We hit a milestone this week that I know no one cares about, but to me, it is huge.
HUGE.
Chloe went poop on the potty. Three times.
She just decided to do it.
And then after each time she came running and said:
"Mommy! I go poo poo on potty! I get pincess bawbie now!"

2nd time:
"Mommy! I go poo poo on potty twooooooooo time! I get faiwy bawbie now!"

3rd time:
"Mommy! I go poo poo on potty thweeeeeeeee time! I get Dowa baby!"

The 3rd one confused me.
Then I remembered. Dora baby.
A month ago, the same time the Barbies caught her eye, she had seen a Dora Baby doll.
I couldn't believe she remembered.
Actually I can.
So we went to the store and picked out ONE Barbie.

I wish I got rewarded so easily.
"Good job Melissa! You used the potty! Here is a 50 dollar gift card to the Loft!"
"Good job Melissa! You folded the laundry! Go buy yourself some new shoes!"

Oh well.

Well I am posting this picture. As motivation for lifting some arm weights. Geez.
Anyway.
I realized with Chloe that I had pretty much no pictures of the pregnancy.
So this time I around...maybe I will take....a couple.
But after seeing this picture I think I might go back to previous opinion: avoid camera.
Well here I am. 18 weeks. And my arms are about 38 weeks.

Also in other news....
* Don and I went to a Dave Ramsey seminar last week. He is a financial guy. That was pretty awesome.
* We keep having record breaking heat. It was 106 or something nasty like that yesterday. And the day before...and the day before that...and....
* I found some 6 dollar t-shirts at the Loft. And that pretty much was the best thing that has happened to me since I discovered that the Ped Egg really does work.

And that...is pretty much all I have to say.
I am going to go to the gym now to lift some weights or do that old person machine-you know the arm treadmill.

There are things my daughter does that just make my day. Like when I found her Barbie sitting precariously on the kitchen chair arm rest. Why is it there? I have absolutely no idea.

Or the time she thought it would be fun to make the Barbie take a nap in the refrigerator, and her right beside. Unfortunately it was pretend, and she didn't really take a nap.

Or the time she asked for the "boo boo shells" while taking a bath, which I figured out to be her Polly Pocket Ariel bra.

Or the time I tried to bribe her with a much coveted Princess Barbie if she would only, please, please, please, poop on the potty. She continually asks me for the Princess Barbie. And I tell her I would be glad to purchase it if she would only do what I just mentioned. Well, she is also aware of a less desirable purple fairy Barbie. It was the same day at the grocery store that she discovered both of these Barbies.
So again, when she brought up wanting the Princess Barbie, I brought up the potty, and then she told me, "Mommy...I just have purple Barbie."
Apparently she thought the Barbies were up for negotiation.

Or the time she got upset with me at church for wearing a pink skirt but failing to wear a pink shirt at the same time. She insisted I changed when I got home. So then when I put on a pink shirt and a non-pink skirt after church, she pretty much flipped out.

Well I am getting another one of these. And I am giddy thinking about having two bundles of girliness to cuddle and snuggle with.
I feel a little sorry for Don. The poor guy is going to have one more ball of femaleness to deal with.
Maybe she'll be a tom boy.
Just like her Mom and her sister.
; )

Today is the day of density! (yes I meant to say that, little "Back to the Future"throw back.
I had a dream last night that it was a boy.
But I don't think it was any sort of message or anything, cause the ultrasound technician came to my house to do it, and then the next scene in my dream I was in a college dorm trying to clean up Christmas decorations.
It was very odd.
I have the craziest and most annoying dreams when I am pregnant.
The night before that I was being chased all night by a rapist and anyone I asked to help me out just ran away.
Needless to say, I wake up exhausted and a little disturbed.

Anyway, check back in a few hours.
I am so excited! I feel like it is Christmas!

Some of you might remember our battle with the bed bugs.
I probably shouldn't even bring this up again.
I just want to declare we have been in remission for ....honestly I can't remember one day from the next...but it has been a Looooooooooooong time. Like months and months. And months.
They are horrific little monsters.
And I just saw this today.
Which really made me feel better about myself.
See! You don't have to be gross to get them!

You know what comes in pretty handy sometimes?
My Dad being an OB/GYN.
Especially when I am pregnant.
Yes I am a little spoiled.
Because I can speak to a Doctor at all hours of the night.
And not feel bad.
In fact how do the rest of you all do it?
I called him at 11 PM last night and told him I had to go to the bathroom about every five minutes.
And then he told me he was bringing me cranberry juice.

Did I ever tell you that when I was in labor with Chloe...that wasn't progressing after a day and half...that my Dad came over with his monitor and hooked me up to check Chloe's heart rate when I had a contraction.

And then he said, "I'll be right back. I am going to go show it to your Doctor at the hospital."
And then he called me and said, "They are going to admit you."
And I said, "Score!"
What my Dad had neglected to tell me was that Chloe's heart rate was dropping with every contraction.
That's why I got in.
I thought I was getting special treatment because my Dad knows everyone over there.
Anyway, they induced me and Chloe was born....with a knot in her chord...And I thought to myself, thank goodness for my Dad.
I have the best Dad in the whole entire world.

Last night we had the missionaries from our church over for dinner. I told Chloe earlier in the day that they were coming. When they arrived they were sitting in the other room and Chloe came into the kitchen and said, "Mommy, where are the missionaries?" I said-"that's them in the other room."
And she said, "Noooooooooo....those are Daddies!"

Do I love that all grown men are Daddies?
Yes I do.

Shopping.

So I have a gift card burning a hole in my pocket.
And today I had one goal: use it.
I have been looking like a sad sack of potatoes lately and I was looking forward to a little pick me up.
Surely there had to be something in the great expanse of Chandler Fashion Square Mall worth purchasing. Right?
Wrong.
First I tried Nordstrom Rack. I visually scanned over the racks using my Super Woman type vision, and said, welp, I feel tired.
So then I went to Anne Taylor Loft.
Surely she wouldn't let me down.
She did.
Then I went to Motherhood.
And well, that was just depressing. I mean if I was looking for something to wear to a funeral I would have to look no further. They had plenty of shapeless black frocks and diaper jeans. And plaid.
Then I walked past the kiosk that sells all those prom hair attachments.
I thought, well maybe I could get one of those.
I think my hair might look nice half straight/half prom curls. Plus I could get a piece with like green jewels. I like the color green.
I passed.
Maybe I could get a pretzel.
Then I got distracted by the annoying guy with the kiosk that sells all that skin care crap. Starts with a "Sea" or something....I desperately started texting on my phone in an attempt to look busy. No, I do not want a hand massage to see how soft and supple it makes my skin feel.
Then I wandered around aimlessly for another 2 hours or so.
Thinking thoughts such as, "I hate skinny jeans. And tight mini skirts. And ankle boots. And the color grey." And, "Why is J. Crew so expensive? and I can't wear sweaters for another 2 months. And well, I guess it is back to my white moo moo after all."
Then I went shoe shopping.
Surely, SURELY a pair of shoes would lift my spirits?
I found a pair.
Then I remembered that I have a pair of red heels already.
And that these heels are 60 dollars.
And then I will only have 2 pairs of red high heels to wear and only a white moo moo to wear them with.
So I put them back.
And then I went and got 2 tacos from El Pollo Loco and drove home.
And took my clothes off.
And now I am back to square one.

Oh well.
I guess you guys won't be seeing me for another 6 months or so.
Oh wait. Tack on another 6 for post partum.
See you in a year.

Resting From Our Labors

Sometimes I forget that there are places in the world that get below 100 degrees in the summer. Oh wait, are we officially Fall now? Anyway, as I was saying, so sometimes I like to take little trips places where I can be reminded that such places exist. This weekend we got invited by Don's sister to their cabin in Greer, AZ. It was heavenly. I got to wear long sleeves and a jacket. And I felt something I haven't felt in a very, very long time: cold. It was nice while it lasted. When we got home (at 2 AM because a certain someone wanted to watch a particular football game between Boise State and Virginia Tech, aka Chloe) we were greeted by our stifling house, the AC went out (again) while we were gone. Welcome home Mortensens! But I am pleased to say, we got it working again, and I am once again enjoying (fake) cool air. I am really big on the ( ) today for some reason. You will probably be seeing a lot more of them.
Chloe got a hold of the camera. She takes some nice shots.

We took a drive up a mountain to see the view. And then everyone walked down the hill (here is the use of more ( ) Also on this trip was Don's brother and his family.) I drove down the hill. I rolled my ankle just standing. Someone asked Don how I hurt my ankle and he said, "She was just standing there." Which is pretty much true. I tend to hurt myself even just standing. Anyway I figured I better not risk rolling down a hill. Afterall, there are 2 lives at stake now.

Chloe surprised me with this shot.

Not this one, as you can tell.

They purposefully posed this way. I told them I was going to take a picture and they turned around. I guess they think this is their best side.




Chloe's self portrait. Not bad.

There was this awesome watchamacallit.I felt like I worked at the Renaissance Fair making it work. That will only be funny to people who have been to the Renaissance Fair where all their rides are human powered. And all the Fair workers look like they haven't bathed in months.


Other activities involved sitting on the porch, eating, cleaning up after eating, sleeping, eating, cleaning up after eating, smores, walks in forest meadows, eating, cleaning up after eating.... We had a fabulous time. It was just what I needed. And well, hopefully everyone else had fun too. I think they did. Except for when Chloe threw up in the middle of the night. Other than that, I think everyone had fun.