my girl.

Every now and then it's good to put on paper little bits and things that I think are awesome. Whether they be about trends I'm liking, or shows, it's fun to go back and look at what I thought was cool at a particular point in time.

Like my kid. Who I think is pretty freaking awesome.

She's almost four and a half. How? Well I have no clue really. It has by far been the fastest four and a half years of my life. Yet at the same time, I can't really remember her not being around. Life before her was fun, but life with her? off the charts.

She's a complete Daddy's girl. They make up silly songs and build gardens together and do all the things that a Daddy/Daughter combo are supposed to do. She comes looking for him if he's sleeping in and if it's been a couple of days since she's laid eyes on him (work schedules), she'll wake him up no matter what I say because her time limit of no Dada time has been reached.

She adores that man and who can blame her. But at the same time, she's a Mama's girl something fierce. And I absolutely love it.

She wants to dress like me (maxi dresses all around!) and paint her nails like me and do her hair like me. It's pretty much the cutest thing ever when she says "look Mom!!! We're just alike!!", and while normally that kind of behavior would make me stabby, from her it just makes me pleased as punch.

Which is an expression I don't actually understand but we'll go with it.

She is independent to the max. She wants what she wants and she isn't afraid to tell you. If you follow me on Instagram, you've probably noticed a lack of bows and smocking these days. Putting a bow in this girl's hair is likely to warrant tears and while she'll wear a smocked dress on Sunday, she's not a fan really. She put on a smocked short set the other day and promptly declared it "ridiculous". It's not even worth arguing over. And as fun as it is to do her hair while she sobs "it's just NOT CUTE!!!", it's usually better for both of our sanity if I let her win that battle as well and a headband it is.

There are still no jeans in this house. She wouldn't even try them on when we went back to school shopping. She knows what she likes. I only wish I could be as strong in my opinions as she is sometimes. Girlfriend doesn't waver.

She is a creature of habit and doesn't like to deviate from her routine. If you tell her you'll read a back "later", you'll read a book later because it's on her calendar in her head and she won't forget. She's like an elephant that way. She hates washing her hair and will tell you nightly "we washed my hair last night", which isn't usually true (we wash every other night). So yea, sometimes she fibs. We're working on that.

She is hilarious. And she knows it. We're actually working on the whole "there's a time and a place..." to be funny and such. Like school and church aren't really that time. She doesn't get it yet. Or maybe she does and she doesn't care. Jury is still out. She's got jokes. She also likes to make up jokes which aren't always funny but she laughs so hard at that you can't help but laugh at her goofiness.

She's a mover and a talker. From the minute she gets up until she collapses into bed at night, she is moving and talking. She doesn't nap. I beg her to nap sometimes and it's a waste of time. I walked in on her the other day and she wasn't napping to which she replied "now Mama, you knew I wouldn't be napping. I'm not a sleeping creature. I just don't need sleep.". Unfortunately that seems to be pretty true and her parents are sleepy creatures so.... that's not always so fun but we're surviving.

She is convinced that she has named Baby Boy and emphatically tells people all about "Baby Jackson". Unfortunately that's not his name so.. that's been fun. Her teachers at school as well as dear friends have been told all about "Baby Jackson" and while it's kind of comical, I keep waiting on a monogrammed item to show up with the wrong name. AWKWARD. My kid is kind of nuts.

I'm getting pretty nervous about splitting my time when Baby Boy does get here. She and I have had over four years to develop this amazing relationship that I'm scared to see change. But at the same time, I really don't think it will. There's no one on this planet like Ella. That's for sure. She's kind of my favorite little girl EVER.

26 weeks

How Far Along? 26 weeks

Total Weight Gained/Loss? I couldn't tell you. I refuse to look at the scale. I'm an ostrich that way.

Sleep? Yea. I've never tossed and turned so much in my life. I wake up multiple times a night. And his movements have gotten hard enough that they wake me up at night. So that's fun.

Best Moment of the Week: Sister asked to feel him today. That's a first. And kind of made my heart swell.

Movement- yep. All day every day and in the middle of the night. He's pretty calm early evening and around lunch time. Other than that? It's on.

Food Craving- lemonade and ice water. meat. steaks, hamburgers, it's all good.

Food aversions- still have to remind myself to eat. Nothing sounds really good but if I am going to eat, it will be some sort of meat.


Labor Signs- lots of Braxton-Hicks.

Belly Button- pretty shallow. It may actually pop this time...

What I miss- nothing this week. It's been pretty good.

What I'm looking forward to- Decorating his room. But in order to do that, I need to figure out what colors and all I want to do.

Big Sister Status- she's starting to show some interest. Not much, but starting...

24 weeks

How Far Along? 24 weeks

Total Weight Gained/Loss? I don't wanna...

Sleep? Yea about that. This pregnancy insomnia thing is for the birds. I am flat out exhausted most of the time but when it comes time to sleep? yea, it doesn't happen. I can't even roll over without pain. It's a nightmare. And just when I get comfortable, I have to pee. So yea.

Best Moment of the Week: his movement. It's so awesome.

Movement- all the time. And he is so low. I'm afraid this one may just fall out. And my poor bladder will probably be bruised for all eternity after the beating it is taking from this guy.

Food Craving- lemonade and ice water. still.

Food aversions- no real aversions, but not much sounds really good.

Gender- a sweet, baby boy!!!!!!!!!!!

Labor Signs- nada

Belly Button- pretty shallow but I don't think it's going anywhere.

What I miss- I am having the worst pain in my pelvic area. If this is round ligament pain, then I didn't know what was happening with E. This junk is for the birds. Every time I get up, every time I roll over... pain. I have yet to find relief for it. Fun.

What I'm looking forward to- Decorating his room. As soon as we get into the new house, it is on!

Big Sister Status- she's been telling everyone the baby's name. Problem? he doesn't have one. Her teachers legit thought he did though. She's pretty emphatic about it. If only her parents could get that passionate about a name...

**photobomb.. this guy.... **