a new month - a new baby

So many pictures and so little time, my friends.

Things like preparing the baby's room, cleaning, finishing projects, naps, reading, yard work, freezing dinners and oh, chasing a talkative toddler, are occupying my time these days. Tomorrow is a new month ... July, if we're being specific, the month of a new baby. Maybe belated pictures will be posted for you all to see (since I know you're not sleeping at night wondering what's going on at our house), but maybe a baby will come before those pictures. Or how about a happy medium ... pictures of a new baby and her 0h-so-excited, but totally clueless older sister! Yay - wouldn't that be fun? I know, I can't wait!

I'm due July 16th and the doctor casually mentioned on Monday that we're making progress and I'm measuring ever so slightly ahead (it wasn't really that casual). Any guesses on her arrival date? Just in case it affects your guess, I was 6 days early with Mallory. I have no guess - any day would be perfect for me just so long as all goes smoothly!

I should probably finish packing that hospital bag...

Strawberry Picking

My cousin, Megan and I went strawberry picking for the 4th year in a row last Tuesday. The season started a couple weeks early this year and I didn't have anyone to watch Mallory so knowing her love for strawberries and being outside I figured I'd chance it and take her along.

This farm also has a small petting zoo and some great play structures, so she was thrilled from the start.

Here she is laughing at the "go"s.

Waiting to be taken to the field.

Her eyes are closed ... wonder where she gets that from.

Mallory & Megan

"Oooh, dog!"

I should have known I'd have nothing to worry about. Literally SECONDS after reaching the field she bent down, picked and ate a strawberry. Unfortunately, I wasn't quick enough with the first one and she ate the stem too. Eh, well, she didn't seem to mind.

She got the hang of picking, but somehow none of her strawberries made it in the flat.

Trying to sneak one I had picked...

I had a suspicious amount of straw in my flat when I got home and started washing the strawberries ... couldn't figure out how it got in there.

...full tummy, getting tired and a little bored, but still cute as heck...

She perked up when we got back to the farm and FED the "go"s.

...on to the play structures...

By the time we left she didn't want help climbing the stairs.

14 pounds of strawberries and lots of fun later...

...she was one exhausted girl.

She got a nap, but I had lots of work to do:

19 jars of freezer jam, 6 containers in the freezer and a fresh strawberry pie!

Sunday Chores

We decided that with a new baby coming, Mallory needs to start pulling her weight around here. So Sunday's chores started off with baking a banana cake.

She has a lot to learn in terms of getting the FULL amount of the ingredients into the bowl, but we're working on it. We may have "guesstimated" a little to account for some spilling.
She had no trouble when it came to "taste testing" ...

... several times.

I think she approved and the cake turned out great!

Once she finished the cake it was on to some light cleaning.

I should have warned her that smiling while cleaning will only get her signed up for more cleaning. She asked for it...

like mother like daughter.

We stopped by our local church festival on Friday night. After eating, we ordered dessert and I planned to SHARE my favorite - mint chocolate chip ice cream - with Mallory.

She really wasn't shy about eating the entire thing and I ended up ordering a second one for me.

Here's a clip of Mallory and Ember burning off some calories - they were dancing machines!

It won't be the last time!

Mallory has been sleeping in her "big girl" twin size bed (go here for "before" pictures and stay tuned for "after") for about two weeks and things have gone considerably well. You didn't know? Well, we didn't want to jinx it! She sleeps like a champ at night and for naps. She just wakes up a little earlier in the morning than she did before. Overall, I'd call it a success (new baby arrival may change things ... or not. We'll see!) Occasionally at night we'll lay her down and she'll pay us a visit (or two) in the family room before going to sleep, but I'd guess that's normal and has given us a few giggles.

Anyway, last night we went to check on her and she wasn't in her bed! Surprise!! We found her close by ... in her old room on the floor! She was sound asleep and didn't make a peep when we moved her to her bed. Poor babe!

It's a mystery to us, but I'm sure it won't be the last time we find her somewhere other than her bed.

Drinking from the HOSE!

Where is this child's mother?

Oh, right. Laughing from behind the camera!

Sprinkler

A recent WARM weekend called for some fun in the sprinkler ... Mallory quickly went from cautious to carefree!