The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I'm pretty sure I had a post titled this exact same thing last year. I don't know what it is about this time of the year that makes me so happy! Maybe it's the red cups from Starbucks...maybe it's the little elf named Ivy that has taken up residence in our house...maybe it's the pure joy that exudes from my three year old right now. Experiencing Christmas through the eyes of a child is magical. Jani is loving everything that this season has to offer. We kicked it all off with Holiday Hoopla and went downtown to welcome Santa. Unfortunately my battery to my camera was dead so I cannot document this event. It was the first really cold night and we refused to let that stop us. So many of our friends didn't go because of the cold but we did not stay away. We bundled Mallory up, put Jani in her Cuddle Duds, and headed down for cocoa and Santa. Since then, we've had lots of discussions with Jani about Jesus, Santa, and how this whole thing will go down. Integrating everything into the Christmas story has been interesting but Jani seems to be just as excited about Jesus' birthday as she is about Santa coming.

In Mallory news, we have another wonderful baby. Sleep deprivation is non existent! If I'm sleep deprived it's my own fault...or Pinterest's fault!! Right now, she goes to bed around 9 and sleep until 5 or 6. Some mornings she'll sleep later but that's been her pattern. Then she eats and goes right back to bed until I have to wake her to go to daycare. On the weekends, she tends to sleep until 9 or 10! She's adjusted very well to daycare and Jani loves having her there. Being back at work has been an adjustment but I'm finding my groove back. Pumping is time consuming but I'm committed to doing this for a year for Mallory. I see it as one thing I can do for my girl :) She's been smiling like crazy and loves watching the Christmas tree and her big sister. We've so enjoyed having two girls. They definitely keep us on our toes!!

A Little Behind...

My last post was right after Mallory was born. Now it's almost a month later and we've settled in nicely as a family of four. I know this may get harder when I'm back at work or when Mallory becomes mobile  but going to two kids hasn't been that bad! Doug and I do a pretty good job of splitting our time and if anything we're feeling like we don't talk much....but we know this too shall pass and we'll miss these baby days.

I'm nearing the end of maternity leave...only three more weeks with my girl. I trying not to think about it. I know she'll be in good hands but I've so enjoyed these newborn days!

In other news, Jani turned three last week! Hard to believe she has become such a big girl!! I interviewed her and got quite the responses. I'll leave you with her answers!!

How old are you? 3
What makes you happy? When I hug you
What is your favorite thing to eat? Clementines
What is your favorite color? Purple and pink
What is your favorite TV show? DocMcstuffins
What is your favorite movie? Cinderella
What is your favorite book? Dora
What is your favorite song? The ABC's
What is your favorite thing to do outside? Blow bubbles
What is your favorite thing to do inside? Play with toys
What do you like to do with mommy? Get icee's at Target
What do you like to do with daddy? Go to Walmart
What is your favorite store? Target
Who are your friends? Sydney, Maddie, Lauren, Libby...I can't list them all, Mom!
What is your fav thing to wear? Princess dress
What do you want to be when you grow up? Loopsy lopsa

Our New Addition

The waiting is over. Last week, we welcomed Mallory Helen Wilkinson into our family. Her birth was a little different than Jani's. Similar in that I was induced...different in that she came faster and her birth ending up being all natural. It was a mildly traumatic experience but worth every scream and cry that came out of my mouth! I never thought I'd be strong enough to go through the birthing process without drugs but I proved myself wrong.

She has fit seamlessly into our family. Jani loves being a big sister, Doug loves having another little girl to love, and I love knowing I've been blessed with another wonderful little human to care for. Doug and I thoroughly enjoyed our time in the hospital with her. We had lots of visitors and felt like we had a little mini-vacation, despite the whole recovering from the birthing process thing! We arrived home Thursday and have been making the adjustment at home. Mallory is a pretty easy baby so far. She eats...and sleeps...and eats...and sleeps.

We are so very blessed.

The Final Days

There's something to be said about feeling content. Feeling content where we are at in life, feeling content professionally, and feeling content with myself. It's a good feeling. It brings comfort. It allows me to worry less (which is still a lot since I am a worry wart at heart) and it allows me to sit back and enjoy. We've enjoyed tailgates and cool nights. I've gotten lots of first grade hugs and 2 year old cuddles at night. Doug and I even had the chance to spend a Sunday cleaning, going out for breakfast, and enjoying each others company.

But something I learned in school is that there's also something to be said about discontent. About the feeling that something isn't right, that something needs to change. The only way things can get better or life can evolve is for something to change.

Boys and girls...change is a comin'!! We are so ready to welcome this little girl into the world. The house is ready, we have a name, and Jani is elated to become a big sister. I'm not quite there yet at school, but I know by the end of the week I'll be there. I'm not sure I've quite wrapped my head around the fact that we are going from a family of three to a family of four but I am so excited to do so. I came to the realization that I just haven't documented this pregnancy as well as I did Jani's. I convinced Doug to get behind the camera and try to get some belly pics. We also conned a good friend into taking some of the three of us. Now she can officially come. The belly has been documented. Commence Operation Baby #2 :)

Jani's Year 2 Photo Book

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2 Years Later...

Changing Seasons

We've entered another "season" in our life. Doug and I have often said that fall does not begin on September 21. It begins the day school starts. The day our schedule comes back into our daily lives. The day Jani heads back to daycare. The day that utter chaos takes over! We both knew this fall would start out challenging, and probably continue to be challenging until football was over....and the challenge has begun. But we're trying to embrace it, trying to embrace these last few weeks as just the three of us. Fall is truly our favorite time of year so it makes it a little easier.

The last time I was pregnant, I was a reading teacher. The demands of the job are much different. Your daily schedule as a reading teacher looks completely different than that of a classroom teacher. I am finding out that my body does not enjoy this. My nights are spent dealing with swollen feet/hands and contractions. My days aren't bad but I can tell that it is much more difficult for me to get around, to get things set up, and to tolerate the behaviors that challenge me. We're at a point that there is about 5-6 weeks before we meet this baby. I'm starting to want to see her. I am wondering what she'll look like...wondering if she's going to look and act like Jani. If we could decide on a name, I'd be a very happy camper :)

Doug's football season has been more challenging this year. His staff wasn't assembled until the last minute and that put a lot of stress on him as the head coach. We both love football and both love being involved in it, but sometimes this stress just doesn't seem worth it. He's back at teaching, he has his two favorite classes to teach this year and will hopefully be able to settle into his schedule before the baby comes.

Jani is elated to be a big sister. She constantly kisses my belly, talks to it, sings to it...she's embracing this role already and we love seeing this in her. We got her registered for dance and she can't wait. She keeps asking if it's time to go to dance class and we have to tell her she's got awhile to wait. We hope it's a nice distraction once baby gets here and something special for just her to do.

Unfortunately, my camera was dropped and is currently in the shop. I feel lost. I hate not having it with me and I feel like I'm missing part of our lives! A belly picture will be first on my list when it is back in my hands!!

Sweet Summertime!

The time is going too fast. Way too fast. It's what we say every single summer. The days seem long at times (a 2 year old's attitude can definitely make some days feel like an eternity!) but when I look at the calendar, time is slowly slipping away. I hate that it's happening because our days as a family of three are numbered. I'm shocked that we are already at week 28 and I feel like we just found out I was expecting!

In baby news, the nursery is coming along. My dad and Doug created an amazing closet that is allowing me to get a little more organized...something I seriously struggle with. I've enjoyed getting out all of Jani's old baby things, washing them, and getting them folded in the drawers. Seeing how small they are gets my excited but also has me completely terrified to have an infant in the house!! The only thing I wish we could figure out is this child's name! We're having a really hard time getting that narrowed down...

In Jani news, she continues to be a typical two year old. Happy go lucky one minute, completely crazy and psychotic the next! She can go from angel to devil in a matter of seconds. But we're having fun watching her and learning from her along the way. She's quite the conversationalist, loves talking to anyone she can get in contact with, and has had a serious love for board games lately. We are trying to expand our collection because Candy Land and Cootie can get old after about 100 plays!

As for Doug and I, he kept busy in June with a class and turning 30!! and Jani and I had fun swimming, going to Kindermusik, and supervising the Reading Clinic for a week. This month we get to go on family vacation, celebrate my birthday, and take a little trip to Omaha. We're pretty excited to travel as a family and make some memories before baby comes!

We had a mini photo session with her after church since it's been so long since we've taken her picture. Doug teased that he's amazed I even want to take her picture anymore because every time we try it goes the same way...Jani and I arguing and me not getting what I want! But we got a couple we can frame...until next time :)

Our Summer Bucket List

I was inspired at our small group tonight to make a summer bucket list. Doug claims we don't need one...that we do fun things all the time. But I think if I write things down I will have to stick to it. It also keeps us motivated to do more than the normal "fun" things we always do. So here goes...this may get adapted as I come up with ideas. Consider this draft #1.

1. Make play-doh.
2. Make sidewalk chalk.
3. Have a water balloon fight.
4. Go paint pottery.
5. Mommy-Jani date.
6. Daddy-Jani date.
7. Watch fireworks.
8. Go to a parade that actually throws out candy.
9. Go fishing.
10. Go on the canoes with Gma and Gpa.
11. Tye-dye shirts.
12. Fly a kite.
13. Go to the zoo.
14. Stay at a hotel.
15. See a movie in the theater.
16. Shaving cream fun.
17. Catch fireflies with Gma's nets.
18. Slumber party in the living room.
19. Wash the car by hand.
20. Go on a picnic.
21. Run through the sprinklers.
22. Bake cupcakes.
23. Turn our slide into a water slide.

Daddy's and Their Daughters...

We found out baby #2 is a girl. The ultrasound was so much fun! Seeing that little person was just as novel this time around. Doug and I were both convinced it was a girl so we weren't surprised when the tech told us the news. We were actually both pretty hopeful it would be a girl since everything we have is pink!! It's funny to tell people we're having another girl, though. I think that people expect you to be disappointed, like you should have wanted the other gender. I get very mixed reactions. Some people are excited but some people say things like "Well there's always next time" or "It's okay that it's another girl". Of course it's okay! It's downright exciting!! Leading up to finding out, I had mixed emotions. Finding out it was a girl would be a trip into the known...we've done this, we know this, we got this. If they would have said boy, a tiny little part of me may have panicked! That would be a trip into the unknown! It would have been a welcome trip but a new adventure nonetheless. Our friends who have boys kept trying to convince me that boys were fun, so much more fun than girls. This always left me confused because those same people had never experienced raising a girl. So it was hard to take what I know, combine it with what they were telling me, and form my feelings about the situation. Raising a girl has been more fun than I ever could have imagined and I am so excited to do it again. The bonus? My little punkin is getting a sister! Does it get much better than that???

What They Don't Teach You In College....

It's been a long hard week and it's not over yet but I'm getting to where I feel like I can start writing about summer being here. When I decided to become a teacher, no one talked about what it would feel like at the end of the year. You talk about making connections, teaching curriculum, etc. But no one speaks about the void you feel when your kids leave for the summer. You spend so much time with them for 9 months, and then they go on...move on to another teacher. They leave the "home" you've created in your classroom and move on to other things. It's a very bittersweet feeling. You feel proud, proud of what they have accomplished and done, but sad because you know your time is ending. I know not all teachers feel like this. Most teachers relish in knowing summer is here. They may feel slight sadness but overall they are happy to have some free time. On the last day of school, I am a complete wreck. I sob...and sob...and sob. My colleague and I decided we set ourselves up for this kind of a day. We may such a big deal about the end of the year....memory books, class pictures, slideshows to music that summarize our year. Our only option is to cry! But she truly said it best...the minute I end a year and I'm not sad to see my students go, I need to get out of the profession. Teaching is about the connections, the love for your students, and the family that is created in those short nine months in the classroom. It's about cultivating a love for learning and helping students see themselves as successful. It's okay that I cry and don't want to see them go. I'd like to think it means that the room was more than just a classroom for everyone involved.

Wordless Tuesday???

Can You Keep Up?

I haven't blogged in a long time. We can contribute this to a variety of things...night sickness, a two year old who really wants to sit and have conversations, an iPad who has made me never turn my laptop on...the list goes on. I'll be honest and say it was pure laziness. The overwhelming feeling that there was so much to update everyone on that I just didn't have the time or patience to do it. But I'll try...with some photo collages. And this isn't it. I haven't even really done the winter!! So here goes...

In our first collage we have some Jani funnies. This girl has kept us on our toes and is a serious entertainer. From posing in the chair in the baby's room (with her baby) to going to the bathroom on a gravel road during a road trip, we don't stop laughing. We've also got a little pool action, our little ballerina dancin' it up, and some outdoor fun in our amazing weather!

On Spring Break, my mom and I were able to take Jani and Libby to the Children's Museum. Jani had a great time. My mom and I agreed we probably wouldn't go back during Dollar Days due to the crowds but it was still worth it. Jani found a purple dress in the dress up area and wore it pretty much the entire time. She loved making tacos, creating a hat, and driving the van!

Kindergym has been a highlight of our winter/spring. It only lasted 6 sessions and we could have gone many more times. Lots of Jani's buddies were in this class and she loved getting a chance to run around with them. the freedom it offered (as opposed to the sitting/singing in Kindermusik) was a great change of pace :)

I also got to get behind my camera and take pics of one of my besties. There will be quite a few babies joining the world in the coming months and I'm so excited to welcome all of them...especially Baby Blok!

Spring is Upon Us...

The last two days here in Iowa have been heavenly. Absolutely heavenly. We were able to play outside without coats, the sun was shining in the bright blue sky, and I was particularly cheery at school...which is a pretty difficult feat these days.

Jani is loving this weather. She is a girl made for playing at parks, getting muddy, swinging, sliding, and bouncing back quickly from the bumps and bruises that always seem to occur. I am amazed at her toughness and her whatever attitude.

March is bringing about some pretty big changes for us. Jani is starting a new daycare. I'm not sure she's ready for the change but it's coming after spring break. I am hoping and praying she adjusts as quickly as she does to other things. She is a pretty easy going child. March has also brought Doug back to us on a regular basis. He is done coaching until summer and I am loving the extra help that it gives us. Only doing drop-off is such a blessing!

This stage that Jani is in is one I do not want to forget. Highlights of the past few months include:
- Kindergym
- lots of birthday parties
- talking, talking, and more talking
- getting closer and closer to being completely potty trained
- giving up piers (pacifiers)
- moving into a big girl bed
- saying phrases like "What are you talkin' bout?", "Who is that girl/boy?", "I'll make you feel better", and "It's time for a family hug!"
- telling me her tummy hurts all the time because it's what I am constantly saying. Pregnancy will do that to you ;) we are excited (and shocked) to say we are expecting again come Fall.

It's going to be one crazy Fall! Football and babies just go hand in hand in this family!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Here's our Valentine's this year....Pinterest has me doing lots of projects. This one was definitely a vision. I knew I wanted to use her owl hat and needed to come up with a way to incorporate that. No one will get the relationship between owls and Tootsie Pops but I do. It totally worked for me. I love them!!

We're BAAACCCKKK!!!

My computer is in my hands. It is working. I have my pictures. I was missing a part of me....pathetic, I know. So much to update you on....so stay tuned :)

Detached

I've been detached from the blogging world. My Christmas card post was my last thought going out into the world before Christmas came and went. Came and went all too fast. I love Christmas...I live for it...and I tried to soak up every last minute with Jani. For the first time in 5 years, I was not sick at Christmas. Stomach flu and Christmas have gone hand in hand for way too many years and this was the first one I got to enjoy. With this odd weather, we played outside on Christmas....without snow pants, or really hats and gloves. It was amazing and weird all at the same time.

But since Christmas I went under the knife and had a hernia fixed, our computer went down needing a new charging port, and I am trying to stay connected on my new iPad. I don't have my pictures to show you, nor do I have the ease of my trusty keyboard to update you. So until then, we are good, we are healthy (almost), and we are ready for snow!!!!!