February 27: Does someone have a birthday today?

Day 293

Hmmmm. I'm trying to remember whose birthday it is, but I just can't put my finger on it...Just Kidding! Happy Birthday Sam! My little brother is a not-so-little 26 years old today. Fun fact, my nephew Max, my son Peter and my brother all have birthday's that are four days apart. It's a busy time for my family. My brother is one of my best friends and one of the best people I've ever known. I'm privileged to know him so well and to have him as a brother.

Here's a picture of me and Sam at the "Monarch of the Plains" statue at Old Fort Hays.

And a picture of Sam with his fiance Ellen with a miniature pony.

Today I'm purging this denim maternity shirt. The arms are too squeezy.

February 26: Happy Halloween?

Day 292

I recently found this sweatshirt in my maternity box. I wasn't even aware that I still owned this sweatshirt. I doubt I'll ever wear it again, so it's TTFN.

February 25: Supermodel?

Day 291

My bestie Caroline and my sister both told me how great I looked in the picture I posted of myself. Caroline even went so far as to say that I looked like a supermodel. I assure you that, in real life, I do not look like a supermodel, but the compliments are nice to hear and appreciated either way!

I am moving in to the really hungry phase of pregnancy. I'm hungry all the time and when I start to feel hungry, obtaining food is all I can think about. Yesterday I was shopping at Wal Mart and I had to go through Wendy's for french fries or I thought I might go crazy. The french fries were pretty amazing.

Oh also, I feel the baby move. I first noticed movement at the end of my 15th week. Now, I'm closing in on my 18th. It's still mostly flutters and weird bumps, but I can tell that soon, the kicking will feel like actual kicking.

Today I'm going to purge a turtleneck sweater.

February 24: Recovery

Day 290

Yesterday Peter woke up extra early, almost as if he knew it was his birthday and he wanted to get the party started! Then I worked all day to get the house/food/Peter ready for his party, which started at 6. Everyone was gone by 8, and I started to crash. I fell asleep at 10 on the couch, but had a hard time getting out of bed this morning. Oh to sleep in past 6! Sometimes I forget that being pregnant makes you extra tired too...not to mention I've caught Petie's cold and it's a full blown mess.

Today I'm purging a striped shirt that I like a lot, but rarely wear.

Now, I'm not one of those women who takes a keepsake photo every week of pregnancy to commemorate my changing shape, but I did think it would be a nice touch today to share a photo of what my belly looks like these days...for my family who hasn't seen me since New Years!

February 23: Happy Birthday Peter!

Day 289

Today my little sweetie Petie turns one year old! The year has gone so fast and he's grown and changed so much that I can hardly believe that a year ago he was a scrawny preemie at just 4 lbs. We commemorated Peter's birth by having a small party with our relatives that live closest to us. Here are some pictures from his birthday. The meal we had was quite delicious. We had baked Hawaiian roll sandwiches, chips, a mandarin orange salad and a mandarin orange cake! The weather may have been cold outside, but our food was tropical!

Birthday breakfast of donuts!

About to fall.

I love my birthday!

Of all the presents he received, his favorite is this balloon.

Cake? What is cake?

I love cake!

Today I'm purging a nightshirt.

February 22: Sunday

Day 288

Ordinarily, Sunday is one of my favorite days of the week because it is the only day that both Clint and I are home together all day. Today, though, was a little bit grey. We got about an inch and a half of snow. It was still snowing this morning and it looked really pretty.

I'm purging a black shirt.

February 21: Dress Pants

Day 287

We're supposed to be getting some snow tonight. It's the end of February and we're just now getting hit with winter!

Today I'm purging a pair of dress pants.

February 20: Ear Infections :(

Day 286

Yesterday Clint said that he'd noticed Peter pulling at his ears. "It can't be another ear infection," I thought. I thought wrong. Peter woke up crying in the night, so I called the doctor first thing this morning and, sure enough, Peter has another double ear infection - his third in two months. At this point we should just set up a standing, weekly appointment with our doctor. We see him every week anyway.

Nothing gets this kid down!

Today I'm purging a pencil skirt.

February 19: Happy Birthday Max!

Day 285

My nephew Max turns 1 year old today! Happy birthday to one of the smartest, sweetest, cutest, bestest boys in the whole world! I miss you and love you so much! (So does cousin Petie and Uncle Clint!) The below pictures are all from last Thanksgiving :( but they are the most recent ones I have of Max.

Cousins deep in conversation

Mischievous Eyes

See my nose?

Today I'm purging a pair of blue jeans that I've been holding on to in the hope that I would fit in to them again. I haven't worn them in over a year, so regardless it's time to let them go. In other news, I'm slowly fading maternity clothes into my wardrobe. They're so comfortable that it's been hard to hold back this long!

February 18: Ash Wednesday!

Day 284

Even though Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation, it is one of my favorite masses of the year. EVERYONE goes to Ash Wed. Mass. I don't know if it's because of the ashes, or because it signifies a chance to start over or because we've been conditioned to go after years of CCD, but the churches are always crammed full for this solemn day. Here are the reasons I love Ash Wednesday and Lent:

• The song "Ashes" (we got to sing it twice through this year!)
• The Gloria is not sung during lent
• Fish Fries (though there is a great void of fish fries in western KS)
• A chance to grow closer to God
• Holy Week and the Triduum
• A chance to purge!! - this year I'm giving up online videos of all sorts and reading only Catholic/spiritual books

Speaking of purging, today I'm letting go of a flannel shirt my sister gave me several years ago. I've loved this shirt and worn it more than most of my clothes, but pregnancy-post-pregnancy-pregnancy have made the shirt incompatible with my body.

February 17: Sippy Cup II

Day 283

Here's the second model of sippy cup that I am purging. Petie's main problem is not actually drinking from the cups or holding the cups, it's figuring out how to tip his head/the cup backward so that he sucks more than just air. He'll get around to it eventually. He'll have to. He's sick of drinking from bottles, so this is really his only alternative!

February 16: Sippy Cup I

Day 282

It's the battle of the sippy cup around our house. We've tried several different "models" of sippy cup to no avail. The fancier the cup, the less inclined Peter is to use it. We have our best success with the simple, cheap "take and toss" cups that come in a four-pack. I'm going to purge the two cups that haven't been working.

February 15: Paintbrushes

Day 281

The museum was awesome! I can't believe I've never been there before. Lots of fossils and taxidermied animals...two of my favorite things. Poor Petie was pretty quiet the whole time due to his cold.

For some reason, I have a lot of paintbrushes, so I'm going to purge this set.

February 14: Happy Valentines Day!

Day 280

I love Valentine's day! Tonight Clint and I are going to a dinner-dance at our church and tomorrow the local natural history museum has free admission. I'm so looking forward to this weekend!

To top it all off, Clint agreed to get rid of this book. Doesn't it look fascinating?

February 13: Marble Slab

Day 279

Once upon a time, we received a Cold Stone Creamery "at home" kit. We have never used it, but good old Clint refuses to part with very much, least of all something connected to his favorite food. The other day Clint said "I love ice cream more than anything." Lucky for me, he went back and made and exception for me and and Peter.

Clint finally agreed to part with the actual marble slab.

February 12: Salt Shaker

Day 278

My mom is attracted to glass salt and pepper shakers. She stock piles the ones she likes and then offers them to my sisters and I. It's hard to turn down such a pretty little table adornment. Alas, I have two very good salt and pepper shakers and I have no need for this little beauty. I'm constantly knocking it down in the cupboard.

February 11: Ravioli Wars

Day 277

This is what Peter's high chair usually looks like after he eats:

There aren't very many mommy chores that I mind. I don't mind changing diapers or washing bottles or the bedtime routine. I don't mind short naps or the lack of privacy or getting Peter ready in the morning. What I mind is cleaning off the high chair after every snack and meal. Inevitably, the high chair fills with cold bits of pasta, stray peas and crushed crunchy snacks that have to be removed. Left too long, the ravioli sauce or broccoli bits stick to the tray. That's not to mention actually cleaning PETER. I have to motivate myself every time!

Today I'm purging an African violet pot. As you can see, my violet is dead. I happen to have a duplicate of this pot, so I'm purging it.

Februrary 10: Juicer

Day 276

One time last summer I decided to make fresh-squeezed lemonade. While delicious, it took a tremendous amount of time and energy to squeeze all the lemons by hand. I then found a juicer at the thrift store and brought it home. I haven't used it since. I guess squeezing lemons for lemonade once a year is worth the cabinet space this frees up.

Peter has another cold and his eczema is back, but he's still as cute as can be!

February 9: Movie IV

Day 275

This movie is a classic Diane Lane movie. She plays a weepy divorcee. That's pretty much the only role she's played in the last 15 years. There is something about this movie though, probably the Italian location.

Petie loves my exercise ball. He thinks it's great fun.

February 8: Movie III

Day 274

The human head weighs eight pounds!
Did you know birds and dogs can smell fear?
My neighbor has three rabbits.

Let's face it, the best part of this movie is the little kid with the giant head who says adorable things.

Feburary 7: Movie II

Day 273

Another movie today. Bewitched was a movie I saw with one of my friends the summer before college. We were almost alone in the movie theater. I love Will Ferrell, but I don't see myself watching this anytime soon.

Peter is always close by. I no longer have any space of my own!

February 6: Movie

Day 272

Today and for several days I'm going to be purging some movies. I rarely watch my own movies anymore since I use the library's DVD collection so much. I can always just check these out if I want to watch them!

This movie was a fav of mine in college. One weekend, my roommate and I watched it three times. 

February 5: Rin Tin Tin

Day 271

Today I was urgently trying to find items to purge. Clint valiantly said he'd venture into the basement and find something. After a period of time, he emerged from the basement with an empty tin. I have no idea why he owns this tin or why this was the only item he could find to purge in a basement full of his possessions, but beggars can't be choosers.

Peter will put anything into his mouth.

Hey, I was chewing on that!

February 4: Yellow Top

Day 270

Having a sick kid is stressful. We don't want to have Petie leave the house this week, so Clint and I are taking half days and trying to make it work. Petie loves it. Having Mommy or Daddy home all day? Ideal!

Today I'm purging a yellow shirt that is cute, but too short.

February 3: Liquid Bread

Day 269

Peter was in the hospital over this past weekend. He had a respiratory infection that really threw him for a loop. We got to come home today with a few extra goodies: breathing treatments, an oral steroid and an antibiotic for another ear infection. The kid is a trooper and he even likes taking his medicine. He'll put his little mouth around the medicine syringe and suck on the end to try and get the medicine out quicker.Looking at him now, you'd never know he was so sick over the weekend!

Look at those curls!

Peter loves to carry around small objects. His favorites are a tube of carmex and a lego block. Here he is chewing on the bottom of a bulb syringe.

Today I'm purging a T-shirt that my husband gave me before we were married. It was even something I'd asked for. (It's from a local, favorite restaurant.) I just don't wear it very much and I need to weed a few of my non-hanging tops.

Obviously it needs a wash before I purge it!

Februrary 2: Pyrex Bowl

Day 268

When I moved to KS, my sister raided her kitchen and gave me a few items. One of my favorite items was this clear/purple pyrex bowl. I love bowls and I love pyrex. Since then, I've aquired quite a few more bowls and I don't find myself using this one as often as I used to.

February 1: Microfiber Cloths

Day 267

Does anyone else get thrown off by the fact that February has an extra "r" in it?

The main reason I am purging these microfiber cloths is that they aren't absorbent. I have plenty of dusting cloths, what I need are more absorbent cloths for cleaning.