Time-out bug.

Put Ava in a corner for a time-out, and she started crying (normal), and then through her crying, "There's a bug!" She saw a bug in the corner, apparently, but there she stayed, in a crying face-off with it. (I let her out of the corner, btw. I'm not that hard-core.)

Also, no bug.  I checked.

College of Life?

There are days I miss college.  But then I start to realize that I've continued on to Graduate school without realizing it.

To replace the fellow students and professors, I now have my little girl spurning me on to know MORE and be BETTER.  And my husband to be that fellow student, sharpening me and making me think.

To replace the 80 pound textbooks, I have just-as-thick cookbooks and notebooks filled with recipes.  And how-to-be-a-better-parent books, highlighted to their brims.

I still have the lack of sleep and late nights "studying" (a.k.a. meal planning, and worrying).

And now, there is more life under my belt.  And my life feels deeper.  More meaningful.  And more relaxed.  Knowing that we're all figuring it out as we go - especially we parents - makes me calm down and not worry so much about getting it all perfect.  We'll be ok.  In this new University.

MOPS, pumpkins, zoo, a wedding, and our anniversary!

No more renters in the house.  Such peace!  I haven't felt this homey in my house for a long time.

And it was all in time for our anniversary this weekend, and our soon-to-come baby!

Friday it was my first time at MOPS in the am.  It was cute and so nice to chat with other mamas, and Ava got to play with tons of other kids her same age.  And, in the afternoon, it was totally time for the pumpkin patch!  We played and ate messy caramel apples, and it was a perfect day.

Saturday afternoon and night we hung out at a friend's wedding.  It was in a park pavillion on a river, and was beautiful!  Ava played all evening with the other kiddos at the little park and got good and messy!  There are no pics yet, because we left our camera (moment of panic).  It is traveling with the bride and groom on their honeymoon, and will be back Wednesday.  Until then, phones are taking its place.

Yesterday, I made myself get up early with my Jer and our Ava at 6am.  We chilled in the house for a bit, and then drove up to Oshkosh.  It was breakfast at Golden Corral (better breakfast than I would've thought), then to the little zoo, and a quick stop at Goodwill.  And it was time to drive 25 minutes back for Ava's nap.

The afternoon was relaxation, laundry, football, and moving our living room things into the actual large living room downstairs (instead of it all being in one of the upstairs bedrooms). A half-price Chicago-style pizza for dinner at home while we listened to the rain outside.

I'm feeling total urgency to do fun stuff before baby gets here.  THREE weeks to go!  (Less than that would be good, too).

What an amazing weekend with my little family.  And so nice to come home to... no one.

"I sad, mumma make me happy."

While we were pretending today,
Ava: "I sad.  Mumma make me happy."  (Totally being silly and pretending, but I flashed forward in my head to so many times that she'll be sad.  And realized that I wouldn't be able to fix everything with a kiss and a hug and a silly joke.)
In my serious state of mind, I smiled: "Aww, mumma can't make Ava happy!  You make Ava happy!"

I was a little somber.  Poor kid.  But she was fine and still pretending and silly.  She kind of ignored my statement.  Probably because it was a little beyond a 2 and a half-year-old.  And, in her own way, she was like, "Mom, you're a dork.  I'm just playing."  :)

"Not my birthday." False labor

Every day, Ava wraps random things in towels or paper and says "Happy Birthday"! And then, we do it back and it's her bday. Well, yesterday I tried and she scrunched up her little face in annoyance, "It not my birthday today." Well, ok then.

 Had false labor all afternoon, too.  No pain and not consistent.  So, just tiring.  And also a motivator to get my hospital bag packed.  

 Done.