Goings on

Brian has been a busy boy, recently adding two new "titles" to his resume: lecturer and author. He was recently invited to speak to a college journalism class at a nearby university. The professor and students have been following his work and use examples of it from time to time, and invited him to lecture to the class about his experience with journalism. He was given the entire 75-minute class period. It went well! The students asked lots of good questions, and the professor followed up with Brian to say she thought he did a fantastic job and was very insightful.

Brian also was asked to write a book on the history of the Denver Broncos. He has been doing freelance work for years for an editorial company, which is now producing a series of books on the history of each NFL team, targeted to 4th to 6th grade boys. This was definitely a new experience for Brian, and one that he really enjoyed. The manuscript was due on Monday, and his first feedback from the project manager/editor said that it was "exactly what he would look for in one of these manuscripts," that the "writing was good and age-level appropriate," and that he could tell Brian is "very knowledgeable about the franchise." We are anxious to see the finished product!

Connor is sailing through first grade. I cannot believe he has less than 3 months until summer break! His biggest news is the loss of his second tooth, which happened last week. The big tooth growing in where he lost his first tooth looks so big, I wonder how another tooth is going to fit in there! He pulled out the tooth entirely by himself this time around, proclaiming that he "loves losing teeth."

While he has the role of big brother/instigator mastered, he can be the biggest heart-melter, always the first to compliment me when he thinks I look pretty. He can barely stand the wait for a new baby brother, and is constantly planning how he is going to help take care of the baby. He loves to feel his brother kicking, and thinks he should be a part of the naming process - he wants this child named like last year! No progress to report on that front whatsoever.

Isabel seems to grow more girly by the minute, if such a thing is possible. She continues to love preschool, dance, her CTR 4 class at church, and any girly playdate she can get. She really is quite the social activity director! And the amount of words she uses in a day continues to grow, as in she is one chatty little thing. The other day she asked me, "mom, do I speak a lot?" Yes. "Well," she said, "then I"m going to be an astronaut when I grow up because they like to talk a lot and ask questions and so do I."

She spends a significant amount of time each day writing/coloring/cutting/gluing. We have been going through vast amount of paper, and I find love notes from her ALL OVER THE HOUSE. I try not to get annoyed and remember she is developing important school skills. And she is learning to read, which she is so excited about. It's tough to think she still has a year and a half until kindergarten; darn October birthday.

Lucas may quite possibly be the most independent person I have ever met in my life. Example: he will seriously race me to the bathroom after a meal and wash his hands as fast as he can simply to prevent me the chance to help him IN ANY WAY. And this is not a funny race, it's a get-out-of-my-way-and-let-me-do-this-by-myself kind of race. Whew, feisty! He can take care of business himself in the bathroom, with some occasional assistance in certain circumstances, and partly dresses himself. He loves books, trains, dinosaurs, "cooking," rocket ships, playing outside, singing songs, going to Nursery, Elmo and Sesame Street, and keeping up with everyone around him. Which he does. Unfailingly.

But he's also a huge snuggler and has a ton of love in his heart. He's often concerned about how I'm feeling. The other day as I laid on the floor unable to move and crying out from severe sciatic pain, he ran to get my lotion and proceeded to rub it all over my feet and legs. He's a total lovebug.

Melissa
I am 24 weeks and feel huge as a house. In some ways I feel great: I have energy and no more nausea, but find it difficult to be on my feet for more than a few minutes at a time thanks to backaches, contractions and significant sciatic nerve pain.

I am excited that my parents and my brother Nate and his wife Alli will be spending Easter with us! Nate is going to law school in the fall and has narrowed his choices down to two schools, one here and one on the East coast. I don't think I need to say which one I am rooting for! I love when my family visits; I haven't lived in the same state as anyone from my family in more than 10 years.

Of course a visit from mom means projects! I've been desperately needing a bedroom makeover for some time, and haven't been inspired by anything - that is, until I saw this featured on Just a Girl, from a fabulous blog called Make It and Love It (Amy Butler fabrics).
It is totally me. The colors, the prints, it's perfect. So mom and I will be working on re-creating this.

I just finished this, and have to recommend it. A great read!

Spring is in the air! It's been a beautiful week, heralded by the return of hot air balloons, which we often see on calm spring and summer mornings like this morning-
I am ready for green grass, going to the park, spring maternity clothes, shoes that don't require bending over/zipping/tying, playing outside more, and the like.