This Week In Pictures (11/30-12/6)

So this week in pictures is going to be on the rather short end. Surprisingly this past week was crazy busy but I was still able to manage posting quite a bit and therefore don't have any left over pictures to display except for this one of Jocelyn. She loves her sunglasses and asked that I take a picture of her wearing them...crooked and all! She was really proud of herself for putting them on all by herself - something that she's been working on for a little while now.

An update on baby news: last night I started to get contractions every 5 minutes for a good while. I was laying there timing them and must have gotten real tired of that because I woke up a short time later to find out that I slept for an hour or so. Got back to timing. Still every 5 minutes. Walking around didn't change things either. So after that had gone on for a good 3-4 hours, I called my doctor's office around 11:30pm. The on-call doctor called me back (sounding pretty tired) and asked if I was dilated. I told her that the past Monday at my appointment I was at a 2. She asked if there was any other symptom and I said no. She said that she didn't seem to think that I was in labor and could just stay home and wait until it felt like my cervix was dilating but also to not wait TOO long as it's my 3rd child. Yeah. Okay. That makes a ton of sense! How the heck am I supposed to know when my cervix is dilating? Frustrated with the conversation that made absolutely NO sense whatsoever to me, I went to bed - hoping I wouldn't end up delivering him at home! John mentioned that we had a tarp that I could use in the backyard if we needed to. HELLO????? I don't think so!!! A little traumatizing, don't you think? Not even an option! I know it's strange that I'm so concerned about knowing when I'm actually in labor (I'm sure it'll be pretty obvious!) but with Aubrey I was induced 6 days before her due date and in labor for 24 hours and I was at the hospital the morning they had scheduled me to be induced with Jocelyn but lo and behold I was already in labor on my own with her and had delivered her in just 4 hours. This time, I'm not being induced unless I go 7-10 days AFTER my due date of December 15th so this would explain my concern. Though I am glad I most likely won't be induced. NOT fun! So. That's my update at this point. Everything's done and ready so we're just playing the wait game. I have another appointment tomorrow (Monday) morning so more news to follow...

Jingle Bells

The girls and I were sitting in the dining room waiting for some of John's yummy waffles and out of no where Jocelyn started to sing the WHOLE song to Jingle Bells. I was quite stunned to be honest! We've been playing a little bit of Christmas music around here but not a whole lot so it really surprised me that she knew this song entirely. It was really cute and we were all so excited for her that she had it memorized. I went and grabbed the camera and recorded what I could (she only did the first verse this time)...finally getting her to sing a little bit on TAKE #4! I was beginning to think that she enjoyed the spotlight! :)


Jingle Bells - Take One


Jingle Bells - Take Two


Jingle Bells - Take Three


Jingle Bells - Take Four

Aubrey At The Piano

Aubrey performed tonight in her Christmas piano recital and did such an awesome job! We're really proud of how well she did - especially for just starting lessons this past Winter. She was also pretty happy that she had both of her songs memorized for the recital: Oh Christmas Tree and The First Noel. Here is a little video of her performance. (Again, you'll have to pause the blog music in order to hear the video.)

Aubrey's Winter 2008 Piano Recital

More Funnies By Jocelyn

As a typical two year old would have it, learning new words every day is a MUST! I am confident in saying that Jocelyn is definitely among the typical in this case. Just to get this straight up front, I am by no means complaining. MOST of the time, I find her new words quite amusing. Others, well, not so much. :) Here's her recent findings:

* "hey babe" - Our family was driving down the road and I was telling John something which started with "hey babe." Of course it was copied right there on the spot when she heard it but just this morning before John left for work Jocelyn blurted out "hey babe!" We obviously correct her and tell her that it's daddy to her and not babe but she still thought it was funny and said it again. Maybe we're both not very good at controlling the silent chuckles when she says this. Who can blame us? (Although we really should work on keeping a serious face). Kids say the funniest things out of no where!

* "stinky diaper" - Every Tuesday and Friday morning when we're home, Jocelyn hears the garbage truck drive up our street for garbage pickup. She goes ecstatic and runs to the window to watch. It is then, in a very serious voice, that she says "stinky diaper!" Clearly every neighbor has a garbage full of stinky diapers, right? LOL Someday she'll catch on that there's more to garbage than stinky diapers but that's her logic at the moment: That garbage men come twice a week to hull away her stinky diapers. Not that she's entirely wrong here. We'll be happy when she's diaper free! Thank goodness she shows some interest in going in the potty but we have a LONG road ahead of us I have a feeling to get her to diaper free. (It'll happen, it'll happen!)

* "that's cool" - John came home with the girls the other night from the store. It had been snowing and when Jocelyn saw this she said "that's cool!" I don't say that phrase too often so it honestly could have been picked up anywhere. He got a kick out of it.

* "whatever, whatever, whatever" - I was sitting with Jocelyn at lunch. She saw a neighborhood cat walk by and then run off which she then asked what the kitty was doing. I said something along the lines "the kitty is doing whatever it wants...maybe playing or eating or sleeping." All she apparently heard or stored into her memory was the word "whatever." This morning I asked her to go and put her shoes on so we could take sissy to school at which she mumbled under her breathe while putting on her shoes "whatever, whatever, whatever." This word just irritates me (of course deep down I'm laughing) but I think that it's one of those words I now choose to ignore in hopes she forgets with not getting attention from saying it. We shall see if that approach works or not. Is there any chance being in this family that she won't end up a little sarcastic? Doubtful! LOL

Happy 28

We celebrated John's birthday with a nice dinner followed by presents and Cold Stone Ice Cream. (Which by the way, if you'd like free ice cream on your birthday, go here and sign up. Our family has loved this treat!) John's hard to surprise and this year I had a really hard time coming up with a great gift so the girls and I got him a stir fry pan, cooking utensils & stir fry sauce. He's been using our frying pan for the longest time but has mentioned a time or two how nice it would be to have an actual stir fry pan. Well, there you go honey! I told you my pregnancy brain doesn't forget EVERYTHING that is said. Hope you enjoyed your special day. We love you!! xoxo

And for good measure, I'm throwing in a picture of me and the baby bump. Today also marked my 38th week and the only news from going to the doctor this morning is that I'm now dilated to a 2. Woohoo...progress! :)

O Christmas Tree

So naturally - to go along with my nesting - the Christmas tree was put up just days after Thanksgiving. I honestly can't remember in the last few years that this has happened but again, Andrew will be here before we know it so I want everything on my "to do" list checked off and done. Getting the tree up and decorated was high on the list. Gone are the days of getting a real tree (since living in Virginia anyways). Stringing the lights, endless needles everywhere, even the occasional spider and all - the real tree is for sure missed. Especially the smell. I hear there's a fix for that though: tree smelling candle? I just might have to go and get one. :) Regardless of a real tree or an artificial one, we had a great time decorating with the girls. Last year we weren't home (in Virginia) for the holidays to decorate our family tree so this is Jocelyn's first official year helping out with placing ornaments on the branches. She was so excited! In fact, she kept begging to put up another and another up until they were all gone. Of course she can only go so high so daddy had to step in and lift her to the hard to reach places. And Aubrey placed a lot of the keepsakes and breakables on the tree. All the while we had the Christmas music on in the background and not soon after placing the last ornament on the tree, we were guzzling hot cocoa. YUM! I love sharing these traditions as a family. So much fun!!

This Week In Pictures (11/23-11-29)

Another tiring week around the Shields household. Or it could just be me that's tired? (Doubt it!) Andrew will be here any day now. We've accomplished a lot though including John installing half of the bottom floor's new baseboards on top of his pile of homework, me setting up Andrew's bassinet & getting his newborn clothes washed and ready for his arrival, and getting the Christmas tree put up. I haven't had a lot of time to write on here as we are busy and tired but I will make sure to keep the blog updated as I find the time. Here's to another week!! :) Have a great one!

{This is how I found Jocelyn at the table for dinner: ripping off her socks and cleaning between her toes. While I found this disgusting, I had to run for the camera! It's interesting...her sister used to do the same thing when she was little. Maybe it's a kid thing? Still gross at the table. :p}

{Some time before this picture was taken, John was wide awake and studying. Guess I can't blame him. Economics classes put me to sleep too.}

{Girls playing with blocks. Jocelyn discovered a circle when the two blocks were wedged together.}

{'CHEESE!' When I looked back at this photo of Jocelyn, I couldn't believe how big she's getting. Wow!}

{Lovin the jello at lunch}

{Girls cuddling up to a movie - I believe it was The Polar Express.}

{We found some extra party favors in the hall closet. Jocelyn was in heaven!}

{Jocelyn getting her hair cut for the 2nd time. I never posted about her 1st haircut but she does extremely well sitting in the chair all by herself. You can't tell by her expression here but she was very excited to get her haircut. Her being shy around strangers helps I think but she didn't move the entire time the lady cut her hair. And ever since she got it cut, she asks to go back every.single.day. Aren't kids the funniest? Luckily, it'll be awhile before having to go back. I'm sure the checking account thanks us.}

{Aubrey & Jocelyn after their haircuts. Aubrey asked for a "bob." I told her what a bob was and she got wide eyed and said, "oh...never mind. I didn't know what a bob was." :)}