McGuire Party of Four

     Was my post title too vague? WE ARE HAVING A BABY! We are so excited about this sweet new bundle set to arrive in March! The front bedroom has been cleared (mostly), and Keith set up the crib the other day. Davis is so excited, and we are right there with him!

     Being pregnant again has been so similar and so different, and I am so thankful to get to do this again. Similar to with Davis, our first ultrasound dated us behind what we originally thought (by ten days this time), so my due date is set at March 26...we'll see. The start of this road however...not the same. Not. At. All.

     Because I'm an over-planning control freak, I was obsessively counting down the days until I could take a test. I don't know if I've shared this or not, but the Lord has been working on my patience for the past thousand several years. I obviously haven't learned it the way He wants just yet. When I tested the first time at 4 weeks and 1 day, it was a hard no. I was really disappointed, and when I was still in limbo 5 days later, I tested again...another hard no.

     This was all the week before we went to the beach with my family. This kind of uncertainty is not what you want right before a beach trip... Y'all, the beach is one of my favorite places on the face of the earth, and I was loving it, but sooooo preoccupied. Halfway through the week (and 8 days after my last test), Keith and I swung into the Dollar General after dinner and bought the last $1 test they had...big spender.

     It was the kind where you're supposed to use a dropper and check the little window (overshare, but this is for posterity...and to remind me to settle the heck down). Y'all, I needed to know before I walked out of the Dollar General, and the test was NOT giving me the promised results in one minute. So there in the DG bathroom, I broke the test open to see if the lines were just hiding somewhere else on the strip. And because my name is Allyson, it kiiiiind of looked like two lines, but also kind of like a hot mess. So baaaaaack to the test aisle for a more traditional stick variety, and back to our house where I smuggled the tests in.

     After we all went our separate ways for bed, I crept out to test, and it was the most instant, plain yes you've ever seen. I told Keith, "That's the craziest thing I've ever seen in my life." Aaaaaand just for good measure I tested again first thing in the morning before I told everybody over breakfast.

     Early days were verrrry similar to Davis, not a ton of symptoms, and when they were there they were very off and on. Lots of anxiety. Lots of craving olives and pickles. Nothing like pregnancy to keep you on your toes (and on your couch).

     I'm hoping to document about as much as I did with Davis, and now that I'm wellllll into the second trimester I should probably get on that. We know what we're having. We know a name. We are so excited! (Did I mention that part already?!)

Day in the Life: Photo Every Hour

     Last week was fall break, so in addition to being a regular human, I also managed to remember this blog! I love Day in the Life posts, and in the sporadic six (what?!) years that I've been blogging I've never done one. I chose a fall break day because even though it wasn't "normal," I actually stood a chance of remembering to take pictures.

6:30

     It is a rare treat for Davis to sleep past 6:00. I think he can sense me as soon as my feet hit the floor...but he must have known it was fall break because he slept in every day #praisehands. He wakes up ready to go, but I require a few minutes with my quilt...and apparently Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (always).

 

 

7:30

     What is wrong with me that it took an hour to get my coffee?! Not normal. But this mug, y'all. It was a gift from my sister, and I could not love it more. Luke and Lorelai forever.

8:30

     I finally broke away from the couch (judge.me.) to pay some bills and check email. Davis spent a little time watching TV and actually playing! He's been so much better lately about playing in his room. I don't even care that it apparently requires him to dump out every single toy he owns...

 

9:30

     Still working...still coloring...still ignoring the junk I need to clean off the table. Most of it is Davis's art from school. I've got to find a way to sort and store it.

 

10:30

     Laundry. All the laundry. Also, the vacuum was not out to vacuum. I use it for killing bugs. I've been known to miss with a shoe, but I can suck a spider up in that hose with 100% accuracy. We've had a ton of granddaddy long legs lately...ew.

11:30

     Davis has been having a ton of picnics lately. He's also obsessed with Mickey's Monster Musical (or Castle Mickey).

 

12:30

     Nap time is the perfect time for me to watch a little show and get in a few steps. This week I got totally sucked in to those Food Network Halloween baking shows and Beat Bobby Flay! What in the world? I typically only watch Food Network for The Pioneer Woman and Trisha (although I did love Emeril and Iron Chef back in the day), but I couldn't stop myself this week.

1:30

     Is there anything better than a clean kitchen and a fall candle? I got another Pumpkin Waffle candle that I raved about last year. They are only FIVE DOLLARS! A few years ago they had a peppermint that was perfect for January...I'll keep an eye out for it. They're still back in the cleaning section of Walmart. YES! Walmart!

 

     
2:30

     He woke up so happy! He did not get that from me...although the promise of a snack may have had something to do with it.

     

     Davis took a little break from playing to read There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat. I love rotating some of his books seasonally, and he gets so excited for new things to read! Also...yes, I am still in my pajamas because fall break.

3:30

     Two pictures for this hour because the one of just meatballs wasn't as appetizing. I did a little dinner prep for this recipe that I've had pinned for awhile now. Mine wasn't Whole30 because I didn't have almond flour (or arrowroot), but it still turned out okay. We did ours with egg noodles instead of mashed potatoes, and we all liked it for dinner and leftovers. I think next time I'll just do a regular meatball (I have a recipe I like better) and use this recipe for the sauce.

 

4:30

     Finally dressed with make up on! I had a parent meeting at Davis's daycare, and I didn't think it was appropriate to go in pajamas. I was so pleased with my mom hair today. Every once in awhile my topknots really show up...and every other time they lay down and give up. It's probably reflective of my personality...

     Apparently the hour or so after my meeting until bedtime wasn't that eventful because I didn't take a single picture. We ate dinner. Y'all probably know what that looks like.

7:30

     Bedtime routine: potty, brush teeth, pray, sing, bed. Davis has always gone down really easily. It's why he's my favorite. Side note: I still love his cute little tail in pajamas. Can't stop won't stop.

 

8:30

     A tree makes everything cozier. I'm kind of sad that there will be a short break in my twinkle light game between Halloween and Christmas... I looked all over town for plain orange ornaments, and could not find any anywhere! I need a little more filler for my tree. I don't want anything too Halloween-y; I'm really more into understated decor...

still 8:30

     I went to Kroger the other day with the sole purpose of buying Count Chocula (because health is really important to me), but they didn't have any. Soooo...I pouted for a minute and then listened to my inner child and left with this instead. It did not disappoint!

     After this Keith and I watched a few shows and were asleep by 9:30. We're party animals. Seriously though, I used to love staying up late when I was in middle and high school, but now you couldn't pay me to stay up past 10:00.

     Not the most exciting day and definitely not normal, but fall break was exactly the rest I needed after a whirlwind first quarter at school. The second quarter always flies by, but I'm hoping to be back more often between now and Christmas!

Life Lately: Extra Late Edition

     Three months...I would say that's probably a new record for me...but I really don't think it is. Oooohhhh well. I'm back (for now). We've lived a lot of life lately. We've had our fair share of couch time too, but I digress. I've got so many different things to write about, and I'm not sure if I want to just toss it all out at once or be a good blogger and divide it into individual posts. Decisions. I'll go with my typical m.o. and just start typing and see where we end up. 

     A few weeks ago we went to our town's International Food and Art Festival and had the best time! I didn't even know this was a thing until one of Keith's work friends mentioned it. There was a parade with each participating country in traditional clothes and tents set up with crafts and food. We had food from Japan, Honduras, the Philippines, and Brazil.
     Davis was mostly really sweet, and we only had to make a mad dash across downtown for the port-a-potty twice...#pottytraining #mamasknow.

     I feel like a have a handle on a lot of mom things, but going to big events makes me feel so scattered! I left absolutely exhausted...but so happy for a day with my boys!

 

     Before we left, we scooted down a side street to grab a few pictures. I've been living here my entire life, and I had no idea there was such cute building art!   

     If that wasn't busy enough, we had a Sunday School fellowship that night at the pumpkin patch. I didn't get a ton of pictures, but I did snap a few cute ones of Davis. He loved the pumpkins and had plenty of opinions about which ones we should bring home.

 

Last year and this year.

 

He stayed in this wagon for a hot second before he wanted to climb out and pull it himself. Busy.

     This time of year we stay.so.busy., but I am so thankful to carve out times and memories like this! Davis still talks about the pumpkin patch (or "pumpkin patty") and asked about the parade just the other day. He really is starting to remember the fun things we do, and that makes it even more special. Thankfully we have plenty more to do this fall/winter, and I cannot wait. What have you been up to lately? Any fun fall activities I should be doing?

May Days

     I was going to title this “Life…and All Those Other Things I Can’t Fit In During May,” but that looked a little cluttered in the title bar.  My other option “Mayday…Because I’m Actual Chaos Right Now,” was a little much as well.  In fact the only reason I’m sitting and typing is because I’ve got an unexpected day off with a fevery Davis, and he’s asleep (hopefully for another hour). I hate having a sicky baby, and I hate taking off work, but I’m learning to let go sort of.

     What better way to celebrate my return than with a giant photo dump? Shamelessly pulled from Instagram and the depths of my phone? I’ve got you right here!

 

     We had such a fun Book Fair and Art Show night at my school! It was community helper themed, so we had helicopters and police cars and fire trucks, and Davis was in Heaven! The only downside is that now anytime we swing by the school he thinks he’s going to see the “biiiiiig tractor.”

     When you have a long week, there’s just something about pizza in the driveway that makes it all better. Obviously I didn’t go as footloose and fancy free as Davis, but it did start the weekend off nicely!

     In other news, Davis has taken over security for the church. If you need any assistance, just flag him down.

 

     We’re having a major sunglasses moment. Sometimes upside down…sometimes right side up.  Sometimes inside…sometimes outside.  I love it. The boy does not lack personality.

     But today we’re here. Snuggling and sleeping. I don’t get these moments very often, but when I do I soak them up. We have these days, and then they’re gone, and I want every bit of love out of them I can get. Laundry can wait. Work can wait. Those crumbs can wait. This won’t wait, so I’m grabbing it.

Spring Breaking

     Davis and I have had the best time these past few days just hanging out and being lazy! I thought I might take him to day care a couple of days so I could run errands and sit in the silence (#momgoals), buuuuuttttttt I kept him home…because one day he won’t want to hang out with me all day.

    In spite of the name, our spring break has been bitterly cold. There is no playing outside around here…and our trip to Target earlier nearly gave me pneumonia. We’ve stuck to indoor activities like coloring in a box, talking about the potty, and reading all. the. books. The upside to being stuck inside? I have gotten lots of laundry done, and Davis’s big boy room is all set up! As predicted, he is so stinking cute in his big bed.

     Cannot. Deal. We did put rails on it, but he’s sleeping so hard he really doesn’t need them (#hegotitfromhismama). I’m still on the hunt for another denim sham to make the end look more full, but that’s more for me than him…clearly. While I was busy working on the bed, Keith was painting and installing shelves in the closet. When we moved in, all the closet bars and sleves were weirdly low…like barely taller than me. You wouldn’t think it would be a big deal, but it makes the closets feel so tiny and cluttered. The dingy paint was not helping either. I’ll work on taking pictures when he wakes up.

     The downside to this update? Our cute little front bedroom is once again a junk room. I’ll have to get in there and do some serious work. It’s a really glamorous combo of crib pieces and Davis’s old furniture and all the stuff that vomited out of his closet. I am the eye-rolling emoji right now. I will not work on taking pictures of that.

     I’m going to leave this stream of consciousness with the list of posts I keep telling myself I’ll write:

• Dining room update (a REAL one…spoiler alert: I bought a new plant)
• Davis’s room
• Our closet
• A living room update (a REAL one)

     I started this post yesterday, but now that it’s Friday, I’ll link it for Friday Favorites and call it done! Happy weekend!

Friday Favorites

     Fri-YAY! It has been a slow climb to spring break, but we’ve made it and could not be more ready for this week!  I was all set to enjoy Fun Friday by scrubbing my classroom for the last hour of the day, but a text from Davis’s teacher yesterday about a little temp changed our plans.  I do NOT love a sinus infection, but an extra day to rest is so welcome!

     I have done all.the.laundry. and introduced Davis to ranch dressing…so I’d say the weekend is off to a good start! 

     In unrelated news, my sister and I have been doing Whole30 for the last 13 days, and they have been the longest 13 days of my life…That’s not entirely true, but it is requiring a lot of thought and a lot of tiny label reading.  All things considered, I am actually enjoying it! The food is good, and there is almost nothing I love more than a sense of accomplishment…except a cupcake.

I’m still waiting on my tiger blood.

     Bouncing to yet another topic, we are moving Davis into a big boy bed this weekend…y’all. A big boy bed! I cannot wait to see how it goes. He is going to be so cute and tiny in it. I will try to get around to taking some pictures once it’s all put up and done.

     He is turning into such a big boy lately! Its almost time to start thinking about a birthday party…for my two year old. Can’t. He is my favorite little boy on Earth.

     This post is turning into follow the bouncing ball (the bouncing ball being my train of thought). Ignore my dirty mirror and focus instead on my Teen Witch vibes. I’m trying to become a nighttime showerer to save those few precious moments in the morning, and I may or may not have found a hairdo that works for me. This is big news! I’m flipping my hair over and doing three braids (regular not French) and then twisting it into a topknot (yellow, terry cloth scrunchy recommended). This is seriously life changing. I have so much more time to apply eyeliner and drink coffee! Praise. Hands.

     I’ve also made it my mission to make plaid appropriate for work as often as possible. With a pair of skinny pants and some sassy jewelry, no one will know that it’s a hand-me-down that feels like pajamas. I just can’t do business-like. Simply cannot. Elementary teachers (and just people in general) should be able to move. Done and done.

     Alright y’all…I’ve got to wake this boy up from a nap and see where the weekend takes us. What does one do when one has done all the laundry and cleaned the floors? This is a sense of freedom I’m not familiar with – happy weekend indeed!

Life Lately

     It’s February.  I don’t know what it is, but the first few months of the year always fly!  We’ve been busy living life over here. Nothing too glamorous. Nothing too exciting. Just normal life.

     It’s been such a mild winter, and Davis has had so much fun playing outside! He has plearned how to ride a motorcycle, jump in puddles, and run from me on the way to the car each morning. He has such a big personality…I can’t imagine where he gets it from…

     He also got himself a really handsome, big boy haircut…he looks like a little man. I can’t. He is inching closer to two, and I’m not ready.  We’re making the move to a big boy bed over spring break, and once school is out I’m putting his hiney in underwear. Where is my baby?!

     In news unrelated to my teenager, Keith installed new floors in the living room, dining room, and hallway, and I am in loooooove. It has changed my opinion of our paint colors, pushed up our new couch timeline, and brought me to our gorgeous new rug. It is so cushy and cozy and I can’t keep my eyes and toes off of it.

     I’m including this as a reminder to myself of how nice the classroom (…I just typed “house” instead of classroom…life) looks when it’s clean. Also, it took me three and a half years, but I finally have matching desks and have found organizational systems that work and keep me sane. Praise. Hands.

     I was talking to my kids the other day about responsibility, and said, “Y’all it’s almost March!”  …and then I realized that it’s almost March! What in the world?!  In the day to day, I sometimes feel things draaaaaaaging on, and then I turn around one time, and we’ve got two weeks until spring break and the last quarter of the year!

     I have about 1.2 billion things left to do this year and then summer and a birthday for my boy and all of these things, and I’m exhausted just thinking about it.  Is this what being a grown up is?

     As per usual, I have about a million post ideas rolling aorund the old think tank, and if I ever figure out a way to keep my eyes open past 9 p.m. then I’ll have a lot to say! In the meantime, I’ve got about an hour of naptime left and lots of fun grown up things to do like pay bills and dust mop the floors. #glamour

Last Ten

     I’ve seen this fun idea a few places, so I’m hopping aboard the bandwagon and sharing my last ten pictures from my camera roll.  **Disclaimer** This is not 100% accurate, becuase I take lots of photos at a time, so this is really the last ten original pictures in my cameral roll…nobody wanted to see the same 10 pictures of my hair.

   

These three are really all in the same category.  Christmas options for Davis.  Santa at our house is bringning a tent and a “campfire” (that I desperately need to buy), but Keith’s parents asked for options, and I delivered (if I do say so myself)…  I am #obsessed with the wingback, but Keith is not into it.  He votes red…I really love the wingback.  We’ll see where we end up.

 

For the two of you who are regular readers (looking at you Tonya and Natalie…), these are repeats.  I have loved my Halloween decor, but I’m happy to let things settle just a little before Christmas descends…soon!

I found this beauty at Ross for $33! I am crossing all of my fingers that it fits in the space above our master bathroom sink.  The frame is a pretty gunmetal with dots (probably not the correct design term), and I think it would go a long way to making the sink nook not look so…janky (also not the correct design term).

I hear that Davis looks like Keith a LOT, but I snapped this the other day, and he can be Mama’s twin too!  I love his wrinkly nose smile.  He calls phones a “TV" and has started pretend talking and pretend picture taking on them!

Davis was very unsure of the pumpkin guts.  He loves talking about pumpkins, but the slimy seeds were not a favorite.

Keith and I went to a wedding last weekend for one of his fraternity brothers, and it was so fun to dress up and be real grown ups for just a few hours.  I ended up finding the dress a couple hours before the wedding at Ross, and for $16 I felt like a pretty lady.

I tried a Small Things Blog hair tutorial, and it kind of worked!  I even got a few compliments on it.  On the other hand, I forgot to put on mascara…#youwinsomeyoulosesome

     In other news, I’ve finally undecorate for Halloween and have put out my Thanksgiving happies for the next three weeks!  As soon as I can figure out how to clear some space on my phone, I’ll take some pictures of that too.  I’m off to win this Friday and then settle in for the weekend.  I have big plans to vacuum, eat chili, and pray for cooler weather!  What are you up to?

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