Mother-Daughter Pedicures

We were lucky enough to have Kylee on Saturday this week (we typically only have her the first half of the week), so I wanted to take advantage of this extra "play day".  I knew just what I wanted to do - pedicures! Not only did I badly need a pedicure, but Brandee had told me a few weeks ago about a place nearby that has special chairs for little kids.

Kylee had the biggest smile the entire time... from enjoying sitting in the cute butterfly chair to turning on the back massage to getting to watch Cat in the Hat, she loved it!  She kept telling me how cool it was and would give me the thumbs up.  Today she asked me if, when her polish wore off, if we could go back and get pedicures again.  Why yes, I think that's a wonderful idea :-)

Looking Chubby

It's been a couple weeks, so I figured I would post again about my pregnancy.  I didn't want to overwhelm my blog with these posts, but I figure this is my journal so I'd better write down what I don't want to forget. I know, I should probably keep a real journal, but I don't so this will have to suffice!

I am at this awkward stage where I'm feeling and looking chubby.  At 16 weeks I've gained 6 pounds, but it looks like I've gained 20.  My mid-section has ballooned, but not in a cute, pregnant, baby bump way.  Just in a looks like I've been eating lots and not exercising kind of way.  I guess I have been eating lots, but I am still working out at least a couple times a week with Brandee!  At this point, I am really looking forward to when I get a more defined bump - the kind where people will look at me and think I look pregnant and not just fat!  Hopefully that will come soon.  I've had a couple people ask if I have been taking pictures of my expanding belly, and the answer is no!  Maybe once I have that baby bump I will take some pictures, but I don't see the need to document this "looking chubby" stage :-)

Speaking of looking chubby, the fact that gaining weight is a positive thing is just still weird for me to get through my head.  I mean, I've worked so hard in past years to work out and eat right and feel like I'm fit, so this just seems odd.  At my second doctor's appointment I had lost a couple pounds (probably because I had been sick), so my doctor commented at my last appointment that it was a good thing that I had gained some weight.  Still weird to think about, but I know that just means the baby is growing, and I'm looking forward to the ultrasound (hopefully in a few weeks) so I can get real confirmation of that growth!  At this point, the baby is about 4 1/2 inches long from head to rump.  Nice job baby!  Keep growing!

On a positive note, I haven't thrown up in over a week, and today I haven't hardly felt sick at all... it has been a good day!  Hoping I'm passing this sickness stage.  And I am still waiting for my skin to clear up.  I was talking to Kylee about how the baby gave me those "red spots" (that have now expanded from just my neck and chest to my shoulders and upper back - yuck!!!) and how I was hoping they would go away soon because I didn't like how they looked.  My sweet girl responded, "Mommy, I think you still look beautiful, even with those red spots."  I sure love that girl.

One final note for today - I bought our first baby item... a car seat!  A couple weeks ago I started researching some of the "bigger" baby items to see what brand/style I thought we should get.  For a car seat, I settled on a Chicco Keyfit 30 Magic.  It has excellent ratings and I got it on sale this last weekend at Babies R Us.  Opening that box made me even more excited for this little growing baby!

Happy Independence Day!

Last year, I posted about how the Fourth of July is Matt's favorite holiday... and I have to say that I looked forward to the 4th more this year than I ever have before!  We traveled to Inkom, Idaho again this year to celebrate with Matt's extended family (from my count, there were over 50 family members there!).  The 4th was so much fun, with a flag ceremony and program, parade, good food (including homemade rootbeer and a snowcone machine!), and lots of fun activities for everyone.

Kylee waving at a firetruck in the parade.  She got a giant ziplock bag of candy again this year.

Emery getting ready to do a little fishing.

The boys had fun designing water balloon launchers and seeing who could launch a balloon the farthest (Matt's team won, of course!).

I think my favorite part of the holiday weekend, though, was camping.  Matt's grandfather has a couple thousand acres of land not far from his home, so it was fun to have our own private campground.  Matt, Kylee, and I have all been looking forward to camping this summer, and this was our first time out.  Kylee has been especially excited to go fishing.

She had never been before and I wasn't sure how it would go... I personally think fishing is kind of boring.  I mean, you can stand there for hours without catching a thing!  Anyway, Matt's grandpa had stocked the pond on his land, and we went right at the perfect time.  I caught some grasshoppers as bait, and Matt helped Kylee cast her pole.  Within seconds of each cast, Kylee had a fish trying to get the grasshopper.  It was so much fun watching how excited Kylee got (although I think maybe Matt and I were just as excited!)  We were only out there for about 15 minutes and Kylee had already caught three fish!

I love this video... her determination to reel in the fish, her squeals of delight, and dropping the pole to clap at her success!  Don't mind my laughing in the background :-)
Here's a picture of our little "fisher girl".  She's trying to smile, but the fish are a little heavy for her!  We cooked up the fish over the fire for breakfast the next morning... yum!!!

We also had fun shooting, and Matt was in heaven riding dirt bikes and taking Kylee for a ride on the 4-wheeler.  Matt talks to me almost daily about buying dirt bikes, and this weekend won't help that issue!

We're already planning our next camping trip back in Inkom later this month!