BIG...

This post is BIG in every sort of way.

Yep!  Lovebug is going to be a BIG sister.

My belly is already getting BIG!!

Lovebug's new BIG girl room?  So that the baby can have her old room :)

We've known this BIG news since the end of September.  It's been quite hard to contain it.

We had our first BIG appointment last Wednesday.  We heard the heartbeat.  160 bpm.  They said that's "normal".  For once, a "normality" in Lynamland :). 

The next BIG appointment is in a few weeks when we have our first ultrasound.  Lovebug gets to go with us to begin earning her BIG sister status.

Coach and I will have some BIG time discussions on names.  We already had one at our first appointment. 

Yes.  We will find out what we're having.  I'm BIG on planning.  It will also make for some BIG, fun, last-minute Christmas presents for our families this year. 

Last but not least, the BIG day?  Around May 15.

We Went Walking

On Saturday, Lovebug and I joined up with 20,000 other people near the Capitol complex to Walk For The Cure.  We had a blast!!!  We were part of the team "Walker's for the Knocker's" in support of our favorite Hy-ya's sister, Lori, who is celebrating being 1 year cancer free!!!!

Lovebug was the best she's ever been!  She sat in her stroller for the entire 5K, plus the 45 minutes leading up to the walk itself, too.  And though we all know I'm not a huge fan of the color pink, I outfitted Lovebug and myself in it.  I even pushed Lovebug in a pink stroller for cryin' out loud!  Ahh, the things I do for the people I care about :).

Anyway, the walk was fantastic.  The weather was beautiful.  I could never see myself running a 5K, but mad props to the people who do.  Afterwards, we partied it up at the Tavern in Valley Junction.  O.M.G.  I forgot how much I love Tavern pizza.  And cheese bread.  Lori treated us all... and even brought cake.  Needless to say, Lovebug shut the party down... only because she was still eating when everyone else was done.  Yep.  That's my girl :).

When we got home, Coach was still cheering on the Hawks at Kinnick, so Lovebug and I did what any other Mommy/Daughter day is all about... we took a nap together :)

Lovebug's New Digs

This past weekend, Coach and I enlisted the help of my parents to transform Lovebug from toddler to big girl.  Yes folks... girlfriend has a new big girl room :).

*Back story... my parents watched Lovebug all weekend so Coach and I could go with some friends to IA City to cheer on the Hawks {awesome!!}, so my parents got to experience first hand what Lovebug sleeping in her convertible crib was doing to her and us.  Poor thing was rolling all the time, didn't have enough room, and inevitably would fall out of the darn thing.  This meant middle of the night wake-up calls for us, and that wasn't fun.

Fast forward to yesterday and a "thought" sprang into action!!  An hour and a half after touring my beloved furniture store, Homemakers, we were home bound with a new big girl bed, mattress, and dresser :).

Though there is no paint on the walls or too many other cute accessories at this point in time, Lovebug's new room is perfect for her!!

AND... a big thanks to my parents for helping us get this finished in one day :).  Just the way my Dad wanted to spend the day after his 65th birthday :)  Happy Birthday Dad/Papi Dale!!!  We love you :) :)



{her last nap in her toddler bed}




{the start of construction}



{maniac running around the new room!}





{Coach approves of the new bed :)}

  



{this is one excited girl!!!}



And her old room?  Is turning into a "junk spot" while I rearrange closets.  Sorry, no pictures of that though.  I wish that sight upon no one :(.

Lynamland Heads to Kinnick!

Yesterday was a very exciting day for all of us.  I'm not sure who was more excited though... Lovebug or Coach.  You see, Coach got to take his girls to Kinnick Stadium to watch our beloved Hawkeyes.  Though this was not Lovebug's first game {when she was just 7 weeks, Coach Ferentz touched her feet at Jack Trice, a memory that is gone, but nor forgotten}, but this was her first game at historic Kinnick Stadium.  Boy, oh boy, was it a super fun day!!!

After one long trek up the hill and past the many port-a-potties...



{I agree Lovebug.  Those things are disgusting}

...we were tailgating with some great friends.  Lovebug learned the fine art of kick the can {yep, we teach the good stuff here :)}


Then, it was time for the game!!! 

{we are one happy Hawkeye family}

Enter the part where I said earlier I'm not sure who had more fun.  Coach was one proud Daddy, that's for sure.  And Lovebug?  Well, she was elated with the fact that she saw Herky... from a long, long distance.  Poor kid... costumed people still scare her :(.  She yelled "A" every time it was our turn, cheered and yelled "touchdown" when we scored 'em, and high-fived some people sitting near us.  Oh, speaking of the people near us... one girl let Lovebug eat some of her popcorn, while another played peek-a-boo, while a third neighbor helped point out Herky every few seconds. 



{l-o-v-e}





{based off this picture... I'd say Coach is the happiest}

We all made it until the start of the fourth quarter {about 2 quarters longer than I thought we'd make it}, and made our way back down to Daddy's truck.  On the way, Lovebug eyed a big Hawkeye truck! Of course, Daddy had to show it to her :)

One more landmark stop left for us...

Ahhh... this was one great day, and one of those memories that will live with Mommy and Daddy for a long, long time. 

Throwback Thursday--2nd Birthday Edition

Lovebug's 2nd birthday {ahem, 2 months ago} was picture perfect, as you will see by the zillions of pictures below.  We are so grateful to have such wonderful family and friends share this special day with her.  Even her boyfriend, Marcus, came to celebrate :). 

We ate, but of course, the real fun was opening presents!!!

After presents, she just had to cheese it up for everyone...

...as well as get a kiss from earlier mentioned boyfriend :)

{Daddy will not be a big fan of this picture...shh!}

After presents came the best part, well to this Mama anyway... CAKE!!!  I worked my hiney off to make Lovebug the perrrrrfect cake, and I think it turned out extremely well.  What do you think?

{white cake with strawberry cheesecake filling... all dressed up like Minnie Mouse}

Silly head gear and the candles came next, followed by pictures with a few of our friends and family.

{Lovebug's godparents Matt & Cheri}

Once all the excitement of the day had come and gone, Lovebug had a chance to help Daddy water the bushes... but more importantly, use one of her new presents :)

{what.  don't you water your bushes in your party dress???}



Preschool--Hy-ya Style

Hy-ya {Holly to those of you who do not speak in toddler lingo} started doing pre-school curriculum with Lovebug and her boyfriend, Marcus, this year.  It's so much fun to see her show off her papers when she comes home from school.  Since Coach does the majority of daycare drop-off/pick-up, he always helps Lovebug tell Mama all about what they did when they get home.

Here are a few pics of Lovebug's very first day of pre-school, Hy-ya Style :)

{ready for my first day!!!}

{showing off her sweet backpack}

{coloring her brain... that's what they did on the first day}

{cutting out and gluing her brain}

{showing us where her beautiful brain is}



{Lovebug and Marcus...showing off their work}

 Since being in pre-school, Lovebug has learned about:  her brain & ears, the color blue, apples, fruit, the letter B, hand washing, and much, much more!!  And of course, what would be school for Lovebug without a few visits to the principal's office.  Yep.  She's going to be that kid.  Great!

Reward... or bribery?

Lovebug has been rockin' this potty training thing for quite some time now, and well, we still haven't mastered it.  Partly, wait, make that mostly, my fault.  I've still got her in pull-ups, I don't get her to the bathroom as often as I should, but dangit, she's just a smidge over two, so I shouldn't be so hard on myself, right?  Right.

Anyway, Hy-ya is helping out with this potty training gig, and of course, she gives Lovebug rewards for going potty.  Girlfriend never wants a reward from us at home... so perhaps I'm going to have to find some of this as bribery instead.

Here's Lovebug showing off one of her rewards for using the big girl potty.

Princess lipgloss for the potty princess :)