The Watermelon Crawl......

I realize that I am blessed that I have a child who will eat just about anything. I hear stories of kids who will only eat two or three things and I continue to be thankful for my healthy eater.

Matthew's first fruit was watermelon and they were fast friends. This admiration with watermelon has not waned....he still loves it and I am thinking that it is now an outdoor fruit....as I really do not think cleaning up sticky watermelon juice could as much fun as watching it run down his belly....and into his diaper....and onto his feet.

Two pieces....two hands.....if you know Dad you completely understand this theory!!

Muppet looking on...knowing that her time is coming.

Such determination....usually reserved for more intense activities, like playing tractor.
Oh, and some juice running down the tummy....

Seriously wondering how it got on the feet.....again a salivating Muppet waiting to pounce.

I just love this picture....had to share.

Hope your summer is full of delicious adventures!!!

We charge more when you help.....

After 10 years of working for a service company, we joked about the fact that when we sent a technician to a customer who had been "working" on their problem themselves, it tended to be a bigger mess due to their "help".

I have learned this lesson in a completely new way since my little helper arrived in the scene. The boy loves to "help" in every way imaginable.

- Is convinced that he can steer the lawnmower much better than I.
- Wants to wash his tray off after meal times and then the floor, the cabinet, the dog, etc, etc.
- Helpfully points out dirt on the floor I have missed when sweeping....or simply running through the pile....which of course encourages Muppet to do the same.
-Loves to play in the kitchen sink "washing" dishes or simply squeezing the suds out of the sponge.

The 3rd Trimester is upon us.....

So, as of today I am 27 weeks.

The experts say that Baby Riggle is approximately 2 pounds and 14 inches or so long. He/She is moving around quite a lot and I think enjoys Matthew's reading time as much as he does. There is always a kick or squirm when I am reading to him, especially his favorite book that is very rhythmically written.

Sleep has become an issue....or rather lack of sleep. It is hard to make it to bedtime most nights but then around 2 AM I am wide awake. Very frustrating, especially when the little man is typically up by 6 AM ready to start his daily adventure.

This baby has definitely grown in recent weeks, my tummy seems to have doubled in size in the last month. While I am not one of those girls that loves being pregnant, it is still amazing to me what the human body is capable of doing.

I cannot wait to meet this little Riggle......

iBaby

Willie and I both invested (and I mean this term literally) in the first generation iPhone when it appeared on the scene in 2007. It was definitely love at first sight for us both. I recently upgraded my phone due to a tragic accident involving a toilet.... I will have to say that the iPhone is a very tough piece of equipment, it has been dropped more times than I can count and still worked amazingly.

The new phone is pretty much identical to the old one and it is also one of Matthew's favorite toys. It is pretty amusing to watch him pick it up, unlock it, choose the icon he desires (typically photos or youtube) and crack himself up. If he gets somewhere he does not want to be, he knows how to get back to the home screen. I hear about people with 9-year olds wanting phones and frankly am a little worried that I might have a 2-year old wanting a phone?????

Happy Memorial Day

I want to say thanks to all the men and women who gave their lives in service of our country, your sacrifice is not forgotten.

I know that I am thankful for the fact that I am able to live how and where I want, read what I desire, buy what looks good to me and watch my little guy grow knowing that there are brave men and women who are willing to protect all of these luxuries that I enjoy.

I want to say a special thanks to my DAD, my late brother, MATTHEW and my step-brother JON for their service to our country.

This TRIKE rocks....or should I say rolls?

I have to share an experience that has made me a believer in yet another German-engineered product. Many of you know I have a small VW affliction....well I am now a huge fan of Kettler. They make all kinds of bikes, parts, furniture and on the go goodies that increase the quality of outdoor life.

Santa brought Matthew a Kettler Go Green tricycle for Christmas and he loves it. Lately he has taken to driving it up to the end of the driveway and gliding back down to the garage. Riding his trike is a DAILY occurrence (and one that helps in the retention of my sanity).

Last Saturday, Matthew and I hopped in the car to run an errand and as I started to pull away I felt something....well, it was one of the rear wheels on his beloved trike. I tried to act normal even though I was screaming inside wondering what in the world I was going to do. We got our errand done and came back and I tried to bang the wheel back into shape to no avail.

As most of us do these days, I then turned to the internet to see if I could get replacement parts. I was skeptical until I ran across Kettler's website http://www.kettlerusa.com/and apparently they are known for their customer service and parts availability. On Monday morning, I called the wonderful people at Kettler and for a mere fraction of the cost of the original trike, I had a new wheel and bearing on my front porch Friday afternoon.

HIP HIP HOORAY!!!

I feel like I have so many bad experiences from a customer perspective and it is refreshing to come face to face with actual EXCELLENT customer service!!

13.1 miles down......

In marathon measurements we are 13.1 miles through this race also known as pregnancy. I officially hit the 20 week mark and definitely LOOK and FEEL pregnant..........

We go to the doc today for a check-up. Here is how our baby is growing.....

Your baby is now practicing breathing and swallowing on a regular basis. Your baby continues to grow and fill out, with the head becoming slightly more proportional to the rest of the body.

Your baby's skin is becoming more complex at the end of pregnancy week 20, forming different layers. The epidermis, or surface of your baby's skin now has four layers that contain ridges for fingertips. The layers that form in your baby's palms and feet will provide him with his own unique fingerprint later in life.

We found out last week that the baby weighs around 11 ounces. I am feeling a lot of movement which is super cool!!