Bumpety Bump Thump

Well, we've hit the big 20 weeks! I am officially halfway through with this pregnancy. Truly unbelievable. The picture above is Scott and I on our way out the door to the Annual Anesthesia Banquet. We had a great "adult" night. I couldn't help but think of where we were last year....in a mommy fog with a two month old. Now here I am pregnant again and next year we will be celebrating Scott's completion. Again, truly unbelievable. I got many comments about being crazy and several pitiful stares due to this expanding belly. But as my friend Jeanine just said on her blog...my hands are going to be full and that is just the way I like it! We certainly wouldn't have it any other way. In fact, all I have to do is see a precious infant and tears of joy well up in my eyes. She's not even here, yet she is already part of our family. Of course she does make sure I don't forget she's in there with many bumps, thumps, twists and turns. Oh yes, she's an active one!

We have some other big news about our Addy. She is now tolerating peanut butter. Yes PEANUT BUTTER! All I have to do is spread a little on a piece of eggless, non-dairy bread (Iron Kids or Sara Lee) and we have an "easy prep" meal. I'm in mommy heaven. With all these new foods Addy has become quite enthusiastic about eating. In fact I have to oil the pantry door so she won't come running yelling "snack" and "more" every time I open it. If I get caught usually two Oatmeal Teddy Grahams (new and so good by the way!) do the trick. Like I have said before, seeing her smothered in ice cream will definitely be a welcome sight and we're hoping this is right around the corner. I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but I think they already are!

Mary Ella continues to have some challenging behaviors...mainly "attention seeking" so I took her for some one on one time and this is the conversation we had in the car:

Mary Ella: Mom, where is God? (looking out the car window)

Me: Well, honey, He's everywhere. Where do you think He is?

Mary Ella: He's in my heart, right???

Me: Yes, he and Jesus are in your heart and when you do nice things and are nice to other people that means you're letting him out (this comes for Holly Bea's book "Where does God Live"...highly recommended along with all her other books).

Mary Ella: That makes God happy right?

Me: Yes. And when we are mean or bad that means we're not letting Him out and that makes Him real sad.

Mary Ella: But I'm nice, right???

Me: Yes, you're real nice. Sometimes we all forget to let Him out and make mistakes, but He still loves us more than we could ever imagine.

Mary Ella: Yep, he sure does. He gives us lizards, sharks, fish.......

I said it before. The best conversations happen in the car. What comes from this conversation? Not that I expect her to magically obey and be nice all the time (I'd worry if this was the case!), but that she's thinking about it and learning. Despite the frustrating times, moments like these affirm that they are "getting it" and are so comforting/reassuring.