HAPPY HALLOWEEN

SNACK ATTACK

So what is an appropriate snack on Halloween weekend?

I let Joey start off with a mini Snickers.

Then I gave her some Skittles. (Big surprise and hit, cause' she thought they were going to be M&Ms)

Then, just to mess with her, I gave her M&M's and switched back and forth between them and the Skittles.

She then she finished off her Snickers and washed it all down with some sips of Mommy's Coke. (and her water.)

That's my daughter!

TWINKLE TOES

DANCING QUEEN

I thought I had 16 more years or so until my daughter out danced me.

The child WOULD NOT get off the dance floor.

The only time she would leave was to drag Madison back (or other innocents) or when I would physically carry her off.

She dragged Mom-Mom up there too.

Even Kaki & Papa Rick. No one could refuse her charm.

The Dancing Queens.

She was totally ready to catch the garter belt.

Then they threw in that "18 or older" catch.

CASSIE'S WEDDING PART 1

BABY BELLY

Trying to explain to Joey that there is a baby in mommy's belly.

She goes digging into my belly button like she's gonna find it.

I'M PREGNANT: FAQS

1) When are you due?

My due date is our anniversy, May 15. But I only carried Joey to 38 weeks. However, I think they will alter my expected due date at the next sonogram. I think it will be later by a week or two.

2) (The question everyone thinks by doesn't always ask) Was this planned?

Yes, we meant to. I'm a big planner. Joey should be out of diapers by then, and that was the basic requirement along with not being very pregnant during the Miami summer.

3) Are you going to find out if it is a boy or girl?

No. Mark and I like the surprise. Also, I have plenty of hand me down clothes for either. By not knowing what I'm having, people don't buy clothes for me and instead buy useful gifts. (Also part of the master plan.)

4) What are you hoping for?

Either. Honestly. Mark really seems to want a little sister for Joey. I want a boy, but not yet. If I have a boy now, then we'll have the pair and I'm supposed to stop. If we have another girl, then I'm allowed to try for a boy later. I want more than 2 kids. So, either would be great.

5) Are you considering any names?

Mark isn't as excited about Keith Richard for a boy anymore. So we have no boy names. I would really like to name a girl Florence, after my great aunt "Dode." We would then call her "Flory", which was his great grandma's name. There would be a lot of family connection with that name, and I think it's pretty but I am getting vetoed by more than just Mark.
My second favorite, and everyone else's 1st, is Elizabeth. We really like old fashioned names. Also, there is almost a family history.
True Story: My grandma Craven was sure she was going to have a girl for her 3rd child. She was going to name her Elizabeth. Instead she got my uncle Tom. My father named him.

6) Are you going to give birth in a tub again?

Yes, my birthing plans remain basically the same. I had a fabulous birthing experinece with Joey and want to do it all the same.I have returned to the Miami Maternity Center and will give birth naturally, under the care of a midwife, and labor in the tub. However, Mark wants to have a more intimate affair this time. So while there will be plenty of family there, when it comes time, it might only be Mark and I in the room. Hey, I had Joey my way, he deserves to have one his way too.

7) Any room decor plans already?

The new baby will take over Joey's room (which is tropical Mickey/Minnie) and we are going to turn the front bedroom / office into Joey's room. We think we are going to go with a bold yellow and red Mickey theme, but it seems to be easier said then done. We think we still want gender neutral for Joey, because her little brother/sister will play in there too, but have not completely ruled out giving Joey a princess room. She is girly (though not a sissy, an important distinction.)

8) Aren't you working right now? What are your work plans for the next one?

I have stepped up my hours for the 1st half the the school year to help my parents. But that is temporary. I will be returning to my status as The-Not-So-Stay-At-Home-Mom before the next baby is born.

9) And the answer to the question that no one thinks to ask:

Yes, both of my babies (Joey and the one that is coming) will have been to Disney in utero!

YOU KNOW YOU LOOK PREGNANT, RIGHT?

That's because I am.

Yes, I am about 10 weeks pregnant.

With Josephine, Mark and I didn't announce until after the 3 month mark, just in case something happened.

But we have a wedding to go to on Sunday and last night, while I was trying on dresses from the closet, Mark looked at me and said straight faced:

"You know you're not getting away with that, right?"

I already look pregnant (thanks to being fatter now then with Joey).
And going to Disney and not going on any of the rides was also going to be a dead give away so we starting by telling the parents last night.

The answers to the Frequently Asked Questions will be the next blog entry.

I TOUCH MYSELF

I touch myself here.

IN GOD WE TRUST

I'm tired of people saying stupid stuff and now knowing their history.

Our founding fathers did not put IN GOD WE TRUST on our money.

Nor was UNDER GOD part of the pledge of allegiance.

IN GOD WE TRUST didn't show up on our currency until after the Civil War.

UNDER GOD wasn't added to the Pledge of Allegiance until the 1950's with the McCarthy era and the anti-commie scare.

You read right... the 50's.

My grandmother can remember saying it without the UNDER GOD.

Our founding fathers were VERY serious about separation of church and state. They were VERY serious about religious freedom. That's because most of us had come over from Europe to escape religious persecution, only to have the different denominations begin to alienate each other over here too.

We are more of a religious freedom nation, then a Christian nation. Many of the founding fathers were actually Deists.

Just something to think about.

COOKIE MONSTER

Every trip to Dadeland includes a stop at HOT COOKIES.

Joey is pulling at the paper because she had put her cookie down on it, and I was pulling the paper (and the cookie) my way.

Don't read sign language?

She is saying "No Mommy! My Cookie!"