19 months, 33 weeks, and 19 days

Never thought I'd be so attached to a timeline like above, but on a day like today, those numbers are all I can think of for a few reasons:
1. 19 months - Miriam turned a whopping 19 months today. she's now more on her way to being a 2 year old than a "baby" - scary!  She's doing so many things and learning so much.  Lately, she loves to march and stomp when we sing "we are the dinosaurs"...she loves giving kisses...she LOVES playing outside...she loves snack time, meal time, and any other time that food is involved (and the best part, she's not picky at all, although she's going through a funny phase that she picks and chooses the texture of chicken that she likes)...she knows Nana, TriPaw, and Papa, Kelley (the lady who cares for her in the afternoon), and Ginger (the across the street neighbor who helps us each morning to get ready and get in the car) by name...she is learning how to throw and kick a ball (her favorite toy) and we think she'll be playing soccer before too long....other newer words in her vocabulary include airplane, orange, chicken, bath, cupid, pasta, block, doll, lovey, blankie, outside are just to name a few....she knows how to feed a baby a bottle and the need for burping them afterwards (although she isn't as gentle as she should be, it will be interesting to see if I ever catch her feeding Lydia and pelting burping her the same way)...she LOVES her daddy, and loves the time she gets to play with him in the evenings, especially since I don't do much of anything but lie on the couch (they're favorite game is chase)...she is starting to come around on the whole reading thing - she used to only sit for about the first page, and now we can spend 30 minutes on one book!.....so many new things, and I'm sure the list will just keep growing! I can't believe she's growing so fast!!

2. I reached another week of pregnancy on Wednesday - 33! Only one more week to our ultimate goal, but I'm quite convinced that I can't do it. I'm 2 cm dilated, and contractions were 5 minutes apart for 1.5 hrs last night, although they weren't unbearable...and then they stopped, so it was a false alarm. We almost got ready for the hospital, but I fell asleep (that means they stopped and I finally got comfortable!) I was smart though - the bags have been packed and in the van for the past 6 weeks now, so we're ready at a moment's notice!  I can't believe this pregnancy is coming to an end, and quickly. I so love the season, and despite the difficulty this one has posed, I'm grateful for the being that's inside of me, knitted together to be a special one, Lydia, our promise of beauty. I have realized, though, that sadly I will miss my OB visits - Since seeing him and his nurse so exclusively over the past 10 weeks, they've become such friends.  They're the reason I get to shower and put on make up each week. I have no clue what it will be like after it's all over when I don't visit them each week. They're my new BFFs!! Nonetheless, we keep pushing for 5 more days at least - but J and I think that it's gonna be this weekend....who knows?!

3. 19 days left until I'm no longer employeed! I've been trying to tie up any loose end that ever existed before the end of this week, as we have a feeling that I won't be able to do much work after the weekend, or next week. I just signed my last mailout on official letterhead with my name on it. It's sad that more will be ordered next month, and my name won't be on it....but, it's not as sad that I won't be stressed out by finding substitutes for Sunday school classes at last minute notices, or deal with parents who have disobedient and defiant children, nor will I be on call 24/7 for anything and everything that could happen in the church.  It is definitely bitter sweet, don't get me wrong, but I am excited for the life ahead - and can't believe it will be here before I know it!!

Other random thoughts from the week:
- Beaches is a great movie, and perfect for a good cry.
- Chocolate chip cookies are my new favorite treat
- I think our oven has bit the dust
- I really, really, really miss Hobby Lobby and Michaels
- We're getting Outback tonight because the lady supplying the meal is the "take out queen" - bloomin onion, here I come (so glad I don't have heartburn during pregnancy!)
- finished reading Exodus this morning - those silly Israelites, when will they ever learn?!
- Tuesday is Valentines day, and while Miriam's valentines for her preschool class were finished last weekend, I haven't even thought about Jeremy, and made him promise he wouldn't was $4.95 on a cheesy card this year
- I've watched the full seasons of Downton Abbey and wait in total suspense for Sunday (hopefully Lydia won't ruin that!)
- I fell asleep while watching Toy Story 3 yesterday...not a good sign for the review of that movie
- I wonder what the weekend looks like - we'll just have to wait and see!!