Ma-zoo-uuum

We decided this year, instead of renewing our Dallas Zoo membership, in August, 9 months pregnant, we would look for indoor, year round, AIR CONDITIONED entertainment. Oh, and educational was nice as well.

So we found the Dallas Children's Museum inside the Museum of Nature and Science, which was cheaper than the zoo pass, and came with it's own farm!

Isabelle could not be happier than to discover all the animals. She spent 45 minutes gathering plastic food in her baskets and delivering them to various animals. After we left, she told us, "Maybe, some day, I will be a farm girl."

Daniel enjoyed the animals too, and gave all of them kisses before we left.

Peter decided he would be the official tractor guy (and didn't realize there were animals around).

And they all had a blast at the sand table!

Demolition Duty

A few weeks ago my parents came into town for a few days, and along with a few brother-in-laws, we transformed our garage into a new school room for the kids. Below are some pics of the progress that we made throughout the weekend.

The old garage was just the studs, so we re-routed cold and hot water pipes through our walls along with enough electrical for 8 new sets of plugs and a 240 line for the dryer.

We installed a new wall just where the garage door tracks end so that we could still have some garage storage. We then moved the washer and dryer and also laid a 70 ft drainline for the washer around the house.
We then insulated and sheet rocked the whole garage. This was by far, the biggest home improvement project I have ever taken on. I was lucky to have a Dad with every imaginable tool available, but we were still always in need of a tape measure, even though when we cleaned up we found about 8 different ones!

We also had lots of little hands available to do the hard work like getting us more Dr. Pepper and beer!
And lots of strong men to help as well....
Peter became fascinated with the chalk line and how it worked, and he became the official chalk line operator, and to commemorate this honorable appointment, we gladly chalked some racing stripes on his face!

Bath, Bed & Buns

The weekend of Peter's birthday party, and the home construction, we had a few extra house guests, forcing Uncle Matty to sleep on a mattress on the floor. After a fun bath, Daniel broke in Uncle Matty's bed (we didn't tell Uncle Matty).

There is nothing more exciting to Daniel than a mattress on the floor!

Then we fixed our hair. Isabelle loves having her hair dried like Mommy.

As does Daniel.

Then we celebrated Peter's REAL birthday the next morning with Peter's very own cinnamon bun.

Baby Update

After 12 weeks of monitoring contractions and being on and off of bed rest, our time for concern is quickly ending. In one week we will be at 36 weeks, cleared to deliver at the birth center, and beyond reasonable concern about the baby's health.

My cervix is VERY ready for delivery, and we have begun to dilate. Unfortunately, my body likes to work up to active labor, and therefor, this only guarantees that at some point we will no longer be pregnant. All the same, we are taking this last week easy before taking laps around the block every night!

We still do not know the sex of the baby, although the grocery-store line guess seems to be heavily weighted towards a boy. Daddy on the other hand is certain this is his second little girl. Peter and Isabelle have withdrawn comments on this one (perhaps still feeling embarrassed about calling Daniel his little sister for nine months?). And mommy, having believed Peter last time, is also withdrawing all guesses. But you are welcome to take a guess...