Tidbits from Today

1. I just left a message for a friend and said, "Hi ____ (you know who you are!). It's Rachel. It's 3:29 on Wednesday. At least, I think it's Wednesday..." The message continued on from there.

There are several things about this message that I realized might be strange. First, and most obvious, I was not entirely certain what day of the week it is. But I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one to have that momentary uncertainty from time to time.

And second, I still follow the pattern my mom taught me a long time ago for leaving a voicemail message. Name, time, date, followed by the message, if any. Even though our more modern phones will sometimes tell you all of that information without me providing it, I just can't help saying it when I hear that beep. I really can't.

2. I am really looking forward to the turkey tacos we're having for dinner tonight. I cannot decide if that is because it's one of the most simple and quick dinners to make or if I just love tacos. I'm pretty sure it's both.

3. I feel like it's time to nail down a name for baby boy #2. I know there is no real rush, but for some reason I don't think I can stand it much longer if we don't decide. There is a strong contender that we've been thinking about for almost a month now...it's time to either make it official or find something else.

4. I have been using two computers side by side all afternoon and I feel like Garicia on Criminal Minds. Except I'm just editing pictures on both the laptop and desktop at the same time. Multitasking at its best. Too bad it's really because both computers are running Photoshop so painfully slowly that I have to use both to get the most out of my time. It's really fun with two mouses (mice?)...and getting them confused. Enough to drive me crazy!

5. Yesterday I reorganized our closet, got rid of 2 large trashbags worth of clothes, and got out my maternity clothes. Not that I will be wearing all of them just yet, but the jeans have officially made their first appearance. I just love that I had to put up my fun summer clothes in exchange for just a handful of maternity shirts and pants. Yay. But I will say this...I do not pretend to forget the secret joy of wearing elastic waist pants all the time.

Try New Things

Trying new things is not one of my favorite things to do. I am a creature of habit and I like it that way. But, when I think about it, some of my now-favorite things came about by taking a step outside my norm and trying something I wouldn't normally try.

At the young age of 13, I was perfectly happy not riding roller coasters. Through the wonders of peer pressure, I found myself on the Flashback at Six Flags in Dallas and ended up loving it. Thus began a long run with roller coasters that might not have happened if I hadn't tried them just once. I don't know if my body would say the same thing now...the last time I rode a roller coaster, I got off feeling like I was 80 years old.

I pretty much eat anything, but that was not always the case. While I have never been "picky," there used to be several things that I would not eat. Potato salad was taboo until I decided to make this little recipe one day. Fruit-filled pies were not on my dessert radar at all...and while they are still not my favorite....my tastes have changed because I have learned to appreciate deliciousness such as this apple pie recipe. Chicken salad - no thanks - until I was introduced to this awesome recipe. So trying new foods is definitely something I love to do now...you never know what is going to blow your mind.

I think I have definitely have a preference in the kind of books that I read, but being part of a book club where I don't always choose what we read forces me out of those genres and has introduced me to books that I really enjoyed and sometimes to authors that I continue to enjoy. Case in point...The Hunger Games. Just one of several books we've read that I would have never given a second thought...maybe not even a first thought. It's a bit of teen sci-fi that I was seriously concerned about reading after seeing the synopsis. But, it is one of my favorite books that we've read. And part of a series, which has allowed me to further enjoy the story. I can't wait for the third installment.

All that being said, there are a few things I've tried more than once and still don't like. Playing sports would be one of them. I've tried, I've played, and I still don't enjoy them. But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy watching them. Just don't ask me to display any kind of competitive sports ability. I just don't have it in me.

And skiing. Much to Casey's chagrin, I have tried skiing (at least 4 times), taken numerous lessons, and still hate it. It's just not a love that is going to blossom in me at this point.

Ball!

Ethan has lately had a slight obsession with playing with balls. Everything from what fits in his plam to my large exercize ball. Yesterday, since it was a gorgeous 60 degrees outside, he gathered all the balls I would let him take outside to play. He went back inside twice to get more. He tells them "hi, ball" and then says "weee" when he throws them or rolls them down his slide. He will point out every single ball in the books we read and he does the same in stores for anything that is spherical in shape.

We checked out and officially registered for his preschool today at a place (church) I am more than comfortable with and that is very close to home. It seems weird that in September he'll be more than two years old and headed to preschool. Weird. And perhaps even more weird...by September he will also have a new little brother!

Goofy

If there was any question as to whether there is laughter in our marriage, take a look at the following photos.

As you can see, Casey is still very capable of making me laugh frequently. I just happened to capture some of his goofy side on camera recently. In the first photo, we were taking some pictures for his work and he couldn't resist messing around, as usual. I do love when he wears his suit.

In the second photo, he was posing for me so I could set the camera settings...I stepped in next for my first belly photo of this pregnancy. That should explain why he has his hands in his shirt.

He's crazy. And I love him so much. We're going on a date tomorrow night...dinner AND a movie. I can't wait.

(Casey is probably going to KILL me when he finds out I posted these pictures. Luckily, he only checks in on my blog periodically, so it could be a while until he sees them.)

Good Things

1. Girl Scout Cookies. I got mine on Monday and I'm already rationing. Good thing Ethan doesn't eat cookies yet and Casey is not a big dessert person. Actually, that may turn out to be a bad thing because I have 4 boxes, which I would be ashamed to admit I ate all by myself...even if they last a while.

2. Heated Mattress Pad. Casey's parents got one for me for my birthday this year and I can seriously say that I can't believe I ever lived without one. Our bedroom is the coldest room in the house in the winter and getting in bed at night used to be almost painful. Now, it's delightful. I absolutely love it. It has dual controls with 20 different heat settings, so Casey and I can pick what we want on our side of the bed, including turning one side off while the other one is on.

3. Baby Kicks. I felt baby boy #2 much earlier than I felt Ethan. I remember feeling Ethan kick for the first time (that I was certain it was him) at around 16 weeks. This time, I felt the little guy around 11-12 weeks. It is a very distinct feeling and one of the great things about being pregnant.

4. A Big Box. This one is from Ethan. Mimi and Pop got him a bean bag chair and it came in a pretty big box. I decided to keep the box for a while thinking that Ethan would enjoy playing in it. I was right. He loves it.

Pots and Pans

Ethan loves my pots and pans and he takes them out every chance he gets. He will take them one by one to another room to play or he will play in the kitchen if I am in there. I am surprised at his strength sometimes because he can lift even the largest of my soup pots and carry it around. In that third picture I have no idea what he is doing, but it looks to me like he is conducting a cookware symphony.

Anticipation

I've always loved Thursdays because they are a precursor to Fridays. I love the almost-beginning of the weekend. I like the weekend too, but I love the anticipation of the weekend all laid out before me. It's the same way I feel at the beginning of a vacation.

Right now, I am seriously anticipating the next 10 days. I can't remember the last time I had this many things planned to look forward to all at once...a double date with good friends, a book club meeting, a trip to Canton with my mom, a delayed Valentines date with Casey...and possibly a few more things.

The first week of March might be a let-down after all that if it wasn't the first week of March...and that much closer to Spring!