22 months of toddler and 9 months of pregnancy

Today Beau is 22mos old and I am 9mos pregnant.

Here's what we've been up to lately...

-A Fabulous Baby Shower was given to us courtesy of my Fabulous Family and Friends.

-Found Beau standing on the dining room table

-Baby gains an Ounce a Day until she arrives

-Mama puts an ounce of lotion on the tummy every time she thinks about it while home.

-Beau discovers the corner in the kitchen doubles as the, You-Are-In-Serious-Trouble-Mr corner and sits there for 2mins after I repeatedly ask him to not put his bike on the couch and then proceed to climb onto it to ride down the cushions.

-Fabulous Family Photos were taken of the 3.8 Crews Family.

-Beau graduated to the cots in the front room with the big kids at daycare instead of sleeping in the packn'plays in the nursery with the baby's!!

-Mike sleeps on the couch until around midnight. i would too if I was him.

-Both of my children's bedrooms are mostly decorated and arranged despite my argument with swelling ankles.

-Beau consistently uses Please and Thank you!!

-Orange sherbet makes every single thing better.

-Beau discovered his empowerment with the word NO! and practices it often.

-Bathtime is now Daddy's sole operation. No Can Do from the Mama.

-Beau and his BFF Brady at daycare have created a gang and torment kids littler than them. I said to Mike, "Beau is the instigator and Brady follows". Mike said, "you know another name for instigator? A leader." Way to be positive about our child's less-than desirable behavior.

-Mama is ready to have baby girl.

A Very Hospitable Toddler

Last night our neighbor Mike stopped by the house to talk. We know him well, talk in the yard and in town, but Beau hasn't really been around him a whole bunch. He's a big guy who works outside for a living, he hunts, fishes, kills snakes in the road and bush hogs our field for us. Great neighbor. Beau has no concept of stranger anxiety and was so hospitable. He greeted him with a big cheery HI! and then brought numerous toys over for him to play with, apparently a conversation with Mom and Dad isn't that entertaining. Beau read him a book about animals, and then proceeded to ask for a hug. Neighbor Mike picked him up, laughed got a good squeeze and then a sweet little SEE YA! as Beau was closing the door behind him. Someone pinch me, is this little man for real? love him.

How do I Love Thee?

Let me count the ways...

I love that he meets me in the garage when he's home first and carries Beau in the house. I love that he does not complain about me tackling a ridiculous nesting task, he just helps clean the entire garage. I love that he takes the broom from my hands to finish sweeping and when he brings home daffodils in a plastic cup. I love when he picks up Beau and hands him to me so I can have a sweet Bear hug too. I love that he does not complain about cleaning the bathrooms because I decided the fumes were bad for the baby. I love that the laundry, dishes, picking up the house and chasing Beau are all shared tasks and that he tells me it's time to sit down. I love that he puts my ice cream box back in the freezer when I fall asleep eating it on the couch. I love that I can yell for reinforcements when Beau had an "accident" in the tub. When I return from throwing up in the other bathroom, Beau is wrapped nicely in a towel, the bathroom smells of sweet bleach and the bathwater is already being refilled. This is love. This is my Fabulously Helpful Husband whom I love. I am thankful for Michael Crews, all these things and all the things he does for us that I don't see too.

8 Months of Wisdom, 2nd Edition

When I carried Beau, I would occasionally send a family update email. I compiled a list of lessons learned, let's review...

Important Lessons Learned at 8mos of Pregnancy:
1. It’s ok to cry.

2. It’s ok to be out of breath for 7 minutes after getting out of the car, out of bed, out of the chair… I am not out of shape, I have an extra 4-5lbs/17” long bundle of joy squishing me – I repeat this statement several times a day to myself.
3. Never pass up the opportunity to go to the bathroom – even when you don’t think you need to go, you never know when you’re going to sneeze or laugh too hard.
4. “A good blood pressure along with some swelling indicates a very healthy pregnancy,” said Dr Bell.
5. Prenatal massages are Heaven.

6. Naps in my new leather La-Z-Boy are also a small piece of Heaven.
7. Potty breaks and leg cramps aren’t so good for quality sleep. Naps are wonderful.
8. Pedicures to Swollen Ugly Feet turn into Princess Feet.
9. $1 McDonald’s vanilla ice cream cones can fix any bad day.
10. 9:00pm is in fact an acceptable bedtime. Most evenings I can’t wait to go to sleep – so exciting.

Well, my world has changed a smidge since this list :) I'm still in agreement with the statements however do not have the opportunity to indulge in the Heaven sent pleasures of NAPS, a MASSAGE (yet), and PEDICURES (yet), and the 9pm bedtime is overrated. Stike that, sleep is overrated. Can you tell I'm trying to convince myself? I guess I'm supposed to tell you about all the joys of being in the middle of the 3rd trimester and how gloriously fabulous I feel, how I can't wait to show off Baby Girls' finished perfectly decorated nursery, my completely organized home, how Beau has decided to veto brat attacks, and how I have no problem getting so huge!! Well, none of those things are realistic. However I'm not going to have a gripe fest either... so this is me focusing on the positives because I am truly so very thankful for my baby girl and the joy she brings our family. She is worth every ounce of uncomfortable times a million.

Postive Thoughts by Mama, ahem....

1. My body has not started swelling! I still have pretty ankles.

2. I was able to catch a sale at Old Navy and purchased some much needed maternity separates to make it to the end. I was informed by my loving co-workers that I was no longer allowed to wear my shirts too small for the belly and pants that fall down. Picky.

3. The weather has been very conducive for walking breaks.

4. Beau (and me) enjoy storytime in my big bed much more than trying to fit in the chair with me and belly. Nice compromise and sweet sweet memories.

5. And last but the most important, My Fabulously Helpful Husband Michael. He is so Fabulously Helpful these days, I've decided to devote an entire blog post to him entitled, "Ode to Mike". Coming soon.

Here is a photo that I'd rather not post, but I can play fair and know my loving aunts don't want to miss out on baby bumps. The container of Bryer's Strawberry ice cream has made a appearance in my cheeks (all of them), but my face and eyes are swollen from sinus cold number 42 that I'm currently recovering from. This week the internet tells me she's the size of an

applepine :)

Happy Easter!

I sure do love this little boy!

Today was the Easter Parade at Miss Joy's house!! She sent instructions home to construct an Easter hat with one rule - it had to have at least one plastic egg attached. Well, being the Holiday Guru I am, Beau's hat is ridiculously wonderful. He loves to wear it. I'm sure we'll have it on all weekend. Here are some photos I took this morning of the bunny bear and of his friends. Miss Joy is so great to go to all this trouble. I love her and how much she loves the children.