No ice cream for you...

Ok, so Meme and Pop (Matt's parents) are in town. Yay!! We love when we have people visit. Tonight is their last night here and the plan was to have an early dinner at home and then head out to get some ice cream... everybody thought this was a fabulous idea so I got to cooking. When dinnertime rolled around, I called everybody to the table. After Julia got in the room, I went over to her to put her hair up LIKE ALWAYS and here came the fit. I just knew that after a few minutes on the spot, she'd calm down and come eat (with her hair back of course... i mean i can't give in or she'll think fits get her what she wants.) Well, a few minutes later, she's still freaking out on us, so before the rest of us get indigestion from it, I sent her to her room while we finished eating.

After the rest of us had eaten, Julia had calmed down a little so I wound up going in to see her. Things went pretty well and I convinced her to come eat. She didn't know it, but I was also at this point willing to go to bat for her when it came to going to get ice cream... Matt had mentioned to me previously that all hope of this was gone for her. Anyway, so I get her to the table and am putting the hairband in and...well... she'd been rolling around all over the floor during her fit, and her hair was tangled, and I did the unthinkable and pulled it (a tiny bit i promise) Well, that started the entire freak out again. So without continuing on with too much more detail, let's just say that it is 6:45 pm. Meme, Pop, Audrey, and Matt are out getting ice cream; Julia is in the bed; and I am blogging.

I hope they bring back some white turtle.

The Boss

Our 3 year old, Julia, is bossy. Perhaps it's because she's the first born. Perhaps it's because she's the oldest among her close group of friends. Perhaps it's because she's been spoiled by me and Matt. Most likely it's a combination of these and more... Either way, the result is now the same. Julia thinks she is in charge, and that we live so as to respond to her orders. Lately, all we seem to hear is: "Get me more drink. Put in my DVD. Make me lunch. Play this game. " Perhaps this seemingly incessant barking of commands is why today I was so excited about a single sentence that she said. We were in my bedroom, and I was finishing up her 2nd foot when I hear a simple and sweet, "Thank you for painting my toenails, Mommy." Now, I know that this isn't a huge breakthrough, but it certainly made me look up at her with a great big smile on my face and say, "You're welcome sweet girl."

Saying Good-bye

Matt's resigned his ministerial position in PC and although I am fully supportive of this change in our lives, I must admit that leaving this church and these people is at times near heartbreaking. I'm not going to pretend that everything here has been perfect, and to be honest there are a few people here that I will not miss whatsoever... in fact I might jump for joy the last time I am forced to exchange pleasantries with them. However, there are many, many more people in PC that I will miss.

When we moved to PC, it was just me and Matt. PC is where we went from a couple to a family. These are the people that I cried with, laughed with, and exchanged stories with while I was beginning this tricky role called motherhood. Perhaps I'm just a little extra emotional during this very big month in my family's life, but leaving these people is at times just tearing at me. No where else that we move will we have a church family that was there the day my girls entered the world. Our next church won't remember what my children looked like as infants. It's almost like I'm having to leave behind a part of the girls' histories.

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1. I make up my own songs and lyrics all the time; it's really irritating so matt tells me. too bad for him that our 3 year old is already doing it too.

2. I spend an average of 7 minutes a day just looking for my car keys.

3. I checked out 2 books at the library this week... 1 was by Mary Higgins Clark the other by Danielle Steel -- i'm deep, i know.

4. I'm not obsessive about alot, but I've got a 14 step process for how fruit flavored candy must be eaten. you want to know more? bring by a pack of skittles and settle in to listen

5. I refer to April 5, 2002 as my own personal D-day.

6. I love word and number puzzles and there are approx. 20 variety puzzle books stashed around my house right now.

7. I'm a night owl. 2 am is nothing.

8. Spaghetti is my favorite dinner.

9. I have absolutely no fashion sense or yearning to shop - i'd prefer someone else dress me.

10. My heart beats faster at the very idea of someone touching my feet. stay away, i'm not kidding, i will hit.

11. I'm the biological mother of 2 beautiful girls and yet I've never felt a single labor pain.

12. I'm really sad that Jon and Kate are divorcing - although from the news this week, he's looking like a real jerk.

13. I'm a natural born worrier. Sending our friend requests on facebook even makes me anxious... what if this person who i haven't seen in a decade and am unlikely to ever see again ignores me??

14. The next book I want to read is Denise George's "What Pastors Wish Church Members Knew," ... i've got so many of my own ideas reguarding this topic.

15. I learned how to crochet in college, but was never any good... i'm working on my first cross stitch now. it's crazy easier

16. I spent a significantly large percentage of my afternoons during the previous year standing out in my driveway waving to the school buses as they drove by.

17. As a stay at home mom, i sometimes feel that our weekly trip to the grocery store is the highlight (and lowlight) of my week.

18. For the last 5 years, i've lived more than 7 hours away from family... i'd love to live closer....maybe 1 1/2 to 2 hours away. Close enough for an easy weekend or even day trip, but not so close that the grandparents would be stopping by after work.

19. I have never had a credit card and I have no intention of ever getting one.

20. I started crushing on matt in Feb of my sr year of high school.... he thought i was a moron. :(

21. You know that annoying mom in front of you at the grocery store who keeps digging in her pockets and diaper bag making sure she's handed over all the coupons?? that's me.

22. I'm scared of everything... i'd talk more about this, but then it might get used against me at a later date.

23. A pet peeve of mine is when people leave the refrigerator door open the entire time they are pouring drinks.

24. I bruise easily.

25. I'm really nervous and yet really excited about what the future holds for me and my family... so many unknowns!!!

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BABY INFO

1. WAS YOUR PREGNANCY PLANNED? 1st time, yes 2nd time not so much....

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME? Yes, since 2003

3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS? 1st time: i walked around for 48 hours in a daze muttering "it's got 2 lines" time # 2 i was rather scared and very worried, it took me a few weeks for the excitement to build

5. HOW OLD WERE YOU? 23 and 25

6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT? home tests

7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST? my husband was there when i found out....

8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX? 1st time around, no.... we were surprised in the delivery room.... 2nd time we found out so that big sis could be more prepared

9. DUE DATE? March 10, 2006 and March 23, 2008

10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS? Julia: 1 week of feeling awful Audrey: 2+ months of feeling sick.... maybe b/c unlike w/ my first pregnancy, i couldn't just sit down and rest whenever i wanted

11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE? Julia: wheat thins dipped in peach yogurt Audrey: turkey and cheese sandwiches

12. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST? i don't know... i do know that we wound up moving during each of my pregnancies. that was annoying, especially since everyone acted as if i couldn't pick up anything heavier than a pillow

13. WHAT WAS YOUR CHILD'S SEX? both girls

14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING? no

15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY? way more than the recommended....

16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER? 3 or 4 for julia, 1 for audrey

17. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW? I knew.

18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY? Julia was breech. We tried turning her with a version, but it was unsuccessful and a c-section was scheduled. there were no complications w/ audrey.

19. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH? Columbus Regional Medical Center

20. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR? never felt a labor pain at all for either of my 2 girls

21. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL? Matt

22. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH? Matt, Dr. Thorne, and a handful of others I wouldn't recognize

23. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION? c-sections

24. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN? epidural for Julia, Spinal for Audrey

27. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH? Julia: 6llbs. 14oz.
Audrey: 6lbs. 6oz.

28. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN? Julia: March 7, 2006 @ 7:58am
Audrey: March 10, 2008 @ 7:44am

30. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER? Julia Taylor Bowman, Audrey Kate Bowman

31. HOW OLD IS YOUR CHILD TODAY? 3 yrs 4 months and 16 months