Oh the Bliss!

Finally, the real deal! The only question I have left is with as much time as he spends in it, does at least one of those time count as a bath? Today I am thankful for... 1. time with Leslie and her two at the Spectrum, staying cool in the fountain. 2. much cooler weather today. 3. Ben's nice long, uninterrupted nap, and mine too. :) 4. finding really good tamales at Costco that actually taste like real Mexican food and you cook them in a steamer, so good. 5. Carrie, Gavin and Ez coming over this afternoon. We were both looking for something new to do with our kids and getting together was the perfect answer. The boys are starting to play together a little more, so it's fun to watch them. 6. my neighbors being back from their 5 week trip. I'm happy because they're home, yes, but mostly because this means their dog doesn't howl in the middle of the night and at the crack of dawn anymore. 7. all the fun plans for August, trips and family visits, I'm excited. 8. ou...

The funny thing about this is he did it all on his own; got the bucket, had Mark fill it up and got right on in. He must've been hot! Thankfully I DID find a real blow up pool for him at none other than a pool supply store. Who'd've thought a pool supply store literally supplies pools? Today I am so thankful for... 1. time with Nick and Lisa Tuesday. 2 Paul and Tina coming down on Tuesday, even just for a little bit, it means a lot that they made the drive even though they couldn't stay all day. 3. Tina being able to take Ben to his last music class. I couldn't make it and I'm so glad he didn't have to miss it and that she had that moment with him there. 4. I didn't make his class because I had an OB apt. and I got to hear the baby's heartbeat!!! I love that sound, I could listen to it all day. With Ben I had not a care in the world when I was carrying him, but with this baby I think I'm so much more aware of the potential loss and what you reall...

Have you ever thought about suicide? Ever really thought about it? About what it could possibly feel like to reach such an extremely low point the only logical answer is to end it all. Did you tell anybody? Did they believe you? Darren and Pam and two of their close friends, plus a slew of others, are walking 20 miles tonight to bring awareness to suicide. A very close friend of theirs took his life just before thanksgiving last year, so they're walking in his honor. I've never really known anyone who has committed suicide. I remember a faint rumor of someone's brother in high school hanging himself, but that's the closest I've come. I hope that's the closest I get. It must be one of the most heartbreaking ways to lose someone. It's one of those times when I really didn't know, and still don't, what to say to comfort and sympathize with Darren and Pam. I love the way they are taking this awful, ugly experience and turning it into an opportunity to s...

Today I am thankful for... 1. the news that the newest little Abbott baby is a GIRL!!! So excited to have another niece and I'm so thrilled that Michael and Daniel will have a little sister to pick on and bug, I mean love and protect. 2. Getting to meet the daughter of the original owners of our house yesterday... she and her brother grew up in our house and I believe one, if not both, of her parents died in this house. It holds a really special place in her heart- so much so that she wouldn't come inside. Maybe someday. 3. the 3.2 mile walk I went on this morning with some friends. 4. my time with Lisa yesterday and the GREAT time we had shopping!! 5. being 12 weeks along and feeling a lot better than I did in the beginning. 6. having honest friendships. 7. frozen berries because they get Ben to eat all of his dinner - if every other bite is a berry. 8. sweet Ali's phone call. 9. the multiple phone conversations with my mom-in-law yesterday, she's so funny. 10. my clea...

I know I'm pregnant when #4... I know I'm pregnant when it takes a thunderstorm at 1:30 in the morning to remind me that I left the side door to the van open. It had been open since about 4:30 that afternoon. Oops. Today I am thankful for... 1. the AWESOME thunderstorm we had early this morning. It had the traces of the south written all over it and I'm pretty sure if I strained my ears enough I could hear tree frogs and if I squinted my eyes enough I could see some fireflies. 2. the fun time in the pool yesterday with Mark and Ben at little Alyssa's 2nd birthday. 3. my new maternity capri's, bought on sale. :) 4. my sweet friend Lolly who had me and Ben over Saturday night for dinner. After I put Ben to bed there Lolly and I stayed up talking well past 12am. What a neat friend. 5. Joanna and Matt celebrating their 2nd anniversary today. 6. OUR NEW BATHROOM MIRRORS! Only a few months late, but they're here now and they look so good! It wasn't so bad not havi...

The power was cut on our block from 3am to 5am this morning. Something that probably went unnoticed by most, but as soon as our ceiling fan stopped and the (still) warm air from outside started filling our bedroom I was immediately positive I was going to melt away right then and there. It has been so hot here lately and I have been so uncharacteristically hot -thank you pregnancy- the stifling heat which was taking over our house kept me up for what seemed like an eternity. I moved into the family room, so as not to suffocate in the shrinking bedroom, and began to pray; "Keep the clocks Lord, I don't care, just send enough power for the ceiling fans to rotate at a profitable speed. I love you, amen." Strange how prayer can take you places in your mind. I often find myself, mid-prayer, thinking about something so distant from what my prayer had started out as. I used to think God didn't like that, a wandering mind and all. But in the wee hours this morning I'm pre...

Happy Birthday Carrie! Today I am so thankful for... 1. Carrie; being one of the three best sister-in-laws in the world. I love how perfect she is for Jason and for the Prince family. She adds life and humor and honesty. I admire her mothering skills and I really value her friendship. She is a fun girl to celebrate and I'm so thankful Ben and I were able to "Pahteeeeeeeeeee" (as Carrie puts it) with her this evening. 2. the date Mark and I went on Monday night while my parents took care of Ben. Dinner and movie, is was so sweet and meant the world to me. 3. sweet Jesse calling last night to talk to me. Well, not really to talk to me , he wanted to talk to a green fish, which I pretended to be until he wanted to talk to a pink fish, which Mark pretended to be. Turns out he called a lot of other "fishes" last night too, but I still felt the love. 4. chatting with Amy a bit this morning. Always so good to talk with her and it's been so long, I was missing her! ...

Today I am thankful for... 1. The great time Ben and I had at our neighbors house on the fourth. We spent 2+ hours in the pool and had really good food. It was a very fun day. 2. Mark staying safe during his very long shift on the 4th. 3. the return of my cravings for salad.(Thank you Carrie.) 4. a long, sweet, funny email from Keri. Just love that girl. 5. the extremely fun time we had at the "lagoon" today with a bunch of my friends and our kids. Ben LOVES being in the water, a little scary for me at times because he truly has no fear, but boy its fun to watch him having such a great time. 6. the only sunburn received was on me and not Ben. (I may have been so concerned about his pale skin I forgot about mine. Ouch.) 7. feeling a little sense of accomplishment tonight because I cleaned. Some. 8. Sweet Ben's funny antics. They are abounding these days. 9. Ben, or any of the kids for that matter, not drowning today. I really am thankful for that. 10. the sale at Gap. (aga...

Today I am thankful for... 1. our Cuban friends who invite us to their annual pig roast. I love them, and I love the food. 2. the wonderful time in Simi this weekend with friends and family. 3. getting a really good pedicure with my mom on Friday while my dad watched Ben. 4. Ben saying "mama" this morning when I went in to get him up. He ALWAYS says dada, so mama is a welcomed change. 5. so much quality time with Mark these past few days. 6. getting to chat with Sarah today, it had been so long. 7. going to Disneyland with my mom Friday night to watch the fireworks. Us and one zillion other people. It was really neat though, and I'm glad we went. 8. not having to run the AC very much today, and for the breeze all day long. 9. mentioning to Mark that I need to update my address book and within minutes he downloaded his complete address book into mine on my computer so now that's down without so much a finger lifted by me. 10. Mark's new board shorts and sunglasses....