On to the next?

I'm feeling torn about trying for baby #2. On one hand, how could I think about putting it off? I'm already 32 (not THAT old, but old enough) and it took us 3 years of trying to get pregnant with Macie, so what if it takes another 3 years? Ideally, we're still thinking of having 3 children, so shouldn't we get busy?

On the other hand, I'm finally losing some weight (21 pounds since January 2nd), and I have a long way to go. I'm about 2 pounds away from pre pregnancy weight. And about 40 pounds from pre-TTC weight. So to start from here again would be frustrating. AND, I'm just enjoying this girl so much!

She's 9 1/2 months, and I'm loving being her mommy! I think two years apart would be great!

But here is my dilemma that you all can weigh in on. We haven't used any birth control since Macie was born, but what if I did use birth control? Just until Aug. Would that be telling God that He doesn't know what's best for my life? But isn't that what I did before we even started trying? Maybe this is what all women in the 60s and 70s had to ask themselves once the pill was available, but I don't really feel good about either option. So for now I"m just enjoying my little one and if I got pregnant again I know I would be THRILLED, but I just also think I would probably be a little frustrated too.

What did you all do, those who got pregnant. Some form of birth control or just a free-for-all?

University

Kelly at Kelly's Corner is doing Show Us Your Life-Alma Matters. I saw that so far no one had wrote anything from Biola University in Southern California, so I felt super compeled to represent!


College was awesome. I graduated in 2000 from undergrad and I lived on campus all four years. My junior and Senior year I was an RA. I love that this school has kept its Christian perspective for so long. When I was there, there were open dorm hours (guys and girls in each others rooms) only limited hours (6-10 on Wed/fri, 2-10 on Sat., 2-6 on Sun). It sounds so conservative, but the older I get, the more I appriciate conservative.
We went to the annual Christmas tree lighting this year and DH, Macie and I ate in the Caf, and it has changed so much! We were romanticising college, and how besides this time with each other, it was the best four years of our lives. DH went to Re.dlands University also in So Cal, but I call it a 'heathen' school (I'd say that I'm joking, but when I hear his frat party stories, I'm inclined to believe the 'heathen' part is mostly true!). But we both still had an incredible time living on campus.
As a high school teacher, any time I can suggest to a student to live on campus, I do. I know it's expensive, but it's an experience you just can't replace. You have the rest of your life to live in an apartment and pay rent, but to live with 300 of your closest friends...priceless!
I'm writing this on my lunch break at work, but I'll try to remember to put some pictures up later.

ABCs of Me

A-AGE- 32

B - BED SIZE - Queen. I bought a bedroom set before I got married and I didn't want to anticpate getting married in case I was going to be single for the rest of my life. If money were no issue we would totally upgrade, but it's not just the bed, those sheets are so expensive too!

C-CHORE YOU HATE: scrubbing the showers

D-DOGS: 2! Gipper and Nancy (a Ronald Regan reference). Cocker spaniels. Adorable and very sad now that Macie is here!

E-ESSENTIAL START YOUR DAY ITEM - coffee with cream and splenda.

F-FAVORITE COLOR: currently brown. Changes often.

G-GOLD or SILVER: Anything that comes from my husband is welcome. But most of my jewlery is silver or white gold (with a splash of platinum!)

H-HEIGHT: 5' 9".

I-INSTRUMENTS YOU PLAY: Piano and guitar. I took lessons on the drums before I got pregnant and I would love to pick that up again, but I don't anticipate much free time for the next 18 years or so. (hopefully longer!)

J-JOB TITLE: Teacher - high school senior economics

K-KIDS: 1! Macie Rom.ana. She is a doll and I hope someday she'll be a big sister.

L-LIVE: Southern California. Currently digging our weather.

M-MOM'S NAME: Judith - Judy for short

N-NICKNAMES: Mrs. Dixie (from DH, it was a cheesy christmas play I was in while we were dating)

O-OVERNIGHT HOSPITAL STAYS - Macie's birth

P-PET PEEVE: When students ask me for a pencil.

Q-QUOTE FROM MOVIE: "Hit Ousier!" or "

R-RIGHT OR LEFT HANDED: right

S-SIBLINGS: 1 older brother, 2 younger step sisters

T-TIME YOU WAKE UP: 6 (ish)

U-UNDERWEAR: Yes.

V-VEGETABLE YOU DISLIKE: peas

W-WHAT MAKES YOU RUN LATE: a final trip to the potty.

X-X-RAYS YOU'VE HAD DONE: Chest xray when I tested positive for the TB skin test (no tb), HSG of my tubes, lots of dental

Y-YUMMY FOOD YOU MAKE: I love to bake! Cakes and cake decorating is a small hobby. Also I make a mean fruit trifle.

Z-ZOO, FAVORITE ANIMAL: Giraffs are pretty

I'd love to see some of you try this, it was fun!

9 Month Checkup

Everything looks great!

Our little 9 month old is 22.2 1/2 lbs. She's 29 1/2 inches long. That is 92nd percentile for weight and 97th for height.

It's just madness to try to get her to sit still for these monthly pictures, but I often think the ones where she moves the most end up being the funniest.

Macie, what are you doing this month?

You have started taking baby steps! I'm not ready for a full-fledged walker, but you're on your way. Usually if I have something you want (like the remote control that you're not allowed to have) you'll take more steps. right now your record is 6 steps.

You stand up on everything, and you've had a few spills, but nothing serious. I think that comes with learning to walk.

You don't say any words yet, but you babble a bunch. Lots of dadaddadads and gagagagagas. No mamamamamams yet, but I'm still hoping.

Before bedtime you go crazy. You're laughing at everything you think mommy and daddy are hysterical! You just laugh and laugh. It makes it hard for us to put you down to bed because that's probably my favorite time of day.

You currently eat about 20-25 oz of forumula a day and a serving of cereal, stage 2 fruit, veggie and meat. The dr. says since you have such a 'healthy' weight to maintain you will gradually eat more and drink less milk. We'll probably start some table food this month, but I'm not in a big hurry because my friends largely say that once table food starts baby food is out the window and I'm not excited about that. Baby food is expensive but easy!

You're daddy and I love you more than you can imagine. We are so proud to be your parents and are looking forward to a lifetime together! We give praise to God each day that He brought you into our lives in His perfect timing.

1st birthday questions

So for those of you out there with little ones (or are planning on having little ones),
What do you think about big 1st birthday parties?
I am completely torn. I am so excited to celebrate the gift of my little miracle God has entrusted me with.
I also don't want to set a precedent that there will always be big parties and everyone will always be invited and I have to entertain other people's children.

I'm thinking of a party either at our house (we have a 1300 square foot house and a moderate back yard (for so.cal. Some of you in Arkansas and Texas and N. Carolina would die at the small size of what we call a yard!). But in our yard, we don't have a lot with which to entertain our friends children.
OR
We have a park nearby with some slides and stuff... is that enough to entertain other kids?

What are your thoughts? I'm really stuck. But I have 3 months so I'm just trying to plan ahead.
I'll post again after Macie's 9 month appointment tomorrow. My little girl is growing up so fast!

Can You Stand It?

This face just makes me melt.

I really can't handle her cuteness.

It's superbowl Sunday and we're having people over, but it's time to wait. So if the SuperBowl starts at 3:30 Pacific time, it must be worse for all of you that are on the east coast and have to stay up much later to watch the game. At least we can get home by 7:00PM and then have a restful night...or is it better to have an evening atmophere, ready to party?

What do you all think?

Blogging from Home

And do you know what that means?

PICTURES!

It's been so long since I've had any new pictures so here is a post chalk-full of them.

Can you believe I get to wake up to this sight? She's so adorable! And p erhaps this picture will help you understand that my baby now sleeps in 18 month PJs. She's going to be 9 months old on Monday, but PJs with feet in them are just so snug that I jumped her up to 18 months! I can't stand it! The really excellent news is that I went to the car.ters store and all the wintery-footy PJ's were on sale for either 4.19 or 5.00 even! So I bought 8 pairs.

I did a photo shoot last night for my grandparents in northern California. It's what I do when I'm trying not to eat. I put together an outfit for the girl and just take picture after picture. I'm thinking I'm going to have to invest in a really nice camera that has like 50 shots in a row. I keep missing the adorable little smiles! What cameras do you all have?

Here is a good shot of the cute outfit. I kept giving her toys to try to get her to look at me. The blinds were apparently more interesting.

Here she and DH are enjoying some quality time. She looks a little like a boy to me in this picture. It's just the way her hair is brushed.

And here she is as we're about to go for a walk. So Cal hasn't had the amazing snowstorms you guys have all had around the nation. Instead we had to bundle up because it was about 60 degrees outside (don't worry, I know I'm a big cold weather wimp. I like to think I could be tough, but I'm just not!)

Okay, it's time to play with her now, so have a good weekend everyone!

Another Weight-Loss Reminder

As I type this, my SIL's mother is in surgery losing all five toes on her foot. She has diabetus and hasn't really ever taken care of herself phsyically.
Hearing this and seeing how quickly she is going down hill (she just started dialisys in November) makes me so afraid for being so overwieght.
It's not just about looking decent this summer. It's about health and being around for Macie and Macie's children (my SIL is 30 weeks expecting their first child- they also had to do IVF).

Crazy days...