One Excited Girl About Her Pigtails

 ..Olivia told me to tell you all this..

Hey, Guys!  Today my mom finally decided to do my hair and we found out that my hair finally can be put in pigtails.  I think it's pretty cute and I ran around the house flaunting my new do.

 {This is my excited face.  Aren't I the cutest?}

{From the top.  Mom did a pretty good job.}

Girls, girls, girls

Yes, it's a miracle that I have actually blogged as much as I have this week.  And, yes, baby #2 in the Altom household is another girl.  I am THRILLED!  I love my baby girl more than anything, and even though she's a total diva sometimes {well, most of the time}, I secretly love it and can't wait for two little divas to be running around here!

I can't wait to have another girl to doll up, terrorize with headbands until she's old enough to do bows; and, thank goodness someone else will get to wear that closet full of adorable newborn shoes.  I feel completely justified, now.

But, really, we couldn't be more excited about having another baby girl join our family.  She is perfectly healthy thus far and already loved more than she'll ever know.  You'll also be relieved to know that we have decided on two names: Emery or Lucy.  We love both names and think it may be a little hard to decide, so opinions, please!?

If Liv and I are going to fight over anything..

It's going to be a clothing catalog.  Seriously?  Yes.

Fifteen minutes ago Olivia fell and hit her head on the coffee table and immediately I grabbed for a clothing catalog that just came in the mail and flipped it open.  I ran to the feet of my hysterical child and excitedly exclaimed, "Clothes!"  Olivia sat straight up, stopped crying and grabbed the catalog out of my hand. 

A few minutes later I picked up the catalog and began flipping through the pages.  Out of no where Olivia looks up from across the room, gasps, and runs across the room toward me.  She grabs the catalog out of my hand, runs to the other side of the room and puts her blanket over herself.

I walk over to her and try to trade her a toy for the catalog and she just sticks her nose up in the air at me.  What a little stink.  So I try and pry the catalog out of her hands and before we know it the magazine is being tossed all about as we both try to claim what we rightfully think is ours.  It only took me probably about thirty seconds until I stopped and thought to myself, "What am I doing?  Yes, I am fighting over a catalog with my one year old."  And so I decided that it is my moral obligation to be the bigger person and let her look through the catalog first.

What a girl.  Girl, with a capital "G."

Just For Fun: Some Recent Designs

So, I have been cooped up in my house for literally a week working my little heart out.  I am so tickled with some of my latest clients and and their blogs that I decided to show you a bit of what I've been up to.. and yes, this is only what I've done within the past week.  It has been busy!

A much needed update..

So many wonderful things have been happening lately that I almost feel overwhelmed at where to start a blog post.  As Craig so eloquently announced a few weeks ago on our blog, we are expecting another baby in June.  We couldn't be more excited--I'm already finding myself nesting.  I have been organizing and cleaning out our apartment ever since we got back from the long Christmas break to make room for the new baby.  I even got a beauty of a dresser for our bedroom--a purchase way overdue.

We find out next Wednesday the gender of our baby.  Yes, I am already 20 weeks pregnant--I can hardly believe I'm half way through.  May the next half be just as fast and painless (without the morning sickness, though, please).  I truly think we are having another girl, but hate the fact that if we are, Craig and I will probably continue to debate about the name up until the day she is born.  Blah!

Craig and I both started school, again.  Yes, Craig is still attending and I am teaching.  Kind of funny to think of it that way.  As far as I know Craig is really enjoying his new classes and has already come home with great reports about his last semester of classes!  Wahoo!  So proud of you, honey!!

I am loving my classes this semester.  I have to just sit back in awe at these kids--what a blessing these young, brilliant minds are.  I love watching them grow and learn.  This experience has literally been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life--and they probably have no idea how much they have impacted my life for the better.  Thank you, kiddos!  Even you eight rowdy 7-9 years old's in my Creative Writing class.  At the time you seem a bit overwhelming and chaotic, but as soon as I get home and tell the Mr. about my school day, I find myself already laughing at your behavior.

Olivia is still my cutest, best girl!  She is learning so much, lately, and I couldn't be more proud of her.  She had the time of her life at Grandma and Grandpa Evans' last weekend while Dad and I got away for the weekend (what a wonderful break that was, by the way).   When we walked through the door after being away from her for the night, she didn't even flinch or crack a smile.  She just looked at me like, "Man, Mom, I was havin' a good time before you got here."  haha  She knows she can't live without me, though.  Take today {for instance}  I drop her off at the babysitter and she cries the whole time and wouldn't eat or nap.  The only thing that would fix it is curling up with a tube of M&M Mini's and me on the couch before bed.  Yes, you can't live without me, girl!  And the truth is, I can't even begin to think about living without you, either!

The other day I took a break from my hectic blogging work to spend the morning with Olivia.  Just girl time.  We both cut our finger nails and toes, put on lotion and did our hair.  It sounds like the dumbest thing, but being a Mom isn't as glamorous as you think, and having those few moments to pause from the world and have "Me" time with my daughter made my whole world.  And she loved every girly minute of it.  I love that you are just as girly as me, Olivia.  You have loved shoes, great outfits, and chocolate since day one.

So life is good in the Altom household.  We feel so blessed to have each other and couldn't be happier just being together, enjoying each other, and watching our love grow more and more everyday.  Everything isn't always perfect and we probably should do the dishes more often and keep things tidier, but things seem pretty perfect to me right now.  I love you Craigo and Liv.  You are my whole world!

January 19, 2011

We are excited to find out if we are having a boy or another girl in just two weeks from today.  Just thought you'd like to know a little bit in advance.

-Craig