Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Feels like summer

Today really did feel beautiful, and I think tomorrow will be warm, too! 70s is nice. I have noticed in looking back at the blog that I have been in a writing mood I guess lately. Long narratives about our life! Hope that's not too boring!

Everything's good. I'm at 23 weeks (almost 6 months), and the baby is very active. I am finally feeling "normal" if that is possible when you're pregnant. But my nausea is gone, and also my back has loosened up so I can walk easier. I'm hoping the end is better than the beginning. This weather certainly helps my mood.

So Saturday we went to Target Field, the new home of the Twins. Beautiful and so fun. Can't wait to go to a game there! Monday we went to the zoo, and the farm babies are here! So we may head back again soon. Just trying to do as much fun stuff as possible weather and pregnancy permitting. Easter is coming! So this week we will color some eggs and possibly have an Easter egg hunt along with eating too much candy, I'm sure! Nice that school is out, so we can play with friends and family!

Monday, March 22, 2010

Happy Birthday and 7th Anniversary!

Seven years ago today, I married Matt. Best decision ever! Nearly every day, the thought pops into my head, "Good thing I married him. He is clearly the man for me." And it is usually in reference to different things I'm dealing with each day.

He is a quiet person, so is a good listener. But he will also give his opinion readily when I ask, and it isn't always the same as mine. So I appreciate that. (But also nice that it usually is!) He's a good gage for me and my emotions since he is so stable.

He's good with money but still likes to take me out. He is a great date!

He loves God, the ministry, and people (especially me and Jack!) He is content to just be with us (and to golf occasionally). He is a great preacher and spiritual leader for us. He has integrity and is loyal and kind.

The greatest gift he has given me in regard to our children is in his support of my staying home with them. When we got married, I never really thought about it since I'm such a goer. But after talking about it together (and 2 layoffs), we decided it was the right thing for us to do. And what a gift it has been. Time with your children in these critical years is so priceless and irreplacable.

So yesterday we celebrated Matt's birthday and had a great time. We were able to spend time with family over the weekend. What a blessing that has been! We love being near them. Sometimes you just need your family. So tonight we will celebrate our anniversary, and Jack gets to stay with Grandpa and Grandma, so he will have a great time, too! Thanks to them for doing that.

Notes about Jack at Age 3

Lately I have frequently thought, "I should write that down, or I will forget it." So here we go.

He calls knives "sharps." He got frustrated today. He says, "UGH!" a lot (like me). Then he said, "The sharp fell on me, and I'm sick of it." He had dropped the butter knife and got butter on him. He doesn't like to be messy.

His bottom is his "body".

He speaks backwards sometimes. Carseat is seatcar. I don't know what that means, but I'm not worried about it at this point.

Everything costs forty dollars. Every piece of paper is forty dollars. Every coin is a penny. Everytime it is time to do something, it's forty o'clock. Eleventeen is his favorite number.

He says things that make no sense like, "I'm gonna go to sleep, but I'm not gonna go to sleep."

Today he said, "Oh no, the baby's on the floor. I gotta pick her up and put her back in my tummy so she doesn't get away."

Every day when he wakes up and I say, "Guess what we're going to do today?" He says, "UM, go to church?" Church is his favorite. He loves to wear ties and bring his Bible. Then McDonalds is usually in the guesses after that along with seeing one of our family members or Lexi and Levi.

He likes to help clean and get wet and fill up his little cups with water and pour it from one to the other.

He loves fruit, almost every variety, and is more of a carb person. I don't get too worried about him since he has variety and is very healthy.

He's pretty organized and knows how to clean up his room and where things go when he puts them away (with a little prodding).

He is almost completely potty trained. Still working on some nights. He did pick up on it quickly, and I'm grateful!

When he says something we don't understand, he just says it louder.

Whenever we go somewhere, it's not long before he wants to go home to his toys and movies. It must be his comfort zone and probably feels more independent at home.

He is very aware of schedules and likes to be in charge of them. He says, "I think it's time to...." Or "Should we go?" Or "So you're fixing supper, so maybe we should eat soon." "So you had a good day today?"

Every time we leave somewhere, he says, "That was fun at.... or seeing....."

Or "Mommy" a thousand times, then finally, "What, Jack?" A long pause, and then "What you doin'?"

If you sneeze in the other room, "You okay, Mommy?" So then if he falls, he just yells out, "I'm okay!" Very helpful and informative!

Anytime he recognizes a place we go, he says, "Hey! We been there long time!" I think it means we've been here before.

We're very thankful for the opportunity God gives us to impact a little life. I pray all of the time, "Don't let me mess it up!"

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Baby Ava Jane Fure


Finally Sunshine!

We saw it! It was here! Sunday was a beautiful day! And thanks to the rain the week before, most of the snow had melted; and we sat outside all afternoon. Jack rode bikes for the first time in months; and we were able to walk to church. Even though today is rainy, it will be sunny again tomorrow, and I'm just hoping that spring is on its way. I'm ignoring the weather report for Saturday the first day of spring that says snow!

So Matt's birthday is Sunday. We're getting old. I can say that since I'm older....just a little. So we're excited for that. And I am in the 22nd week of my pregnancy, so I am finally past the halfway mark and almost to 5 months along. I'm not feeling the nausea - yay, glad that's over. I do tire easily and sometimes have pain when I walk, so not sure if the baby is sitting on a nerve or what. Oh well - it's not every day, so that helps. So far, I can still get down and clean the floor. But I think pedicures are finally needed! I get pedicures when I can't reach my toes anymore. So that should be fun, and all kinds of friends have volunteered to do them with me, so even better!

It's been so nice to just spend some time at home with Jack. I really love the time we have together and am so grateful for the opportutunity to stay home with him. I just think what if I had worked all of this time, and someone else benefited from all of the growing and learning he goes through. I would never get it back. It is a priceless gift to be home with him, and I'm looking forward to doing it with the next one. I have many people who volunteer to watch him so I can have personal time, and I do appreciate that; but I really just love being with him and feel that it's such a gift. Yes, there are sometimes that I need a break, but it is rare; and Matt always seems to sense when that is and is such a blessing as a husband. He is a rare find. So I'm grateful today for my two guys and the little girl on the way. What a blessing family is!

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Just a few of the 1000s of pictures we took....


At the airport

Hollywood Studios

Finding Nemo ride at Epcot or Aircot as Jack called it.

Toys from Grandpa and Grandma - at least most of them, I think!

Miami Beach
Matt as a Viking at Epcot

Magic Kingdom at night
Toy Story ride at Hollywood Studios - probably my favorite ride
On the Teacups - that's Nancy's arm.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Vacation!

Very fun time! We have a lot of pictures, but for some reason, I can't find them on our computer. So they will be coming soon. Went to the Disney parks the first week, Miami a couple of days, and then back to Orlando area and stayed with my aunt and uncle the last few days. We did a couple of more parks and shopped/golfed. The weather was rainy/windy. The second week was a little nicer, but still had some wind. I hear this is the week to go since it will be mid-70s all this week there and that is perfect! We had a few days of that sprinkled here and there. But we had a great time with family. Matt's parents came with us and made a lot of it possble. So we are grateful and had a great time with them! Also we got to spend a day with Nancy, and then time with Carol and Larry was so nice!

It is so nice to be home though in spite of gray colorless Minnesota. I really do love Minnesota, but long about now, it gets old. Looking forward to the snow melting, then some green color coming through along with sunshine and nicer days would be great. I'm sure it will come at some point. We are happy to be back in our house and looking forward to going to church which we really missed while we were gone.

Had another ultrasound, and we are definitely having a girl. So we are excited about that. Maybe we can get a picture here on the blog of the ultrasound. Those are always fun and helpful.

So now we are looking forward to just recuperating from the vacation! It will be nice to be home and just sit for a while.