Projects on the Horizon

With baby #3 joining us in five months I've got several projects on my to-do list.  Here's a list of some of those upcoming projects:

- Redo Ella's room into Ella & Cameron's room (I think I've at least decided on a paint color)
- Install a closet organizer in Ella's closet (the room is too small for a dresser for two, crib and twin bed)
- Organize and possibly redo nursery (how much work will be determined by baby's gender- 3 weeks)
- Organize and decorate toy room (this will be necessary for my other two this winter since we probably won't get out much)
- Finally add the finishing touches to the munchkins bathroom upstairs (I really just need to add some decor)
- Clean out and organize the garage (we need to make room for that extra freezer that I'll finally be getting)
- Make at least a month supply of freezer meals to fully stock that new freezer for when baby arrives (I've always made some freezer meals before the birth of each baby and it's worked out great - this time around I think I'll need a lot more though)
- Make a list of freezer meals to make and find recipes for them (I'll make sure to share)
- Organize and decorate laundry room (anyone that's had a baby knows how much time you spend in there)
- Decorate master bathroom (I'd really really like to get my bathroom finished finally)
- Organize the linen closet upstairs (stock up on any items that are low)

Oh this list could go on and on, but I'll keep it short.  I guess it doesn't seem so bad, but that's only because I didn't list what each of these to-do's includes.  I guess I should get started since I'm already a month into the second trimester and this is when I'm supposed to have the most energy.  Ha!  Anyone want to come watch my munchkins while I get started?

Random Goings On At Our Home

I haven't really had any one specific thing to post about lately, so here is a compilation of what we've been doing with our summer.  This last weekend we went to Park City with three other couple friends and stayed in a really nice condo.  Between the four couples we had eight munchkins four years old and younger.  It was of course really loud, but we all had a really good time.  We got to do a little shopping at the Outlet Mall, watch some of the World Cup and eat lots of yummy but totally unhealthy food.  Andrew even took Ella on the Alpine Slide, which she loved and wanted to go on again.  We got to stay up late visiting with each other and our sweet husbands even made an ice cream run for us at midnight the first night we were there.

Ella has also been busy with some watercolor paintings, bird feeding and tormenting her brother.  She has also been really good about sneaking into the garden and eating all the strawberries before anyone else gets a chance.  I've managed to get a couple bowls, but just barely.  I had to fight her off.

My little budding artist... she couldn't paint enough that day.

Here are a few pictures of Cameron's little birthday party as well.  Nothing fancy, just a bbq with a few close friends.  Cameron really liked the cupcakes though.  Thanks again Heather for making those.

We also took the munchkins to the zoo on Memorial Day.  It was a lot of fun and they seemed to really enjoy it.  I sort of forgot to take pictures for most of the trip, but I did manage to get a few.

This was the first time there that we actually got to see the tigers.

Big Changes Coming to Our Family

We have some big changes coming our way.  In December we will be adding Baby #3 to our growing family.  Yay!  Crazy, yes!  Especially considering that for about a week we will have three children age two and younger.  This baby's due date is actually the day before Ella's 3rd birthday.  Poor girl; I'm going to have to think of something extra special to do for her this year.  But, as scary and crazy as it is we are very excited as well!  I'm currently sixteen weeks and we find out what we're having on July 22nd.  I'm super excited to know whether Cameron is going to have a little brother to pal around with or whether Ella will get the little sister that she has been asking for since January.  Heaven help us if this is another little boy since we can't agree on boy names at all (Cameron is actually the only boy name we've ever agreed on).  In fact if it's a boy we might as well just name him Cameron Jr.  Just kidding of course, but seriously that's how bad the naming process is at our house (we have been known to raise our voices a time or two as well).  Girls are a little easier to agree on and we have one idea floating around, but it's still a battle.  We just have entirely different ideas on good names.  Andrew likes the common names and of course any unisex or place name is out.  I like more unique and certainly less common names, which of course doesn't go well with Andrew's common names.  I guess we'll see what we end up with this time.
In preparation for the new little one we went and purchased a new car this last weekend, well minivan actually.  Sniff sniff... I loved my escape, but it just wasn't going to fit three car seats (and trust me we tried).  So dear hubby has that now and I have a fabulous new honda odyssey with all the fun gadgets that minivans come with now.  It was hard to come to terms with driving a minivan, but once I started comparing the odyssey with the large SUV's I was considering, there really was no question.  I've really only ran errands in it once, but I can say that I honestly love this minivan.  Ella especially thinks the power doors are cool.  She always wants to push the button.
This also means that Ella and Cameron will soon be sharing a room.  I'm a little nervous for this, but I think it should be okay, I hope.  I've got a few ideas of how I'm going to decorate their new room, but the design is still a work in progress.  It's really hard to design a multi-gender shared space that doesn't involve a checked pattern of some sort.  So we'll see how this comes together.  I figure I have at least another month to think about it.  Once I know what we're having and I know whether or not I have to redo the nursery as well, then I'll know how quickly I need to get started on this project.  Any suggestions would be great...
Of course there's going to be the adjustment of going from two to three children as well and in the winter of all seasons.  I just keep telling myself it will all be okay.  I can handle this.  I figure if I say it enough it'll be true.  So hopefully now that I have some energy back and an ever-growing to do list, I'll start getting some things done around here again.  So watch for new projects that I'll be tackling soon.

Guess whose a big girl now?

That's right... our little miss Ella Bella is all potty trained now (except for nighttime... we're still working on that).  Woohoo!  We are all super excited around here and it's been so great not changing her diapers anymore.  I thought the process would be so much more difficult, but it was pretty painless.  I didn't want to nag her about it since she is the kind of stubborn child that would just push back so I tried to leave it alone, but once I felt that she was ready (she knew when she needed to go, she would just freak out if I suggested she sit on the potty) I bought her a new baby doll that sat on the entertainment center for about 4 or 5 days (she couldn't touch it, but it was there to remind her) when she finally decided she wanted it badly enough that she just went in the bathroom and did her potty business without even telling me.  I went looking for her and found her sitting on the toilet and was so excited.  Since then she's been going on the potty.  She hasn't had any accidents during her naps and we've really only had a small handful of accidents in the last month since she started.  We're doing pull-ups at night and not really pushing it too much since I think it'll happen when she's ready.  I'm so proud of her and tell her that all the time.  Of course whenever she sees me use the restroom now she says, "mommy go on the potty.  I so proud of you mommy."  She also feels the need to remind me to wipe.  It's quite funny to me.  I can't believe how fast she's growing up. She really is becoming a big girl now.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to a wonderful husband and father!  We love you so much and are so grateful for all that you do for our family.  Ella and Cameron love and adore you and are always so excited to have you come home from work.  Cameron has even started to say "dada" when you get home.  So cute.  Thanks for being such a great dad.  Love You!

Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful father's in our lives!

Happy Birthday Little Man!!!

Today is Cameron's first birthday.  My baby is getting so big and growing up so fast.  He has become quite the little boy recently and so for his birthday he got lots of balls and trucks.  This morning when he woke up we gave him a soccer ball that he played with for an hour and a half.  He wouldn't even let go of it for breakfast (which if you know my kids and food, that's unheard of - they really like to eat).  Tomorrow we're having a little bbq/birthday shindig with friends whose little boy has the same birthday, except that he is a year older.  We figured since we didn't really want to go all out for a one and two year olds birthday and we have all the same friends, we would just combine birthdays and have a bbq.  Anyways, should be fun.

Happy Birthday Cameron!  We love you lots and lots.  You've been so fun to have around this last year and we look forward to many more memories.

He was so tiny...

He found the bag of animal cookies in the diaper bag and dumped them out while I was helping Ella.  He had eaten quite a few at this point and was pretty full.