Jack loves talking on the phone.

I don't know how it happened because Michael and I both hate talking on the phone, but Jack loves it! So, here is Jack and the phone:

"Mom, can I see that phone?? I need to make a call..."

"Thanks, Mom!"

"I wonder if she'll pick up..."

"Uh huh, uh huh...ok, talk to you later."

"All done...I love the phone!"

"Want it back?"

"How refreshing."

First Photo Shoot With Daisy

There she is! Sweet little Daisy Jane. My appointment this morning went so well. We are so excited to have a girl! Plus, this way we don't have to worry about picking a boy name. Michael and I have a hard time coming up with boy names that we agree on. This little girl did some really nice poses for the ultrasound show. She had her feet and hand right up in her face. They gave us a few profile pics (hence the pic above). Everything looks healthy. She weighs just a little over one pound. She's measuring a due date of June 10th, so we're just sticking with the original due date of June 11th. I'm excited that since we don't have any baby girl clothes, I can buy little dresses and not feel guilty about spending money. No offense to Jack, but little girls are always more fun to shop for. Just a side note/question, but does anyone have any tips for helping with pain in the hip joints and nerves? Mine are already threatening to take me down...

Half-way There!!

Just wanted to post and say how excited I am that today I am officially half-way through this pregnancy! Twenty weeks down, twenty to go. I must say that I think the first trimester is the hardest (exhaustion, morning sickness, and lack of appetite kill me), with the second being the best (no more morning sickness, more energy, little baby movements, and only slight discomforts compared to the third)...the third I just get impatient to have my baby. At this point I am officially not able to wear my pre-pregnancy pants, and my skirts are becoming an issue. I don't know how I made it through my first pregnancy without buying a prego skirt, but I did...I think I'm going to go shopping to get one as soon as some of this snow melts. I'm finding it hard to train my body to sleep on my side. I keep waking up in the middle of the night on my back (sooo comfy...but not since I know it's not good for baby). I keep acquiring more and more pillows to make sleeping more comfortable. I don't really have any cravings right now, but an odd thing is that I am actually able to eat yogurt (which I'm not usually a fan of...I can eat about one per year) and enjoy it. Jack and I share one most days, but lately he's been eating the whole thing by himself. Next thing to look forward to is a week from today. I have my ultrasound scheduled for 8am; that normally would have me complaining because I like to sleep later than that, but the excitement to see my baby and find out his/her gender outweighs the dread of waking up early...it's worth it. Anyway, that's the prego update...next one will be coming shortly after the ultrasound, I'm sure.

Out our front door on Thursday morning.

Yummy cinnamon struesel bread and hot chocolate made for a nice cozy breakfast.

This snow storm has been so much fun! There are places outside that I would be standing up to my shoulders in snow, it's so ridiculous. This is Jack on Thursday after shoveling a little bit in front of our door. Michael actually sent this picture in to CNN iReport and one of their producers called us and said they're going to use it on their website and possibly on tv.

This needs no explanation.

I took this pic out my kitchen window of the neighbor's house...snow up to the windows!

A blurry Michael shoveling his way to the dumpsters on Friday.

Their dish is a bit icy, no?

Michael shoveled for a few hours on Friday...just enough to get us to our car and the garbage dumpsters.

Michael and Jack.

Playin' in our "tunnel".

Does this taste good?

Jack and me.

That's our car on Thursday morning.

Our car today.

Playin' in the Snow at the Park

Jack and Riley cruisin' the town. Riley was so happy. Jack just looked like a punk the whole time.

He was so serious for all the videos I took.

Riley's tractor was running out of juice.

Jack's first time on the swing...not too sure if he liked it or not.

Riley did.

Boring video of them swinging...just warning you.

Daddy and Jack on the slide.

Riley and Pat on the slide.

Riley again...this time she lost her boot.

Dad and Jack on the T-Rex.

Is this fun?

Riding the Rex.

Riley on the...um...turtle? Snail?

Riley and her daddy.

Riley having fun on the green animal.

Jack's First Birthday

Happy Birthday Jack!

Yes, here is Rudolph. A little late for Christmas. This mere flesh wound is one of the hazards of being a kid with crazy friends.

This picture illustrates one of Jack's new tricks in action. He makes the "ah" sound and, I guess you could say, hits his mouth with his hand over and over to stop the sound. Very cute...not so easy to explain, but I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.

Cute little one-year-old.

Riley and Jack had a lot of fun with the balloons.

For his party, Jack dressed up in his Batman outfit. Yes, you could say that instead of Batman he is Jackman...he even had a cool cape.

Betcha didn't know that Batman loves Dr. Pepper.

Grandpa Hummel and Jack.

Since Riley got a Power Wheel tractor for Christmas, Jack needed a Quad to keep up with her. Apparently Riley was more persistent in getting on though. Jack was left with the job of pushing her since it wasn't charged up yet.

Yeah, they're cute.

Jack had fun riding his Quad after the party.

The opening of the gifts.

Michael had to help.

A cool green dog that talks and sings and can be programmed to say Jack's name, etc. Yay!

Riley immediately loved that toy and took off with it.

But Jack's good at sharing...sometimes...

It's always easier to share when you've got other cool toys too...like this tractor.

Riley wanted that too.

Sure are a lot of things to tie those toys inside of their boxes.

A cool helicopter...

Riley took that too.

Just before the birthday cake.

Singing and blowing out the candle.

Gettin' started.

Add some ice cream.

Eating.

Yum.

"Do you want some?"

To share or not to share...that is the question.

Shoving it in.

Have you ever had ice cream dripping down your chest?

It was a big piece of cake.

This was so funny. When the heater came on later that evening, the balloon got caught in the wind and we found Jack laughing and playing with the balloons.