update

Well, as of 1-4-09 (tomorrow), I'll be 21 weeks pregnant.  I went to the doctor this past week to review the results of the ultrasound I had at 19 weeks--at that time, both babies were big, measuring 20 weeks each....which we are very happy about.  So at 20 weeks, earlier this week, I was measuring the size of a 27 week belly (if it were a singleton).  I'm starting to get uncomfortable, but also starting to get excited.   I need an updated belly picture.....

here I was at 17.5 weeks a few weeks ago...

Here I was at 16.5 weeks...

Putting up the tree

Our first year with a Christmas Tree!!!

anniversary in miami

In mid-June, John and I went to Miami to celebrate 5 years of wedded bliss :) It was lovely. Caitlin had a blast at home with Nana.
This was the view out of our lovely hotel room.
The board walk stretches forever along the beach. We had great weather with about an hours-worth of T-storms each day.

We read books, napped, shopped...
played in the pool...
played in the ocean
and enjoyed the sunshine

My serenade

Tonight I put Caitlin to bed and she asked me to sing her "you are my sunshine."  This is a common choice of a bedtime song for her, so I sang to her.  After I stopped (I only know the first verse), she looked into my eyes for about a full minute while singing, totally unprompted:

-You are my mommy, my only mommy,

-She  make me happy when skies are gray,

-You never know dear, how much I love you,

-Please don't take my (long pause)..mommy away.

I just love this special kid to pieces and had to share.  I just locked eyes with her the whole time thinking what an amazing moment this is.  Maybe it's less meaningful than I think and I'm overexaggerating, but it may be one of the most memorable, sweet moments of mothering for me.  What a true blessing this child is.  Thank you, Lord.

Preschool Musical

Getting ready to leave for the "Spring Sing"
Caitlin's in the front, her teacher, Ms. Liz, is in the pink, leaning over for me to snap a picture. Caitlin is holding a little flashlight that was her prop for the song "This Little Light of Mine," which was the second (and last) song they sang. The first song was "If You're Happy and You Know It." Caitlin did great and sang both songs. She did fall apart a bit at the end when another boy from her class tried to take her flashlight--unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of that encounter. I didn't have a great vantage point, but these are the best I could do:
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands:

If you're happy and you know it, stomp your feet

Shiner

We think the swelling/redness on her right eye is the result of a bug bite of some kind--but who knows. she keeps telling us it's a mosquito bite, but how would she know?

My birthday present

for my birthday a few weeks ago we went on a walk through a nature trail at a local park---later that day we went to a new waterpark near our house--no pictures from that though since we didn't want to risk bringing the camera. It was a wonderful birthday though--just a nice, simple family day.