Wooohooo!!!

Jared is done with his LPN program - YAY!!! All he has left to do is take his license test (NCLEX) and he is finished! It has been a long road, but I am SO proud of his perseverance! He already has his career lined up with the hospital he is currently employed with, so the transition should go really smoothly! Then, within a few months, we will hopefully be residing again in the east valley. Anyway, just thought I'd throw out that little HOORAH to my hubby for all his hard work!!

Can't Wait

So, I don't have any pictures to post for this entry; it's mostly just a chance for me to vent and whine. We have been at our current residence (if you can call it that) for about six months. Granted, we moved here because it would save us a great deal of money while Jared finished up his LPN program, and it was somewhat closer to his school/work at the time. Well, now I have just about had it, and can't wait to buy our house in October. Everything is lining up great so we will be able to, but for the time being, I'm going a little crazy and I'll tell you why. Here is a list of the lovely ambiance-creators in my neighborhood:
*Car alarms - at least 30 times a day
*Yapping dogs - at least 3 times a day
*Ice cream trucks (3) - at least 3 times a day
*Walking, bell-ringing ice cream vendors (2) - at least twice a day
*Extremely loud garbage trucks (with the banging and the beeping) - at least 4 times a week (twice over because the garbage bins for the adjacent complex is less than 50 yards away from my window)
*Revving engines and peeling out - I can't tell you how many ghetto vehicles in this complex are modified to be excruciatingly annoying, but each one has to show it off right in front of my place at least twice a day
*Loud neighbors - I mean, I'm sure Jared and I have our moments of not being quiet little mice, but honestly, I think I have the loudest neighbor on earth. I can hear her talking (term loosely used) on her phone every night around 11pm from the parking lot all the way up the stairs and once she's inside her apartment, it's even louder
*Airplanes - I think some days that one is going to crash through our roof - at least 30 times a day
Y'know, other than that, we have a very lovely peaceful quiet residence for a really great price.
I can't wait to move.

I Sleep With Guns

Soooo, I was awake the other night, which happens to be a frequent occurrence, and I was thinking about having two girls - whether they would be girly or tom-boyish like I was. I then started thinking about the fact that I definitely have some traits that make me quite girlish, aside from actually being a girl... I mean, I do like to shop, I love pedicures (I've only had one manicure in my life given to me by Michelle Lambson when she was going through beauty school. It was nice, but the nails fell off within a few hours, so I didn't become real hooked.), and I can have pretty emotional days, or weeks, or... well, you get the point.

THEN, I thought about the way I was laying in bed and how nice it was that I had a perfect position to be in while I slept as my belly grew each day. Y'know, slightly on my stomach/side, leg bent, one arm tucked under my chin, the other extended under the pillow with my hand resting on the cold steel barrel of my Mossberg 12 gauge behind my bedstead... at that point I figured that I probably wasn't a normal girl.

First off, now everyone knows where I keep one of my guns, but I don't think that anyone about to rob me is going to check my blog first, and I'm not a paranoid internet person, so there you go. Secondly, I don't have my hand on my gun because I am a paranoid house person, either. It just happens to be there, and the cool touch feels nice at night.

To continue with the strange ramblings of my mind, I had to smile to myself when I realized that the other favorite position of mine to sleep in is exactly the same but on the flip side, this time with my hand on the other set of guns readily accessible to me:

K, so they aren't that big, and they don't usually tote a sledge hammer, but I found it interesting that on one side I'm holding my real gun, and on the other, I hold my hubby's guns. It is nice having such a protected night! :) So, I concluded that although I have many traits that make me a girly girl, I am still unique, and I'm sure that's how my girls will be as well.
P.S. For those who think my post contains a bit too much information, aka: TMI, too bad. It's my blog.

Little SISTER!!

After our ultrasound on Monday, it was determined that baby #2 is going to be a GIRL! Jared just loves it; he grew up with girls and just adores Anna, so he's definitely stoked. I am thrilled as well, a little wary of the idea that I so far am only raising girls, but I think I've done okay for my first year with my first one. The baby appeared extremely healthy and strong, which I could already attest to with the kicks she's dishing out! Jared has already felt her kicks which is always a neat thing for Daddies. As a big sister, Anna is already a favorite, for every time I hold her, the baby kicks against any part that is touching "her side". I can't wait, it's going to be one intense ride having two girls in the house that close in age.

As far as my pregnancy goes, everything is still really great, just pretty exhausting. I can't believe how frequently I just want to crash in my pillow and not move for hours. Kudos for women who have many children. I'm pooped. The doc did bump up my due date about a week, so now we have a Christmas baby instead of a New Year's. It didn't surprise me since Anna grew so fast as well. She is going to be a great big sister. Here is a sweet pic of her and Dada a few days after returning from Colorado. Her poor mosquito bites - at least they are healing fast; she looks much better now!!