On the Home Stretch...

I am 36 1/2 weeks pregnant and I can feel the end in sight! It has been a great experience being pregnant again, but I am in the middle of the "real uncomfortable" stage now, so I an excited to done soon.
For my family member who may read my blogs (Laurel) I have attached a picture from just a few nights ago of Alyssa kissing my belly. She is so excited to see her little sister. She always asks me, "When is baby Bella going to come out and play with me?"
Robert has a second job interview at the place he interviewed about a month ago. They have called him back for another interview, which we think may be a good sign? It would be a really good opportunity for growth and for more income. Robert is very excited about it, but I try to stay a little neutral, just in case it doesn't happen, I don't want to be too dissapointed.
As of this week, I am officially a stay at home mother. My last day at Sceptre was Friday. I am a little nervous to be a mother of two, but look forward to being able to be home with my kids while they are still small.
I will be doing part time billing from home for a Home Therapy business that I got to know while working in the building I was in. I had been praying for something like this to come my way so I could use my abilities to help out our family until something better comes to Robert. Then poof! This just kind of fell into my lap, and so far it is a really good thing. I just hope I can keep it up with a newborn and a toddler.
I'm sure I will have some great stories to write down after this baby comes...stay tuned!

Trip for two...

We took a well deserved getaway...alone....last weekend to Branson, Missouri. We stayed in a rustic lodge at a resort that is located just outside of Branson. The weather was beautiful and the trees are just starting to turn colors. It was all woodsy and had a mountain feel to it, which reminds me of back home. On the other hand, it had all the fancy accommodations of the city. It was the best of both worlds.

It is amazing what a few days away together alone will do for your relationship. Away from our busy and crazy life and all the stresses that come with it, we were able to just be still and relax and focus on "us" as a couple. A lot of times, more since having children, we see ourselves as all these different things that make up who we are. But, this weekend we were just a couple of kids in love. Which is nice to stop and remember once in awhile.

Funny though, every now and again during our getaway, we both caught ourselves saying, "Oh...I wish Alyssa were here to see this, or to do this..." We worked so hard to getaway from our parent responsibilities, but the second we do, we are longing to see her again.

So we came back home a few days later, rejuvenated, rested, happy in love, and ready to conquer whatever life throws our family's way. We were so happy to see our beautiful daughter again, and I have to say, I was a little disappointed that she didn't seem like she missed us all that much.

Now, back to reality...

Born of Goodly Parents...

I called my mom and like I usually do I asked her, "Hey, what are you doing?" and I caught up on what was going on and those kinds of things. Mostly I called just because she is my mom and I was feeling down in the dumps. I won't bore you with all the details of my sad little life. Don't get me wrong, to me, my problems are really big. But I know that in the grand scheme of things...they are not that big of a deal.
My mom and my dad are actually the most wise people that I know. I trust their opinions above most. Too bad I didn't see that when I was a teenager. Stupid me. So when I feel down or I'm struggling with something, my mom is usually who I call on for some "real" advise. My mom is a keep it real and a tell it like it is kind of woman. She is tough and can handle a lot of things on her own. I admire that about her, because in this world I think you have to be that way a little. On the other hand, she can be very generous and caring.
At the end of the45 minute conversation over the phone, 3 states away from her, I hung up the phone and I felt better. Had all my problems magically disappeared? No. But, I was ready to cope with them in a more positive way.
She helped me to put things in the right perspective. Some things are a struggle for me and my family at this point in our lives, but in the big picture, they are not that important. I am so blessed. I should cherish and nurture the things that will last after this life. Everything else is just fluff.
A couple of days after that phone call, I got a card from my mom in the mail. It was just so my mom...straight to the point and just what I needed to hear.
She is coming Oklahoma for most of the month of November. She is coming to stay with us while I recoup from having Isabella. I am so looking forward to having her in my home during that time. There is just nothing like goodly mothers who love you. I'm so lucky I have that.

I just can't seem to get it clean enough!

As we all know I'm 7 months pregnant, and I guess I am in what people would classify as the "nesting phase" of my pregnancy, because I just can't seem to sit still for one minute and relax. Only after about 10:00pm when my fat little feet can't seem to move another step do I collapse on my couch.
Now, for people out there who don't know me, I have to confess that being a neat freak and being a busy all the time is part of who I already was before I was pregnant. I have always from the time I can remember, liked things neat and clean. I think it was something that was genetically implanted in me because my mother and my grandmother are both this way as well. But, since I am only 2 months out from having this baby, I think it has really gotten out of control.
My husband is always like, "honey just sit down and put your feet up for a little bit." and I'm like, "but honey, I just can't sit down until all these closets are cleaned out." And it is true, if I have something in my head to do that day, I can't go to sleep until it is completed.
SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?
I know, I know...my little sister calls it OCD, and for a time I thought maybe she was right. But, I recently watched a real life program tracking people with OCD, and I definately don't have that!
There is a friend I have, who will remain nameless, and we joke around and tell ourselves that we are selective OCD. Whatever that mean? I don't know, but it makes us feel a little less crazy. :)
Today is Saturday and my sweet husband had to go and do a information booth at a school function for his "real job," at Tulsa Teacher's Credit Union. He is bilingual and can speak with the Hispanic people there very easily. He is the only employee there that is bilingual, and I think that is why they asked him to go.
So I am frantically running around the house cleaning and organizing and going through old baby stuff etc... checking things off my to do list in my crazy head, while Alyssa runs around after me saying, "I do it to mommy, I'll help you mommy!" And I wonder why Alyssa thinks it is fun to sweep the kitchen floor? UH DUH! Maybe that is a hint?

Toddlers...

My daughter, Alyssa is 2 1/2 years old. She can be such a sweet and loving little girl, but she definately has her days where she reflects something of a holy terror.
Take the last couple of days for example. I have gotten a bad report from her daycare teacher every evening when I have come to pick her up after work. She's always nice about it like, "Oh it's just the really hot weather, or it's just her age right now." But somehow that doesn't make you feel any better when she tells me that my daughter got the most time-outs that day out of 9 children.
Right now, she is in the middle of potty training. Which is no small thing. I hate, yes I said I hate, those mothers who are like, "oh my child just potty trained in a day...it was no big deal!" Don't get me wrong, Alyssa is doing great for only being 2 years old. She almost has the pee pee thing down pat, but the poo poo thing is a whole other game. It is a really hard thing to tackle, the potty training thing though. Between working a full time job, being 7 months pregnant in this hell of heat, getting prepared for baby Isabella to come, handling whatever 2 year old crisis there is at that moment, and then having to catch pee and poo at any given second before it reaches your floor or furniture on top of all that? Not to mention the fact that going out in public while potty training is very difficult and down right embarrassing.
Well, let's just say, it isn't pretty!
But, we are getting through it. The days are going fast, and the next thing I know, it is the middle of August! I can't believe it! Time flies when you don't have the time to look at the clock.

My husband, my hero...

My husband, Robert, just graduated from OSU in May 2007 with his business and finance degree. He is a very smart man, too smart, and sometimes that gets him into trouble. He has been working for a bank that he really likes for 4 1/2 years now. He just received a promotion to move up into the loans/lending department at the newest branch built. Although he is excited about the move, his income still doesn't equal what him and I were making together. So needless to say, we have had many nights worrying over how we are going to make our finances work on one income?
On top of a new baby coming and me quitting my job, Robert has to start paying his student loans every month starting the first of the year. YES, and it just keeps piling up!
The other night when we were looking at the numbers, I asked him what are we going to do? Should I keep working? Where are we going to find this money to pay for student loans right now? Robert just plan and simply stated, "Pizza money!" I was like, "What are you talking about?"
So, long story short, tonight after tucking my daughter into bed, I just got a phone call from my husband, who as of tonight, is driving around the city delivering pizza's to hungry people in need of Pizza Hut! Surprisingly, there is actually really good money to be earned just by delivering pizza. Who would have thought? He will be doing this three nights a week, while he searches for a better position, or job in his career that he loves. That way, I get to stay home with our daughters.
My husband is one of the most unselfish people I have ever met. He always puts me and our children first over himself. Ever since I fell in love with him, I knew he had this great quality. I don't know why after 6 years together, I catch myself being surprised and in awe over these what could seem small to some people, but great acts of love in his family's eyes. That is why he is my husband, my love, and my hero.

Goodnight.

Saturday mornings...

Awww...I love Saturday mornings. Always have since I was a little kid. There is something different in the air, it's so nice just knowing you can get up when you want (if your kids are still sleeping) and do what you want. Not have to rush, rush, rush to get everyone out of the house by 8:00am and go to work.
Growing up, Saturdays were always the day for home repairs, yard work, and big family projects. Then after the work was done, we would play!
For me now, Saturdays represent the one day a week that I have "off" to play with my family. Alyssa goes to daycare 5 days week, so I miss her so much when I don't get to be with her in the day. That will change soon, because I'm quitting my job October 26th! I have worked at a nice job for almost 4 years and it has been great, but I am so excited to be able to stay home after our second child is born. We are having another little girl. I think we have decided on Isabella for her name. I haven't decided on a middle name. We like to use family names for the middle names, and I just haven't found the right one yet.
With Alyssa, I went back to work full time 3 weeks after she was born. My husband was still in college and working full time as well. So, I did what we needed. But, it was very hard. Alyssa had collic and acid reflux for the first 8-9 months. She was a rough newborn. We used to always say, "good thing you are so cute, we might just put you back!" It was so hard to leave her every day to go to work. Alyssa has become such a joy in our lives. I can't even remember my life and what I did with all my free time before her?

Isabella is due on November 5th, 2007. My mother is coming to stay with us for almost a month during that time. I am so excited about that. There is a different feeling when my mom is around...better. Then when she is gone it goes with her and I'm usually sad for about 2 days that I'm here in Oklahoma and all my family is not. I miss them dearly. But, then I jump back into my routine again and off I go!

Lots to do today. We have begun a lot of different little projects around the house to prepare for the coming of another child. I only have 12 weeks until she is born. So I guess we better get with it.