Catching up for the week

It's been a couple of busy days around here. On Wednesday, Ava and I went to a play group for the morning. She had a blast playing with her friends and I enjoyed catching up with my friends. I learned about a great possible childcare option here in town that I might check into. I've been thinking about signing Ava up for a couple hours two days a week or so, so that I can work on my photography stuff during the day.

After playgroup we hit a few stores for some birthday party supply stuff.

Yesterday, despite the fact that I didn't feel like it, Ava and I did our 3 mile walk to the lake and back. This time we went to a different park (also on the lake). The playground was deserted for a while and Ava enjoyed having free reign until some bigger kids showed up. Then she just wanted to watch them play. We started our walk for home when the clouds blew in over the mountains and it started sprinkling on us, but we never got any rain here at the house. Bummer! We could use it.

I finished proofing two photography sessions this week. Phew! I'm glad to have a little break for a few days now. One of these days I want to showcase some of my favorite pics from my recent sessions. Maybe I will do that next week. :)

Ava has been enjoying playing outside as much as possible lately, and she cries when she can't go out. (Poor thing.) I'm not sure what Jody and I were thinking buying her something for her birthday (the sand/water activity table) that is exclusively for outside play since that will entice her to be outside even more, but oh well. Her latest thing to do outside is dump handfuls or shovelfuls of sand/dirt on the dogs' backs. I'm not sure why she thinks they want dirt on them, but she does. She also likes to put rocks, dirt and leaves in their water bowls and says she's making guacamole. I might have told that story here already before. I can't remember and I'm not looking it up. ;) It cracks me up though whenever I ask her what she's making - whether it be outside in the yard or inside with her play bowls/food, etc. - it's always "guacamole." Actually, I'm pretty sure I did tell that story before. Oh well. Enjoy it again. ;oP

I've been feeling baby move more and more lately. The little fluttery movements are turning into more noticable kicks now and I've even felt him/her kick my hand on the outside a few times. I think it will still be a few more weeks before Jody or Ava will be able to feel it, but it's fun for me to enjoy in the meantime. :)

Father's Day is coming up next weekend and I have a few creative ideas up my sleeve for presents for Jody from Ava. I just have to find the time to do them!

We're having a new king-size pillow-top mattress and box spring set delivered to our house tomorrow. I'm so looking forward to it! I didn't realize how uncomfortable our current bed was until we went shopping for a new one. Now my back hurts every morning when I get up. Our sleeping arrangement has consisted of two queen mattresses and box springs side by side on the floor for the past year or so, which makes up our "family bed." We're moving our old mattress/box spring into the basement extra bedroom (to replace the one that's probably 30+ years old) so my parents will have a nicer bed to sleep on during their visit in a few weeks. The other mattress will go into Ava's room for my sister to sleep on during her visit. We're contemplating getting a twin mattress for Ava (to probably go alongside our bed) in the semi-near future, but haven't made any decisions on that yet. I'm just trying to figure out what will work best once we have two lil kidlets in the house.

I'd like to take Ava to one of the local college campuses this weekend for a photoshoot for her 2 year pics. There are some beautiful spots on campus that I think would be great to use so we'll see if we can fit that in our schedule. I was thinking I could do it by myself, but it'd be helpful to have Jody there with me to corral her, especially if I need to put any distance between her and the camera for some of the pictures.

On Sunday I'm taking newborn pictures of baby Trajan, which should be fun. He'll be less than two weeks old so hopefully still good and sleepy and amenable to posing. ;)

Our temperatures continue to be unseasonably high around here - in the 90s. I just looked at the 10-day forecast and the every day is in the low to mid-90s except a couple days at high 80s. Oy. I'm hoping we can get this hot weather out of the way now, and then enjoy some cooler temps during my family's visit and for Ava's birthday party. Wishful thinking. :)

I've got a topic or two I've been thinking about writing on lately that I hope to tackle next week. One is natural skincare products (including soap, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, sunscreen and bug repellent) and the benefits of going natural. The other is what it's like nursing an almost 2-year-old - while pregnant.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend. :)