Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Haircuts

I had been meaning to take the girls to get their hair cut for months but I had a little issue. You see, Grace had her first haircut at Disney. DISNEY.

And Sophia? Well, she hadn't had a haircut and the only thing that I could come up with was to take her to a kiosk in the mall here and have a man trim her hair. Sure, she wouldn't know the difference but it seemed way less amazing as Grace's Disney experience.

You know, the one with pixie dust, making a wish, and a Cinderella bun.

Instead, Sophia would just have a foreign man who would pinch her cheeks and spray on a horrid cologne afterwards.

Kind of lame, if you ask me.

So, when my parents were here I asked my mom to cut the girls' hair. My mom cut my hair most of my childhood and I knew it would be more special than the mall. And also, Sophia is prone to being afraid of just about everything. So at least she wouldn't be terrified of my mom. Just the scissors, right?

Grace went first and had her long blonde locks trimmed up. It took approximately 3 minutes and she was done.



Sophia was next and it was possibly even easier. She did lean forward in the seat a bit and had a very uncomfortable look on her face, but then it was over. Ha.



It was also good for me to see my mom cut the girls' hair because now I feel like I can give it a try- and hopefully save a bundle over their childhoods!

Monday, December 29, 2014

Gammie and PaPaw's Visit

My parents were able to come out in November for ten wonderful days. This was their second trip to the Middle East to visit us but their first time staying in Abu Dhabi!




I have a surprisingly sparse collection of pictures from their visit. I think that's because most of the time it seemed like what we were doing was normal every day things. It was so special to just share our lives with them! And also because I took so many photos on my parents camera for them! So I should get those from them and add them here later.

We showed them the girls' school, went out to eat, got haircuts, went to the beach, read alot of books, toured the fort, and went to Build-a-Bear.

We also did alot of Christmas related things! We planned on doing a Christmas/Thanksgiving combo before they left so we squeezed in some last minute Christmas shopping, wrapped presents, decorated the tree and house, made Christmas cookies, and had Christmas morning with a Thanksgiving meal that afternoon


 

We had such a good time with them and are so grateful that they were able to travel all that way to hang out with us for the week! I am looking forward to seeing my mom again when she comes to help for Luke's arrival! 

Sunday, December 7, 2014

28 Weeks with Baby Luke

Well, the second trimester has come and gone and we are now in trimester number three! Only twelve more weeks (give or take a week or two,) until we get to meet our newest addition, baby Luke, or "Loot," as Sophia calls him. 

I'm honestly feeling really good this time around. Up until 26 weeks I had put on less weight and at a more controlled pace than I had with the girls, so I am hopeful that the end gain will be slightly less. I am having very little heartburn this time, where as with Sophia I was on a prescription by the time I was 16 weeks. Sleep is okay but occasional insomnia around 2 am happens. Back and hip pain is relatively low as well. 

Luke is checking in just fine at the doctors office. I've had to have the 20 week anatomy ultrasound three times because of how he is positioned. They are unable to get a clear view on his heart because he is laying spine out (which also makes me look HUGE!). I've had him flip a few times which totally changes the shape and size of the belly and I relish a few hours of feeling smaller. 

The doctor still says I am due March 1st but I always suspected that day was off by 3-5 days. Adding to the fact that I went into labor with both girls at 38 weeks and 5 days and had them on 39 weeks exactly, I would not be shocked if Luke joined us between February 15th and 20th. 

The girls are very excited about Luke and Grace especially asks about him every single day. She talks about how she is going to help him and how cute he is going to be. What a sweet, big sister!

I haven't done a thing to prepare for him! Not picked a nursery theme or bought any boy bedding or decor! It feels a little weird because his nursery is Sophia's room and we want her to stay in there in the crib until he is born. And then (hopefully,) my Mom will be here to help for a couple of weeks and the nursery is also the guest room!  

After my mom leaves we will move the guest bed into the girls' new shared room, and transition the guest room/Sophia's nursery to Luke's nursery. But none of that can happen until after he is born! Still I should prepare ahead of time and have the things ready to go because heaven knows I won't be shopping and designing after I have three three and under in the house!

Two other things I need to plan ahead for is planning Grace's birthday party all the way out (including getting invites all done and having party favors prepped!) and having 20 or so freezer meals prepped for the weeks surrounding his birth. I also like the idea of having meal kits ready- all the ingredients you need for a meal in the freezer or in a marked bag in the pantry. 

I am so excited to meet Luke and get another chance at cherishing infancy. I've spent the last week at my sisters house snuggling her newborn and, though I know it will look different because I have a 2 and a 3 year old at home as well, I can't wait to snuggle my son!