What I Wore Wednesday, Baby Edition Week 24/25

I am linking up again with The Pleated Poppy for What I Wore Wednesday. I'm looking more and more pregnant, which means more people stop and ask about the pregnancy. I welcome the chance to talk about being pregnant since I had very few people ask when I was pregnant with Jack. I like sharing my news. 

I busted out the maternity jeans last week, thinking it was time, but they just fell off of me. I guess I need to get a belly band for this transitional period. I can still button up my normal jeans, but it's getting to be too uncomfortable. This post covers a 2-week period from Christmas Eve to the week of New Years.

Christmas Eve.

This was the first time I saw a picture of myself and thought, "Oh my word, I'm huge!"

Sweater is old. Striped shirt is Target Maternity, Jeans are Old Navy. Red Tennis shoes are old.

Photo taken in the evening.

Christmas Day.

My belly button has officially popped out.

Shirt is Target Maternity, Vest and Jeans are Old Navy. Chaco sandals are old.  

Photo taken in the mid afternoon.  

Running errands and cleaning my house, waiting on my family to arrive.

Plaid shirt and Jeans from Old Navy. 

Photo taken in the morning. 

Saturday after Christmas. I did a lot of cooking for our family Christmas celebration.

T-shirt is Target Maternity, Jeans are Old Navy.

Photo taken in the morning.  

New Year's Eve. Came down with a cold.
Buttoned up shirt and Jeans from Old Navy.

Photo taken in the mid afternoon. 

 

New Year's Day.

This maternity sweater was given to me. Jeans are Old Navy.
Photo taken in the morning.

Girl's Night Out on the Friday after New Years.

Sweater is old, Maternity shirt was given to me, Jeans are Old Navy.

Photo taken in the evening. 

Chats with Jack ⎮ November, 2014-January, 2015

Listening to a child talk about the world around them is fascinating. I am continuing to record the conversations that we have with Jack and will be including them on my blog from time to time. Here are some of the things Jack was telling us in the months of November and December of 2014...

"Daddy, you're a grown up. I'm a big kid and mommy is a little kid."

"I'm pretending to be a mommy and the baby is in my mommy tummy."

I asked Jack what he wanted to do today for his birthday. He said "Go to the Y, go to church and go to a big restaurant for a burrito."

 
Told me we needed to order a belt so that UPS could bring us a order (package). And daddy would give him a real knife to keep on his belt and he could open his order with his knife like daddy.

D: Jack are you a man?
J: No, not yet.
D: When will you be a man?
J: When I get taller enough, I'll be a man.

"Pooping is hard work."

"I practiced and practiced." (Said while jumping off the couch onto his bean bag).

"When I grow up, I can have the yucky orange medicine (cough drops) like you. That's my favorite."

"Is that the sparkle medicine? It's yucky and it's my favorite."

Uses the words "cool" and "awesome" when excited about something.

Tore down all of the streamers (a week after his birthday party) and matter-of-factly said, "The party is over."

"I need the big soy sauce (syrup) for my pancakes."

"Mommy, I can't hear so much. My ear has a plug in it." (In regard to stuffed up ears when driving up the mountain to our house).

We couldn't figure out who was turning off Jack's humidifier in the morning. Jack said, "I turned off the humidifier. It was out of water."

According to Jack the reason Sophie was sitting on the couch: "Sophie's in time out. She wasn't listening."

"Daddy can go dig dinosaurs with me and then he can go do something else. Does that sound like a good plan?"

    

J: What kind of baby is in your tummy?
Me: do you thinks it's a boy or a girl?
J: A boy.

 

"I don't feel good, boiled custard makes me feel better."
 

 "My belly burped."

Super "cave" instead of "cape."
"Hook" instead of "hood."

Still calls applesauce "apple boss."

"Daddy is my great helper."

 

"It has to get new "babberies" (batteries) so it will work."
 

 "Your tummy is getting bigger and then the baby is going to pop out."

 

Daniel wouldn't share his hat with Jack because his head was cold. He explained that Jack had hair to keep him warm and Jack said, "My hair is awesome."

 

"I have a baby in my tummy... it's in my penis."

A baby was crying at the aquarium and Jack and I had the following discussion:
Jack: "Why is that baby crying?"
Me: "All babies cry like that sometimes."
Jack: "Is our baby going to cry like that?"
Me: "Yes, sometimes our baby will cry like that."
Jack: "Oh." He held my hand and was quiet after that.
 

Daniel was playing trucks with Jack outside and he started quoting lines about getting stuck in the mud from the book, "Little Blue Truck." Jack looked at him and said, "There's no mud here. It's just a book. It has big important things to do."

Outdoor Adventures | 2014 edition

A look back at our adventures in 2014. With a toddler, biking was top on our list of fun things to do as a family, followed by paddling. I think we only went on a couple of hikes all year.


March
Green Gorge Trail | Signal Mountain, TN

April
Bouldering | Our Front Yard
Biking the Riverwalk | Chattanooga, TN
Biking Shoal Creek Road | Signal Mountain, TN

May
Biking South Chick Greenway | Chattanooga, TN
Snooper's Rock | Signal Mountain, TN
Biking Tennessee River Park | Chattanooga, TN
Paddling Wolftever Creek | Harrison Bay, TN

June
Trek Demo Days at Enterprise Park | Chattanooga, TN
East Brow Bike Ride | Signal Mountain, TN

July 
Riverwalk | Chattanooga, TN

August
Paddling Chickamauga Lake | Hixson, TN
Watched TKO in Prentice Cooper | Signal Mountain, TN
Nickajack Bat Cave | Nickajack, TN

October
Biking St. Joseph Peninsula | Cape San Blas, FL
Snorkeling with Dolphins | Panama City Beach, FL
Camping at Harrison Bay State Park | Harrison Bay, TN

Top 10 Highlights for 2014

Perhaps because I am choosing to have peace in my life this year, I am letting something go that would normally bother me.

Since Daniel and I were first married, we have sent out Christmas/New Year's cards in the month of December. Initially they were newsletters about what we had been up to that year and they always included a Top 10 list. Eventually it morphed into just the Top 10 list since my blog keeps family and friends updated throughout the year.

There have been some years I have missed, and unfortunately this year falls into that category.

I had good intentions, I even updated our address book in preparation, but December was full of end-of-year busyness for us as well as sickness. So I am letting my expectations go and posting a digital Top 10 instead of sending a real-life card this year.

I LOVE to get Christmas cards in December from friends and family. It reminds me of what it is like to get snail mail. It makes me feel connected and loved and it's a tradition that I adore. I hope those of you that send cards continue to do so, and hopefully 2015 will be the year we get back on track with our card sending.

We kicked off 2014 living out of suitcases, with the hopes of getting resettled in the Chattanooga area. This year has been all about that transition as we adjust to a new home, in a new state, and strive to find work/life/family balance.



Here are our Top 10 Highlights from 2014

10. We started the year essentially homeless. Most of our belongings were in storage and we lived out of suitcases in a vacation rental home until the end of February.

9. We purchased our third house and spent most of the month of March getting settled. This is also the third state we have lived in since getting married. We can officially close the chapter on living in hotels and vacation homes.

8. We really love the Chattanooga area and have spent many weekends taking Jack hiking, biking or canoeing. As he grows we hope to have plenty of adventures as a family.

7. We experienced a miscarriage.

6. Jack started preschool. He is a really social kid and will regularly ask if he can go to either preschool, the Y or church.

5. We got pregnant again and are expecting our second child's arrival some time in mid April. 

4. We took a family vacation to Mexico Beach. Jack is the perfect age to really enjoy this type of vacation. As always, Daniel and I love sharing new experiences with him. We had a great time swimming with dolphins and spending time with my family.

3. We finally embraced kid holidays. Daniel and I have spent most of our married life avoiding holidays that were overly kid oriented. Sure, we visited with family for Easter, but we never had a reason to go on an Easter Egg Hunt. We never trick-or-treated... In fact we were the couple that turned off our lights and hid in our basement instead of handing out candy. We have never even exchanged Christmas gifts with each other. So, we are in new territory when it comes to Jack. We are slowly forming new traditions and doing things like going Trick-or-Treating, even if it is sleeting outside.

2. Daniel and I celebrated our 12th anniversary. One of these days we would like to take a big trip to celebrate an anniversary, but since we are in the throes of parenthood, it looks like that may have to wait until our 15th.

1. We joined a small group. Ever since Daniel and I were first married, we have been a part of a small group at whatever church we attended. These small groups have shaped our lives and helped us feel connected to others. Small groups have provided a safe place for us to grow our faith as well as our marriage and family. We feel tremendously blessed to be plugged in with a small group again.

That pretty much sums up our 2014 year. We are looking forward to 2015 and all it holds.

If you are interested, here are our Top 10 List from Years Past
2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | We skipped 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013

Boy or Girl???

As I have mentioned before, we are choosing not to find out the sex of this baby until the day the baby comes. Thankfully our OB does not write the gender on any paperwork so they can't accidentally spill the beans. It will be a surprise for us all!

16 Weeks | Pregnant with Jack compared to Now

In the past 10 days, we saw many of our family members and there was a lot of conjecture as to whether there will be a little boy or little girl arriving in April. Currently, the overall consensus seems to be girl. 

20 Weeks | Pregnant with Jack compared to Now

Currently, I don't think that either Daniel or I have any inklings as to the sex of our baby. It would be a delight (and something new) if we had a girl, but it would be fun to have two little boys running around together.

22 Weeks | Pregnant with Jack compared to Now

Jack has taken to telling people he is getting a little brother. This has caused some confusion since most people know we are waiting to find out.

24 Weeks | Pregnant with Jack compared to Now

I thought it would be fun to look back at a comparison of what my pregnancies looked like. In all of the photos, the left side is from when I was pregnant with Jack and the right side is from this year (links to pregnancy with Jack are in red). I feel like I am carrying in a similar fashion, but this pregnancy has sure felt different (or I just forgot how uncomfortable this stage is!). I will be updating soon with a recap of the second trimester. I can't believe there are only a couple of more weeks until I am in the third part of this pregnancy!

Books I Read in 2014

I have been an avid reader for most of my life. I like that books bring me knowledge, personal growth and entertainment. Since becoming a mother, I don't read as much as I used to but still make the effort to expand my knowledge (beyond surfing the internet). Below are the books read in 2014. You can click on the links to read my reviews over at Goodreads.

January 
1) The Spy Mistress by Jennifer Chiaverini

February
2) Believing God by Beth Moore

March
3) 7: An Expiremental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker
4) French Kids Eat Everything by Karen Le Billon
5) Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins

April
6) Surprised by Motherhood by Lisa-Jo Baker
7) 1000 Gifts by Ann Voskamp

May/June
8) Fearless by Max Lucado
9) The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman

July
10) The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry

August-November
I attempted to read the following books and just couldn't seem to finish any of them... 
I received a free copy of Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good by Jan Karon and I just couldn't get into it. I don't read a lot of fiction, and when I do it is typically historical fiction, sci-fi or dystopian in nature. This book didn't fit any of those categories and I never was able to commit to reading it.
 
America, Emipire of Liberty by David Reynolds was really a fascinating read, but it became unavailable on my Scrib'd account before I had a chance to finish it. This is one I will try to get a hard copy of some time.

I read the first chapter of And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini courtesy of Goodreads. I really enjoyed it, but was too lazy to get a real copy and I am kind of over reading on digital devices at this point. Several years ago, I really enjoyed reading the Kite Runner and hope to finish this new book by Hoseeini when I get a chance.

I picked up How We Got to Now by Steven Johnson at my local library in an effort to get back into reading actual, tangible books. The premise of this book was fascinating, but the writing style was a bit ADD for me. I ended up rechecking it and made it 2/3rds of the way through, but just couldn't quite finish it.

Another library book I recently picked up was The Innovators by Walter Isaacson. Basically it is about how the internet was developed by a bunch of different people over the course of a couple of hundred years. The book starts out with the Industrial Revolution and the punch cards that allowed weaving looms to become more of an animated process. I love history, and think this book probably has some very interesting tidbits in it. 

I just can't seem to make it very far in books these days. Maybe the pregnancy is taking its toll on my love or reading, or maybe my lack of desire to read stems from too many small bites of information that the internet provides. Whatever the issue, I hope I make it through more books in 2015.

December
11) Divergent by Veronica Roth. Hands down the best book I read this year... i finished it in 3 days. Maybe it will motivate me to start reading again.
  
If you are interested, here is what I have read over the last 5 years: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Word for the Year: Peace

View this post on Instagram

A look back at 2014... with all the ups and downs we still found moments of joy. #2014 #flipagramrecap

A post shared by Cheree Moore (@mo_haus) on Jan 1, 2015 at 7:36am PST

 At this time last year, I wrote about the desire to choose joy in my life. To delight in what is in front of me regardless of the situation. It was a hard year to be focused on joy. But looking back, I do think that there were moments of sweetness mixed in with the hard. To be honest, its hard not to embrace some amount of joy when you are seeing the world, fresh through a toddler's eyes. 

So even in the times I was experiencing doubt, sadness or anxiety, my little family made it possible to find moments of joy in my life.

As I look to 2015, I'm not sure what to expect. In a few short months I will have a newborn in my arms again. I am keenly aware of the sleepless nights to come. I am unsure of what it will look like to balance the needs of a newborn with those of a thriving toddler. Not to mention my marriage or my personal needs. I am excited about this year, but that excitement is tempered with a degree of trepidation.

With that in mind, I think peace is a word that I want to keep in mind for 2015. It's not an earth shattering word or a new concept, but freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction, anxiety, an obsession; and tranquillity; serenity are things that I desperately need when life gets chaotic. On those days that Daniel has to work long hours, or I feel like I am being pulled in a million directions, I hope that I can have the the fortitude to be free of distraction and anxiety or obsession and to adapt and be deliberate in the phase of life I am in, finding joy in all things.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

 

Words from previous years:
Fortitude {2010} ~ Adaptation {2011} ~ Patience {2012}

Deliberate {2013} ~ Joy {2014}