So many exciting new things!!!

It has been basically FOR-EV-ER since I last posted.  There is a few reasons I have been MIA - (1) I am getting my ESOL endorsement online, so any time I am on the computer I feel that my time should be devoted to doing my best in these classes.  Thankfully, I will be done in less than 2 weeks! (2) Blakeley keeps me pretty busy and likes to put her pretty little  fingers all over the computer when I am trying to type (and I don't stay up late to do this after she goes to bed). (3) Justin and I found out in February that we are EXPECTING again!  So from February until school got out, I was in the "I'm so tired I could fall asleep mid sentence" phase.  Any way, se are due October 24th with another little girl!  Her name is going to be Mattie Kate, but she will go by just Mattie. (Though I'm sure in the beginning we will call her both, and when she is in trouble we will call her both - HA!).  We decided not to name her Madison, Madelyn, or Matilda because I wanted her to be like me - I'm not Amanda, I'm just Mandie.  :)  And Kate is just because I've always loved that name, and Justin's only requirement for her middle name was that it be one syllable.  Now both our girls have something from their Mommy.  Blakeley has her middle name Grace from me, and Mattie gets a cute short "ie" name like me.  It may sound silly, but it means a lot to me! :)

I'm still going through some typical mixed emotions about having another child.  I am of course, super excited to bring another sweet girl into this world, and I always knew Blakeley would have a sibling (and maybe one more if I can convince Justin).  She loves babies and gets so excited around them.  BUT - I have some mommmy guilt over never wanting Blakeley to experience any negative feelings.  I pray every day that she knows her mommy and daddy love her dearly.  I want her to always feel as special as she is.  She is the one who taught me everything I know! :)  Justin and I have already discussed how important it will be that Blakeley gets special Mommy and Daddy time.  Not just as a threesome, but one on one time with just Daddy and just Mommy.  Though I will be the obvious main care giver to Mattie when she is first born, I still want to have time alone with Blakeley and go on Mommy daughter dates.

On top of my mixed emotions, I have also experience some irrational fears of what Blakeley will think and feel when she sees Mommy in the hospital more than likely looking a little rough. ;)  So today, Blakeley's Nana (my mom) came along to my 21 week ultrasound appointment.  We already knew it was a girl because we went through a third party to find out at 16 weeks.  But this was to get all the measurements and thorough check up on the baby and me!  With Nana in the room, Blakeley did great seeing Mommy lying down in a dark room with a stranger using a weird machine on her.  She did have to keep her eye on me at all times, but I think that is normal.  I'm also glad that my mom was there, she didn't go to any of my doctor appointments last time since Justin came to pretty much every one, and I think she enjoyed seeing the ultrasound in person.

Who do you think this one looks like????  I will say that is not my nose or my lips....will any of my children look like me??? ;)



This is a video of our sweet little girl with the hiccups.

Now that it is summer, and I am on break - I can blog a lot more often.  I still need to catch up on our 4 day trip to Houston, TX to visit Justin's mom's side of the family.  However, that will have to wait until tomorrow!