Nesting in Full Effect

We've been nesting around here.  By we, I mean, I've been making my lists and directing traffic and the Mister is doing most of the work.

One more month...I hope! Yesterday I felt totally off.  I told Reid I wouldn't be surprised if my water broke.  Maybe it was my small bout of the flu that every other Crew Member had.  Last night I slept like a rock and woke up feeling back to normal, well as normal as you can feel being a million weeks pregnant with your 4th child :)

We've been playing a whole lot of Mancala around here.  They're quickly learning that their mom is the Mancala master ;) I LOVED this game when I was growing up.  Sally discovered it during a long stretch of indoor recess and Santa gifted it to the Craigmile Crew.  Also to note, how cute is Libby's outfit from Uncle Joey...I want it in my size!

Emma's last night in her crib!

 Waking up from nap, one last time in the crib.  We've been talking about it for quite a while now.  She knew exactly what was happening and why it was happening.  She can recite it all for you.  Most big girl bed transitions go much better than expected.  But Emma got an extra dose of spunk, so we were a little more apprehensive about her transition than we were her big sisters.  She has done very well!  She totally understands not getting out of her bed until her clock turns green.  UNLESS she has a messy diaper.  I guess, I can't really blame her.  She gets out to let me know she has a messy diaper and then she goes back in her bed.  It's only happened a few minutes from her clock turning green in the morning and then today during nap.  I'm still holding my breath until she realizes her freedom, but, so far, so good!

 Playing with the Valentine candles

New Bed [Video]

Practicing when her clock turns green

Her first night in her big girl bed

 Mornings are my favorite!  Peaceful moments, Saturday morning, while Daddy was at his Patriarch group.  Still blows my mind that we have 3 kiddos and soon to be 4!!  Full hearts

 Sally had a big day on Saturday.  She discovered the joy or receiving her First Reconciliation.  In her own words "Reconciliation rocks!"  She even asked how often we can go and when we can go again.  So cool to see the prep work and the preaching in action.  It's starting to pay off.  She really stunned me the other day when she ran off the bus, following up on my day.

My cousin recently lost her battle to cancer.  Her funeral was on Friday and it was a tough one for me.  She was too young, but she also leaves behind two young daughters.  It hits a little close to home with having lost my dad when I was 10 years old.  But also, I can't imagine looking at my girls and know that this would be my last year with them.  Prayers, for her family are appreciated.

So, Sally knew it was going to be a hard day for me as well as trying to keep it together to be able to do a reading at the Mass and be a Eucharistic Minister.  Sally ran off the bus that afternoon, "Mom, how did everything go today? I thought of you a lot today and said a prayer for you."  I asked if they had special prayer time at school where they prayed for certain things and she said "No, you taught me how great it is to say little prayers throughout your day whenever you think of something, good or bad. So I did that a few times in my head."  She really is listening and observing and learning.  We're doing something right.  Hard to explain the joy that I feel with sharing and passing on our wonderful Catholic Faith to our kids, and now being able to watch it in action.

Soooo, yes, Saturday was a very special day, Sally's 1st Reconciliation.  A few special moments between she and I and she and Reid and I on this day.  This girl is something special

 Trying out their Easy Bake Oven, thanks to Grandma and George

 TaDa! Red Velvet cupcakes

 It was also our "dating" anniversary on Saturday.  15 years! One of my favorite pictures of us

 I didn't like the old monitor placement of Emma's new room, this is much better.  Such a big girl and so sweet and precious when she's sleeping.  She's stepping up her Sass game as of late.  Tonight she figured out how to open the "childproof" locks on the cupboards...

 Did I remember to post this picture a while back when Sally and Libby started sharing a room?  You would have thought they've been sharing forever.  They're doing great and their bond is something pretty awesome!

 One last Christmas Gem from Libby's class party.

 Libby decorating one of her birthday presents.  She's only been asking every day since she got it.  Sunday was the day.

Emma woke up from her nap 15 minutes before her clock was going to turn green.  I went in to pick out a few books she could read quietly in her bed until her clock turned.  She did it willingly and I loved being able to hear her read the books and point and say things that she recognized.  Hoping all of these positives last for daaaaaaaaaaaays to come!

 We jumped on the chance to play outside since the temp was above zero.  Felt great to get some fresh air and even get a few minutes to catch up with neighbor friends.  Hard to go from chatting every day in Spring/Summer/Fall to only via text in the winter

 Ready to conquer the world

I had a huge donation drop off today, puuuuuuuuuuurging feels so good!

And we got all of the gender neutral and 0-3month onesies washed.

I just finished up my million pages of notes to leave for Grandma, and neighbors and Uncles if/when we go in to labor.  I wish I appreciated our first birth more, where there was no stock the house, keep up with the laundry, make sure the other 3 siblings are accounted for.  We just got to pack up and head out.  Love the surprise of it all, but would be nice to plan ahead :)

and that's a wrap, mama's gotta go to bed.

Submit your baby guess, if you haven't done so already, link on the side, if you're not on the mobile site :)

36 weeks on Wednesday and we start our weekly prenatal appointments!  Baby movements have not slowed down...apparently him/her  still has plenty of room to do cartwheels!