Not So Little Pieper #2

Just as a follow-up, the ultrasound last Tuesday went very well. The Tech actually took a very significant amount of time and painstakingly (to me...) tried her best to get some good shots of the little tyke. Unfortunately, the little bugger did not want a 3D headshot taken, put his/her hand over the face... Oh well. The baby is developing perfectly, if a little on the larger side for my projected due date, but that is fine, so long as head and shoulders are not above average, I'm good! Isaac and this little one both have smaller than normal head sizes, so we'll keep our fingers crossed about that! We are not finding out the baby's sex this time either (I know, I know...) I just love that feeling of surprise and uncertainty. I guess we'll see around June 1st what we have! I really hope it's a girl, though Ikie having a little boy playmate would be great, and Ben really doesn't care either way. So, here's to a little suspense!
Our week was full of fun, warmer than usual days here in Laramie. We actually jogged to the park almost every day last week, which is a real treat for Laramie! On Friday it cooled off, so I finally got some things done... I made a hair pretty holder for Macy's 2nd birthday-- hopefully I can get Joni to take a picture of it b/c I think it's a fantastic idea for little girls. I am also, constantly, in the process of going through things and purging unnecessary items... Then, I tend to try to give them all to Joni so she can pass them on... Sometimes it works, sometimes not, but the sense of accomplishment makes me so happy!
So, this weekend we made the great trek to Pinedale for Macy's 2nd Birthday! What a fun time! Ike and Macy love each other so much and play together so well, it's quite the sin we don't live closer. I guess it makes for even sweeter reunions though! Macy had a very special fish birthday party. I think Isaac's favorite part was playing with a huge assortment of seashells and the new blocks Macy got for her birthday. He also became a little Elton John this weekend wearing a princess tiarra while he played Macy's pink piano and sang "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and "Book of Mornin Stories." It was really cute... He would come into the living room and say "Hey guys, don't you wanna come to sing on the piano?" It was too cute to pass up... Now I'm just regretting not taking video!

His other famous quotes from this week:
We told him to say "are you out of your mind?" to which he replied, "Are you out of MY MIND??"
He also overheard me say that grandma would freak out, so now he says"Gwahma is gonna fweek out!"
I told Isaac he was special. He said, "No mama, I not pecial, I'm Isaac!" -- SO cute!!

You should check out Joni's blog for some really cute birthday party moments www.clonikennington.blogspot.com

Diaper Liberation Part 2

For the first time in over a month, our little family has nothing of life-altering significance to post on our blog! We truly are savoring the blessings of our family and the opportunity we have to be here in Laramie at this very minute. We have seen so many instances where we have learned the things we have learned because of the special and extraordinary moments of our lives. I am so glad that the Lord has these special plans for us.
On a lighter note, in an effort to encourage Ikie's diaper liberation, I have recently resorted to "new lows..." I know, my educational "expertise is in Child Psychology, but really... I'm feeling the desperation setting in! So, Isaac has been going on the potty for several months now, for me only, but over Christmas break he decided that was overrated (sometimes in the middle of the night, I wish I could wear a diaper too, don't get me wrong)! Anyway, so this week I decided to resort to Nerds candy (just a few...) So, it really has worked, actually, but along with is has come a game for the car, or any other seemingly boring moment in our day... Isaac will ask "Momma, what I get when I sit on da potty?" To which he will reply "A new toy? Nooo; A new truck? Nooo; New shoes? Nooo; Shrimpies (his very favorite food) Noooo." This can go on for an hour, as it did today in the car! Pretty funny, but in reality, he gets about 6 nerds or what he calls "special candy." Does this make me a bad mom? I would argue desperate and successful, but not "bad..." right??
Beyond the potty, Ikie has made some major breakthroughs in child psychology and dealing with his feelings in a productive, though not necessarily successful way. One of the boys he plays with in the mornings has come upon a "mean streak" of taking toys, grabbing faces and generally hurting kids feelings. One day this week when I went to pick up Ike, this little boy took the "froggy" Ike was playing with, to which my ever so vocally active child replied, "No (boy's name) I'm not done playing with that but, you can play with it in a minute" Then Isaac, who is a year older, took the toy back and the little boy looked at him, confused (he doesn't speak yet), and walked away. I'm sure he was thinking, whatever buddy! Then, that night as we were reading scriptures, Ikie kept replaying the whole scenario and repeating over and over what the little boy did and what Ikie said to him (for about 45 minutes)! He actually put himself to sleep in his bed talking over the scenario over and over. I was so proud! He's using his words for power, rather than screaming, physical violence, etc... Now Ben's new worry... will he get beat up?? Just kidding! This new little sibling (and his cousins) will help him out in the toughness department, we're sure! I tried to get it on video, but will try again. It really was precious!
We were also blessed this weekend with weather in the 50s and low 60s-- it was awesome! Ikie and I went jogging outside on Friday to two different parks, that's how excited we were to get the nice weather! I think I would've jogged all day, had the sun not started to go down--brr! Then on Saturday we "dug down" to our Cowboy roots and went to the National Western Stockshow in Denver. It was fun, and as my friend Jamie put it, "we've never seen such pretty cows in all our lives!" We also watched my brother play basketball and found a new, expensive addiction for Isaac-- shrimp, and lots of it! This kid really is a bottomless pit, which would be much better if so satisfied with bread or water:)
This week marks another week in pregnancy history. Though I haven't started wearing maternity clothes yet (except to a Board meeting for my school in which I wanted to gain sympathy-- it worked)! I am 21 weeks and will have my ultrasound this week. We're pretty excited or "estited" as Ikie says (at least he's not "fwustwated" anymore:) So, we'll keep you all posted... For some reason, I've been having this "panics" like what if there are twins or something and I just don't know yet-- b/c I'm starting to feel huge-- even though I know I've got a long way to go and that that's not the case:) Wish us luck!!

And Finally The Really Big News!!

Why you may ask is Isaac's nose all red? Because he insisted on looking like Rudolph for about 3 weeks before Christmas (off and on...) and Christmas day for sure! This year, his pride and joy was receiving a "baketball hoop" and tools from santa, and an awesome combine, though I'm sure he'll grow to love the clothes and electric toothbrush he received as well... Ha!

So Christmas is over and we're all feeling the post-holiday-partum blues, but never fear, we have saved the best news for last! We are going to add a new little Pieper to the world June 1st (or hopefully sooner!!) Yes, that makes me 20 weeks along, and no, you are not the last person on earth to find out, though I'm sure some of you are starting to feel that way! We actually decided to wait until Christmas so that we could tell Ben's family in person about the good news. Some of you may be thinking that we are insane to wait until we are 18 weeks to tell our immediate family, and you would be right. Though everyone is now excited, I am not sure excited was the word to describe everyone's initial emotion! Some were a little more than disappointed we had waited so long:) But, we had good reason, and it was actually kind of fun to be able to deliver such great news.

Isaac was able to tell both of our sets of parents and siblings with a t-shirt we had made for him. It says "Big Brother 09 Isaac" It's really cute, I should definitely take a picture of him with it. Then, the most observant person in the room got to find out first.

Other than that, our break was great. We really enjoyed being together and are starting to feel like all these big plans are actually taking place. It will be an interesting 6 months of preparation and extreme craziness, but we can't help but feel so blessed! Certainly everything happens under the Lord's timing and plan.

(new vibrating toothbrush... very exciting!)

We did have the opportunity to travel to Pinedale to spend some time with Joni and Clay in the frozen tundra- brrr! And then on to Rexburg for more coldness:) I never thought I would refer to Laramie as a "warm location," but at times it's seeming more like that! It was really great to spend a week in Idaho and really have a chance to be with the family.

Now, this week has been our wake up call back to reality! We are working on finding a sense of normalcy and I'm sure we will soon, but getting back in the groove is tough. Anyway, we'll keep you posted on what "normal" is going to mean for us this spring, but so far, it just means really busy!

So, may each of you enjoy the new year and find some peace (oh, and when you find it, help us get there too!!)