My...

My Joys:
*Watching Jovi learn something new everyday
*Saturdays when Thad, Ben, Jovi and I are all home
*Extended family reunions - getting all of the "babies" together
* Something to look forward to.

My Fears:
* that Jovi will not feel as beautiful as she is
* Thad will loose more time with Ben
* I'll never get my student loans paid

My Goals:
* Work a little, stay home with my kid(s) ALOT!
* Find a comfortable budget
* Find a love for home making (be more like Krista and Bambi).
* Rediscover a my artistic side- singing, painting, playing piano...

My obsessions/collections
* E! Television
* Shopping - I'm better off staying away
* The proper position of Jovi's car seat

Random Surprising facts about me:
* During a conversation with my sister, Krista, I realized I could live without Peanut butter
* I am an introvert (maybe not surprising to the rest of you). I used to think I was more extroverted because I like gatherings where there are lots of people. I, however, realize this is because with lots of people around, less is expected from me.
*Someday I will own a Cooper Mini

New Tricks

Jovi seems to learn something new everyday. Check out the new photos and video below to see Jo's new tricks!

Jovi had no fear of the water...jumped right in face first
Say Cheese!
Jo and Alex

A face says a thousand words....

Jovi and Aunt Amanda.

Funny Girl

I struggle with fining ways to add captions to the photos and videos without sounding too cheesy. Looking back at previous blogs, I haven't succeeded with the cheesiness bit yet. Jovi is getting to be quite a big girl...and wanting to be busily independent. She's getting herself into all sorts of trouble...eating Chloe's food etc, hence the baby gate. She is getting silly too, making faces at us, pretending to cough and then laugh when she doesn't want any more vegetables and wants fruit puffs instead. Here are a few photos and videos. Enjoy!

Jovi-larious!

Jo is now 5 months and 1 day old. In the last 2-3 weeks, Jovi has decided to become such a big girl! She is learning to sit...and acts awfully proud of herself. She sat for 30 whole seconds before attempting a swan dive into the carpet. She has figured out that if she throws her arm around with a toy in it, it makes the greatest noises! However, I'm not sure she realizes the key is to grab the toy before smacking her arm against her thigh. We've caught her waving her empty arm in the air like crazy, then looking about very confused like "wait a second...where did my noise maker go?". However, the best achievement and the one I've been waiting and waiting for, 1 day after her 5 month birthday...her first all out Jovi-laroius laugh!! Talk about making your heart melt! Take a look and have a great belly laugh yourself!

Keeping up with the Sauder sisters

Friday at work, I introduced myself as "Bobbi Sauder" to a patient and her mother. It's been a whole year and a quarter since I married and changed my identity, but yet introducing myself with my maiden name spewed right out...smooth as butter... or cream, or whatever. I think I had such a surprised look on my face, that the people I was speaking with probably thought I didn't know who the heck I was! Anyway, I thought my sisters would enjoy and relate to this slipped up Sauder incident. Really....I just wanted to have something moderately interesting to post on my blog...the other two Sauder sisters...yep, you know who you are... maintain their bloggerdness more often than I. :-) J (an unofficial Sauder) and I will try to keep up.

At Last

Jovi is already almost 7 weeks old! I can hardly believe how fast the time has flown by. The last 4 weeks of pregnancy seemed to drag on FOREVER!! At last, my bundle of joy was born and time has never gone faster. At last, I have a waist line...albeit still carrying around a remaining 7-8 pounds. At last, my wedding ring slides back on my finger. At last, my cankles have disappeared. At last, I can sleep on my stomach. At last, my Jovi is here. Jovi has already accumulated a plethora of nicknames: Jo Jo, JJ, Jo, Jovilicous (my favorite), J-balls (I don't know, ask Daddy), Tutti Fruiti, Punkin, Baby Spook... I believe she favors her daddy in looks and her aunts say they can see a bit of mommy in her too. A card from grandma Marcia says it well "A little You Guys". Grandma Sue thinks she'll be a daddy's girl....I tend to agree. Jovi loves when daddy smacks his lips at her....when I try the same strategy to elicit that beautiful smile, all I get is a face that reads, "What is this crazy woman trying to do? Just feed me lady." Sometimes I look at her little face and think, "That belongs to me? I'm responsible for this baby!!?" It's still seems so unreal that I am a mother. Every time I walk up to this Jovilicious Baby and her face lights up with a grin, the sweetest smile, it makes my day and my life.

At last...

The Guarentee

Now, being 38 weeks pregnant, I have a new appreciation for a few things I used to think were women's way of dramatizing pregnancy. I now understand that"waddling" is NOT a choice. It truly feels like walking with a melon between your legs...in all actuality, there is a melon there (the baby's head). No use in trying to slip past someone in the grocery store or restaurant either. Inevitably, your belly or, worse yet, your backside will bump into the person. Yes, it's happened to me. It is also impossible to complete the simplest of tasks without grunting and lots of effort such as putting on socks and shoes, rolling over in bed, or painting your own toe nails. Overall, pregnancy has been fun! I've gotten lots of attention from strangers most of which is unsolicited. I've made relationships with key people at work who've suddenly taken an interest in my becoming a new mother. It is amazing how that has improved my effectiveness as an OT at work. I've also built a special bond with the little thing in my belly who kicked or elbowed me in the ribs and bladder at least 100 times. And there is, of course, the fact that I am the incubator housing a new "little soul", as my mom called her, that I am responsible for bringing into this world. That in itself is pretty remarkable.

As much as I have enjoyed the love hate relationship with my body these last 9 months, I have to say, I am over being pregnant. This realization began just after the 36 week check up where my midwife casually said, "You are 1-2 cm and 80%." One phrase comes to mind, deer in the headlights. I immediately started crying, and then had to explain to poor Thad what those magical little numbers meant. Of course, I felt unprepared for the potential that the baby could arrive so quickly. So, that week was busy with packing my bag and reading the labor and delivery sections of my pregnancy books. Nothing like hurry up and wait. 37 week appointment. I was so sure she was going to send me straight over to the hospital. I was hoping for "4 cm and 100%" but.....no change. I asked her to make a prediction on when she expected this party to start. "I guarantee you won't be pregnant forever." As surreal as that sounded, it was quite comforting.