Baby #2 Business

Okay, so my "girly friend" seems to have retreated after 9.5 days! Yikes! How much fluid can one little uterus hold I ask you. So I need to change that ticker at the top since ovulation will most likely be postponed a few days since I bled a bit longer.

I'm feeling very hopeful. My appointment is on MONDAY! My temps are looking like they are doing what they are supposed to and I'm excited to get this cycle going! My OPKs and pregnancy tests should be here tomorrow and we'll get this party started. I told a friend that I feel very empowered. My body is both lactating and menstruating and it feels wonderful that it is doing the things it should be doing correctly! :)

So for those of you playing along at home here is the link to my chart. Someone send me some baby dust!

Who loves sleeping baby pictures? 

More Monkey Business

I forgot to tell you that Magdalena likes to fake laugh. It's seriously hilarious. Her friend Silas likes to fake cough so you can hear the two of them together coughing and laughing. And you're probably wondering how a 10 month old has an actual friend. Silas is 7 weeks older than her and seriously they LOVE to play together. They get along well and share toys and everything. It's friendship at the most basic level and it is pretty cool to see.

Monkey Girl

An Update on Ella: Ella is doing well in her new home. I had many many dreams last night revolving around her being cold. Mom said they tried to put her in the garage, but she kept scratching the door so they let her back out. She said that Ella ran around and barked and barked all night long. My stepdad said he wanted a watch dog, believe me she will bark at anything and everything. Mom isn't sure where she slept last night or if she did sleep but she appeared this morning when they called her. Mom put some food out, but Ella hadn't eaten it when I talked to her this morning. That's very typical for her though. She said that Ella is napping on the deck in the sunlight. I'm sending her big fluffy dog pillow bed back with my Mom tonight along with a few of her toys. Mom said that as it gets colder they will try to get her used to sleeping in the garage.

Just so you don't think this is becoming an Ella blog, Magdalena is up to some crazy tricks lately. She's pushing lots of stuff around and walking behind it, including her gobble up hippo. She figured out how to climb off of the bed last week and sometime over the weekend she got the knack of climbing upstairs. She has been trying for about 2 weeks, but finally mastered it. It looks like teeth numbers 7 and 8 will be stepping up to the plate pretty soon. She's super super super clingy lately too. Everybody tells me that I've spoiled her because she only wants me. That drives me INSANE.

She's Gone

We took Ella to my parents house. Originally they were going to take her, but I didn't want her to have to ride the hour drive in the back of the truck. I also wanted a better way to say so long, so Erich agreed. We got there and walked her to the back tree line where there is already a dog house. Then I let her off the leash. She was so happy just to run and run and run. After about thirty minutes she came back to the house. She stayed on the back deck as we played Monopoly inside in the dining room (which faces the deck.) When we were getting ready to leave she came right up to the car and was ready to get in. :( My stepdad held her collar as we drove off. We could see her struggling to get away and come to us. I miss her already. I'm worried that she'll be cold tonight since she'll have to stay outside. She's never spent the night outside before. It's really quiet here right now. I know she'll be happy, but it doesn't make it any easier. She has loved me unconditionally and always knew how to cheer me up when we had those really rough days before Magdalena was born. She always rested her head on my big pregnant belly, adn looked so surprised by the thump thump thump that eventually came. I've given up part of my family. It's really an awful feeling. I wish there was a way to keep her, but there isn't. Not unless we move to a farm. That won't happen anytime soon. **tear**

Ella

I have to tell you that Ella is leaving today. She is going with my mom and stepdad to live on their farm and run free. She needs a house with no babies and no other dogs. She also needs attention that I don't have to give her. I'm very very sad. There is a chance that she may not stay close enough on their farm, but the other choice is to put her down, and I can't do that. I love her very very very much and I'm really going to miss her. Hopefully, she'll be good and enjoy the five acres that they live on I'll be able to come visit her. So Goodbye Ella, I love you.

I think this will be the saddest picture I have to take. Dani asked to see something that was really important to me, but not so much now that Magdalena is here. That would be Ella. **sniff**  

Kitchen part 1: Allison wanted to see my kitchen. I have to take it in three parts since you can't capture it all in one picture. 

Kitchen Part 2: Here are the cabinets and work space. I'm not kidding when I tell you that these are ALL the cabinets in my kitchen. Not much, eh? This picture also doubles as my LEAST favorite place in the house because the kitchen sink is always full. Feh. 

Kitchen part 3: This dresser accumulates junk like CRAZY.  

Dani wanted to see the street in front of my house. I'm standing on the sidewalk in front of my house and this is what I see when I look to the left. 

Dani wanted to see the street in front of my house. I'm standing on the sidewalk in front of my house and this is what I see when I look to the right. 

Here's Magdalena in the doll stroller I used as a child. I have to much free time, don't I? 

This is Magdalena last night in her size 0-3 month snowsuit. 

Here's Magdalena again in March of this year wearing her snowsuit.