Nesting

Yes, mainly "nesting" before the baby is a beautiful thing! I have really felt its "calling" FULL TILT this past week or so. I'm cleaning, organizing, going through clothes, etc. It's almost obsessive! Not a bad thing if you have some spring cleaning to do anyway.

I HAVE gotten my husband to join the bandwagon however (mainly because there's alot of things I should not be lifting and dragging around). He's building me a great new bookshelf in light of all our furniture rearranging and finding places to put MORE stuff! We're washing girl clothes, moving furniture, unpacking baby stuff......really it's pretty fun! Hard to think about another 'little' creature in the house again though. In light of our unpreparedness with Kai (due to early arrival), I have a great desire to be READY this time (as ready as you can be anyway). It is also accompanied by great anxiety too. But God has already proven, yet again, faithful with this baby girl. She is healthy, protected, and growing inside me and will make her first appearance in His timing. So worry I will not, it just causes unnecessary wrinkles (or stretch marks or whatever).

Here's a couple shots of Kai's nesting activities: we had bins of clothes out and he fell in love with particular one (probably b/c it's the only empty one). He just sits in it with his bear, or blankie, or crackers and talks to himself. Good times.

Hope you're inspired for spring cleaning......if not consider getting pregnant!?!?!?!

Winter in SD

We went from 65 degree CO to 5 degree SD this past week to visit Grandpa and Grandma Hansen. It was a brutel change for those of us who have only had to pull out fleeces to wear all winter! But we found a few fun indoor activities to keep us busy.....on top of exploring the old but new surroundings! Grandma has a firetruck book that Kai absolutely LOVES. I've never seen him even remotely interested in another firetruck book ......I think it must have something to do with the special voices that both grandparents use while reading the book! He kept giving his "super concentrated" face as they read.

We also built a tent out of blankets and a card table....which was a first for Kai. It took him a few good BONKS to figure out he couldn't stand in the tent . He played by taking his "ba-ba" (blankie) into the tent and announcing "nigh-nigh." Too bad a nap never resulted!

We also got a chance to see Great Grandpa Ernie. Kai was "shy and scared" of him the entire time. This is kind of new for him......he covers his eyes when meeting someone that isn't familiar to him. Normally, he will warm up after a few minutes, but not this time. What a bummer for Great Grandpa because he loves kids!

Bubbles was another indoor activity until Kai kept eating them. We'll save those for summer.

Derrick and I also took Kai to Rapid City's indoor public swim center. Very cool. Last time we went Kai wasn't so sure about it, but he started to come out of his shell! I didn't get pics because our camera had died (besides who wants pics of a pregnant lady in a swimsuit anyway), but his favorite was the current river that you can walk around and watching Daddy go down the BIG slide!

Baby Shower

A wonderful lady in my church offered to throw a baby shower for our little munchkin this past weekend! It was so special that my mom could be here for it! And we were SO blessed with gifts of love. We will have a very well dressed baby girl! Thanks to everyone who attended.

There was somewhat of a candy store theme to the shower.....no one went home empty handed! It made for great "munchies" on our trip to SD the next day!

Theatrical week

Cranky Toddler

Kai has officially stopped sucking his thumb! It's a praise and curse at the same time. On the up side....He won't be the 2nd grader who sucks his thumb during class that the teacher has to address with mom during conference time, but he also is not soothing himself with ANYTHING else.....therefore, we have a cranky toddler. VERY cranky this last week--there's a little proof in the picture. This was after at least an hour of angry crying over not letting him hold the juice box himself and then spilling all over Derrick by squeezing it and then confinement to his packnplay. These are the parenting occassions we just have to pray through, ask for grace and patience, and remember the "easy" times.

Literally, EVERYONE in mama's lap!

My lap was the hot spot on Sunday night! 27 week baby, toddler, and 60 lb. puppy all in my lap! What a ride! And we all fit.....barely!

Basket Boy

Kai has always liked baskets. Now he likes to get in and out of them by himself. It's not rare that it gets a little TOO quiet and I find him inside a basket or laundry basket.

Cake Decorating Accomplished

My sister-in-law Emily and I "graduated" from our cake decorating class at Michael's craft store this past weekend. We decided to practice on cupcakes again during class (mainly because they are easier to make). This is a few of the final products and techniques I learned. Yes, I made the roses....they are the ONLY ones that turned out all 4 weeks! Hopefully my next kid cakes will be a bigger success! I'm glad I took that class.....thanks Mimi for taking with me!

Boots

These boots were made for indoors apparently! There hasn't been much snow this winter to utilize this purchase outside! Kai can say "boots" and will seek them out in his closet, bring them to me, sit on my lap, and hold his foot up prepared for me to slip it in for him! So cute. He walks like a cowboy or someone in ski boots for the first time! We'll just keep pretending inside for now (I'm not wishing any snow on us at this point....spring fever has hit).