.:Remi Kate:.

Baby sister is here!!!

Remi Kate Andrus was born on Saturday, March 27th at 7:37 p.m.

She weighed 8 pounds 10 ounces and was 22 inches long.

Her entry into the world was more 'eventful' (as my doctor called it) than we would have liked, but she is healthy and strong and home with us!

I'll post more details some other time, but just wanted to show off our pretty girl!

.:18 Months:.

Reece is officially 18 months today! I can hardly believe it - didn't she just turn one?

She is so full of spunk, personality, and sassy-ness right now! She's learning tons of words, and has become so much more willing to try to say new things. Reece loves to be the center of attention, and is such a cheeseball. She really knows how to work it! The poor girl has had four molars come in in the past couple of weeks, so it's been a little tough but I think we're through the worst of it. She really loves to sing and dance, and we think it's pretty much the cutest thing we've ever seen. We just love our little Reece so much, and we know she's going to be a great big sister! (We're also really looking forward to nursery - church is HARD right now!)

At 18 months Reece likes:

- being chased

- talking

- laughing

- running

- climbing

- reading books

- stairs

- straws

- coloring/drawing

- stickers

- watching movies

- singing and dancing

- animals

- babies

- baths

- helping

- candy

- being tickled

- playing on the bed and the couch

- her stuffed animals

- giving loves and kisses

- getting 'lips' (putting chapstick on)

At 18 months Reece doesn't like:

- being restricted

- being held

- being told 'no'

- not getting her way

- getting her nose wiped

- shirts going over her head

Some words that Reece knows are: hi, bye-bye, night-night, bear, ball, up, cookies, shoes, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, cheeks, mama, dada, baby, Reece, brrrrr, roll over, what's that, no, all done, milk, uh-huh, uh-oh, mmmmm, shhhhh

Some animal sounds that Reece knows are: cat, dog, tiger, cow, snake, bee, owl, horse, pig, duck, monkey, fish

She still knows the same signs as before: more, please, all done, milk - we need to start working on thank you!

Here are some recent pictures of our sweet girl:

.:39 Weeks:.

Sunday was 39 weeks! We are still hanging in there! Baby sister is apparently feeling quite cozy! It doesn't really bother me because I'm not to that point where I'm too uncomfortable - although this week I can feel myself getting to that point! It actually has worked out well for Josh to enjoy his spring break, my mom to get into town, and for my brother and his wife to have their baby, so we really can't complain! I had thought baby sister was going to come early - and she still may - but I'm starting to think that's not the case anymore!

I have an appointment this Thursday, so if I make it to then, I'll have my doctor strip my membranes again. If that doesn't do anything, I'll be going in Saturday morning to be induced! I was not really looking to be induced, but I've got family starting to come into town the following week, and I'd really like to have baby sister here, be home from the hospital, and have a couple of days to get settled in at home. So that's the plan as of now! I've been having some contractions, back pain, and just other pains in general, so we'll see if it amounts to anything before then!

My friend Alice does a photography business, and she asked if she could do some maternity photos for free to build up her portfolio. Who am I to pass that up? So here are a few of those shots.

And then of course, a few shots of sweet baby Jay. He is home from the hospital now and one week old today! These pictures are from when he was still in the hospital. He is such a handsome little guy - so yummy and cozy! Holding him makes me even more excited to get baby sister here!

.:38 Weeks and Lately:.

I hit the 38 week mark this past Sunday! I still can't believe how close we are to having this little girl in our arms. This pregnancy has just flown by, and I'm still in shock!

I've been feeling pretty good! I have gotten a bit more swollen, but it's still nothing compared to what I had with Reece. It gets a bit tight and uncomfortable, but I'm just glad it's not like last time! I'm still only dilated to a 2 - I haven't seen much change over the past couple of weeks, but that doesn't really mean anything! I went into labor with Reece only being at a half, so you never know what could happen. I've decided that I had better start shaving my legs every other day (I really dislike shaving) for whenever she decides to come! My toes freshly painted and pretty, so I think we're ready to go! I am anxious to meet her, but am definitely not to the point where I'm so ridiculously uncomfortable that I'll do anything to get this baby out. I've been having some contractions this week, but it's just been sporadic. We'll see what happens! I only have one more appointment scheduled for next Thursday, and maybe then we'll start talking induction. I don't really want to induce if I don't have to, but I also want to make sure this girl is out and we are home by the time lots of my family starts coming to visit!

Here's the 38 week belly. I definitely feel bigger, but still not as big as I was with Reece!

Other than waiting for baby sister to come, we've been keeping busy!

Last weekend, my sister and her family came into town and stayed with us. It was so much fun! Reece had a blast with her cousins, and it was so fun to watch them all play together. It really made me wish we didn't live as far away! We didn't get many pictures, but here is one of them watching a movie. Cute bunch of kiddos!

We had a lot of fun spending time with Dani and Jefferson as well. There was lots of food, game playing, staying up late, and laughing involved! We're excited that they get to come back down after baby sister is born!

While they were here, we got together with Sam and Nikki as well for some pizza and chatting. Here's a picture of the sibs.

Then of course, this week was the birth of baby Jameson! I'm going down to visit him again today, and just can't wait to get my hands on him!

Other than that, Reece and I have been enjoying having Josh around more this week since he is off from school for spring break. It's nice to have him home more!

Reece is kind of going through something right now - really whiney and just kind of struggling. I don't know if it's the four molars that have been coming in the past few weeks, or that she senses a change coming, or a combination of both! Hopefully it passes soon! She is still such a sweet girl, and we just love her personality and the spirit she brings to our home! She's going to be a great big sister!

She love her four wheeleer and her animals, so why not have both at the same time?

She is also a total monkey, and loves to climb on anything!

And we are American Idol watchers. She really enjoys dancing and singing while we watch. Here are a couple of cute videos of our girl!

.:Welcome Jameson Paul:.

My brother and his wife welcomed Jameson into the world yesterday! We were able to go visit Nikki and Sam, but still haven't gotten our hands on little Jameson yet! Poor guy was having some breathing difficulties in the beginning, but he is off the breathing tubes and doing much better now! I'm going to head back down tomorrow and hopefully be able to squeeze in some loves and kisses. From the pictures I've seen, he is just yummy and precious! He even followed in his cousin Reece's footsteps and came on his due date! (Let's hope baby sister is NOT taking lessons!) Congrats Sam and Nikki!

.:37 Weeks:.

I am 37 weeks as of yesterday - full term baby!

I've started having weekly appointments, and this girl is just going to be here before we know it! I'm getting so anxious to meet her - I'm hoping she doesn't wait until her due date to come like her sister did! My doctor has been doing checks, and I'm already dilated to a 2, which is crazy because I never progressed at all on my own before I had Reece. It doesn't necessarily mean she'll come any sooner, but I'm just going to pretend that it does!

The news of this week is that I have something going on with my calves again. It's not the itchy, red, welt-y rash that I had with Reece, but something is definitely weird. My skin is just very tight, and uncomfortable. I guess my calves and pregnancy don't mix! Hopefully it won't turn into the rash I had with Reece, because that was miserable! As of now, it's not really a big deal - just kind of funny that something is happening with my calves again! I'm getting swollen, too, but nothing like with Reece, either.

Here's the belly in all its glory at 37 weeks! (I look a little rough - yesterday was a LONG day at church, and after, with a toddler that has decided to start throwing tantrums. Joy!)

Thanks to everyone who voted in our baby name poll. If you voted for Hadley, well, you're never going to hear that name associated with the Andrus family! That's the name that Josh doesn't like (although I still love it!) Out of the names on the poll, Remi is my first choice, followed by Kirra. We've also added a new name in to the mix (it might be my very favorite!), so I guess we'll just wait and see what this little one looks like before we make any final decisions!

.:More adventures in sewing:.

Just a few more things I've been working on. Trying to get things taken care of before this baby decides to make her appearance - which could be any day now!

More skirts for the girls for summer - I love these two materials together!

Hooded towel for Reece - she is getting too big for her other towel, and this was ridiculously easy to make!

Some more leg warmers for Reece

A girly car caddy - this is going in Reece's Easter basket!

Two tag blankets for my friend's baby shower in a couple of weeks - she's having twins!

And of course, I need to show off my cute model. She's wearing a ruffle skirt I made out of one of my old t-shirts (don't look too close - the ruffle was difficult with the knit material and I only ended up doing one ruffle instead of three!) and her newest pair of leg warmers. Pretty dang cute if you ask me!

(And yes, it's perfectly acceptable to ride a four wheeler in a skirt and leg warmers!)

And this isn't sewing, but it's my new wreath that I made. I was asked to write a guest post for a "Go Green" month on a craft blog about repurposing and recycling, so I made this wreath using materials I had at home and plastic bottles! I'm pretty happy with it!