Brielle's 1st Haircut

Brielle got her first haircut ever on March 4th - at age 27 months!  My babies just don't start to grow much hair until they hit 1 year old, so it takes a while to need a trim.  She did a great job holding still for the hair stylist and looks cute with her new bangs and less of a mullet in the back!

Before

After

Joshua also got a cut while we were there.  We went bold and cut off his long, surfer dude locks for a cooler start to the hot weather season.  He's happy that he can now have a "spike" like Daddy!

Mom and Dad to the rescue (again)

My mom and dad were here for about six weeks this winter.  As always, it was great to see them and get spoiled by all their help...and they came just in time because I experienced third trimester "morning sickness" (which is apparently fairly common).  For most of the time they were here I was feeling under the weather - as though I was coming down with the flu.  That made the extra sets of hands and company that much more of a Godsend!

I was thinking that we didn't DO a lot while they were here, but when I started making a list, it ended up to be quite a bit...potty training Brielle, buying and installing new kitchen appliances, a quick late night trip for just me and Dan to Mark's Oyster Roast in Orlando, an overnight staycation for just the two of us at the Sawgrass Marriott, shopping trips with mom for baby supplies and stuff to spruce up the house, buying and putting together a shed, planting the garden, haircuts for the kids (Brielle's first), hosting a Super Bowl party, an afternoon at the spa getting pedicures, kid-free meals with mom and dad at Bonefish Grill and Ocean 619, moving the kids into the same room and redecorating it as we prepare for the baby, not to mention, lots of playing, reading, and eating!

The men watching the Super Bowl!  Daniel grilled wings on his new Big Green Egg Grill...delish!

The girls stayed close to the food table, of course!

Big helper loading stuff in the new shed

Tata and Papa took them on a special outing to meet Elmo

Sweet Southern Comfort

I love, love, love the smell of jasmine and seeing it blooming like crazy all around town...
Spring is a great time of year!

Big Girl Brielle

Brielle has been working on potty training this past month!  Overall, she has done a fantastic job!  While I have some friends who have successfully done a three-day method with great success, it hasn't worked for us yet!  But, after a three-day potty boot camp and a few more weeks of practicing, Brielle is just about potty trained!  We are still having some accidents, but, more often than not, she's keeping those panties dry!  Such a big girl!  It will be nice to have a little break from diaper changing (and diaper buying).

So proud in her 1st pair of panties on Day 1

Rockin' the cowboy boots

32 Weeks...and counting

Baby Girl's arrival is quickly approaching.  I am certainly ready to get rid of this big belly and hold that sweet baby girl in my arms, but at the same time feel like the day is coming soooo fast - there's still so much I'd like to get done before I return to the zombie-like trance that the first few months with a newborn brings.

The baby continues to measure right on track and everything looks good at my doctor appointments.  I went through what I've decided could only be "Third Trimester Morning Sickness" during the month of February, but am feeling A LOT better the past few weeks.  (Girl Scout cookies are "helping" make up the difference for the weight I lost during that time!)  Thankfully, it happened while my parents were here, so I had plenty of extra help while I was feeling less than 100%!

As far as preparing for the baby goes, we are making progress slowly but surely.  We've been transitioning Josh and Brielle toward sharing a room, so that we can use the third bedroom as a nursery.  All of their clothes is in one room, I've been working on some decorating, and they sleep together most nights.  Brielle's toys are still in the nursery and we are still calling it "Sissy's room", so we'll have to work on those things, as well as, get all the tiny baby stuff down from the attic, put back together, washed, and ready to go.  I do have a big box of newborn diapers and a coming home outfit ready to go, so I figure the necessities are covered and we're ready when she is...except for a name...the name is still under discussion and probably will be until after Baby Girl is born...settling on girls' names is hard for us...

28 weeks