Life's a Bowl of Eggs

Here are some pics from the work weekend we spent at the ranch recently. Dave, Randy and Tom plowed up a big field and then seeded it with wheat to get ready for deer and dove season. They claim it was a really fun day, I think it looked like torture, but give a man a couple of cold beers and they seem pretty happy. Also, that weekend Fay had her first eggs. She wasn't sure about the texture but we are trying new foods all the time. Each day is a new thing, I can't imagine how fun that must be, I get sick of eating the same thing over and over!

Help is on the Way!

Well, I have been searching for someone to help me when the baby comes and I have secured a place with Rosie! My aunt has been a full time working mom and Rosie has been their nanny for almost 6 years, but now both of her kids will be in school for the first time full time, so Rosie isn't going to be with them any more. I was afraid she would take another job in the mean time because I don't need someone until Thanksgiving but as it turns out she would prefer to keep working for our family and has agreed to come help me out when the baby arrives! This is a huge relief because I KNOW Rosie is amazing, and I am already feeling more confident about Willa's impending arrival.

Last night we had dinner with our dear friends the Fikes. They have a baby girl due two weeks before Willa and it was nice to have a night out among adults. This weekend we are finally in town for a split second and then we go back to the ranch for all of next week so Dave can continue working in El Dorado. Life is really good. Fay is a mess and so full of energy and curiosity. I am ready to have my diet and body back...only 3 more months!

And I think the middle name has changed again, and hopefully it will stick. Willa Grace is what we are going to call her. Unless Dave changes his mind again :)

Hi and Bye

Fay is saying bye bye...and it makes me grin like an idiot every time she does it. On the Today Show they have people in the plaza that wave hello and goodbye at each commercial break and yesterday I had her sitting in her highchair eating cherrios and she would wave to the people in the plaza every time and say bye bye!

She has also said hi once or twice but not as consistently as bye bye. This part of being a parent is amazing...watching your child take it all in for the first time with new eyes. It makes the world a better place.

Stroller Mania

I can't believe I am about to dedicate an entire post to our stroller search but i must vent. We have been EXTREMELY happy with the orbit infant car seat and stroller. This thing is amazing and after flying multiple times with it now, I am even more in love than before, but the problem is that Orbit doesn't make a double stroller and the infant carrier is not compatible with any of the car seat adaptors for the double strollers that are available. In fact when we were at Buy Buy Baby this weekend checking out our options there were 3 other couples there in the same boat, they already have the orbit, love it, and want to use it for their second child, but don't have a way to meld it with another brand. SO FRUSTRATING....that's why I called orbit today and told them all about how they need to make a car seat adaptor that will work with another stroller base.

Honestly I think they took me very seriously and I appreciate them taking feedback. I talk to a human every time I call and hopefully they will get this thing worked out, but that doesn't help me now. So for all you moms out there, if you have a double stroller and like it please let me know what you have and what you like. I can't decide on side by side or inline, and whether to go jogger or umbrella. I really want to purchase just one double and be done....I don't want a jogger and a mall stroller.

Please help.

24 weeks and A Sick 8 Month Old

Well Fay has had the stomach bug for 3 days now and I finally got really worried this morning and we just showed up at Dr. Reese's office when they opened without an appt. She had been doing pretty good, sleeping A LOT, but she started to vomit everything I gave her so I panicked and luckily we have the most amazing Dr. She told us that it is a virus and it has to run its course, to keep pedialite in her, and feed her apples and bananas. She is a little underweight but she can't really speak to that issue right now because she is sick. Needless to say Dr Reese is a saint...she fit us in and was incredibly comforting and nice about us showing up unannounced.

I also had a Dr's appt today to check on baby number 2. I am 24 weeks and doing great. The baby's heartbeat was good, and mom is feeling pretty good too. I think we have come to an agreement on the name. It looks like it will be Willa Hester. This is not for sure but that's where we are leaning. Willa is the female version of William, after my father and grandfather. And Hester is Dave's grandfather's middle name. I am pretty in love with the name and Dave is pretty close to being sold. I'll let you know if it changes :)

We started painting the second nursery and I have picked out all my bedding at Graham Cracker. I think the room is going to be pretty girlie which is a totally different direction than Fay's room, but it has been fun to do something different and a little off base for me. In fact we are going to paint the ceiling pink...And those that know me well, pink was a sticking point with Fay, but I figure if we are going to have girls I better start liking pink. This weekend in Dallas we are going to test drive double strollers, I have been shopping online a lot but you can't get a good feel for what they are like with out driving them. This will be a very important purchase for us if I ever plan to leave the house.

In other news, Dave's work has been incredibly busy and it is a huge blessing to have so many opportunities. I am so proud of him, he is managing to grow his business and stay focused. I have been helping out when I can and enjoy the time in the office or at the courthouse. When both girls are old enough for Mother's Day Out I am sure I will be working in a more permanent position with Harper Petroleum. Its funny how much we really enjoy working together and I think Dave misses having me around. All in all life is really good right now, however I am a little Cali homesick after our visit. Especially because it is 102 outside.

Santa Barbara

We just got back from a week in the most wonderful and relaxing place: Santa Barbara. My parents took all three of us and my sister to the Four Seasons Resort in SB and I can't tell you how amazing this place is...needless to say we are already planning for it to be an annual trip. My mom has decided to make it a Wallace tradition. Thank goodness it will be a good one.

I was pretty stressed about traveling cross country with Fay for the first time considering the first day would be 13 hours of travel with no real naps. But she did GREAT. We left Midland at 7:40am (central) and landed in LA at 9:15am (Pacific) but had traveled for 5 hours when we got to CA and then she had to ride about 45 minutes in the car to Amy's apartment in Larchmont. She did get a little upset at this point but we were able to get her a nap at Aunt Amy's before we had to go to Culver City to meet Amy's new boyfriend Jim. Who btw is really good looking and nice...we totally approve. Then we got on the road to SB which takes about 2 hours with traffic. We finally got to SB around 5pm pacific time (bedtime at home) and we did have an unhappy camper at this point but who can blame a girl...she was VERY tired. But our room was baby heaven.

We had called the resort ahead of time to let them know we would be traveling with an infant and to have the room baby proofed. Which they did and her crib was so nice, we had baby toiletries, a wipe warmer and mini robe! Needless to say they make it as easy as possible to travel as a family. Our first night we did what we call a long range baby monitor. Dave would call me and leave his phone in the room on speaker, then we would put my phone on mute and take it with us. It worked great! We were able to go eat dinner al fresco at the restaurant on site. We used this method for every nap, that way Dave and I were 2 minutes away but we could go to the spa, workout rooms, beach, or pool. Everything was so close to our room, and when we heard her wake up we would just go get her. Then at night we had a babysitter through the hotel and this also was wonderful. Mom and Dad got some much needed adult time, and we were treated to AMAZING dinners.

We also hit up the local breweries which was a highlight for Dave, I was so bummed I couldn't part take in the tasting. But was glad to have a little date with Dave, while my folks watched the baby in the afternoon. It was not only Fay's first flight but it was also her first trip to the beach. We mainly hung out at the pool but on the last day we finally let her loose on the coast. It didn't last long because all she wanted to do was eat the sand...not surprising!

The surroundings were awesome, the food awesome, and baby Fay had a great time. Dave was able to run and said it was one of the best runs of his life, and I got a facial which was also one of the best ones I have ever had. I can't rave enough about our vacay. And then yesterday Fay didn't get upset once...not once and we didn't get home until 11pm! I couldn't believe how well she had done. I was so proud of her. She actually flies better than she drives. Good thing because we are flying to Dallas this Friday to visit Dave's family, I am so grateful that it will take us 1 hour instead of 6!

Mobile Me

Fay has turned the sitting into crawling corner FAST. At the beginning of this month she had just learned how to sit up and I was thrilled that she had accomplished this fete because she had stopped whining about not being able to sit on her own. This momentary achievement only appeased her for a week or so and then she was back to the frustrated whine because she couldn't crawl. She would get up on all fours and then loose it, but that only lasted a couple of days! It only took her max a week to master crawling. Now she can go and go fast! She is up on all fours and can go from lying down up to sitting and back down with ease. She is also pulling up on everything, including Dave and I which seems to be her favorite way to stand. She will yank on Dave's leg hairs to get up and it is so funny to watch him whence.

She also cut her first tooth this morning. I feel like she has been teething forever so this is a relief to know they are actually in there!

We have started work on the second baby's nursery and it is going to be super cute...I am really excited. But we still have not named this little soul and I need to start monogramming. So the name announcement should be coming shortly.

It has been raining all week and what nice break for this pregnant woman from the heat. Thanks God.

All in all Fay is on the move and I won't be surprised if she is walking by 9 months. This kid is in a hurry to go somewhere!