Tornado in the making?

I just never know what I'm going to see when I drive across the bay.

I was on my way to my OB appointment yesterday and just looking at the storm rolling in when I saw a funnel cloud starting to take shape.

So I grabbed our small blue camera out of my purse (I don't go anywhere without at least 1 camera) and started snapping pictures blindly.  Don't worry I kept my eyes on the road, folks.

It never touched down but it was still a really neat sight to behold.  Everyday is a new adventure when you live on Mobile Bay.

My pregnancy this week

This morning I had yet another OB appointment.  I gained another 2 pounds over the last 2 weeks giving me a total weight gain of 20 1/2 pounds.  My blood pressure was 120 over 70.  Baby was very active as usual.

My doctor examined me and said that Baby has dropped, I am dilated to 1 1/2 centimeters and 20% effaced.  Then we talked induction and he scheduled me to be induced on July 20.  If I make it that long.  He did say that there is a very good chance that I go early.  Now it's just a waiting game I suppose.  Baby will be here before we know it.  My next appointment is scheduled for Friday, July 9.

In the meantime I have 1 pair of capris and 2 shirts that still fit.  All my other maternity tops don't cover my belly and my other shorts and capris won't stay pulled up over my tummy.  And it's just too hot to wear maternity jeans.  I do have several summer dresses that still fit, thank goodness!  For some reason though I don't like wearing dresses to my appointments...so for the rest of my OB appointment pictures you'll see me wearing the same old clothes over and over again.  :)

I think it's pretty obvious that my stomach is much larger this time than it was with Grace.   All those new stretch marks are evidence of that.  So now I'd like to start taking guesses on how big this baby will be and when he/she will be born.  I'll post everyone's guesses next week and we'll see who's right after Baby is born.  Fair warning:  David guessed Grace's birthday and birth weight exactly right!  It'll be interesting to see who's the closest this time!

Crawfish Boil

Today we went to a crawfish boil sponsored by David's company.

Those crawfish were huge and fiesty!  Grace wouldn't go near them.

They were thrown into a big pot with potatoes, corn, lemons, and seasonings.  The crawfish must have sensed what was coming because they tried their best to make a getaway!

It didn't take long before the first batch was cooked and ready to eat!

People started gathering around the table ready to eat, eat, eat!

Those crawfish were so yummy and plentiful.  They cooked 120 pounds of crawfish!  It was nightfall before it was all cooked.

Grace ate a hotdog instead of the crawfish.

And some chocolate cake.  She loves chocolate cake.

And what's an outdoor party in the South without sweet juicy watermelon?

The kids had a lot of fun playing on the inflatable water slide. 

Grace particularly liked the "tunn-uh" (tunnel) and water cannon.

Meanwhile, David kept an eye on work. 

(Not really.  This was the only time I saw him playing with his phone).

After everyone ate as much crawfish as they could hold, Rebekah and Jeff brought out the 4wheeler and let everyone take it out for a few spins.  Grace didn't want to get off!

Much too soon, the sun began to set and it was time to go home.  We can't wait until next year's party!

Oh my! What is THAT?!?!

They used to be my feet and ankles.  Now they're just fat little piggys surrounded by cankles...

When Baby comes home

If Baby is a boy (like I think) then this is what he will wear home from the hospital.

Isn't this just the sweetest little outfit ever?  My mom sent this to me last week.

I adore the smocking at the top.  It's just enough to be precious but not too much to be girly. 

If Baby turns out to be a girl (like David thinks) then this is what she will wear home.

It, too, has some lovely smocking at the top.  I'm smitten with the little pink flowers!

Regardless of whether Baby Indy is a boy or girl, he/she will be coming home in a beautiful outfit.

Vintage finds

While Grace and I were at the thrift store yesterday, we stumbled upon some other great finds!

This is a lovely Fire King cup and saucer set in the Jane Ray style made by Anchor Hocking in the mid-to-late 1940s.  It is made of green milk glass more commonly known as jadite.  I adore jadite.  Jadite has become very popular and somewhat expensive depending upon the pieces you have.  I found this at the bargain price of $3.  I love a great deal!

I also found this jadite mug.  It too was made by Anchor Hocking as part of the Fire King line.  This mug is made of the thicker glass known as restaurant ware.  It's also pretty collectible.  I got a bargain at only $2.

And finally this piece is white milk glass also part of the Fire King line from Anchor Hocking.  I think it is considered a French casserole dish but it might be a custard bowl with a handle.  It's only 7 inches long, but still beautiful!  It was another bargain at only $1. 

I think Grace may take after her Momma.  She really likes the jadite coffee mug.

She's been pretending to "dink toffee" (drink coffee) all morning.  Just like her Momma.

Grace's new puppy

Today Grace and I went to a local thrift store.

While we were there Grace found this little guy.  She pulled her little puppy all over the store and kept talking to it like she does our little dog, Chloe.  So I decided to go ahead and buy it for her.  It was only $2 and I remember having one just like it when I was a kid.

As soon as we got home, she sat her little puppy on the floor and started pulling it all over the house.  Chloe wasn't too fond of her newly found friend. 

Grace kept running after Chloe while saying, "Yook Toe-y! It's uh new puppy fend!" (Look, Chloe! It's our new puppy friend!)  Poor Chloe just kept running away.

Grace hugged and kissed on her puppy all day long and she kept saying, "I yub my puppy so mutt!"  (I love my puppy so much!)  I think it was $2 well spent.

Happy Father's Day, sweetie!

For Father's Day, Grace gave her Daddy this book.  It is such a sweet book that reminds me so much of David and Grace's relationship.  She loves to dance with her Daddy and when we saw this book, Grace said, "Yook, Momma!  It's Da-ee an Dayce-ie!" (Look, Momma!  It's Daddy and Gracie!).  How could I not get it after that?

The book is written by Cindy Morgan and it celebrates the love God blesses between a little girl and her daddy.  It also includes a CD of the song King of the World performed by Point of Grace.  It's a really sweet book that I hope David and Grace will treasure for many years to come.

It's been almost three years since David first became a father.  What an amazing father he is. 

David changed Grace's first diapers in the hospital.  And gave her her first bath. 

He fed her bottles any chance he could get. 

David plays with Grace and reads to her, he acts as her jungle gym, and even takes her shopping and fishing.  David prays for Grace and he lovingly disciplines her even when he doesn't like to.  David is Grace's best friend, favorite toy, and an incredible role model for her.

David holds Grace when she cries, dances with her, and makes her giggle. 

He will even plays dress-up with her and her dolls. 

Every day Grace runs to greet David when he gets home and she loves the days when her Daddy is off work. My hope and prayer is that she and our future children will grow up to be just like their Daddy:  full of laughter, gentle and patient, hardworking and loyal, kind and forgiving, and passionate pursuers of their Creator.

Happy Daddy's Day, sweetheart.  Grace couldn't ask for a better father or friend.

Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival

Today we went to the Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival.  It was quite a big shindig with 50 hot air balloons scheduled to fly and glow at 6:00 AM and again at sunset.

There were thousands and thousands of people there.  There were many food stands.

And live music blaring out of this huge speaker set.

As soon as we arrived we got a snack of hot boiled peanuts.

There's nothing like hot fresh boiled peanuts.  Yummy! 

Grace was so funny, she kept munching on the shells to get to the peanuts inside.  We offered to help but she just kept saying, "No.  My turn.  I do it by myself!"

Soon it was time to start blowing the balloons up.  Like I said earlier, there was a lot of people there...

I don't think I've ever seen Grace so excited over anything before.  She kept jumping up and down and yelling, "Yook!  Yook at dat BIG boon!"  (Look!  Look at that big balloon!)

And she loved watching the flames inside the balloons.  I think she may grow up to be another firebug... 

Then the wind started kicking up and balloons started crashing into each other so they decided to deflate the balloons and not fly them.  It's not safe to fly the balloons when the wind is blowing stronger than 10 miles per hour.  Or during the lightening storm that was rolling in.

Needless to say, Grace was very disappointed. 

She kept yelling, "Nooooo!  Not duh boons!  Fix duh boons"  (No!  Not the balloons!  Fix the balloons!)

But then she got to stand next to one of the baskets and that cheered her up somewhat. 

Actually, it cheered her up quite a bit.

She could have gotten inside the basket, but that was a bit more adventurous than Grace was prepared for.  Instead she just let her Daddy hold her up next to it.  There was so much to do at this festival that I think we will definitely go to it again next year.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate better then.