3 Years Old: Part 1

"And though she be but little, she is fierce!"

Spunky. Strong-willed. Determined. Vibrant. Dynamic. Artistic. Clever. Sympathetic. Observant. Helpful. Inquisitive. Impressive. Fearless. Talented. Playful. Imaginative. Sparkly. Spiritual. Fierce. Friendly. Creative. Sassy. Musical. Proud. Tender. Compassionate. Darling. Passionate. Awesome. Bold. Challenging. Engaging. Gifted. Stubborn. Skeptical. Articulate. Spiritual. Friendly.
Just a few of the words that describe my Annie-Girl.
From this....

To this.

I watch in awe as this tiny pixie finds her wings.
Fly, my darling.

First Bumpdate: Week 16!

A couple weeks ago, we surprised everyone with the news that we're expecting Denton #2!

Then again, some of you weren't actually all that surprised. I'd already lied to a handful of people, and that just felt weird. But I really wanted to stick to my plan of waiting until Annie's birthday to tell. I'm sorry, ok?!

May 2nd: I was 3 days late, and Tucker came home from work with a box of tests

We are so excited! After their initial congratulations, I've had a few people ask, "But how do you really feel about it?" Totally understandable because for a long time, I was completely terrified at the thought of having another child. I mean, one is hard enough, right? But Annie is such a fun and happy toddler, and I'm in a really good place with my mental health, so I felt good about it. I told Tucker I knew I was ready to start trying for another baby when my reaction would be more excitement and joy instead of mostly terror and stress. And that's exactly how it has been. I am so excited for this cute little baby to get here!
Ok, ok, let's get on to the important stuff.

Due date: January 2, 2017
Weeks along: 16 already! 

Today at 16+1

left to right: 8w, 10w, 11w (bloat goes down), 12w, 14w, 15w

Cravings: Sonic frozen strawberry lemonade mostly. I also had an intense craving for Little Caesar's Crazy Bread and tater-tots. But with the first trimester, it was mostly fruity stuff that sounded delicious, which is funny because with Annie, all I wanted was eggs and greasy, cheesy, meaty things. A few weekends ago, we went on a quick date for frozen yogurt, but I really felt like I needed Subway first, and even though I just stuck with my normal order, it was the yummiest thing I've ever had, and I almost cried. So that was probably hormones talking. And also, Panda's Orange Chicken always sounds amazing if anyone ever gets the random urge to bring me something. ;)

Boy or Girl: No clue. Tucker was leaning towards girl but now thinks boy. Annie keeps saying "sister!" and "girl!" I keep thinking how cute a boy would be. But I really have no feelings one way or another. We'll find out in a few weeks!

Nickname: Blueb (Variations: Blewb or Bloob), short for Blueberry. No idea why. Ask Tucker. Remember how Annie was Diggle?

Morning sickness: Hardly any! It's been a miracle because I was so so so sick for close to 4 months with Annie. But I only had about 2 weeks of mild morning sickness with this baby, and things have been great! Last week, there was one random bout of sickness, and Annie stood next to me patting my head and stroking my cheek and saying "Good job, Mommy!" and "Yay, Karli!" and "I flush Mommy's barf!" It was cute, but mostly I just wanted to barf in peace.
Maternity clothes: Recently got them out, and I'm loving them! I can still fit into most of my clothes, but pants are definitely getting more snug so it's nice to have that big ol' stretchy part that doesn't dig into my abdomen.
Other Symptoms: Hip pain. Yes, already. Most of the time, it's just a dull ache, but if I sit or lie in one position too long, I get really stiff and sore and have to hobble around for awhile in a lot of pain. I sleep a LOT at night, but I'm usually able to get through the day without a nap. Usually.
Announcing: We announced to my family Saturday, June 25th while they were in town. I made this little tag, and we stuck it to a bag of the pink and white Circus Animal Cookies. I handed it to them right as we were leaving out the door to go to the circus, and they loved it!

We never officially announced to Tucker's family. My MIL saw ginger-ale and Saltines on my nightstand at the cabin a month ago and knew but never said anything. She told my FIL her guess, and my SIL had been bugging me about it for weeks ever since she saw a bit of a bump because of the way I was holding Annie above my tummy. One week, she stopped me in the middle of a sentence and put her hands on my belly exclaiming, "I really think there's a baby in there!" I denied it, but she wouldn't drop it, and eventually my face gave it away. The younger in-laws found out on Annie's birthday when she opened a present with the ultrasound pictures. She really didn't know what was going on, but when we did presents and cake, one of the gift-bags had a paper with "Brother or Sister?" on it with the ultrasound pictures inside. We snapped pictures and shared on Facebook for our public announcement.

Dr. Appt: Our first appt wasn't until Annie's birthday, which is why we waited so long to announce. We thought I was about 12w+5, but the US showed me measuring about 4 days ahead at 13w+2. After the initial paperwork, they took us right back to the ultrasound room, and we got to see our little Blueb swimming and squirming! At first, I was sad we had to wait so long for our first appointment (they usually do them between 8-10 weeks), but now, I'm am so glad because we got to see more than just a jellybean in there! Cute little face and tummy and heart-beat and spine and legs and hands and toes! I wish we could have just stayed in there forever. But then it was time to meet with the doctor. After talking with him and verifying that my cycles are a little longer than average, he decided that we could move my due date from January 6th to January 2nd. I know it's only 4 days, but it just seems so much sooner! Especially when it practically pushed me into the second trimester already! Everything looked good, and he's not worried at all. He even gave me the ok for Disneyland as long as I use good judgement!!! And since I was 13 weeks and not 12 weeks, he booked my next appointment for 5 weeks out instead of 4 so we can just do the anatomy ultrasound and find out if Annie will get a brother or sister!

face

head, spine, tummy, and heart

I'm so excited, and honestly, I'm really loving this pregnancy so far. I realize I'm pretty lucky because my first was nowhere near this pleasant. Plus, it just feels like it's going by so fast, and I hope it will continue that way. We can't wait to meet our little Blueb!

Friday Favorites: My favorite kid

I realize that once Annie turned a year old back in June, the month updates stopped. So here's a little look into the life of our sweet, happy, busy toddler.

Annie is 16 months old now and is much more little kid than baby now. Sure, I miss the baby a little bit, but this little kid is seriously my favorite thing ever. I love being her mom. I love the days we just get to hang out together. I love that she's my little buddy.
Height: 29 inches
Weight: 19 lbs

having a 'conversation' with Dada

Milestones and Firsts: - More words! Her vocabulary now consists of mama, dada, beebee (baby), baba (drink), nana (food), dah (dog), buh (book), bah (ball), no!no!no! (no), sis (fish), hi, and wow or woah. It's pretty stinkin' cute. And beside that, she signs "please" and shakes her head "no" and nods for "yes" and hums instead of says "uh-oh."  We definitely still encounter tantrums brought on by not being able to communicate, but I can usually figure out what she needs with a few yes/no questions. One of my favorite things she does is when she jabbers to me, completely convinced that she's saying real words and having a conversation. - In addition to new words, this girl is on all new levels. She's a climber, and I frequently find her on top of the counter or the back of the couch. She can even climb into her crib, though the one time she climbed out, she fell so I don't think she's too eager to do it again any time soon.
Nicknames: - Teeny kid, Baby love, Stinkhead, Lovebug

Favorites: - Tio (her uncle Layton), Nikki (my cousin), and Lib (Tio's girlfriend/Nikki's best friend). We love having these 3 in town now, and Annie gets so excited whenever she gets to see them. I love that she's so comfortable around them and will let them snuggle and squish her all they want. I think Tio will always be her very favorite though. - Ketchup and dipping things in general. Seriously, this girl loves dipping everything and will slurp the ketchup right off her chicken nuggets. - Watching the microwave. Any time I stick something in the microwave, Annie comes running into the room and demands that I lift her up to watch it. I'm not sure why, but I think it's hilarious. - Shoes. She brings me shoes all day long to put on her, even ones that don't fit anymore. And once they're on, she has this hilarious, purposeful walk where she lifts her feet up high. - Yes, she still loves dance parties, too. Dance parties happen daily, and as soon as she hears the beat, she'll start bopping her head and swinging her arms and spinning in circles. Even in the car, she'll fist bump and wiggle to the beat in her car seat. - Going outside. I make sure to take her out and least once a day to wander around the cul-de-sac or down the sidewalk. I love the "treasures" she brings me - little rocks and leaves and such. Her little self just lights up while she plays outside. I can't wait til we have a fence yard of our own for her to explore to her heart's content. - Books. So many books. She asks for books every night, even after we turn the lights off, she's constantly pointing at the bookshelf and asking "buh? buh?" over and over until I acquiesce.  - Her belly-button. And belly-buttons in general. Because it's the coolest thing ever, duh.

Dislikes: - Being told "no." Cue the rage and the throwing things. That girl's got an attitude.  - When Mom leaves for work. So. Many. Tears. - Waking up. This girl is definitely not a morning person. She's the biggest, grumpiest grouch until she gets some food and watches some cartoons, and then she's good to go. - Being sick. It's the saddest thing in the world.

Things We've Done: - Lots of outside adventures, which means lots of dirt and collecting rocks and acorns and leaves. - Playing with aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents, thanks to awesome visits from family. - Lots of drawing. This girl has discovered crayons and colors and will sit and scribble out the most colorful creations so carefully. It's adorable. - Carved pumpkins! Annie was no so into the slimy, stringy insides. But she loved helping carve them. - Visited Tio at work. Tio works at Krispy Kreme, and when we went to visit (and get free doughnuts), Annie went racing behind the counter to find him and refused to let him pass her back across the counter to me. That girl loves her Tio just about more than anyone. - Sickness. After the flu shot, Annie had diarrhea for 10 days. I thought it might be related to the shot and didn't worry too much about it since she was acting fine, but then she threw up. It was so sad. We stayed home from church and snuggled with a bowl, and she didn't know what was happening and hated every minute of it. After those 10 days of diarrhea and on/off vomiting, she developed a fever that lasted 3+ days. Worried about a possible kidney infection from her renal reflux, I took her in to urgent care, and the doctor agreed with me. She did a good job showing she was sick with the 102+ fever and the whimpering and clinginess. They did a catheter (her 3rd) to get a sterile urine culture, and prescribed some strong antibiotics. Luckily, the culture came back clear, so we just have to finish up the meds and then it's back to her regular, long-term antibiotic. Luckily, she's been back to her normal self lately.

sick, sad girl

sick girl snuggles

Moments to Remember: - Getting her from her crib. As soon as I reach in to get her, she sticks her paci in, passes up her blankie and Connie-bunny to me and then lets me pick her up. - Sitting next to her while she falls asleep. Usually, she goes down quickly after stories and a rock-a-bye and songs, but sometimes, she needs me to sit by her crib and rub her back for a bit. On these nights, she pops up from her pillow every few minutes, gives me a hug and pats my back, and lies back down. She just needs a mommy-hug. :) - When she runs to me or Tucker when we return home. The happiness and excitement on that little face melts our hearts and makes us feel like the luckiest parents in the world. - The way she runs to the door when she hears the word "go." She loves going anywhere, even if it's only out into the yard.

The Little Things: This girl is happy and sweet and silly. For the first time since maybe her birth, she's not really a stressor for me at all, and I love everything about her little self. There's no sign of her hair darkening - it's still just perfectly light, golden blonde, and her blue eyes with her long, dark lashes are one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. I love the faces she pulls and the nonsense she jabbers. I love her giggles during "This little piggy..." or "mark it with a D" at the end of Pat-a-Cake. I love that she insists on becoming more and more independent - she has to have her own spoon or fork to eat, she helps clean up toys, and she thinks she knows just how to fold laundry. I love that she loves cats and dogs but is slightly afraid of them. I love helping her identify emotions and temper her tantrums. I love that sometimes, she just needs a few minutes in the rocking chair with some books and a snack until she's ready to take on the world again. And I love that she loves to sing-song "Mama" all day long and waits for me to reply with a sing-song "Annie". She's the best, and I love being her best friend every day.

Puddle Jumping and Tender Mercies

For some reason, my pictures are not uploading the edited version. So enjoy them in all their uncropped and untouched glory.
You know those moments that aren't planned but while you're in the middle of it, you know you'll never ever forget it?
Monday night was one of those for me.
Annie took a 3 1/2 hour nap, which meant I was able to wash and fold 2 loads of laundry as well as clean and vacuum our bedroom and our living room. And I even had time to make a batch of snickerdoodles! In the meantime, a huge late-summer storm rolled in, filling the afternoon with thunder and the smell of rain.
As Annie woke up, the storm reached its climax, and I gathered a big flannel blanket so we could sit on the porch and watch the rain. Unfortunately, the wind was blowing the storm straight under the eave - we got wet just from opening the door! - so we stayed inside until it calmed down.

But as soon as it slowed to a light patter, I put Annie's shoes and socks on, and we went outside to wait for Tucker to come home. Annie adventured around the cul-de-sac, finding leaves and sticks in the gutters and squishing mud between her fingers. We slowly made our way down the sidewalk to the stadium, and just as we made it to the bottom of the hill, I saw Tucker making his way home.

Annie took off as soon as she saw Tucker to show him the leaf she was holding. Except more than half the sidewalk was under water - I guess that's what happens at the base of the hill after a rain storm - and it didn't take long before she noticed the giant puddle. She was a little timid at first, but as soon as I rolled up my pants and waded in, she came splashing in after me.
I have never see this girl so happy.
I expected a few minutes of splashing and then for her to be cold and done. But no.

That girl plopped right down in her diaper and would. not. come. out.

Her favorite thing was finding all the little acorns and blades of grass and sticks and taking all of them back to Tucker to hold. When we realized this was turning into more than a quick puddle jump, he found a dry place for his backpack and shoes and came to join us.

Tucker and I just stood and laughed at our silly, smiley, energetic little girl. Seriously, we have no idea where this huge, cheesy, toothy grin came from, but she kept doing it over and over, and we busted up laughing every time.

It was the perfect beginning to a stressful week and did so much for just lifting and replenishing my soul. I felt so happy, it was like bubbles of happiness were overflowing.

Who'd'a thunk a faulty sidewalk and some rain could bring so much joy?