I'm Back

Well I'm back from Minneapolis and it looks like everyone survived while I was gone. I think it was harder for me than anyone else. I bawled like a baby when I left on Sunday, but seeing Isla when I got back on Friday evening was the best. Her look of surprise when she saw me was priceless and something I'll never forget. She really didn't let me out of her sight all weekend, which was fine with me as I had a lot of Isla and Mommy time to make up for.

Isla's favorite thing to do since I've been home is to bring you something and say "thank you, Isla". She does this probably twenty times a day. She has also started to dislike her highchair. So much that this is how she ate her dinner tonight:

I hope it's only a phase and that she will be back in it soon.

Last post I promised a belly shot, so here I am at 17 weeks:

Definitely bigger this time around. I decided that pictures of me are much cuter with Isla in them so she will be my prop in all my belly pictures this time around. That way it will give you something to measure my belly against. The pregnancy is going by really fast, I can't believe I'm already 17 weeks. I'm already building the wall of pillows around me when I sleep as I can't lay on my back anymore. And I have already started to feel the baby move around a bit. With Isla I didn't feel this until about 20 weeks along.

So this past weekend we had fun going to Little Gym, the Hamilton's to do a fun Mother's Day project and then Lucas Blaine's birthday party. Our camera was out of commission all weekend so I sadly don't have any pictures of these events. I'll try and be better about getting our camera weekend ready in the future.

So Sorry

It has been way tooooo looooooong since my last post and I apologize. I wish I had a really good excuse for my absence, but all the ones I can come up with are "work has been hectic", "I had to finish our taxes" and "I wanted to bake cookies instead of typing up a blog post". Pretty lame, I know.

So what have we been up to in the last couple of weeks? Well last weekend we had a visit from Grandma GiGi, Aunt Anna, and Leo. It looks like Isla and Leo are becoming the best of friends - mostly because she feeds him crackers as illustrated below (don't you love that I only post pictures of my daughter with crazy hair - I have to work on that!):

Isla had a lot of fun shopping and playing with her GrandmaGiGi and Auntie. The night after my Mom left, Isla went into the guest room looked up at me and said "GiGi?" - she definitely will miss her Grandma while she is gone.

Lately Isla has been into reading a lot of books (and I mean a lot) which is great and it's hard to turn her down when she asks you to read to her. She loves pointing out items that belong to Momma and Daddy (she points to my purse and says "Momma" and then she turns and points to Ryan's video game controller and says "Daddy" - I think it's funny, Ryan not so much). Isla also loves to say her colors. She can't quite identify which color is which yet, but when you ask her what her favorite color is, she replies "yellow". Playing outside and going to the park are her favorite things to do. She finally mastered the slide all by herself at the park so we spend a lot of time watching her go up and down the slide. She loves to talk to her Papa on the phone. Every time my cell phone rings Isla comes running saying "Papa, Papa" - it's probably one of the cutest things ever.

She sure can be a cheese ball when she wants to be:

Next week I have to be in Minneapolis all week for work and it will be the longest I have been away from Isla. It's going to be tough, but I think we'll make it. Grandma Connie will be coming down to Boise to help Ryan out while I'm gone so I think they will survive without me. I'm hoping to maybe, maybe get a belly picture of me up here before I leave on Sunday - I'm not promising anything though. You never now I may have to bake some cookies instead :-).

Deja vu

Holy crow I can't believe this is my 100th post! It doesn't seem that long ago I started this blog with our first post announcing we were pregnant with Isla.

I think it is only fitting then that on our 100th post we announce that the Skene family will soon become a family of four. That is right - we're pregnant! We will soon have another little one making their appearance on or around October 5th. If that date sounds familiar - it is. It was also Isla's due date. Hence the title of the post :-). We'll see if this one comes early like their sister or is born closer to the due date.

I am currently 12 weeks and starting to get my energy back. You definitely show a lot sooner with the second pregnancy. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that I might start wearing maternity clothes sooner rather than later.

Here is a picture of the little bugger at 10 weeks:

We feel so blessed and cannot wait to meet the new baby Skene next fall!

Things I learned this weekend . . .

Ryan and I finally had much needed date night this weekend. Grandma Connie came down to watch Isla while Ryan and I went to dinner and then the Jason Aldean concert (Grandma Connie also got up with Isla the next morning so Ryan and I could sleep in - what a treat!). The concert was actually really good and I learned some things while I was there:

• Another reason to like the rain from a song by Luke Bryan - "rain makes corn, corn makes whiskey, and whiskey makes my girl a little frisky". Love it.
• That short Daisy Duke denim shorts (and I mean short!) are apparently back in.
• I'm really becoming a country music fan.
• I may have a slight crush on Jason Aldean and his song, "The Truth", is one of my favorites.

During the day on Saturday and Sunday I got to hang out with my favorite 18 month old and learned:

• Watching your toddler walk around without any clothes or diaper is probably one of the cutest things ever.
• Isla likes to rest her hands on her stomach when she walks.
• Whenever I need a good laugh I look at this picture:
  

(Isla with crazy hair, monkey pajamas, and her Grandma Connie's pink rhinestone cowboy boots)

Here is a random little video for the Grandparents in Bellingham who are having serious Isla withdrawals. This is also for Aunt Anna so she can see how cute Isla looks in the dress she got her:

Shower for Baby Boy Hare

Ever since I had Isla I have been anxiously waiting for my college girlfriends to jump on the baby train. Well I finally got my wish when my friend Meagan announced she was pregnant back in August! To celebrate this wonderful occasion I went to Portland this weekend for her baby shower. Her due date is still a month away and while we do know the sex (a boy) they are keeping the baby's name a secret.

It was great to get away for a night and hang out with my girlfriends and share baby stories. It looks like the baby bug has caught on as my other girlfriend Holly is expecting her first (a girl) at the end of July. I am so excited!

Here I am with the two mommies to be the night before the shower (don't you love the collection of candy on the table):

Meagan's Mom and sister did a wonderful job hosting the shower. A picture of the beautiful table filled with flowers and goodies:

Hanging out and catching up with friends at the shower:

The gorgeous mom-to-be opening her presents:

Holly getting some practice in before her little one arrives in late July:I can't believe the next time I see Meagan she will be a Mom! I am so excited for her and can't wait to meet her little man.

Fun with Aunt Anna

Aunt Anna came down to visit this weekend and Isla had so much fun with her. On Friday night they played around on Anna's bed and had a blast (face plant and all):

For the Grandparents

Of course after I posted my "talker not a walker" post, Miss Isla decided she wanted to walk. The grandparents have been after me to post a video of her walking and I was finally able to get one:

You'll have to excuse the blanket, binky, and moaning - she was winding down from her day and not too happy that I was making her walk. She prefers to walk when no one is looking or paying attention.