20 Week Appointment...

Was great!  Baby looks healthy and right on track.  We didn't find out the sex (everyone in my family is all about the surprise, and all my friends think I'm crazy).  Anne's appointment was at the same time as mine (we use the same doctor), so she got to see the ultrasound pics right after they were taken.  Here is a profile shot. 

She immediately had a guess as to what she thought it was, and Daddy William did, too.  Any bet takers??  

Oh...and when I picked up William from school, I showed him the picture of his little baby brother/sister.  He said, "Mommy, I want to hold the baby."  Is he gonna be a great big brother or what?

The best part about helping Mom in the kitchen...

is that she always lets me lick the batter when she's finished.  

Does she love me or what??

So, maybe my child did actually get ONE of my genes...an affinity for sweets (okay, really a love affair with them).  There's rarely a time when there's not something in my house that is composed largely of sugar...cookies, cake, brownies, you name it.  My pregnant self finished off a bag of marshmallows earlier today (was I desperate or what), but it just didn't do the trick.  I am also in desperate need of a trip to the grocery store, but I'm just not in the humor to go. (Sometimes for kicks, I like to see just how far I can stretch myself before we're forced to eat peanut crumbs, a stick of butter, and fruit snacks for dinner).  So, the only ingredients I could scrounge up to pacify my need for dessert were butter, eggs, half a box of pillsbury white cake mix, and vanilla.  Cupcakes!!  With just enough cream cheese and powdered sugar to make icing.  Even better!!  Little William always likes to help pour things in the bowl and to stir, asking all the while,"Mommy, can I lick it yet?"  How can I say no to those baby blues?  

So, now I'm off to heat up my spaghetti sauce out of a can (I can hear you gasping all the way from Russellville, Mom) for dinner so I can get to the important part...dessert, and I guess I better let William lick the icing bowl while I'm at it so his sugar high will kick in right about the time Daddy gets home from work.  

Cutest behind in the South

Is this the cutest behind you've ever seen or what?  This picture is probably a blast from the past for MiMi and Grandad.  The belt in this picture was Daddy William's when he was a little boy.  MiMi loves to save things, and this belt is one of the treasures she's passed down to us. (Not to mention it's one of little William's favorite things).  I think he's finally understanding that he can't wear this belt with shorts that have an elastic waist band.  If only I had a nickel for every time I had to tell him "you can't wear it with those shorts or pants," we'd be filthy rich! He calls the belt his "William seat belt" and he wants to wear it all the time.  I might object if it weren't so darn cute.  And, no, I don't know where you can get one of these belts made these days...I've had lots of people ask.  Your best bet is to be lucky enough to have a mother-in-law like mine who loves to save things just in case they might be needed later on down the road. MiMi and Grandad didn't realize 30 years ago how far their penny was gonna go when they bought this belt...talk about getting your money's worth!!

We spent the weekend at one of our most favorite hangouts...Mount Ida, where MiMi grew up. William's precious grandmother passed away when little William was about a month old.  Her house (which is where MiMi grew up) is still in the family, and we love getting to visit whenever we have the opportunity.  It is such a special place to us, and we love being in the quiet country, tromping around in woods and pastures and such.  Unfortunately, it rained on us until mid-afternoon on Saturday, but the inclement weather didn't stop us from riding four-wheelers and whatnot.  Daddy William cut down a couple of trees to chop for firewood, and little William got a kick out of dragging the cut logs behind the four wheeler.  (By helping, he mostly chased our dogs, Buddy and Lady, around and hopped on the four wheeler with Dad whenever the opportunity presented itself).  Most importantly, he felt big doing big boy things with Dad...and yes, all while wearing his William belt and cowboy boots.  This child was born with "outdoors" on the brain, I swear.  Overall, it was somewhat of an uneventful weekend, but that's what made it so wonderful.