testing... testing

I have a really hard time posting videos on this blog. I think they're too big and the trick is to export them - not sure though. Let's see if this works.

This is a super cute video from last month. It was Pop Pops birthday and my grand idea was to get Maddie to sing Happy Birthday to Pop Pops and I would take a video of it and post it for him to see. Well, she wasn't exactly cooperating (although to the result is still super cute) and then I couldn't get it posted!!! Fingers crossed...

28 weeks!

12 more to go! Can you all believe it? Im in my third trimester already!

Baby Girl Herndon #2 is doing great. She's still kicking away. I have my 28 week appt this Wednesday. I think after this appt I start going every two weeks (which just seems crazy to me). I'm crossing my fingers the gestational diabetes won't rear its ugly head at this appointment because boy have I been wanting my ice cream every night. It will be very sad if I have to give that up! Still no swelling and no plantars fascitis (yay!). I feel like Im carrying MUCH lower than the last time. Just look at that picture above! I thought "they" say that boys carry low and girls carry high? Oh well, what do "they" know I guess?

our baby is almost 2!

Little Maddie is almost two! I can't believe it. Her second birthday is just a month away!

She's becoming such a little personality and talking and talking more and more every day. I keep meaning to write down the little things she does and says so that I don't forget. What better place to document it than here on her blog!

Here we go -

Her favorite sayings:
Close de door
Come here Tucker
Uh -oh (this ones been in heavy rotation for months now)
Reciting the entire Brown Bear Brown Bear book
I NEED HELP!
Excuse me Tucker
Want to wash my hands
MY turn
Oh man
Oh goodness
Whoah

Things she's said this morning:
"Hey guys, wait up!" and "Come on guys!"
"Hi puppy, how are you?"
"Clean up guys"
"Run Baxter Run!"
"Hey Baxter, come here!" (with hand motions)
"I wipe bowl"
"Thats dangerous"

Her favorite things:
Pete the Cat song/book
Finding Nemo movie (she's borderline addicted)
Sidewalk Chalk
Being outside
Our neighbor Granny Miller
Slides
Twirling her hair
Singing Wheels on the Bus

Other cute things:
She and her neighbor Sophie (also 2) LOVE eachother... they cry when they have to leave eachother and hold hands while walking up and down the street
She calls Wonder Pets "Ming-Ming too" because of the theme song... similarly she calls the Little Einsteins "Pat-Pat"

Things she does NOT like:
Having her hair in pony-tails because she can't twirl
The thought of mommy having a baby
Swings at the park (even though she thinks she does)
Brushing her teeth
Other dogs (we're still trying to figure this one out)

beautiful blue ridge

We spent a gorgeous weekend up in the North Carolina mountains. The weather was absolutely perfect and it was as relaxing as can be. On the ride up we stopped along the Blue Ridge Parkway to stretch our legs, take a little hike and take some pics of the beautiful scenery. Maddie is becoming quite the little hiker, but she does prefer to be held by daddy going up and down the big hills.

While Jim was out playing golf with the guys, Maddie and I were able to meet up with our friends who live in Boone. They took us to a really wonderful playhouse in town. It was three floors of kid stuff - from paints to blocks to a piano, huge fish tank, fort, loft, play kitchen, dressup area to the downstairs that was set up like a big gym with a rock wall, trampoline and ball pit. We had SUCH a great time! Cant wait to visit there again.

We rented a cabin this time, versus staying in a hotel. Despite the very pungent cow smell... it was definitely the right decision. We bunked up with Grandad and a buddy and were able to have a comfy livingroom, kitchen, fireplace, hot tub, etc. We were also greeted by some friendly cows every morning. Maddie got a kick out of that. The best part of the cabin vs. hotel deal was that we were able to take Mr Tuck with us. We hate having to leave him at home when we travel. I think he enjoyed the trip as well - lots of time outside chasing the ball and he really enjoyed sharing the king sized bed with us. He laid completely horizontal between Jim and I and the three of us all had plenty of room!

All in all- great trip. Im missing my Kilwins ice cream and browsing the Mast General Store... but I guess I'll have to wait a year to get back up there.

sprinkler fun

I just had to back up a few weeks and post these pictures of Maddie playing in Nana and Pop-Pops Elmo sprinker while we were there visiting. Of course, she wasnt really playing in the water as much as she was just trying to drink it. Im trying not to think of all the bacteria and nastiness living in the hose and sprinkler - hey, she's still alive, isnt she?

Anywhoo - she really enjoyed it and we really enjoyed watching her play in it! She even had us all running thru the sprinkler ourselves saying... "Laura's turn, Tay Tays turn.... "

26 weeks!

No, we haven't forgotten about Baby Girl #2! I've been meaning to do more pregnancy posts but time has just been flying away! She's still in there growing strong and getting ready to make her grand entrance into the world in October. As you can see- Im growing right along with her. Not quite as big and as fast as the last time, but still growing nonetheless. She kicks and punches all the time now- and we can see her moving from the outside of my belly which is really neat. She still doesnt have a name. Like, not even close. So let's hope we're not one of those couples who is deciding the name at zero hour before they literally kick you out of the hospital.

This pregnancy has been great (knock on wood)! I have to test every time I go into the dr for diabetes and so far so good! I don't have it yet! I've also gained a lot less weight this time so I think that helps. My hands aren't swollen yet (last pregnancy I was about at the time when I had to literally pry my wedding rings off) and I can still see my ankles! No plantars fascitis and my migraines have been really minimal. YAY!

Maddie is sorta kinda getting the idea that mommy has a baby in her belly. She actually pointed to my belly yesterday when Jim asked her where mommy's baby was. Who knows if she has any idea what it REALLY means for her. She has no idea what having a baby sister means. She is SO CUTE with her babies - I hope she'll feel the same way about her baby sister.

So most of you know that we live in a cozy 2 br/2 ba that come October we'll have completely outgrown. We've been frantically looking for another house that meets our needs in the area and haven't found a thing. So... we're very close to deciding to put a second story on our house. Crazy? Yes, very. Scary? Yes, very. But, we've found a builder that lives in our neighborhood and has put a second floor on a few houses on the streets around us. We toured these houses and were really impressed. We'll be moving out of our house completely and into an apartment until they're done with the house. Pray for us. Please. Really. I told Jim that if we make it thru this still married... we know we'll be together forever. Im not good with ummm... mess and clutter... so let's hope moving out to an apartment and just being completely removed from the craziness is the right option. So, I'm sad that I cant really buy anything for our new lil munchkin or start decorating her room - but I think the house will be great when its complete. AND Maddie's room will go back to being a guest room... so you all have no excuse not to visit when the house is done!

a very happy 4th

The Herndons had a great 4th of July. We started off the day at Stone Mountain Park - taking a hike and letting Tucker go for a nice cool swim. Maddie did great on the hike (although Daddy carried her 3/4 of the way) and thought the sight of Tucker swimming was really funny!

the crew

playing in the water with Tuck



a quick break

Watching Tuck swim like Daddy


the dog has a good life

happy dog, happy dog

Cheese!

We grabbed some Subway on the way home (one of my intense cravings... a veggie sub) and Maddie took a nap to get ready for a fun night of swimming, friends and the downtown Decatur parade! All summer she's been VERY timid in and around any type of water. If you remember our Myrtle Beach trip... she had NO interest in the pool or even sitting on the beach. She did much better in this small pool with her friends swimming with us! Im so happy she got used to it.

getting in with Mommy

getting in with the guys (thats cute little Morgan with her)

The Howard twins looking on

Yay! A smile IN the water!

After the parade we lined the kids up and fed em some grub. Cuteness.

And perhaps the cutest moment of the night... when Maddie fed Mason some dinner

We were home by 8:30pm and completely exhausted. We figured Maddie wouldnt enjoy the fireworks much this year as she's not into big loud things, so we tucked her in and watched the DC fireworks on TV. Unfortunately for Tucker - we could hear the Decatur fireworks really well from our house. Tuckers getting wimpy in his old age and hid in the shower the entire night. What a weirdo! I have a picture of it but don't want to embarass him.

Hope you all had a great 4th!

ice cream!!!

Ice cream sundaes on Nana and Pop Pops back deck... doesnt get much better than this!

lunch at the ocean

Maddie had her very first Flo's clam cake last weekend. As you can see- Flo's is a total dive, and definitely the definitely of a clam "shack" but they serve the greasiest, yummiest clam cake in town. For all you southerners, a clam cake is basically big round hush puppy with a clam on the inside.

Nana and Pop Pops

And here is Pop Pops new boat. Unfortunately it wasn't in the water yet so we couldn't take it for a little spin while we were there - but maybe we'll have the chance when we go back in a few months.

Pretty, isnt it?

the weekend at nana and pop pops

Ive got lots of great pictures to share of our trip to Nana and Pop-Pops house for Aunt Laura's wedding shower. Too many to share in one post (I have limited patience with uploading pictures to blogger) but here are a few to get us going.

Jen, Maddie and Tay playing

Bubbles with Aunt Jen-Jen

Taylor being silly on her LAST DAY of school!

Bubbles with Nana!

One very happy dog

We had a few days of really nice weather and took advantage of them by sitting out on the back deck a lot and playing outside as much as possible! Maddie loved all the extra attention and people to play with - thats for sure.

piece o cake

To say I was nervous about how the 3 hr plane ride from Atlanta to Boston would go with just me and Maddie was a bit of an understatement. This was Maddie's 6th or 7th plane flight but at this age- you just never know what you're going to get no matter where you are and what you're doing. Being cooped up in an airplane with nowhere to go for 3 hrs is a lot for a 2 yr old to have to deal with...AND I had no one to pass her off to. BUT... she did absolutely wonderful. We brought Nemo (which she's completely addicted to right now), lots of snacks and the stewardess brought her some extra special juice... and she was literally an angel the entire time. Oh- and having her own seat was 100% essential. Technically she doesn't have to have her own seat til she's 2 (she's 22 months) but she's just too big to be sitting on anyones lap for that long and - she loved having her own little space and tray, etc.

Kiddie earphones =waste of money.
She wouldnt keep them on.

Delta Biscoff cookies... priceless.