beachy..

we finally ventured out to the indiana dunes on d's day off this week.. and going kind of made me want to kick myself that we didn't discover it long ago and spend a lot more of our summer there. it's so neat to be beside a body of water that's so huge it looks like an ocean, but actually isn't one. although i liked referring to it as "the ocean" while we were there because it annoyed d so much.. oh, marriage. :)

i recently started keeping one of our friend's daughters a few days a week since she has gone back to work part-time. charlotte's a sweet little one, and it's fun for ruby to have a playmate. i would be lying if i said that having another tiny person around doesn't sometimes add a level of stress to our days, but it's not overwhelming and a lot of it comes from having to teach and correct ruby when it comes to how she treats charlotte. i'm actually really thankful for the timing because i think she's learning a lot and getting a feel for having it not be "just her" around the house with me all the time. i know it's going to be completely different once sadie is here since she won't be a playmate for ruby like charlotte can be, but i'm still positive that it's benefiting her to have charlotte around. charlotte's mom and dad have both commented on already seeing a change in her personality since she's been spending time with us. i'm thankful that they appreciate ruby's spunk and that her outgoing ways are rubbing off on charlotte in a good way.

c cracked me up with her fearlessness in the water. i was thankful that it wasn't actually an ocean because she would have been pummeled by waves more times than i'd like to count just darting out there like she did.

this was the best beach trip we've ever had with ruby. she loved playing in the sand and kept herself entertained for three straight hours. she was super giddy even from the moment we got out of the car because we parked on a little patch of sand. "there's sand right here, mom!" then she trotted down to the shore raving about how good it was to be at the beach. i love that enthusiastic and thankful girl.

my main man. he stood watch like this the entire time we were there.

he actually did this.

there were a couple of older girls who played with ruby and charlotte too.. it was cute because they kept calling her "sweetie" and then telling her to do things. "sweetie, can you do me a favor and fill this water bottle up and bring it back here?" "sweetie, we're trying to take the sand out of the hole, not put it in." little mamas.

i promise ruby isn't torturing charlotte.. it was just impossible to get a picture with both of them looking/open-eyed.

i told stacey, charlotte's mom, that she was like a seagull at the beach. once i fed her some food she wouldn't go away and do anything else. cutie.

beauty beauty.

handsome, bearded man. i'm glad charlotte likes him too.

daintily eating the graham cracker she bummed off of a nearby family.. ok, they offered, but i think it had a lot to do with her pleading eyes.

sadie, you were there too. 

and, yes, i'm one of those bikini wearing pregnant women.. say what you will, but i've yet to find a "mama suit" that covers up the belly anyway.

daddy joining in on the hole filling.

beach baby.

we finally got in the water and the lifeguards announced that the beach was closing about ten minutes later. bumma. but we'll be back, dunes, don't you worry.

a day..

disclaimer: this is in no way a typical day for us. especially when it comes to the amount of stuff done.an average day starts with ruby having a pre-breakfast snack and watching PBS after she wakes up at the butt-crack of dawn. then breakfast, maybe some time at the pool or playing while mama does some stuff around the house. it's really not a glamorous or event-filled life we lead, but this day i happened to have my camera and we happened to do quite a few things.

grams and aunt tine, shield your eyes. we started out our day with a little trim. after daniel referred to ruby's 'do as a "shaggy beatles style" the other day, i knew she needed a little snip. i went to the place where i get mine cut and they informed me that they don't do cuts for kids younger than seven. way to discriminate, ladies. they did refer me to the daughter of one of the ladies there, so we headed to the hair cuttery and she did a great job.. for only $10. i used to cut ruby's hair myself, but as the curls keep coming in i won't dare put a scissor near there. she kept giving shy smiles and listened intently to everything the girl had her do. the lady beside us was getting her hair foiled, and ruby asked if she could have her hair painted like she was. too soon, my child.

the finished product. i love it.. her curls spring up so much more after a little trim. and you're welcome for the classy shot in front of our car.

then we had a big girl lunch date at panera.. i emphasize the "big girl" part because i have to make that very clear to ensure that madness is kept to a minimum. also, a recently discovered tactic of mine is to sit at their really tall bistro tables to keep the wiggly worm from getting in and out of her seat constantly. give it a try for your little rascal.
the first face is a reaction to hearing that daddy was going to a baseball game with some of his friends that night and not taking her with him. oh the humanity. and the second is just cute because she's blowing on her food like a little lay-dee.

then we headed to the library because i've been telling her for a week that we'd go. also, i wanted to see if they had this book that i'm starting to read with my little cyber book clurb. can't wait to start that loveliness. 

this is ruby seconds before talking in an i-have-headphones-on-and-i-can't-tell-how-loud-i'm-being voice. and then i went and paid $6 in late fees.

they are building a humungo new library in our town that will open in october, but i like the one we have now a lot too. they have this super cool tree and treehouse in the middle of the kid's section that ruby always spends most of her time in. there's also a telephone in the treehouse ('cause why wouldn't there be?) that i think talks when they pick it up, but r likes to use it to pretend like she's a secret agent. there's a video at the end of this post to show you what i'm talking about.

 eyeless treehouse shot. i think she likes sadie more than me.

and because i'll never pass up an instance where she'll take a picture with me.. (she always requests a funny face).

then home for a little rest time (which i needed much more than she did) and an apple snack (i had the rest of a  bag of white powdered donuts). 

this sweet linen dress was mine and vally's when we were little. my mom cleaned it up and passed it on to my girls. i love it so much.

the little chef helped make these biscuit pizzas for dinner (yes it's another recipe from the nato's blog. we already talked about how i'm obsessed). they were delicious. and super easy. give it a try, and freeze a few for later.

her's was boring-ville sauce and cheese, but i topped mine with garlic, olive oil, spinach, feta, mushroom and mozzarella. mm. i wish i were eating one right now. 

just an attempt to make you drool a little more.

and then this happened. what other reaction would you expect from being told that you can't rip your matching game instructions in half? you know you've hit rock bottom when senseless things like, "i just want my sister sadie to be here!!" and "i don't want my feet to be on me anymore!" start a-flowin'. but then i showed her a picture of how crazy she looked and she burst out laughing. score one for team mom. 

we ended the night playing outside in the courtyard with this gaggle of childrens. our apartment is quite the melting pot ethnically, so there were a lot of languages being shouted back and forth. i'm looking forward to fall, but not so much to winter when there will be a lot less outside action happening. soaking it in while we can.

well, there's a day in the life. as much as i know i'll like going back and reading about deep thoughts and milestones on our blog someday, i think things like this will be a big part of why i'm thankful i kept this record for us. i'm motivated lately to do a good job of keeping our memories and stories written down here.. i know it will be something we'll cherish.

and here's that video. as you can tell, we're still working on the "library voice".

showered..

an extra special part of our recent time in north carolina was being able to have two showers for equally exciting things. the first was a laid back little shindig at my favorite mexican restaurant to celebrate sweet sadie coming. janelle, mandy, and vally pulled it all together, and i was so so thankful for that time. i felt super loved, the fact that we're having another sweet girl before long started to sink in just a bit more, and i even exposed people to the laughing/weeping craziness that happens to me from time to time. sad you had to miss that part.. it made quite a few people feel uncomfortable. but hey, at least i didn't pee my pants.

riding to the festivities with my girl. she was all decked out in her "big sister" shirt, and i'm a little miffed at myself for not getting a better picture of that cuteness.

mi madre. thankful that she makes the trek to raleigh whenever i'm in town to save me from making long car rides.

rubes being sure to document her shoe choice for the evening. p.s. she has her father's feet.. do not even think that those crazy looking things got passed on from me. third toe that's longer than the second.. what the what?

getting all artsy with her foot placement.

cute tine the co-pilot.

ruby made sure to get a shot of me making my most asian looking smiling face.

move over brangelina.. there's a new power couple in town. knox and ruby being as sweet as ever.

friends whom i love. knox, have some class and put that gut away.

 my cute cousin faye was very diligent about getting some shots of me opening gifts.

blurry gift goodnes. we don't need a lot since it's another girl, but sadie is a winter baby and ruby was a summer girl, so getting some sweet little hats, long-sleeve onesies, and super warm swaddle blankets was great. we also now have an amazing stash of target gift cards; which we all know will go to diaper and wipes, and probably a snickers or two for mama.

aunt susie sent a gift with mom.. so thoughtful and loving.

see that little sister onesie? i am so in love with those things. little sister. big sister. melt my heart.

see? warms hats and baby wrappers. so good.

a crazily tiny and cute outfit from grams and tine.. most likely what sadie girl will wear home from the hospital. remind me again how it is that she's going to be so. small.

me and the two best moms i could have asked for.

the greatest journey group that ever happened. i moved away from nc almost a year ago, but i'm still claiming that title for us.. don't hate.

who even knows what's happening here? all i know for sure is that jill is checking out a booty, and janelle and i can't keep our eyes open from sheer happiness.

"better", i guess, but not nearly as much fun.

i guess i'll share about the other shower experience in a separate post because this one is already crazy long. i didn't get pictures with everyone who was there, but i hope i did a good job of getting out just how special and loved i felt that they were all present to love on me and sadie. i know it's the cynical part of myself, but it's easy to think that you'll slowly slip out of people's hearts when you make a big move and don't do day to day (or even month to month) life with them anymore. times like this are a reminder that i'm so thankful for of how much we are loved and missed.. and the feeling is uber mutual!

p.s. sadie, you are already one cherished little lady. hurry up and get here. (but seriously though, you can wait.)