Monday, July 25, 2011

Brand New View




I've been meaning to put this on here forever! A while back, T woke up with pink and goopey eyes so we took her to the optometrist. They had time for her to have a vision test while she was there, so we went for it. Turns out, she's got the crummy eyesight genetics promised. BUT, she got to pick out these sassy specs!! She's a doll, no? :)

July

I can't believe July is nearly over! And I haven't been on to post once. This month started out with our annual 4th celebration of watching the Winnebago fireworks at the Johnsons' from our branch. They have an amazing view of the fireworks, and kindly open their yard and home for the viewing pleasure of the entire branch. Sam was working a 24, so the girls and I headed out on our own. We left our house just as dark was settling in, so the fireworks had already started. It was fun to see Byron's, Winnebago's, and Pecatonica's fireworks all at once on our drive over!

The next day brought about something I have been waiting years for: the U2 concert!! Sam and I have never been to a live concert before, and who better to break that trend than U2?! It was an amazing and memorable experience. It was crazy hot, I was having uterine pains, and we got lost afterwards, but the music!! It was so neat to experience it with my sweet hubby. The concert was originally scheduled for last year, but due to Bono requiring back surgery, it got rescheduled. It was crazy to see a packed stadium of people who had been waiting an entire year for that experience. It was really cool.

Sam and I kept talking for days about how impressive it is that they have such a strong recording history, so many hits, so much energy on stage, and just plain and simple how AMAZING the sound quality was! Bono's VOCALS! I have heard several live concerts recordings, and often the quality just isn't as good as what they concoct in a studio. Not so with U2. And Bono mixes up his pacing and melodies enough that you know there ain't no lip syncing going on. It was really, really cool. Yes, I realize that I'm lacking in appropriate vocabularly, but that's simply because I'm awed by such obvious talent. It was...well, kind of humbling to be invited into view such skill, such passion, such....bodacity. :)




































The following week we got to enjoy Byronfest with the whole family. I love this little tradition we have. Our little town has a mini carnival with rides and food and games every year. I love it because it's on such a manageable scale. Fairs make me so nervous with the girls, so this is just the perfect size. I didn't get to ride any rides this year, being huge pregnant, so I got to relish in the pure delight of watching my girls have such a good time together. I love that they are such good friends. It makes life so much nicer, particularly this summer where they mainly just have each other for entertainment.

The girls have been troopers. July has been hot. Very hot. Like so hot that even getting into our unheated pool isn't enough to cool me down to stay outside for longer than five minutes without getting sick. Gratefully, the girls are excited about the room makeover we've been slowly working on, and that keeps them distracted most days. Plus, the novelty of having a bedroom full of mattresses (which is what B's room is right now as we work on transforming T's) hasn't quite worn off yet, thankfully.

We also got to have another ultrasound this month, which was fun. The entire family crowded into the room to see the little one. It seems he's not going to be quite so little :) but it was fun to see him. We didn't really get any good pictures of him (which has kind of been a frustration for me) but he's healthy and extremely strong, so we're happy. Last night, Sam and I were lying on the bed talking and he had his hand on my belly. Suddenly he gets this surprised look on his face and goes, "Woah! He's really moving around in there! Or am I just imagining it?" He wasn't imagining, but I had to laugh because this little boy moves around all the time and what Sam was feeling was little league. I was surprised it seemed like a lot of movement under Sam's hand because compared to what Little Bean is capable of, it was nothing. Sam watched my belly for a few more minutes and then said, "How do you sleep?!" :) It's always kind of nice when the husband gets a taste of what wifey has to go through.

Both the girls were active in utero, but nothing compared to their brother. He seems to get really frustrated with the confines of the womb sometimes and will stretch the entire length or width of my abdomen. The width feels weird and tight, but when he decides to stretch the length, it hurts! The little guy pushes for all he's worth! And he's got the Schwegler strength, no doubt about it. And he loves to roll. He will roll and roll and roll for minutes at a time. It's crazy watching my stomach when he does that. He's got personality, for sure. I can't wait to meet him.

We sit at five more weeks until Little Bean gets here. I have SO much to do, but having anemia, and still such fierce nausea, etc etc etc, there are days it feels like I'm never going to be ready. BUT we have the co-sleeper, car seat, diapers, going-home outfit....that should hold us for a few days, right? ;) Oye.

That brings us a little more current. Life is busy and as always has it's challenges, but it's sweet, too. I'm so grateful for all my many, many blessings.