I love him. (And no we did not go back-I'm thrilled and pleased with the ones I have thank-you-very-much.)

It was especially sweet this year because Emma was so excited to be jewelry shopping she kept telling Jeremy and I "I need some earrings too. Just like Mommy." Got to start them young I always say. I scolded Jeremy (again) for not letting me pierce her ears when she was younger. She oohed and aaahed over my earrings and told me I was beautiful in them. Could I have a sweeter kiddo or what?!

And also per Johnson family tradition-Jeremy and Emma made my Mother's Day card as well. And I forgot to take a picture. Again.

By the end of the day Emma was in the groove of saying "Happy Mother's Day" with very little coaching. She said it to me at least 20 times and followed it up with hugs and kisses. MeMe, Nanny, Aunt Holly, Aunt B and even Daddy and Pop Pop got "Happy Mother's Day"ed a few times. Such a sweetheart.

If Seeley is even half as wonderful as Emma the hubs and I may just have to buy a church bus to cart around all the kiddos we'll be having! Ha!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

A Lesson Learned

TO ANYONE WHO HAS KIDS- LISTEN UP!

I learned yesterday that the cutesy names I'd been trying to devise in answer to Emma's endless questions of "what's that?" as she points to private body parts is DEFINITELY not the way to go. I tend to shy away from the words penis and vagina because who wants their child to blurt that out during conversation?! Right?

Well, here's why you shouldn't be afraid to use and teach your child the grown up names for body parts. If there is ever a question of sexual abuse regarding your child and they do not use the proper terms ("he touched my vagina", etc) the social worker or sexual abuse person that interviews your child may be likely to dismiss the case. WHAT?! So if my child claims someone touched her tutu you're telling me it would be difficult to prosecute because she did not specifically say so and so touched my vagina?! The reasoning behind this is that a tutu or (insert your own cutesy name here) could refer to anything.

I'm very blessed that this wisdom did not come from personal experience and I wanted to share it with everyone else who has or is thinking about having kids. Don't let something terrible like this happen to your child and be powerless due to a technicality.

Say it loud and proud- boys have a penis and girls have a vagina! (This always reminds me of the scene in Kindergarten Cop starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Love that movie!)

Sooo, if you hear Emma spout these words out in casual conversation just go with it, ok? :)