Day at the Zoo

Saturday was just too beautiful to stay home! So we ventured down to Tacoma to the Point Defiance Zoo.

John Paul and Mom just before they left. What an exciting day!

This was our second time to the elephants. They weren't too active the first time we saw them.

Dad is teaching John Paul how to float on his back in case he falls in the huge aquarium.Julie for a swim.
This is her solo synchronized swimming move.
This one too.
John Paul had a great time. He even put his feet up to relax a bit.
He really liked watching the beluga whales swim past, and swim past, and swim past.


Matt enjoyed the monkeys but John Paul thought they looked kind of suspicious.
And then there was the yak. As you can see, JP was more interested in watching all of the children running around. Ad there were a lot of people at the zoo too!

Unfinished Projects

On Monday, I decided we needed to clean up our spare bedroom since we were using it to store EVERYTHING that we just didn't want to deal with at the time. And in doing so, I noticed at least FIVE different projects that I have bought stuff for or started never finished, and so on.

I decided then and there to complete at least on project that day, and behold the results. This was an apron that I bought the material for back in September! Our Mom's group decided to make aprons and I gabbed the whole time instead of sewing. In fact, I really enjoyed putting this togeter, mostly during JP's nap time. I'll keep you updated on the other 4+ projects that I have left!

Storytime with Clifford

Well, the heading really explains it! We joined our Mom's group friends at story time in Gig Harbor with a special appearance of Clifford, The Big Red Dog. John Paul wasn't too keen on the friendly fellow. Yes, it was a forced picture if you can't tell from the expression on his face and the fact that he is clinging to my shirt and my hair. Even Clifford looks a little surprised to see us there!

Times like these....

Have you ever had this moment: I thought, "Great! Finally John Paul is entertaining himself. I can get a few things done."

Only to turn around and realize that he was entertaining himself, after he reached up to the table, found my wallet, and was busy emptying every last thing that I had in there. Such is Life!

Wait, I better go see what is entertaining him right now.

Self Feeding Adventures

John Paul has shown a great interest in feeding himself. And since I was busy baking and he was hollering because he was hungry, I decided to just let him feed himself some yogurt. All in all, he fed himself most of the dish and it wasn't as big of a mess as it could have been.
"I know I have a spoon, but my fingers work much better."
"See!?!?!?"

You know you're pregnant when....

You see the Cookie Monster on Seseme Street, holding a cardboard cookie with the letter of the day, and you start to think:

Cookies sound really good. Is he holding an oatmeal cookie? I have oatmeal, maybe I'll make some cookies. I really don't want a whole batch of cookies. Can I cut a batch down to fourths? Then I could eat them all and not have to share. I don't have any chocolate chips, but I do have Craisins. And then you realize that his cookie is not real and you don't really NEED to have cookies. Ok, try to put it out of your mind.

But you know that as soon as you spot one of those GIANT oatmeal cookies in the store, you won't be able to resist.

Will you take me....to the Ball?

Saturday night, Matt and I attended the Submarine Officers Birthday Ball. It was a lot of fun, and just a great chance for us to get away for the evening. Carly came and babysat John Paul, and he was asleep in his crib when we returned home at 11:30. We are going to have to take advantage of this baby sitter thing at least once a month until Babe #2 arrives.

Back to the ball....They served a 5 course meal, which was very delicious. We didn't know it was a 5 course meal, so by the time the salmon came (which was the third course), I was thinking this was the main meal and we were going to the Pancake House later! But then they brought the main course and chocolate mousse for dessert. I was plenty full!

The above picture are all of the officers from the USS Nebraska Blue that attended, and their wives.

This next picture is the ONLY one of just Matt and myself. Matt didn't like the picture and begged that I didn't post it. Well, this is my compromise.
Each group is supposed to have a "centerpiece" and there is also a contest for the best one. Here is the Red Rocket for the Nebraska. Notice the corn cob torpedoes.
Later in the evening there was a band, and Matt and I finally had the chance to go dancing, which we hadn't done since Kitty and Blaise's wedding in May '06. We were moving so fast, it was just a blurrrrrrrr......... We weren't the only ones on the dance floor, but I was the only 7 month prego woman being twirled around.Ladies of the the Wardroom:

More Ovaltine Please!

I have been trying to get John Paul to drink more milk--I mean, he was drinking only 3-5 ounces a day! Anyway, Elizabeth told me that she had been mixing a little chocolate flavor with Jonathon's milk, and he was gulping it down! Now, I didn't want to introduce chocolate milk because I didn't want him to abandon white milk or think that all milk has to be chocolate, but he was hardly drinking any milk at all so we mixed some Ovaltine (like 1/2 tsp) in with his milk. And let me tell you, he drank that first cup of milk so fast!

So it is Ovaltine in the morning and usually for lunch, then plain milk for supper. He is even drinking the plain milk much better than he did before. Still wouldn't label him as an awesome milk drinker, but I can't be too tough on him because I really don't care for milk that much either. I know, a dairy farm girl who doesn't like milk, right?
Anyway, at least with Ovaltine, he is getting a few more vitamins, right? Have a great day!

Aunt Anne

There was a request to see pictures of Aunt Anne from our trip to North Dakota. I didn't realize that I left her out when I was posting pictures! Anne is Matt's youngest sister and she just turned 10 in January. John Paul had a blast with her too.
Here is Anne from our wedding day. She was our flower girl. Just adorable!!

Weekend Chores

Matt cleaned our gutters and swept off the roof......John Paul cleaned off this bench....
And I just took the pictures, and supervised of course!

How easily entertained!

Belly Shots

I decided we needed to take a few pictures of my growing belly. We took so many when I was pregnant with John Paul and these are the first ones with this baby. Oh wait, I didn't even know I was pregnant until 3 months ago!! But here I am at 27 weeks. Which means only about 13 left to gooooooooooo..............................

A little different angle:
Stucking in:

First Baby Sitter

Mark your calendars!!! Today was the first time that John Paul had a "real babysitter." You know, a high schooler who comes to your house to watch your child. He had a great time with Carly while Mom ran a few errands. We used this time to introduce the two since Carly is going to be babysitting while Matt and I go to the Submarine Officers Ball next weekend. More pictures of that to follow too! I must admit, though, as I was pulling out of the drive-way I had that maternal tug at my stomach thinking, "Wow, I am really leaving him with someone I don't know really well and isn't related to me." I got over it and enjoyed my time. Carly was great!

Let There Be Light!

We NEEDED better lighting in our kitchen, so after many months of deciding and at least 5 trips to Lowes to look at the options (although they never changed the options we just finally made up our mind!), we purchased and Matt installed our new kitchen light. I'm pretty excited to actually see my fingers while chopping veggies.

Before:
After: