Second shot at dancing stardome...

I had high hopes for a bit more movement in the final dance recital of the year. This time the girls did a tap routine. I had gone to watch their practice a while back and they seemed to know the dance pretty well. I guess I forgot to factor in stage fright?!

Allison actually started out dancing in the finale number, but seemed to be reminded of a place she'd rather be once she saw two crying dancers get pulled off stage...

Once again the girls were very chipper after the performances. They seem to have a bit more passion for two dimensional art- finger painting rain water on a cement wall. Once outside they traded in their tap shoes for running shoes and tore all over the St Cloud State courtyard!

We finally wrangled the girls into the car and headed back home where they proceeded to belt out their version of the Black Eyed Peas song from the finale and dance all over the living room. Go figure!?!?

Catching up at the lake...

Thank goodness for religious holidays! It hadn't been since Christmas that our family got to hang out at Lake Sherwood. Mia and Allison relished in the opportunity to catch up on snuggles and attention from Grandma and Grandpa Affeldt. They are already looking forward to warmer summer visits so they can jump in the water. It took several talks to convince them that April water temps wouldn't make for good swimming!

Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa for your Easter hospitality!!!

Thanks, Easter Bunny!!!

Happy Easter, everyone! The day quickly turned into one of Mia and Allison's favorite holidays! Alli discovered eggs shortly after waking up and dragged her sister out of bed to start the festivities. It didn't take Mia long to get into full egg-hunt mode. She was over-the-top 'eggcited' in no time!!!

After a busy day of repeated egg hunting, church and a yummy Easter dinner, the fam was ready for a little quiet reading time. While everyone else got into more comfy clothing, Alli refused to take off her new Easter dress! Thanks to our Easter Bunnies for putting together such a fun day!!!

And a baby makes three!

So last fall Shawn and I discovered we were having another baby!!! Mia and Allison will be big sisters to a baby girl anytime between now and June 27th. This journey has been quite different from my last. At thirteen weeks I had a procedure done to try to prevent a preemie delivery. Now two months more pregnant than i ever got to be with Mia and Allison, I am enjoying the aches, pains, and big belly of a seemingly normal pregnancy! We tried telling the girls our big news much earlier on. I explained that I had a baby in my tummy, to which they replied, "Yeah... Me too!" They insisted on it too, almost to the point that I had to produce an ultrasound picture to prove it! It became a bit more real for the girls when they had to go with me to my 24 week appointment. The baby was the size Mia and Alli were when they were born. It was then that they heard their baby sister's heart beat for the first time. It was at that same appointment that Allison asked at full volume while waiting to check in if the doctor was going to check my bottom. I have NO idea how she knew what kind of a clinic we were at- she must have some pretty good intuition!!!

Around the 24 week point of this pregnancy I was pretty nervous. It was/is weird feeling that despite having 3 1/2 year olds at home, this is kind of my first pregnancy. I hadn't been pregnant long enough to experience the normal aches associated with being pregnant so I was constantly worried that anything I felt was a sign of trouble and was fearful knowing that if something bad were to happen, there was no way we could be as lucky as we have been with the girls twice. It took a few calls to the nurse line and a few trips to the hospital for observation before i was able to just relax and realize that there would be 'discomfort' as I progressed farther in a 'normal' pregnancy!

Now my biggest concern isn't severe prematurity or bed rest, rather what will we name this little one! Any suggestions???