As many of you know, Anderson is very advanced for his age (sarcasm). Here is one of his favorite projects he made at Mammaw's School during Christmas time:
We hung it on the refrigerator and he would take it off and carry it around for hours, pointing to the shapes and naming them. It was like he was mesmerized by it, because at first glance, we didn't even notice the little shapes. We just thought they were ornaments, then we heard him saying, "star," etc. Last night I was reading a book to him with a sailboat in it, and he pointed to it and said, "triangle!" That's right. He's going into first grade this fall.
Before I show you the next pictures, I want to share my New Year's resolution with those of you who haven't heard. And those of you who know me, know this is a huge one for Jennifer L. Acklin.
My New Year's resolution is to not stress out.
There, I said it again. I love to say it. Ask my coworkers; I say it approximately 8-10 times a day. Actually, I am getting to wear I have to say it less and less, and I am just doing it now. It really only makes sense, considering all the events and epiphanies leading up to this new year. I'm giving up what I have no control over, and doing the best I can.
One of the big things for me is my house. Keeping it perfect. I have an article from Family Life I posted to my refrigerator about a mom trying to keep her floors clean, sweeping several times a day, only to have them dirty again after a child walks through or eats a snack. Part of her prayer says, "Remind us daily that there will soon come a day where there is nothing more to be swept...and grant us grace for the things that distract us from the calling You have place on our lives."
Some other things I have to consciously surrender are: being a people pleaser, doing something productive every single second of every day, worrying about things I have no control over, and trying to plan out every step of my life. I have found that focusing on God's eternal perspective helps a lot, and the more time I spend with Him, the more I realize He's in a lot more control than I am. I have also spent less time on the computer. It has been easier since we moved the office upstairs to make room for not-so-soon-to-be-named Baby Girl Acklin. I have found that the less time I spend on the internet (and by updating my status less frequently), I have more time to keep my house orderly and get things ready for the next day. That is less stressful than frantically running around, trying to get a jillion things done all at one time.
I am, for the most part, enjoying being more laid back! (notice I said MORE) I feel a lot better. Even Adam can attest to my committment and the difference it makes. And my borderline high blood pressure has been perfect at every prenatal appointment this year. That's one less thing to stress out about!
This next picture just cracks me up and is a little glimpse into our lives with Anderson every day! He loves to wear Daddy's (and Mommy's) shoes, and on this particular morning, I was able to capture it on camera. I wish I could have gotten a video of him dancing in these shoes as well :)
My stress relief!
Anderson loves all forms of transportation, and can name many of them, from cars and trains to ambulances and firetrucks. This is a bus he found to drive while we were in Branson!
We went to the hospital to see a friend after she had her baby. Anderson loved the waiting room and took his friend, Carter, and friends for a ride in the ambulance (?) mailtruck?
Carter turned into a big brother and Anderson is next!
One of Anderson's favorite Christmas gifts was a dog named Scout. You can program him to know the name of your child, as well as favorite food, animal, color, etc. and he will sing songs about those things! He loves Scout, and asks for him by name! Here he is in our hotel room in Branson.
Anderson being like Daddy at the hotel!
Anderson loves his "bi-keekle" (I tried to spell it how he pronounces it), but can't reach the pedals yet. He also loves balloons, and he received this one from "Koger" with Mammaw earlier this day. (Yes, he knows what the balloon says and he recognizes "Kroger" on signs and on food packaging. Maybe I will enroll him in the second grade for fall.)
This is a quote from his Sunday School teacher when we picked him up a few weeks ago: (note she is Chinese)
Sleeping hard after a long day of playing (mostly outside if he had his choice!)
Anderson loves pizza! The other night he was eating a piece and kept calling it a "horsey," pointing to a "nose" and "tail!" It was so hilarious that he thought it was shaped like a horse!
Crawling up onto the chair to get more pizza later.
Look at that precious profile! His morning routine of brushing his teeth.
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Anderson's new favorite obsession: cowboy boots! A hand me down from Cousin Marshall, Adam and I joked, "Who buys these for a baby?" but Anderson asks for them by name, and refuses to take them off, even after church most of the time! You can imagine the compliments he gets wearing them into Sunday School with his suit! When he has his boots on, he asks to "walk" everywhere because of the noise they make on the ground. (I won't tell Adam that he has asked to wear my high heels after hearing me walk around in mine!)
Not just reserved for suits or jeans. Anderson wears cowboy boots with Razorbacks windsuits and even sweatpants.
And here are some pictures of Adam and Anderson getting Baby Girl's room ready. Anderson had fun helping him put together the crib, although I don't think he fully understands exactly whose bed it was he was putting together!
We have since gotten a dresser (a steal from the scratch and dent section at Furniture Row-pics to come!) and also the walls have been painted. Her bedding is black and white and two of the walls are bright yellow. As much as I would love to fully furnish and decorate her room all at once, I must pace myself (darn New Year's resolution!).
A few thoughts on this pregnancy: Everything is going well and I am feeling good for the most part. I've had low iron the past two appointments, but I've been taking supplements, so hopefully it is coming back up. They asked me if I had been feeling tired, and I said, yes, but I figured that was normal being 30+ weeks pregnant and taking care of a toddler! I just know I can't rest whenever I feel like it! It is so fun to feel her moving around all the time, and she is certainly very active. She is on my right side (like Anderson was), so I have some hip and back pain on my right side, but doing my exercises (like pelvic tilts) and going to the chiropractor help a lot. I am still working out regularly. Stroller Strides has been my saving grace since having Anderson since he can go with me. It is like bootcamp but you're pushing a stroller around so it's an added "bonus." I think I may have to start modifying some of the exercises though, because of my ligaments loosening up. I also have taken up yoga and bellydancing (Thank you, Cousin Christina!) that I love as well. (DVD's of course!)
It has been brought to my attention by several people that babies are progressively bigger with each birth, and they have asked me if I still planned to "go natural," knowing that this baby could very well be over 10 pounds. Most definitely! Without a doubt! I am looking forward to having her without medicine or interventions, and I am REALLY looking forward to that rush of endorphins afterward! I told a friend the other day I have only experienced a "high" like that during a 20 mile run and after natural childbirth! It is like no other! The human body is so amazing and I know my body will do what it was made to do.
Anderson is so excited about his little sister, he picked out a pink shopping cart at Target, and again at Babies R Us last weekend.
And then he found this dress (well, I found it on clearance and handed it to him), and he wouldn't let it go! He drug it around the store and even posed for a picture with it!
LOVE!
