June 2010: Houston, Nashville, Louisville, Father's Day, Liam's adventures...and Ziggy's ultrasound!!

Yes, it's time for my monthly post! I have lowered my expectations and come to accept the fact that I just can't keep up with more frequent posting, as much as I wish I could. But I'm going to get it all in!! I mean this is officially Liam and Ziggy's baby book/photo album/Mommy's journal, and I just can't leave anything out. So here is what we've been up to the past month...

Memorial Day weekend we went down to Houston to visit Nick's fam. Liam went to his first crawfish boil at Uncle Mark and Aunt Steph's. He had so much fun playing with Mayce and Carson, watching crawfish race, getting his first popsicle off the ice cream truck, and just spending time with family.

Liam also went to the zoo for the first time in Houston with Pops, Nana and Linds. He loved all the animals and especially loved the special dinasaur exhibit they had going on with life-size dinos. In fact he still talks about those dinos! Here is a picture of his expression when he got to see the T-rex...Between our vacations, Liam had his playgroup and their parents over for a swim party at our new pool. Everyone brought a brunch dish and we played and ate poolside. I don't have alot of pictures but here's some of Liam's friends Davey, Addison and James. The pool is awesome with an entire kids pool of 6-18 inches that is covered. Another raised pool that's 18 inches that has the waterfall that spills into the huge 6 inch tanning area that moves to the 4' regular size pool. So many perfect areas for toddlers! Although our toddler was more interested in the food that day...We went on a big family trip to Nashville, Rough River, and Lousiville seeing all our friends and family back East and to celebrate Pop's 80th birthday! Liam LOVED flying. I can't remember exactly but I'd say he's flown at least 6-8 roundtrips in his life, but he was always to young to understand. Now he is totally aware and loved looking out the window, seeing clouds and the engine and wings. Daily he tells us he's going to "fly 'nother plane" so I know he's already ready for his next trip! Here's what my boys did when they weren't looking out the window...

In Nashville we stayed with Kiki and Dennis and got to visit with Kari and Jenni. Everyone was nice enough to entertain my cravings and we ate at Puffy Muffin and Brugger's...yum! Rachael and Allison also stopped by for a quick visit. I can't wait for next year when we will have lots of excuses to see each other more often (ie. Alli's bachelorette party and wedding!)We also got to play with the Brien family. I can't believe it was almost 11 years ago when I met them! Corinne and Peyton were truly my first babies :) The kids were so sweet with Liam and we had such a nice visit...Liam was especially smitten with Celia..From Nashville we drove to Rough River in west KY. Along with our whole family, Uncle Tim, Aunt Debbie, Tim, Britt and Sam, and Tommy where all there too. Our cousins' lakehouse has so many childhood memories for us...sleeping on bunk beds, bonfires, Uncle Tim taking us on the boat to tube, knee board and ski. We had a great visit with everyone and I'm so glad Liam got to experience what my childhood summers were like!

While we were in KY, Dal got his anniversary/Father's Day gift...a 1989 Corvette! Liam loved playing in it and I'm sure will be begging to borrow it in about 15 years...From the lake we drove to Louisville. We stayed with "max'livia" (Max and Olivia) as Liam says and he loved their dog Georgia...We went to the Irish Rover for Pop's birthday dinner with most of our aunts, uncles and cousins... The next day we headed to the track to continue Pop's birthday. Yes, another fond childhood memory from growing up in Louisville is going to the back side of Churchill Downs. Liam loved it because we were next to all the stables and he got to see all the horses on their walk to the track. He also got to meet Uncle Mark's horse, Duomo. The boys also went through the grandstands and had their picture taken in the paddock. We actually flew home on Father's Day. Cameron and Nick were good sports about it...and hey they did get free drinks on the flights for being dads :) We didn't really celebrate with Nick till the next day but we did do Father's Day with Dal. Here he is with all his babies, grandbabies, and godbabies :)I wish I could do a whole post for all the important men in Liam's life, but I'll just make it quick with some pictures. Liam is so blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful role models. His wonderful grandparents Pops, Dal and Grandpa...his uncles Alex and Cameron...and his amazing daddy!! Liam idolizes his daddy and they have the best time together whether they are watching baseball on TV or wrestling on the ground or doing storytime before bed. Here are some pictures of Liam's 'boytime'...
Liam is 22 months old and def a very busy boy. He loves our new house and he and Presely have so much fun 'racing' up and down our entry way as well as pushing each other in the Cozy Coupe...Biggest benefit of moving...the boxes!Liam loves his big boy room where he reads books on his baseball bean bag...Curious George is his new favorite :He brushes his teeth in his 'transportation' bathroom and loves playing in his super deep bathtub!He also loves playing in our closet where he 'hides' in laundry baskets and tries on mommy's shoes...really he loves putting on everyone's shoes, so don't worry daddy!
We still go to Mal and Dal's house all the time for swimming and Friday pizza night. Liam (with Tiffany's help) has become the official pizza-topping man :)

Grandma Debbie, Grandpa Chris, and Linds came to stay with us for the last weekend in June. We went swimming at our pool, watched the World Cup, went to get ice cream at the Double Dip, and Chris helped Nick get some projects done around the house. Nick, Linds, and I even got to sneak out to the movies one night :) It was a great trip and we look forward to more visits!

His communication skills continue to amaze me! Here are some of the conversations we've had recently...

Mommy: "What did you do today Liam?" (He was with Rachy while I worked)

Liam: "Play Pres, play Rachy, push baby down."

Mommy: "It's not nice to push Presley. What did you and Presley eat for lunch?"

Liam: "Turkey.....cheese....peaches!" (All true according to his babysitter!)

Mommy: "Let's put your shoes on." (as I'm sliding them on he says...)

Liam: "Get in there piggies!"

Mommy: "What does mommy do?"

Liam: "Momma is nurse."

Mommy: "What does daddy do?"

Liam: "Dada is en'geer." (pause) "What Liam do?"

After some debate we decided that Liam will be a " 'struction truck" (his choice) or doctor (mommy's choice). He loves playing with the doctor kit Grandma got him. He will "check ears" and tell me "bug in der!" He listens to your heart and says "boom boom" to himself. He checks you knee reflexs and giggles when you kick. He always gives a shot and then hugs you if you cry afterwards. At then end when I ask if he's all done, he will say "Mama healthy!" He already knows how to do an assessment and he's not even 2 :)

Mommy: "Good morning Liam. Do you want Cheerios for breakfast?"

Liam: "How 'bout Rice Chex?"

He either only wants Rice Chex or only wants Cheerios...another case in point...

Mommy:"Liam, here is some oatmeal for breakfast."

Liam: "No want oatmeal, want Cheerios."

Mommy: "We don't have Cheerios, we have oatmeal."

Liam: "No oatmeal, no oatmeal...want CHEERIOOOOS!" I can tell we are on the verge of a meltdown so I do what any good mommy would do...no I do not explain that mommy did not get to the grocery yet this week...I use his favorite cartoon against him and lie.

Mommy: "Liam we don't have any Cheerios because Swiper took them!" Instantly stops crying to look at me...

Liam: "Swiper got 'em?" This is Swiper the fox who steals things on Dora the Explorer for those not toddler-TV-saavy :)

Mommy: "Yes Swiper took them, we'll have to go get more."

Then Liam proceeded to carry the box around the grocery later that day going "Swiper gonna get 'em!" Poor thing, hopefully I didn't scar him for life :)

We've also had to have a mini "birds and bees" discussion with Liam. While Nick was dressing one day Liam asked "daddy what's that?". So we told him what it was and showed him how he has one too. I don't use nicknames, we use anatomically correct body parts :) So a few days later, while I was changing, Liam asked where mine was...man, this kid catches on fast!! So then he had to learn that mommy doesn't have one because I'm a girl. Now he can tell you that "dada is boy" "liam is boy" "momma is girl" and ziggy's gender (keep reading to find out!). So far so good, until he starts explaining it to his friends... :)

He loves looking for school buses and construction trucks while we are driving. He will say "School bus, where are youuu?" and when we see them he says "Com'ere bus...go gettum...come back here truck!" He also loves to sing and now sings Old McDonald and Itsy Bitsy Spider which are too cute :) He blesses himself when he sneezes and thanks (himself) and others by saying "Thank you bery much!" I know I keep saying it, but it just keeps getting better! We have so much fun with him and I can't wait to see him with his new sibling...

Speaking of which...last but not least an update on Ziggy!! 20 weeks and doing so great. Not sick anymore and have all my energy back. Acutally started gaining weight for the first time at this visit, which is a big change from Liam when I had already gained like 25 lbs by now :) With Liam (as most of you know) I ate ALOT of ice cream...like alot. But with Ziggy, I have been craving cereal...like Apple Jacks, Crispix, Cheerios...lots and lots of cereal. Oh and french fries :) What can I say...Liam needed calcium and Ziggy needs carbs and sodium :) Ziggy started moving a few weeks ago and I forgot how much I love that feeling :) Nick has felt Ziggy a few times, but the kicks aren't quite hard enough yet. At our last ultrasound we found out the gender. Since this was a big one, everyone came for it...Mal, Dal, Rachy, Pres, Meha, Alex, Grandma Debbie, Nick and Liam! It was so exciting getting to share the news with everyone at once! Here we all are waiting to see Ziggy...Here are Ziggy's sweet pictures...

This is the 12 week ultraound pic that I'm just a little late updating :)
And here are the 20 week pics...Ziggy's face, foot, and gender!!Just in case you can't read the ultrasound...Ziggy is a GIRL!!!! We are so excited!!!! I would have been happy either way, but am so overjoyed to get my baby girl! She is 10 oz. and all her other measurements looked great. Halfway through, but I'm already so anxious to meet her. Hopefully the rest of the time will continue on smoothly. We are starting to make lists of the names we like and think of what we want to do with the nursery. I'm so excited that I get to raise a girl and a boy. I feel like there will probably be alot of difference this time around. I'm already dreaming about all the cute clotes, hair bows, and pink that will take over our lives! Keep on kickin' Ziggy, can't wait to meet you!