lovely Sabbath day

Today was a GORGEOUS Sabbath day! The humidity was super low ... just how I like it, but it was warm enough to be in our pool. I love to lay on a raft and relax on a quiet Sabbath afternoon. Luckily the neighbors who live behind us didn't have their kids out in their pool ... so it was nice and peaceful. No lawnmowers. No dogs barking. And Colton was peacefully asleep in his crib. It was wonderful!

At church today, Colton saw his friend, Mei Li, come in to sit down after the service had begun ... of course, he had to yell, "MEI, MEI!" He did it repeatedly throughout the service until Billy finally had to take him out of the sanctuary. Colton just loves her, and he can't help himself. When he sees her, he wants to say hi and wants her attention. After church, he got the chance to visit with her. I took these pictures from Mellie's Facebook page. They were just too cute! I had to share them with you. An adoring look ....
A sweet kiss ...

This morning, Colton woke up late ... at 9:00 a.m., and this was only because I had to wake him. I think he's needing the extra sleep as he gets rid of whatever was ailing him this week. At least he woke up without a fever this morning. This afternoon, he slept for nearly 3 hours. I think he's beginning to feel much better now. We're about to go for a walk to enjoy this weather. Then I'll finish the quilt I have been working on ... and maybe, I'll start another one.

Happy Sabbath!

a GREAT surprise

Can you imagine!?! I open my door when I hear a KNOCK, KNOCK, "UPS!" There's a giant box sitting there. I didn't order anything ... that I can remember. I look to see where it came from. Pottery Barn. I know I didn't order anything from Pottery Barn. I bring it inside, and I open it up ... it's full. Full of WONDERFUL BEDDING!!!! Our dear friends, the Ellis Family, bought us the bedding from Pottery Barn for Sissy Wally's bedroom. Not only that, they bought us two extra-large white baskets with the cutest pink polka-dot liners! We are so blessed to have such sweet and thoughtful friends. We really miss taking care of Mei Mei, and I know that we were thankful for the time Colton had to spend with his first "little sister". Today, he got to play with her again, as I helped out and watched Mei Li. Thank you, Mellie, Dave and Mei Li! You really surprised me, and it was an amazing surprise!

We've been narrowing down the name for Sissy Wally. Colton can point to my tummy and say, "Sissy Baby." My friend, Steph, just told me of a website where they have every name in the book ... including "Meatball". I guess someone named their kid that ... poor guy--or girl. I'm going to try that out to see if there are any more we can add to our short list. It's starting to feel "real"--this having a baby girl. I'm feeling good about it. I'm now on the hunt for a chair for Colton's room, so I can use the rocker in the baby's room. That's Billy's newest idea ... and it makes sense. Who needs two rockers?

Tonight, Colton still wasn't feeling up-to-par. I can tell, because he gets super whiny and won't eat like the usual champ. He wanted peaches for dinner ... just peaches. I got him to eat some string cheese, and I thought he might eat a muffin. It was all I could do to get him to eat one bite of muffin. Here's what I found after his second bowl of peaches.He just did not want to eat those muffins, so he picked them up off of his tray and put each one into his empty peaches bowl. Then he yelled, "ALL DONE!" He made it easier for me to put into the trash, I guess. He just wasn't too interested in eating ... unless I was going to give him more peaches. (And it's not that the muffins didn't taste good ... he shared half of a muffin with me only 2 hours earlier for a snack.)

During bath time tonight, I thought I'd get a picture of Colton's long hair ... I should've taken a picture of it going down his back. It's pretty redneck, and it's very funny! But I only got one of his curly mohawk. It won't even stand up anymore ... that's how long it's getting. It doesn't look as long on top when it's dry, but the back is definitely "business in the front, party in the back".




Billy and I have been watching the NFL draft. It makes me excited for football season. Too bad it's still 5 months away ... just in time for the baby to be born. I hope I don't miss a game ... luckily there are pretty nice TVs in the Baby Place at FH Altamonte. A friend of ours just had her baby via c-section today. It's a girl--Brooke. So many people I know are pregnant! It's amazing! I guess we're just at that age.

I'll leave you with one more funny story about Colton. Yesterday, he asked me if I could put on his sunglasses ... well, he said, "Sunglasses, please!" And I said, "Do you want them on?" He said, "Yes." He handed them to me. So, I put them on him ... and he wore them for the better part of an hour. He never wears these things longer than 2 or 3 minutes, but he really wanted to wear them all around yesterday. I tried to take them off a few times, but he wouldn't have it. He would just say, "Sunglasses, sunglasses, sunglasses!" He was feeling it, and he looked so cute!

mid-week snuffles

Yesterday was a tough day for Cole. He woke up with a fever of about 102--which he maintained all day. I figured it was associated with teething ... and it might be. He's getting his molars. He whined and cranked all morning, and he ate a pitiful breakfast--which, if you know Colton, is very rare. I put him down for a morning nap, and he slept nearly 3 1/2 hours. I tried to get him up at his usual time, but he wouldn't budge. So, I left him to wake on his own. I figured this would make him super rested for the rest of the day, but I figured wrong. He wouldn't eat anything for lunch! He just drank water. I finally got him to eat some string cheese. He kept saying "no", but he ate it anyway. We ran to JoAnns after lunch to get some more fabric for Sissy Wally's quilt, and to get binding fabric for another quilt I'm making. He did alright there, but as we left, he just couldn't stop crying--which is also unlike him. I put him down for another nap when we got home, and he slept for another 2 hours! An hour and a half after he woke up, he was ready for bed. His eyes were sleepy and glassy ... he barely ate dinner ... some raisins and pears. All he wanted to do was snuggle with me ... which is also very unlike him. We put him to bed early, and he slept until 9 a.m.! This kid is definitely sick. :( He had a fever again today, but it has gone down to 100.7. He still didn't eat much for breakfast this morning, but I think that he is feeling a little better ... though I see him snuggling down on the floor with his blanket. I hope he feels better soon! Poor guy.

So, we want to find a 3-in-1 crib for Colton and give his crib to Sissy Wally. I figure, there's no way Cole will stay in a big boy bed to sleep. He'll get out and play ... he's just not ready to be that free, but I know he will be soon. So, getting a bed to grow with him seems right. That way, it will go into a toddler bed and then a twin bed he can use until he goes to college. Here are the two that I like.

I want to paint Colton's current crib white. The day I painted it dark brown, I swore I would never paint a crib again! But white would fit so much better with Sissy's decor. I asked Billy about the bedding. He likes the one I like best. So, I guess I'll be saving a bit more. He also thinks it's ridiculous to save for bedding, but it may be my only girl ... and if it's not ... all of the others will use this bedding, too ... so it will get good use! I looked at JoAnns, yesterday, to see if there was any fabric I wanted to use for her bedding, but I just didn't see any that I fell in love with. I guess I can look online for fabric. I have two months before I'm ordering the other bedding, so I have time.

I went for a run yesterday. I have found that each week that goes by, running is a bit harder. I still get out there and do it, but I feel like I need something to hold my tummy in. The baby is just bouncing around in there. I know it's safe, but it feels weird. I'm also still on the lookout for a pregnancy workout video. I don't want to pay $20 for it, but I'm sure there's something out there.

I better get to binding this quilt I'm working on. I've never made my own binding, so this should be interesting! I'm so thankful for YouTube!

excitement ensues

After a day or two to readjust my thinking, I am getting excited to have a baby girl. Colton now touches my belly and says, "Sissy!" I know he will be a good, protective big brother. I have been thinking and thinking of girl names. It's hard! I have thought of a few I like, but matching them to the names Billy likes is VERY difficult! We are having a hard time agreeing on names. There is one name we like, but it starts with a hard 'C' like Colton, and we aren't necessarily looking for names that start with 'C'. We just happen to like one. But there are a few other names that we have on the list. We just don't have one that we are in love with, yet. I guess we have plenty of time.

Now that I am in "girl mode", and I have been looking and looking for crib bedding. It's ridiculous that most crib bedding is just as expensive as a new stroller--which we have to get, as well. We are in need of a double stroller. Anyway, I have some ideas for crib bedding. I LOVE these two sets ... of course, they are something I will have to save up for a couple of months to get.


Today, I need to run to JoAnn Fabrics for something to finish a quilt I am making (unfortunately, it's not for either of my kids). While I'm there, I am going to check out their fabric to see if there is anything I like just as well that I can use to make my own crib bedding--at least the skirt, quilt, and bumper (I can buy a fitted sheet or two). I don't know if I'm up for that, but if I find something I absolutely love, I may be inclined to try.

The day we found out it was a girl, I wanted to get an outfit to help me get in the mood for a girl. I was shocked to find out it was a girl, so I wanted to refocus to begin getting excited. I was looking for a "coming home from the hospital" outfit, but I couldn't find one I liked in the time I had to look. So, here's the outfit I picked out. I like it, and I think she can use it for a while, since it doesn't really get "chilly" here in the fall. It'll probably be pretty hot and humid until December.

Big Brother was wearing this cute shirt the day we found out Wally is going to be a girl.
Isn't he the cutest?

I'll let you all know if I find anything I like at JoAnn's, or if I'll be saving my moo-lah to buy one of the other crib bedding options. We'll see ....

mixed emotions ... but mostly excitement

I knew I shouldn't have done that to myself. I convinced myself that I was having a boy. I don't know 100% why, really. I just "felt" like it was a boy. I figured having two boys running around, being naughty, and having fun together just seemed right. Where I really went wrong ... I picked a name, and I picked out some new bedding for the crib. What was I thinking!?! When I saw the sonogram, I knew it right away. See, our dear friends just had this happen to them. Well, they had a more flip-flopping, 'now you do-now you don't' kind of story happen to them, but I have been studying their sonogram. I knew what girl parts were supposed to look like via sonogram ... and I figured if I saw boy parts, it would just look very different. It looked the same. I looked and looked for something more "turtle" like, but all I saw was a giant hamburger. It's not that I'm disappointed. I'm just shocked. I did it to myself, really. I got too invested without knowing. So, I'm sure it will take a day or two to sink in ... and I'm sure once we can agree on a name (good luck there!), it'll feel more real. I'm happy to have any baby--girl or boy. She is healthy and well, and I'm thankful for that. I'm just needing to shift my train of thought. Colton will be a great big brother, and I know he'll watch over her. I'm sure they'll fight and play. It'll be good. A little "Tasha" to go along with our little "Billy". Seems like a good plan. God knows what He's doing ... I will have to get on that train, too.
Here's Wally at 19 weeks. She's covering her face from the paparazzi.Here's her long leg bent over her body ... they are flexible in there, aren't they?A side profile of Wally with her hand out above her little head.

guesses, guesses

What could Wally be? A boy or a girl? Make your guesses ... as soon as our families put in their two-cents, we'll share with the world. How good are you at reading these sonogram pictures? Billy says it's ridiculous ... he knows, and he can't see it! Ha, ha! Only time will tell ...

nervous ... yet, excited

Tomorrow is the big day! We find out if Wally is a boy or a girl. I feel like tomorrow is Christmas! I have my appointment at 10:45 a.m., so I won't probably get to post the sonogram until lunch time. Make your guesses! Boy or girl? I think I'm super excited, because I didn't get to feel this way with Colton. When I found out Colton was a boy, it was an accident ... well, it wasn't planned. I was supposed to have a regular 16 week check-up, but I got a call from my OB office asking if I could come in early to have their potential sonogram machine used on me. I thought that would be cool ... a free sonogram! So, I called Billy and asked him if he could make it. Luckily, he did! As the doctor is looking at the baby with about 5 other people in the room, including the sales reps, Billy asks, "So, you can't find out if it's a boy or a girl this early, can you?" The doctor said yes, and he asked if we wanted to know. Billy said, "Tasha, do you want to find out?" Well, if he really wanted to wait, he would not have given me the power to say 'yes' or 'no'. Before I could tell what I was doing, I had said, "YES!" The sonogram tech moved the wand around on my tummy, and said, "It's a boy!" Billy almost fainted. Well, he was super nervous, and he felt like he could pass out. He said, "Are you sure?" They were sure ... and it was ... a beautiful boy--Colton Keith. So, I didn't really have anything to wait for or get nervous about. It just ... happened. This time, I knew the day ... I've been thinking and thinking about it. And it's finally here! Tomorrow is my baby Christmas, and I get to know the gender! Then let the naming and decorating begin! Baby Wally ... you're about to be outed.

an Easter-filled day

Easter started out with a nice breakfast of egg pancakes. Bill went to play basketball at the park with his new ball he just got, and I made us a nice breakfast. Colton was happy to have pancakes, as always!


We were excited to have our friends, Brian, Gwendy, and Mason Adams, here for our Easter celebration today. Colton isn't really old enough to understand what any of it means ... religious or bunny-related, but he did enjoy some treats and some play time with his friend, Mason. I am so blessed to have good friends, and the Adams are really great ones. I was shocked to find out this morning, as I was running around trying to get a few more eggs, that a ton of stores were closed today! I guess it shocked me, because it didn't used to be that way on Easter. But today, all I could find open were gas stations, pharmacies, and Wal-mart! Good old Wal-mart didn't let me down. I got my extra eggs, and thankfully, found that Panera Bread was open next door. I picked up some goodies to share with our friends, and I headed home. Here's our Easter spread.



Once we ate and chatted a while ... we decided it was time to dye some eggs! Gwendy was nervous to let Mason into the dye area too much, so she let him hold an egg while she dyed for him. I took off all of Colton's clothes except for his diaper, and we began dipping eggs. Colton wanted to put the dipper into all of the dye cups and swish it around. He did get blue dye on his tummy once, but other than that, it was pretty successful. He kept saying, "Eggs, eggs, eggs!" I think he had fun.







Here are the finished products. I think the boys did a great job!

The boys' (and possibly girl's) names.
The Heinrich kids' names.

After we dyed eggs, we decided to go on our Easter egg hunt. But first, we had to have a pre-hunt cookie that Auntie Gwendy made. They were delish! Then we got ready to go outside. Do you like the hat Colton borrowed from Mason?





The dads hid the eggs ... in plain sight, and the boys found them. They had a great time finding the eggs and putting them in the baskets!











We even had time to get a family picture. It was hot outside ... about 89 degrees, but the shade felt nice with a cool breeze. The boys didn't seem to notice the heat. Mason did want to get into the pool and kept walking that way ... so maybe he noticed the heat!


Colton was really excited to get his Easter basket. He liked looking through it and finding all of his cool new toys and tasty gummy treats! I put gummies into sports themed eggs in his basket ... he immediately pulled out the soccer egg and yelled, "SOCCERBALL!" I didn't even know he knew that one! Good to know. He also liked the football and basketball eggs. He ate plenty of treats. He found a truck, a stuffed bunny, some books, a coloring book, some crayons, and BUBBLES!





Colton wanted to play with his bubbles, so we went out to the backyard. Billy jumped into the pool, and Colton freaked out! I think he thought Daddy was hurt. He started to cry, "Daddy!?! Daddy!?!" Then when Billy jumped out of the pool it scared him, and Colton would run away behind me. It was so funny! He hid between my legs and peeked at Billy.


The funniest part was when Billy was spraying out the pool filter. Cole wanted to play in the water so badly. He would stick his hands in the spray, and it would splash all over him. He laughed and giggled! I think all he really needs to be happy is some trash that crinkles, a book, and a hose.









All in all, we had a great day! It was fun having our friends here ... we missed our family and some other dear friends, but we still had a great time. I'm thankful that Jesus came to die for our sins, so that we might be saved. I think I'm even more thankful now that I have a kid(s). It's a special weekend to remember the most special time ... and one day, I will be happy to share it with everyone I love in Heaven. Until then ... Happy Easter everyone!