This is what bed rest does to a person...

I haven't eaten M&M's in years...

Let's just say I'm making up for lost time:

Happy Weekend:)

{ Thank You Sheree and Family, we got your gift yesterday. You should NOT have done that. You all rock!}

Update: This is what gin & tonic does to a tired husband:

Don't worry, we have another bag:)

Blessings

Apparently our little flower bud (staying with the floral theme) decided that bed rest and a cerclage wasn't enough excitement for one pregnancy. So she decided to spice things up and give us some trouble Sunday night. Long story short, I am back in the hospital for a few days. All issues have been addressed and I've been given a steroid to help with lung development should she decide to be REALLY dramatic and come early. I'm hoping to go home tomorrow. 

We are feeling truly blessed these days for all of our friends and family who are thinking of us and praying and offering to help in any way. We've had family come from out of state to help us out. We've had a very sweet friend bring over dinner. Today another friend graciously agreed to have the little flower over for a "play date" until Chris can come over and pick her up after work. Multiple relatives have sent care packages. We can only hope to pay it forward someday.

Another blessing...our new nanny. I was very hesitant to hire a nanny but given our current situation we thought it would be best. She has been with us for a week now and we could not be happier. She comes Monday through Friday from about 9-5 and lately has been more than willing to come early/stay late as needed. The little flower really seems to enjoy her company and vice versa, which is just priceless to me. They will start music classes next week. I will of course worry the entire time time they are gone but I'll just have to get over myself.

Speaking of blessings, eight little blessings to be exact. Last I heard all of the babies were doing exceptionally well, on room air already. I am so happy for that family and wish them well. And Mom plans on breast feeding the babies! Three words: YOU GO GIRL.

 

  

I Heart Faces- Joy

It's been so fun looking through all of the photos entered each week at I Heart Faces. One of my blog buddies received an honorable mention the first week and her entry this week is just precious. I don't know how she finds the time with twins (two-year-old twins at that), but she is getting darn good with that camera! I also found a great photographer whose pictures just blow me away. I don't know what she does, but whatever it is I wish she could bottle it up and send me some. I also wish she lived closer. On second thought it's probably a good thing she doesn't because I would be tempted to hire her oh... once a month or so. 

 Anyhoo...this week's theme is Joy and this is my entry:

Every time I look at this picture I want to make the exact same face:)

  

Someone Pinch Me

No matter your political persuasion, can't we all agree that it will be a refreshing change to now have young children in the White House? I'm thrilled to pieces that those children will be these girls.

Happy Inauguration Day! 

I Heart Faces- Week Two

I hate to admit it, but I've been slacking off big time when it comes to photography. I still take pictures, but I mostly use the auto settings on my camera and end up with snapshot quality photos. I'd really like to get back into the groove of practicing every day, if only my favorite subject would sit still for longer than five seconds. My other challenge these days is the winter lighting, particularly since I'm homebound on bed rest, but it's forcing me to experiment with different lenses which ultimately is a good thing. 

I thought participating in the contests at www.iheartfaces.blogspot.com would be a fun motivator for me. I think most of the participants think of it not so much a contest, but simply a chance to share photos with others interested in photography and possibly learn some things in the process. The theme this week is Anything Goes and I am submitting this picture:

 

It was taken a while back when she would sit still and smile sweetly and I could pay attention to things like aperture and shutter speed. I had just gotten my new camera and this was our first outdoor photo shoot. It will always be one of my favorites. I have thousands of favorites but still... 

Breathing Easier

I am now 24 weeks and past the point of viability. I saw the perinatologist yesterday and everything looks and feels great as far as the cerclage is concerned. Now we just wait. With each passing week I feel a little less anxiety and a lot more thankful. It was nice to get out of the house, even if it was just to drive to the hospital and back. 

Chris' good friend from college is in town visiting this weekend. The little flower is loving having a new person around to flirt with. I'm loving that Chris is enjoying some down time, however temporary.

The little flower is sleeping in her new big girl bed for the first time tonight. She's been sleeping in a Pack 'n Play since we moved. We opted to go straight to a full bed and so far so good. It slipped my mind to get rails for the bed so I made a cocoon with pillows and then tucked her quilt in around them. I'm really wishing I had a video monitor right about now. I had to lay with her tonight until she fell asleep but I expected as much. I also expect that she will wake up in the night and cry out for us. We'll see...

 

Wired

I mentioned the television show The Wire in a previous post, I think we were just finishing the first season. About a year ago, I heard someone on NPR liken the show to "reading the best book you've ever read". I didn't think it was a very original concept for a television show. I'm not into police shows. Then I read this at Blue Poppy and was convinced to at least give it a try. This is just one of the many reasons I love reading blogs.

We just received the last disc of season two in the mail today and I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to watching these episodes. I find myself thinking about the show out of the blue on any given day. Without wanting to give too much away (because you should all start watching it right along with me), something terrible happened to someone in a recent episode (how's that for not giving too much away) and after watching the scene I lost my appetite. I almost couldn't finish the piece of pie I was eating. It was that powerful people.

If I didn't have to wait on my husband who is as hooked as I am but who can really only stay up late enough to watch it on the weekends, I would watch nothing but back to back episodes until the very last one. And then start all over again...

*edited to add that it might not be everyone's cup of tea, lots of strong language, some nudity, drug-dealing, etc...Gotta love HBO:)