Lots has been going on around here in the past few weeks. I don't even know where to start. The biggest things around here are:

Construction

Separation Anxiety

Nightmares

Big Girl Bed

Heartburn and a stressed out mama

Did I mention construction?

First the construction....third floor under major renovations as it has been for the past 8 weeks and I am simply put....OVER it. I'm appreciative of my husband for being able to do so much work himself and how good he actually is at it and I'm thankful for our beautiful bathroom that is almost finished (we love Uncle Pop Pop...aka Walt) but I am so over the dust and the clutter in this house that is a result of it all. I can't even stand it. I don't know where to go with anything and its absolute chaos around here trying to find anything or get out the door most days.

Next up, the separation anxiety. For the past three weeks, Caroline freaks when we leave her somewhere or we leave to go to work. Now I only go to work two days a week tops and you'd think I was the meanest mama in the world. Its like I'm absolutely breaking her heart every time I leave. Which in turn breaks my heart. She starts in the night before, NO WANNA GO TO MEGANS (her babysitter), NO WANT MISS DOT (her other baby sitter). It is tiring. At night she also pulls (since she's in the big girl bed) - lay with me mommy, lay with me. One more book, I need water...you know, the normal 2 yr old stuff.

On the heels of all of this we've battled a weekend of high fevers, an ear infection, a cold and a really delightful case of pink eye. Delightful. Poor kid. Poor mommy and daddy.

Its really hard to know how to respond to this stuff...do you give in and lay with them? Do you ignore them? I've taken the approach that I go in and I talk to her or comfort her but then I leave. Seems to be working but who knows?! Every day is different. I'm just glad I don't leave for work every day b/c I couldn't do it. The other night on the way home from work she said to me "I love my mommy. I love my mommy at HOME". AWESOME.

She did make the move to the big girl bed...I love it and so does she I think. Its been an easy adjustment actually, except for one major night of nightmares about frogs. What a funny night that was. Dave and I both spent most of the night with feet on our faces so the frogs didn't get her toes. No really. The stuff that goes through kids minds is just so funny. That night was one of those parenting moments that I actually hope I don't forget. It was exhausting, confusing, yet Dave and I laughed ourselves til I almost peed my pants (mostly due to pregnancy probably).

So pregnancy...yeah I'm feeling pretty good minus a few little things. The other night I got dehydrated and felt some major contraction type pains...totally not real and just due to dehydration so I learned my lesson. Now I am staying hydrated and peeing about 4 times a night. Its awesome! My back hurts which is no suprise but overall I feel pretty good. Normal in fact but I'm starting to realize certain things are harder to do than before...you kind of take advantage of that the first time and get helpers or relax. The second time doesn't really give me that option.

My favorite thing right now about the age we're at is the funny stuff that comes out of this kid's mouth every day. Yesterday she saw an old man ride by on his bike and she pointed and screamed "HIIIII Santa!!!"

The other day we asked her about her music teacher, Mr. Clay and she said "Him's a nice guy".

In the car I went to pick up my cell when it rang and she said "Don't talk on the phone mommy". I said 'okay and put it down and she said "Thank You".

She was gesturing for me to color in a restaurant the other night with her and she said "go ahead mommy, go ahead". She's such a little person, its unreal. She'll look at me sometimes and say "I love my mommy" and it makes me melt. OR she'll rub my belly and say "Baby brother in there...I love him".

She talks about baby brother all the time....we've been talking about what he'll be like when he's here (sleepy) and how she can talk to him and sing him Twinkle Twinkle. She gets excited about that...she told me the other day that she wants to tickle him...so I guess she can do that too. I think she's excited, though somehow she figured out where her crib was moved/going and I never told her. She's one smart cookie that kid!

She's been eating okay but we're still really struggling with veggies. Certain ones are a guarantee and some if I hide in stuff she has no clue she's eaten them. That's a beautiful thing but her two favorite foods are pizza and ice cream and I'm pretty sure she would live off of both if I allowed her to. The kid also loves marshmallows and thats our bribery food for one we need her to take medicine etc. We've been on antibiotics for a week for her ear infection and that worked like a charm. :)

Well here are some recent pics.

Birthday Cake!Caroline talks to Santa at the Yankee Candle Store in Massachussets

Caroline and her boyfriend Danny together again :)

Just a couple of babes hanging at the zoo.

Fun times on the carousel!