8 months...getting close!

I'm so ready for this baby to be born.  It is finally hitting me that I am exhausted and done being pregnant.  I have some energy during the daytime hours, but once I am home and ready to wind down I barely have any strength left to enforce bedtime rules or play referee.  With a month to go I really hope this little girl decides to make her appearance early.  That would make me happy!  I know all the guys in my house would be happy too as the boys are very eager to meet their sister and Leo his daughter.  So possibly one more set of monthly belly shots to come, but fingers and toes crossed that the next round of pictures are of a precious little newborn princess.  

Little Fish

I am so proud of Noah.  He has been taking swimming lessons off and on since he was 3 months old.  This summer has by far been the most beneficial to his swimming repertoire.  Along with being older, he fully understood what the instructor was asking of him and had the enthusiasm to actually learn how to do it.  After spending 10 days in Maui, and swimming 8 out of 10 of those days, he came back to his lessons with a little more confidence.  So much in fact that he decided he could swim on his own.  

Jen = uber-proud mommy!!

Aloha

There are so many pictures from our recent trip to Maui...I couldn't possibly post them all on here.  I will however share a great pic of the boys with some tropical friends they met.

I wish we were still there.  So many great memories that I hope to always remember...and being a bit older this trip I hope Noah will remember too.  Playing in the ocean, sand and pools.  Snorkeling and boogie boarding.  Getting to proudly watch my guys surf.  Seeing how confident Noah and Julian became in the water with each passing day.  Eating delicious fresh fish.  I already miss my mango smoothie every day.  I liked smelling of suntan lotion on a daily basis and waltzing my pregnant belly around the resort in a bikini with nary a sideways glance (in fact I got several compliments a day on how well I'm wearing my pregnancy).  


There truly is an amazing island spirit in Hawaii and I hope it stays with me and my family for months to come (along with our truly bodacious tans)! 

Cuddle time

Summer Camp has worn me out.  All the waking everyone up in time, feeding, dressing, sun-blocking, teeth brushing, preparing lunches, getting out of the house, and driving back and forth is making me so tired!  But I'm not the only one.  Noah has come home every day for 3 weeks telling me how tired he is.  He just wants to have a snack and rest once we get home.  He seems to have all the "oomph" wiped right out of him.  So today when I got us home Julian was asleep as usual.  I laid him on the couch and all I had left in me was to take up the empty spot available next to him.  Noah decided I looked pretty dang comfortable so he laid down in front of me, covered us both up with a blanket and we all slept.  A good deep sleep for at least an hour and a half.  But the best part of it all was that I got to cuddle with Noah.  He is such a big boy now and like his mommy - a total busy-body.  He rarely takes time to sit down by me (or anyone for that matter) anymore.  And we are always on the go that often times I don't get to sit with him and just hug and talk.  Knowing that he will start Kindergarten soon, I'm making a personal vow to myself to slow down and spend more time babying my baby before he's off to school all-day, every-day.  

Happy Camper

Noah loves his sumer camp.  He especially loves the dress-up days and face painting.  Here are a few of his costumes and face art over the last couple weeks.  

Stars & Stripes Noah

Captain Noah (Super Hero Day)

Tiger Noah

Mustachioed Noah (Mustache Monday)

Detective Noah (Disguise Day)

Siete Meses

Within the last few weeks my belly has really grown!  

  

I've got friends in all the right places.

I have felt extremely blessed with friendship in the past month.  I've been lucky enough to see all my best friends through all the stages of my life within weeks of each other.  

I recently went on a trip to Virginia/Washington DC to visit Elena...my best-friend from college.  She was having her baby shower for peanut #3 and I wanted to visit her since we last saw each other 2 years ago at a combined family vacation in Costa Rica.  When she asked Leo & I to be God Parents, I wanted to go even more to help celebrate her new baby.  Leo was all for the trip and diligently checked flight dates and prices until a couple days before we found the right flight & price.   So sans children I got to go visit Elena and spend a fun-filled, relaxing weekend with her, just hanging out and catching up.  The weather was crazy (mid-day thunder and lightning) but it was wonderful!

 The following week my best-friend from high school - Shannon, came to town from Idaho to visit friends & family and to show off her new baby #3, Gabriel.  We spent a "totally rad" 80's themed night together with Erin & Millessa; talking, snacking on food, drinks, listening to 80's music, making friendship bracelets, painting our nails and watching 80's movies.  It was loads of fun.  The visit continued the next day when Shan, Gabe, Julian & I spent the afternoon at Santana Row for lunch and a little window shopping.  It was really great having some quiet time together when the kids were napping and we could talk about this, that and the other - which we do on a regular basis, but it's more fun to get to see each other in person to do it.

Just last night I got to spend the evening with my very first best friend ever...Angela!  We have known each other since we were babies, grew up next door to each other, and her mom used to babysit me.  I have countless memories of spending days of my youth with the Lewis' - camping, ice cream (and fake bubblegum cigarettes) from the ice cream man, theme parks, movies, etc...And after last night Danielle (Angela's sister) reminded me of all the home movies we used to make.  I look forward to seeing Killer Cats soon!  But one of the biggest memories is going to the New Kids on the Block at the Oakland Coliseum in 1989.  We rode BART there and totally rocked out at the concert...crying during ballads, sharing binoculars to see all the guys on stage.  Well, 22 years later we did it again!  NKOTB concert!  I was surprised and excited to find out a few days before that Angela's mom had a ticket for me to go with them and I'm so glad they did!  It was great to go to the concert, but even more fun to catch up with Angela, her friends, and a family I grew up with!  

Whether new or old, close or far, it felt like nothing has changed between myself and each of these women.  We fell into old patterns, talked about old times, caught up on new news and enjoyed time spent together.  So to all my best friends...I love you and look forward to when we can see each other again.  You've each been a huge part of my life and I'm so thankful for you.