Counting Down...

Hey, out there! Long time, no post, aye?
I guess I unintentionally took a little "Hiatus" from the blogging world!
We are still alive, here at the Staker household... counting down to our new little guy!
Just ONE WEEK to go!
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This one is for you, Janey...
Thanks to you (and Martha Stewart, 8 years ago), for the cah-yewt photo idea! I hope we did it justice!
And thanks to Alli for patiently and spontaneously taking our photo this afternoon...
(Baby Bronson and I are tough customers!)
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Well, I thought I'd better post SOMEthing because I am getting daily e-mails from concerned friends who wonder why I've dropped off the face of the planet...
(Thanks by the way! I love you all, too!)
So for the record, I am great... (We all are, actually!)
...Just in the midst of my "Nesting Craze"!
I do this every time... Hibernate a little to prepare myself for the upcoming arrival.
(More on that in a future post, I promise!)
Baby Bronson will be here before we know it... Still lots to do, but I am glad.
I have strategically kept myself ridiculously busy...
It keeps my mind off of being uncomfortable and prevents me from starting to feel anxious.
It may sound crazy, but I actually really enjoy this part!
I just keep reminding myself, "Easier in than out!".
I can still sleep (another advantage to staying busy... if I am exhausted, I never have trouble sleeping!), use both hands to do things and go out to run errands on a moment's notice without packing a diaper bag!
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So, sadly... I am just being REALLY selfish with my time!

(BUT I am feeling so productive!)

Just wait til you see what I've gotten done around here! LOTS of back-burner projects...

(You know, the ones I have been trying to get to forever!)

Don't worry though, I will definitely update everyone on what we've been up to...

I have taken a bi-jillion photos, of course!

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Sufficeth to say, that mostly, we are just busy living "life" and enjoying all of our boys activities... (Such a fun, fun time! I wish I could just freeze our family right where we are!

I truly LOVE the stages each of our boys are in... They are just so much fun!)
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Although, admittedly, it has just not left me with a whole lot of blogging-time!
BUT I decided I'd rather be busy "living" life with my family and friends,
rather than just sitting around "blogging" about it!
(I figure I can always catch it up later... before I print our blurb-book!)
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So stay tuned...
One of these days (when I am sitting down long enough),
I will fill in the holes and then publish/post like 2 months worth of stuff! :)
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Life is good~

Home Stretch?

Yep... it's official...

I caught myself waddling today. Actually "waddling".

(Which I typically make a conscious, concentrated effort NOT to do!)

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We must be on the Home-stretch...

Just over 5 weeks until Baby... WOW! I have a LOT to do!

Sigh... pretty feet...

Thanks to Cheryl for squeezing me in to her already busy schedule

and giving me a good excuse to indulge in Lunch and a Pedicure this afternoon...

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(Wait...who am I kidding? I can't even reach my feet... isn't THAT an excuse at this point?

And, honestly, I never need an "excuse", anyway, do I?!)

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Cheryl's French Toes turned out just darling... I am totally jealous!

I can't WAIT to be able to do them again!

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(I, on the other hand, am still growing out a bruised big toenail that went completely purple

after I stubbed it really hard last Spring. I have had to do a darker color to cover it for over a year!

But it is almost done. Yea! ...So maybe next time!)

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So thanks to this dear and wonderful woman, who is solely (no pun intended!) responsible

for my always beautifully maintained feet...

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Kristi Liam at ProNails has been doing my Gel-Pedicure monthly(-ish) for nearly 3 years now and trust me... She is the BEST! AND I just adore her!

Sweltering...

I am currently grateful for 2 things...

(Everything else I am pretty sure I could live without!)

1- The modern miracle of air-conditioning...

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And 2- The wonderful man who is going to show up sometime tomorrow to fix ours!

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(Seriously, it's the end of July, people... It's 100 degrees outside!

And do I need to remind you that I am 7 months pregnant?

NOT a good time to come home from vacation and find the AC out!)

Dreyer's All Fruit Bars...

Just a few bites of

Heaven on a stick...

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I checked out with... Ahem... 8 different boxes today... yeah...

But have you tried the Coconut? Sigh...

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I tell you... I keep these people in business!

Moving... again...

I KNOW I said I'd NEVER do it again...

(but honestly, coming from the girl who's moved 28 times in my 31 years,

did you actually believe me anyway?)

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So don't try to stop me... my mind is made up...

I am packing my bags and moving

to a country that appreciates the 'Fine Art' of afternoon napping!

(Seriously, like half the rest of the World has figured this out... what's wrong with us?)

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Of course, it could just be the pregnancy talking,

but a good Siesta sounds really nice right about now!

Ice Cream Issues...

Okay, I have a complaint...

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Has anyone else noticed the Ice Cream Cartons suddenly getting smaller?

At first, I thought that it was just my perspective...

(As I get bigger, everything else in the world seems smaller by comparison.)

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But NO! It is not just an illusion...

The Dreyers Ice Cream Cartons have recently become like 2/3 the size.

What the..?

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This is a problem for me because of the sheer volume, that I, alone, consume on a daily basis.

(I need you all to refer me to THIS particular craving when I am complaining about the size of my hips & thighs post-pregnancy this Fall...

Ice Cream, alone, will account for at least 10 extra pounds!)

So why the sudden container size decrease?

Is this someone's vain attempt to cut down on my consumption?

Cuz it ain't workin' folks...I'm just buyin' more!

(And the price is the still the same per container... I might add...Blast those dang gas prices!)

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So... where do I write? And who's with me?

Acrobat in Utero...

That's it...

The minute Baby Bronson is born, I am shipping him off to Vegas

to audition for Cirque du Soleil!

His acrobatic routine ought to be perfected by then since he practices, uh... NON-stop!

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I thought Kaden was a little fireball, but this kid is taking it to a whole new level!

He is by far the most active of my children so far!

If his in-utero activity is any indication of personality

(which it has actually been right on with all of my others...),

then we are in trouble with this one!

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This is much what my own bed feels like at night...

(and I'm NOT referring to any hanky-panky between Matt & I...

so no sly comments about that, thank you very much!)

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There's a full-on Circus going on inside of me!

How can one sleep?

This Afternoon's Craving...

It may be a mouthful to SAY, but

Mmmm... Edamame... mmm..!

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Lately, Baby Bronson & I just can't get enough...

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If you haven't already discovered them, I highly recommend!

You can buy them frozen in individually packaged servings at Costco and just microwave them

for a super-quick, super-yummy, super-healthy treat!

A totally filling meal in 2 minutes and 30 seconds... can't beat that!
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And I don't go lightly on the salt... it's all about that Kosher Salt, Baby!

Guilty...

It's well after midnight...

The good, responsible, practical people of the world are all sleeping.

Me?

No. Not even close...

I'm wide awake...

running a hot bath

(which I am nearly giddy to go soak in!)

and eating Strawberry Ice Cream

with Caramel Sauce on top.

That's right...

Caramel... LOTS of Caramel!

Why?

Because that's what the baby says I want to eat at this late hour...

Oh, the indulgences of pregnancy!

This evening's concession will likely be the sole cause of an entire jean size increase...

Another Craving...

Okay, maybe it was the Lotion that I used after my shower...

This weird craving gave Cucumber-Melon a whole new twist... together and sprinkled with salt! (Don't ask me why...)

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Nothing in the world could have tasted better for Lunch today!

SO very fresh and yummy... trust me, it was de-lish!)

This Afternoon's Craving...

Mmmmm... MMMMMM... Mmmmmm!

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So in case you are having trouble interpreting (or perhaps believing!) what you are seeing, this is my latest Culinary Development:

Leftover Hard-boiled Easter Eggs, sliced-in-half

Sprinkled with a little Salt & Pepper

Topped with (that's right!) Sweet-Pickle Relish!

Wah-lah! Heaven on a plate! A delicious Confectionery Masterpiece!

(...Or perhaps it's just the pregnancy talking...)

WORST Mom EVER!

Remember how I thought Dayne seemed to be feeling better this morning? Well, he took a turn for the worse a few hours later... His nose was running out-of-control, and I was worried by how green the "drainage" was. (Gross, I know!) I was concerned that he might have a sinus infection or something. I, myself, was feeling like death-warmed-over, so I called and made Dr. appointments for both of us.

Yeah... well, it turns out sweet little Dayne has double ear infections (in both ears!) and the left ear is so bad that the drum has actually burst! I had NO IDEA! I have always been able to tell before! He has not pulled on his ear this time or anything! This is his 5th... FIFTH... ear infection since Christmas and they want to start talking about tubes... I am so sad for him! I feel just terrible! Poor sweet boy!

I, on the other hand, am just so very grateful to find that apparently, my "cold" is actually strep and a kidney infection. Ugh. So crappy to be sick... Even worse when you are pregnant and can't take a dang thing! (Tylenol? Please!) Antibiotics to the rescue... I should start feeling like a new person in a day or two!

Wide Awake...

Since when did my beloved bed become the most uncomfortable place on the planet? Blech!

I have been up since 2... tossing and turning... (Poor Matt!) I've tried every position imaginable, but to no avail... my hip aches, my knee hurts, my shoulder is tweeked funny, my hand is asleep, my hair is brushing my cheek,... (For crying out loud!) ...the blankets are twisted (Heaven forbid!), my foot is hanging out, the heating pad (yes... I was desperate!) is too hot, no...wait, not hot enough...

Aye carumba! What the heck? I never have trouble sleeping... NEVER! Ask anyone! I can sleep anytime, anywhere in like 2.5 seconds... and through anything! It's one of my talents... I need very little sleep, but I sleep very deeply and very efficiently... usually. Yeah, well not TONIGHT!

Is this another pregnancy thing I haven't had to deal with before? HELP! What to do? I'm desperate... Suggestions welcome... Right now, I'm going to take a hot bath...

Happy Little Heartbeat!

Okay, I am REALLY behind on my blogging and the rest of my life in general (crazy, busy week!), but this was one thing I wanted to get right up... We had an ultrasound yesterday and got our first peek at our new little one! I know it doesn't look like much yet (a little blob?), but to me it looks like a miracle!

According to the measurements, I am a week an a half further along than they'd originally estimated... BO-NUS! So the new due date is October 6. I still can't believe we are going to have a new baby so soon... lots to do, but I am getting so excited!

I am one of those crazy people who picks out names super early. (You all know me... I can't STAND not to plan ahead! Thankfully Matt humors me...) So we have agreed on Avari Mae for a girl or Bronson Micheal for a boy. (Feel free to comment...but just if it's nice!) Avari is my all-time favorite girl name. It means "sent from Heaven" and Mae is after my Grandma Cotton. We would call her Ava, which I just LOVE! However, to be totally honest, I have a feeling this is another boy, which I am absolutely okay with, especially because Daynen is so close in age. (Call me crazy, but I think it would be fun to have the two big boys and the two little boys.) Bronson means "Strength" or "Strong one" and Micheal is "One who is like God" and would be after Matt's incredible older brother, Mike, whom we all adore. People keep assuming I am hoping for a girl, which of course, I'm not going to lie, I would LOVE, but honestly, I really feel great about either one! It's just such a relief to see that happy, healthy little heartbeat, two tiny hands and little teeny feet all growing right on schedule... insert a sigh and a smile of contentment... :)

Losing It!

I have heard that it is NORMAL to lose brain cells when you are pregnant, but seriously, THIS is getting ridiculous! I really fear I may be losing my mind, or my short term memory, at least!

In the last 6 weeks, I have lost (as in completely LOST... no where to be found) my Driver's License, my Credit Card, my retainer and my keys (although I did finally find my keys). I DID NOT do this with my other pregnancies. I am, by nature, a detailed person, and because I have such a crazy, uber-busy life, I HAVE to be organized and efficient to just function! And I am just NOT normally a forgetful person! I actually have a great memory... freakish sometimes...

It is not, however, uncommon lately for me to walk into a room and realize I have NO IDEA what I just came in for. Yesterday, I got to the Grocery Store without a list and could NOT, to save my life, remember what I had gone to get. Thank goodness my kids were there to remind me what we needed (and then aimlessly wander the aisles to make sure I wasn't forgetting anything)! I also left the bathtub running for OVER AN HOUR! (Thank goodness the overflow drain kept up or I'd have flooded the whole house and Matt may have divorced me!) I purchased movie tickets for the wrong night the other day (see GNO post below)...dumb! And it is a really good thing Blockbuster stopped charging late fees, because I realized last week that I had movie rentals that were 3 weeks old. I totally forgot to return them! I just realized this morning that I have failed to register my boys for Spring Sports... the deadline was last week... they are NOT going to be happy campers. And the worst so far... I completely FORGOT to pick Trevan (and Hudson) up from Preschool the other day until the Office called to see if everything was okay... they'd been sitting there waiting for me to pick them up for over 20 minutes! So embarrassing!