MONDAY NIGHT MUSINGS

- 4/27 Today after lunch CJ got a time-out for hitting Mattie. It was about nap time anyway, so I just took him in for his nap and we stopped in the bathroom on the way to his room. As he was sitting on the toilet and I was waiting for him to finish, he caught me off guard by saying, "Mommy...I just love you." Talk about softening my heart! It was the sweetest thing I've heard! (and I'm glad I finally got to hear it because I know he's said that to Bryce before already :)

- This week we had BLTs for dinner one night, with sliced watermelon and some carrots and cucumber with ranch. Low-cal, low key, and usually a crowd-pleaser. I guess I didn't realize how much of a crowd-pleaser it was until CJ looked at me and said, "Thanks for making the best dinner, Mommy!" Wow! I could use that kind of appreciation a little more often :)

- Bryce and I made a tough decision this week, one we've been struggling with. We decided not to go to the reunion of our law school friends. When we graduated last year, we all were so close that we discussed having reunions. Even then, Bryce and I thought that having a reunion the first year was maybe a little quick because we'd all still be poor, but we knew we'd be on board regardless. Every one was in favor of having a reunion this year, so after months of planning, the date was set, condos were scheduled (including Bryce's great aunt's condo at the family rate), plane tickets were bought, calenders were marked, and we were ready to go. But as we drove home from Seattle last week (Bryce had a CLE downtown, so the kids and I spent the day with Gramma) and had the 2 1/2 hour drive to discuss our finances and everything going on this summer (Courtney's wedding in June, Scout camp in July, Cameron's wedding in August), we both finally said out loud what we'd been feeling months: we really shouldn't be going to this reunion. As much as we didn't want to say it, once we both admitted that's how we felt, we knew we couldn't go. We just felt like we were being really irresponsible and frivolous and that, at this stage in our lives, we hadn't exactly earned such a trip. And that's not to say anything about our friends -  especially since most of them will not be spending the amount of time and money that we would have had to - but just what was right for us. We've probably known all along we shouldn't be going, but we so didn't want to miss out on seeing our friends. These are some of the greatest people we know and we miss them terribly and the more I think about what we'll be missing, the more I cry when I think about it. So I try not to think about it. And Bryce and I better be doing some crazy-fun stuff that weekend or I'll go crazy with envy that we're not basking in the sun in St. George, enjoying a poolside BBQ or a great pedicure, and sleeping in for 3 days. Anyway, we're doing the right thing. Just gotta keep telling myself that. We're doing the right thing...

- Mattie has been ultra sensitive about her fingers lately. Her fingers or her "nickles" (knuckles) always seem to be getting hurt, and then when we don't find the exact place to kiss, she takes over and shoves her fingers/hand on our lips over and over until she's satisfied. It's pretty funny.

- We discovered last week that Mattie can crawl out of the pack-and-play (4/23), which is going to make visiting Papa and Gramma a little more difficult. Ugh. But so far she hasn't utilized that information to get out of her crib, thank goodness! We're hoping she never really figures it out ;)

- On Thursday night Mattie was sitting next to Bryce and me and I was talking about the baby. She leaned over and kissed my belly. It was very sweet. Then she asked if she could, "Please I see it?" Hopefully we'll have ultrasound pictures soon that will keep her satisfied for a while.

- Speaking of baby, I think we've got names figure out for baby #3. I better not say what they are yet, at least the boy name, because Bryce is still deciding whether he likes it or not. He said he doesn't not like it, which is a good sign. I just need to be a little patient and give him some time to get used to the name :)

- I went to see the doctor last week for my monthly visit and to my relief, not only did the baby have a strong heartbeat (160 beats a min), but according to the doctor, was very active. It had been over 5 weeks since I had been to the doctor, and since then I had had my episode of spotting and cramping, plus I haven't really felt the baby move much, so it was a big sense of relief to hear that rapid little heartbeat on the monitor (sigh). On a not-so-great note, I'm getting fat!! I've already gained 20 pounds and I'm only 18 1/2 weeks. My sweet doctor didn't say anything, like I expected, but just asked if I was making "healthy choices." I said I'm trying and told him about the mile and a half hard walk I had just gone on pushing my two kids uphill for half of it. What I didn't tell him was that last month we celebrated 3 birthdays, last weekend was Easter (which I think is probably worse than Halloween because of all the food on top of the candy), and this weekend is the Apple Blossom festival, which I have been waiting two years to attend (festivals = super healthy food, right? :). Thank goodness I walked in a big parade and then we walked all over town for the festival. And now that the weather is starting to get nice (except for the wind), we'll be out a lot more going to the park, going on walks and hikes, riding bikes, etc. So to the second half of my pregnancy I say, Bring It!!

- Yesterday would have been my dad's 76th birthday. Love you, Dad! Miss you like crazy!!

- After a two day delay, my brother finally boarded a plane out of Afghanistan. His deployment is finished! Right now he's in Manas waiting to leave for the U.S. in a couple of days. I'm glad he's out of Afghanistan - especially since the U.S. killed Osama Bin Ladan yesterday and who knows what kind of up roar this is going to cause. But I can't wait for him to just be back on American soil. I will breathe easier and sleep better when I know his plane has touched down here in the good ol' U.S. of A.

- We find out tomorrow what we're having!!!! I think it's a boy, which probably means it's a girl (that's how it was with both CJ and Mattie). Bryce doesn't really have any inclinations, and of course, CJ wants it to be a boy and Mattie wants it to be a girl. We'll keep you posted!

Happy Monday!