SO much to catch up on! This is also my other problem with blogging - I delay so long that once I get to it, I have to write a novel. I think about blogs to write all the time, I just never sit down to do it. Let's see, what has happened since December 1 . . .
Obviously we had Christmas in there at some point. It was a fairly quiet Christmas this year -- not the running around to 20 places like usual. My Grandma Dean didn't have her usual weekend-before get-together, as she just had knee surgery. Christmas Eve we had made early plans with Robin and Hutch (at Thanksgiving), so we spent the evening there -- unfortunately Rick also made his plans on Christmas Eve (unexpectedly), so we missed that part of the family. My mom and Dominic were still in Washington (bummer!), and my Grandma Lola decided not to have the crazy get-together at her house, so we just spent Christmas day at Denise's with my dad. Addie had a great time -- she got so into each gift that it actually took her a few days to open everything. :) Pictures to come.
We also had Christmas "break" in there, but ours wasn't much of a break. BSU started offering a winter intersession this year -- 3-week classes offered between Fall and Spring semesters -- and guess who just had to volunteer??? I decided to teach Medical Terminology, which was the first time I had done it in that short of a time period, and also the first time I had taught it in person. Between squeezing in that (3 hours of teaching everyday, starting at 8:30am -- not including prep time and grading), attempting to finish other work projects that I had saved for "break" (including two articles and IRB apps), Christmas, the GRE, and Loren's work schedule, we had a crazy few weeks. I did take the last week of December off, but that was pretty much just a recovery week (and GRE study cram session) so I could hit it hard again. Now we are back into the Spring semester, and this will reflect on my break -- I was looking forward to the calmness of the regular semester! :) I do think I'll teach during the intersession again, just not while I'm pregnant (or have a newborn -- I've already declined for next year).
On the pregnancy front, everything is going great and we found out we're having a boy!! Super excited! I think I get a little more excited everyday as I see other little boys and start looking at boy clothes. I think there is an obnoxious amount of unnecessary junk that we insist on buying for babies (a lesson I've learned with Addie), and yes, clothes are included, but I just can't help it! They're so darn cute! I really haven't done much shopping, just one short day of thrift store hunting, but with my newfound network of moms, the hand-me-downs are coming in. :) He is definitely a Sand boy -- he is moving constantly, I could swear he's doing backflips in there! What did we get ourselves into? :) At least it's not FOUR Sand boys (sorry Robin)! I'm not doing a pic update in this blog, but it was requested I show a pic of the belly, so here it is:
I know it's not the best pic -- I've been really bad about taking pics this time. I'll get more, I promise. :)Addie is doing fantastic. Developmentally, I'm not sure there's a huge change since December (at least in terms of big milestones). She still isn't talking, but she at least nods/shakes yes/no, which is a big help in determining what she wants. She may not be verbalizing what she wants, but she definitely knows! She eats pretty much all day long, but is still a petite little thing (although she is wearing 2T pants now). I actually don't think she's that small -- she's in the age-appropriate clothes and doesn't looked dwarfed by other kids her age, but I'm sure according to the "charts" she's only like the 4th percentile -- who came up with those anyway? And if that's true, why do they size clothes the way they do? I think she's perfect and that's all that matters. :) She finally stopped nursing -- hallelujah! :) Don't get me wrong, I loved breastfeeding, but it was time. My cut-off was the age of 2, and I was really hoping she'd self-wean before that. With the pregnancy it just became so cumbersome and a little painful, so I was definitely ready. I'm slowly getting back a bit more energy (and we're all sleeping better now). She is definitely a toddler now, and we try to do regular playdates -- weeks may include Carl's Jr, Rafiki's, Boise Friends Church (a recently discovered playgroup for only $1.25 and good, cheap snacks), the library, or the park. She's getting much more outgoing. If you didn't catch my lovely Facebook post, a recent story includes her stealing a wallet from a lady's purse at the library, running away with it, tripping, hitting her face on the floor, and sending the contents of the wallet flying (which I then had to gather while holding a screaming toddler and pathetically apologizing to the woman). Nice and embarrassing for mom. :) Okay, I know I said I wasn't doing pics, but I can't not post a pic of her. :)
She smiles for the camera now, which I just love. I can't wait for some nice weather so we can get some pics outside. Oh, and my cousin Shannon is now doing photography, so I can't wait until she's back (from Atlanta) to get Addie pics, belly pics, and newborn pics. :) I love pictures . . .I FINALLY got my PhD application sent in this week (just squeaking by the deadline). It had been stressing me out for the past couple weeks. I think I just picked a bad time (not that I have any power over the deadline), with the chaos of the winter break. I did okay on the GRE quantitative and verbal sections, but got a 5.5 out of 6 on the analytical, so I was super excited about that! I'm feeling pretty good about it, so all we can do now is wait and see . . .
Unfortunately we haven't had all good news recently. We just found out Loren's Grandpa Sand suffered two strokes and, while in the hospital, was found to have multiple masses in his chest. He is stable and home now, but we're missing him (and Grandma) tremendously and trying to figure out when we can get down to see them. They're in our thoughts constantly . . .
I think that's most of what I needed to update, so I'm going to end there. Pics will be coming soon.
