Must be a soccer player

This afternoon I was relaxing in the living room while Paige napped; trying to not feel bad for sitting and reading instead of cleaning. The baby is active--I'd say super active compared to Paige. I am sitting there and he's moving/kicking and I noticed I could see my stomach move when he moved. Not a whole lot, but enough. Cowboy hasn't been able to feel the movement when he puts his hand on my stomach yet, but apparently we should be at that point now if I saw it. Its the craziest sensation. If it keeps up at this rate, I will have one tough stomach from all this kicking!

Version 2.0 Boy

We had our ultrasound today and I am a few days away from being 21 weeks. Paige, Cowboy, Mom and myself were in attendance. We didn't know how Paige would handle it so Gramma was on call to go with us and if Paige got to be a pest, she would take her. She sat like a champ on her Dads lap and just watched. She held my hand for part of the time and I learned afterwards when she didn't want to leave me that she told Gramma she was sort of worried the doctors were going to hurt her mom. All is well, all features looked good and normal on the photos--and we learned its going to be a boy! We were a split crew on what we wanted, but as long as we are all looking healthy that's most important. Cowboy is beyond thrilled though! Above are the pictures they gave us; one standard and 4 of the creepy 3D pictures. It looked alot clearer on the screen than the pictures, but its still nice to see a little face.

Regifting

Isn't amazing how you can think of a person or place and one item pops up in your head before the other memories come flooding in? If not, I guess its just me! This little green object above is the item I think of when I think of my late gramma and going to her house. Odd huh? This little pear is a toothpick holder that sat on her kitchen table for more years than I am alive. I wish now I knew the story behind it--where she got it and how long ago. All those years of going to Gramma's house and eating countless meals at her house make me think of this little guy. My grandfather always had a toothpick in his mouth so it makes me think of both of them. I knew you had to be a 'big kid' to touch it, as little kids can't use toothpicks. Its odd also that it took me 25 years to realize this is a pear!

My mom received this item from Gramma's kitchen and gave it to me yesterday as a 'regift' for my birthday. Cowboy didn't quite understand my delight over something so small until he realized it was grammas. It is small, but it makes me smile every time I look at and that's whats important. Who says regifting is a bad idea?! Sometimes its the best idea.

Matt

This is Matt. Its been a while since he's been featured so I figured he deserved a photo op. It was his day of beauty on Sunday and he got his hooves trimmed, mane combed out, and a good brushing. He also got the saddle put on him for the first time in months. Poor guy. All this was done courtesy of this guy.

Most of you are aware of this guy. However, I looked at him on Sunday and just laughed. "Could you look like any more of a cowboy?" I asked him. He just looks at me like "whatever." He doesn't realize his everyday attire is considered a costume by some. I know each piece has a function and is used--but there are days I think back to that guy in high school I fell in love with. Yeah, he wore Wrangles and boots, but this is what he evolved into. I didn't have to smell as much manure back then--they were always clean boots.

Anyway, Cowboy was giving Matt the once over while Paige and I watched. I asked Paige if she wanted to ride Matt, she didn't want too. She paused and said, "I'd like a baby horse." I sort of agree with here as Matt is quite large for a horse. Then she continues, "I'd like a baby horse. . .or a unicorn. Unicorns have horns and can fly!"

We'll have to work on that.

Listening ears

"Paige, please look at me" I say as I have her head between my hands and am drying her off after her bath. We are almost nose to nose.
She quiets and looks at me with big blue eyes as I continue.
"You need to turn your listening ears on; you aren't listening very well tonight."
Big blue eyes just process that for a minute and reply very seriously, "They need new batteries."
As I attempt to not crack a smile and wonder where that came from I just sort of made a note that I have to remember it. Oh what wonderful things children say.

Butterfly wings

Today was a busy day with Easter and Paige's birthday party. Her birthday is on the 5th but we took advantage of everyone being at our house and used birthday cake as our desert. Gramma had a Cinderella cake made that Paige loved, and I have a candle blowing out expert at this age. It takes until they are 4 to get the hang of it apparently.

After we had some cake, except for the birthday girl who ate a few bites and then declared it present time, she opened gifts. Dad was the person of choice to sit with this year and they did a great job of tearing open presents. For the record, this is what my husband looks like without a hat!

The big box from Mom and Dad was saved for last. She'd been eyeing it and I think was pretty pleased with the result. My camera speed is a little off, as a few pictures are blurry but I caught this smile and it pretty much sums up how she felt about her present.

The butterfly wings were a hit and she immediately put them on and had to model. She tore off into the living room and came back a few seconds later with this look of disappointment. "Mom, they don't work! I can't fly!" Backstory on this, for about a month, when I asked her what she wanted for her birthday, she said butterfly wings so she could learn how to fly. Dead serious. Thanks to Etsy.com they arrived on Friday and are super cute. Mom never thought about the not being able to fly part.

Thanks to Papa Rick we got the flying thing down enough to not be disappointed and to run with our wings. He explained it would take a little while to learn to fly and each time she jumped it'd get a little bit higher. So the jumping from the couch began and there are certain moments when you just can scold for something like that. It was just too cute.

First sign of spring. . .its not a robin!

In our household I do get excited to see the first robin, and I loved the dozens in the yard yesterday. However, the big event happened that really signifies spring in our household has occurred for the year--Cowboy mucked off his beard. That might sound like such a sad statement, but he grows a beard every fall to help keep his face warm since he's outside. He keeps it short and trimmed, thank goodness--so he doesn't look too much like a moutain man. There is a moment each spring when it just hits him and boom, I have my 'normal' looking hubby back. He still has a goatee, which is fine. I asked him about the last time he was clean shaven and he remembered a Halloween in college. I told him I probably wouldn't recognize him if he was clean shaven and in a baseball hat--that long lost boy in high school! He sort of smirked. I hope there isn't a prank coming. . .

Otherwise, its going to be a lovely day and Paige and I will be hunting Easter eggs at the city wide hunt in a few hours. Here is hoping we win a bike this year! We hope you have a lovely spring day and enjoy your signs of spring :)