Almost three months later...

Wow it's been a long time! Here's the update:

Jason has started his second year of medical school, which has been quite an adjustment after 10 weeks of vacation. He's also playing soccer with people from school, as a goalie. Last Monday he got kneed in the back extremely hard and has a really deep bruise. Now neither of us can bend over or do any heaving lifting. He's healing, though.

I am 37 weeks pregnant with our second little girl. I think she'll be born sometime during the week of the 11th. I'm enjoying the fall weather, and hope it stays fall until March. Let's just skip the terrible winter weather.

Clara will be 3 1/2 in November and is lots of fun. She is in a "little preschool" (kind of like a joy school) with some kids in our ward. The moms rotate teaching it twice a week, which is fun. It's also nice to have a couple hours to myself each week! She just got her first bike with training wheels, which she is ecstatic about. She feels so fancy with her helmet and water bottle.

Clara is super excited about her sister coming and knows she's coming next month. She has also started enjoying dressing up in her leotard, tutu and ballet slippers. She is going to be a ballerina for Halloween, unless she changes her mind again and is a firefighter or one of the seven dwarfs.

Vacation

A few weeks ago we went to visit my family and had a great time. The weather was so hot the whole time, but we found ways to cool off. Clara had her first jet ski ride, which she thoroughly enjoyed! Jason went waterskiing and Clara and I floated behind the boat. She loved swimming; so did I! It felt so wonderful. I grew up going out on the waterway; I love it!





Clara jumped over the waves at the beach and loved it! She didn't love getting a mouthful of salt water, but she enjoyed herself. The kids buried Jason and flew Clara's kite and the weather was perfect. We had such a great time.

Perfect Day

Last Saturday we met our friends Steve and Bekah in Washington DC for lunch, then they watched Clara while we went to the temple. They wandered around the temple grounds for a while and then went to a park to play. She was so sweaty and exhausted by the end. We loved seeing our friends and Clara was so happy to see the temple. A perfect day.




This is how I felt when we got home, too.

Let Summer Begin!

Jason finished his first year of medical school a week ago Friday, and we celebrated by going out for ice cream. Needless to say, Clara was excited. Jason has been busy working all around the house this week and has gotten lots done. What a great guy! Clara has loved having her daddy home all the time. Here's to a great summer!

A Girl!

We found out today that we're going to have another girl in October! Clara came with us to the ultrasound and after five minutes wanted to go play with the toys in the waiting room. But Jason and I thought it was exciting! Clara thinks we should name the baby "Abra" as in "abracadabra," but...I think we'll try to sway her towards another name. We're so excited!

Spring

Jason and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary with us both sick on the couch. I had a migraine and he had a stomach bug. Whoo hoo! (We celebrated the next week instead.) What a marvelous 5 years it's been.


Clara has really liked her dollhouse so far. What a cutie.


My parents gave her a gardening kit for her birthday, which she has loved. The other day we got her some gardening gloves like Daddy, but in pink. She is quite the fashion plate, isn't she? She even brought Baby out, which I thought was really funny.



Today we went to the Rail Trails for a walk, and Clara fell asleep on the way there. This is the only place she'll take a nap these days.



Jason looking very model-esque at the playground.

Birthday party!

Look at that sweet baby! I can't believe Clara is 3! It seems so long ago and like yesterday.


We made red velvet cupcakes, which looked like blood or paint in the mixing bowl. (The last picture is of us making it. It was incredibly messy.) We also made 4 colors of frosting and decorated them with sprinkles.


Jason's parents sent her an Edible Arrangement, which Clara was thrilled with. She loved the chocolate strawberries (as did Jason) and for days afterward would just reach in the fridge and get one out. It was pretty delicious.


We blew up lots of balloons and put them in her room the night before her birthday, thinking she would love it when she woke up. We almost woke her up taking them in, and then in the middle of the night she came into our room, crying and saying, "There are balloons in my room!" So we had to take them out again at midnight. But she loved playing with them the next day.


Last summer I found my old Playmobil dollhouse so I cleaned it up and we brought it with us. It can fall apart easily if she pulls on it, but hopefully she'll be kind. I love this dollhouse.


Oh I love this sweet girl.