Baby Wonderful Is......

a

BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Woot!
I *felt* all along that we would have a boy this time but part of me can't even believe it!
We have two wonderful girls and now get to have a taste of the other side! Mr. Wonderful was really excited to be able to shop in a new section of Target. HA!
Yay for boys! (and girls!!)

Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Fields Forever

Today we had an extra special treat and went Strawberry picking at our favorite local farm.
It all started out with a lovely little hayride (sans hay--which, is better in my humble opinion!).

Amelie and Hannah-Girl:

When we arrived at the field everyone set right to work picking--even Maeve! I couldn't believe how well she stayed with us and focused on picking the berries--it was so cute! I was sure I was going to spend the morning chasing her but she was awesome!!
(She saved all her running for when Granny was watching her at the playground =)

Amelie is a strawberry picking expert and found a basket of just-right-ripe-red berries.The Pickers!
After we filled our baskets the kids took a break and played soooo well together at the fun playground! There were all sorts of make believe areas, go carts, climby thingys, playground equipment etc.

Amelie and Aiden racing!

Yum-o!
The strawberries were divine and absolutely delicious!!

What a fun day with friends and Granny!
Yay!
(And everyone took long naps when we got home! Woot! Woot!)

Shelly Is...

*hoping that Amelie's obsession with the monkey bars will end soon--she's been asking non-stop to be brought to the park to "practice her moves"
*wondering if Maeve's new habit of pooping in the bath tub will save me money on diapers. I suppose this started happening at just the right time since Target raised their prices on diapers AND wipes $2 a box! ayyeeeeeee
*loving this spring weather--not hot, not cold--perfectly warmish weather
*counting down the three weeks until our free, awesome, beach front-ish (almost--a block away) ocean city vacation!
*is annoyed that old navy keeps coming out with tons of cute, too expensive, maternity clothes that i don't need but want anyway
*enjoying driving our new van. it's newness and bigness ROCK.
*excited about Wednesday and our ultrasound appointment

Sunday

Patriotic Princess

Let's Go Fly A Kite!

We had a lovely time in NY with my family--

we procured our van, spent time playing in the newly redecorated tree-house, attended my cousin's beautiful, happy, love-filled wedding, and Amelie flew kites with Pop!It was super windy and chilly the entire time we were in NY but it was awesome kite flying weather and they had a ton of fun! Amelie is a regular kite flying pro =)

Friday Five

1. Even though this week was technically short, it felt very, very long. Praise the Lord for two napping children and long naps at the same time every day for the three of us.
Thank. You. Jesus.
2. We had a chance to visit with Mr. Wonderful's Floridian Step-Father this week--it was very nice to see him and some of his very large brood of children, grandchildren, great grandchildren etc. He also brought a present for me from Mr. Wonderful's mother--an Amelie-sized box of many Stampin' Up stamp sets, ink pads, card making supplies, etc.
It. Is. Awesome.

3. I dress my girls in matching outfits so often it borders on obnoxious. I don't care. I heart it and will continue to do so until they're 13 and rebel =)
4. I feel like I'm getting closer on names--and I CAN NOT WAIT UNTIL WEDNESDAY!!!! when we find out *fingers crossed we actually do* what brand of baby we're gonna have!!!
I even started an online registry just for fun because I'm in full baby-day-dream mode.
Fun times.
5. I hope that all of the questions Amelie has been asking lately turns her into some kind of super genius. My ears and mouth are tired people--this kid has got some CURIOSITY!! It's good and all, but what do I look like, the Encyclopedia Britannica?!? Tee hee!

Happy Weekend!

Thursday Three In The Form Of A Summary, Question And A Statement

1. we had a lovely day--i finally got some much needed groceries, we met up with some good friends, the girls and i took excellent naps, i actually had the strength to make a yummy dinner and now everyone is playing outside--except for me, who is, of course, enjoying the air conditioning.

2. is delilah too devilish a name for a baptist baby? talk to me people. i *loveeee* that name--the husband--not so much (but, hello?! cute nickname possibilities galore! and really i think more people now-a-days think of delilah the radio hostess as opposed to delilah the temptress who tricked samson. it's not like i want to name the baby jezebel or judas--right? and maybe it's a boy so none of this matters anyways....)

3. i'm going out with one of my favorite prego friends tonight. woot!

good night and have a pleasant tomorrow!

Bittersweet Memories; That Is All I'm Taking With Me

The good news: we got an awesome new van for our growing family!
The sad news: we didn't need 3 vehicles and decided to part with Mr. Wonderful's as it was worth a little less than my car.
I wouldn't say I've ever been attached to a vehicle before--I'm not really what you would call a "car person."
I'm happy with a car as long as it gets me from Point A to Point B in a dependable manner.
Mr. Wonderful isn't really a car person either--but this car was a little special!
This was the first car he bought.
He picked it out new and paid for it himself and has driven it solely for the last 11 years.
He owned it the entire time we dated--he picked me up from Willet's dorm in it
(he looked so handsome and fabulous in his new car sitting there waiting for me!).
We drove to our honeymoon in it (he drove, I opened up cards and counted $$ tee hee!).
It's become a part of the family and we were a little sad to see it go.

Goodbye car!
You've been with us for the very best years of our lives.
We'll miss you!
p.s. this photo wasn't staged--he really loves this car enough to hug it to say goodbye!

Crisis

Okay...so maybe that title is an overstatement of the "problem" but I'm having serious mental block on a baby name.
With my girls I had lists and things but always *knew* exactly what I wanted their names to be.

**Next week we find out what we're having and I want to have a few good names in place because I like talking about my baby by name not by "the baby" you know? **

Names I considered with Amelie:
1. Amelie/Amelia
2. Isabella

(Boy names: Aidan, Ian)

Maeve:
1. Maeve
2. Aurelia

(Boy Name: Jacob)

I want a name that is distinctive enough to make sense with Maeve and Amelie (you know, one you can't find on a key chain when you're on vacation)--like a name in the top 1000 but not the top 10. I was leaning towards Isabella again but know there are a lot of them out there--which for me, is a negative. I have a couple of good boy name ideas (neither popular nor weird) but neither boy name I like goes with any middle names I have lined up.

Names I have liked all along for baby numero tres:
Boy:
1. Deacon
2. Dean

Girl:
1. Lorelei

(I know two of these names are from Gilmore girls-I didn't realize that at first when I decided I like the name Dean but realize it now. hmm)

Names I "like" *today*:
Boy:
1. Everett
2. Emmett (urgh, just realized this is a twilight name = more popular?)
3. Brayden (which i just found out is also for girls?!)
4. Thatcher/Forest/Grayson and similarly unusual boy names

Girl:
1. Sophia
2. Nora
3. Maisie
4. Isabella (also twilight-mer)

Names I love that have been taken by close friends and family:
Olivia
Isabella
Gwyneth
Joshua
Jonathan
Sadie
Jude

Now, go forth and comment and help a girl out--not that I'll take any advice--I have in the past always picked the names people liked least--I'm a rebel that way. =)

Our Front Yard Alternately Titled: I'm So Stinkin' Glad That This Didn't Land On Our New Van Parked 10 Feet From Here!!

Happy Memorial Day!

Sometimes Big Girls Get The Blues

She's A Professional

On a whim we decided to get pictures taken of the girls the other night.
Amelie loves getting her pictures done and Maeve....well, Maeve endures it.
Amelie did such a wonderful job that even when her little sister was doing this:

and this:

she still kept a smile on her face and eventually we ended up with this:

and this:
and this:
and a lot of these:

What a little sweetie!

Friday Five

1. What a lovely day we had! Such warm springy/summery weather! We enjoyed an impromptu visit to the zoo with one of our Wonderful cousins and her Mommy. And I didn't bring my camera--I seem to have enough on my hands lately wrangling Maeve and keeping an eye on a 99% obedient Amelie. =)

2. I have been totally lusting after these sweet baby bonnets I found on Etsy
(after being pointed there by Britney of 4 Little Men. )3. And this maternity dress from Target that I found on the back of Baby Talk or some such magazine:4. We took the girls tonight for an impromptu Picture People outing and their pictures came out so cute! Maeve even smiled like a big girl. It kind of made my heart hurt (in a good way).

5. And another thing:
So. Happy. It's. Friday.

Happy Memorial Day!

May Flowers

Happy 19 Maevey Baby!

You are so beautiful to me!

I love you little one!
Happy 19 months!
You're starting to act and talk like such a *little* big girl!
Asking for things...stringing words together and you can even count to 3!
(well, sometimes =)
Thank you for sleeping through the night, lots of squishy kisses and hugs, buckets of laughter and for having a head full of hair.
Muah!

Happy. Sad.

The Newest Wonderful

I was taking pictures of Mr. Wonderful's car (so as to list for sale) and thought I'd snap a picture of the newest Wonderful.
I must admit I'm terrified to drive it--it's much too pretty and my driving much too spotty.
I feel it's doomed to sit in the drive looking lovely. =)