Oregon Vaughns

I need to try to get back in blogging:  a great way to keep all family / friends around the country updated, and just a great way to journal / documents what’s happening in life.

So, here is a brief re-cap, with pictures at the end.  It may be kind of scatter brained, but just trying to get things written:

Lily has been asking many, many questions about everything lately.  Tonight was all about the Earth and the sun.  It started with asking why the sun goes away at night.  So, I explained that the Earth turns, and when it turns around, we can’t see the sun.  She was satisfied with this answer.  Here are a few of her particular questions:

“Does the sun drink water?”

“Is there more than one Earth?”

“Is the Earth flat?”

“Why isn’t the Earth flat?”

“Who doesn’t live on the Earth?”

and there were many more…

She is growing up so fast.  This week, we are going to check out a preschool for her (to start next year).  She has never gone to school yet, but has attended a handful of classes through the parks and rec department (gymnastics, soccer, swimming, to name a few).

We have inherited Keillor (my family dog) for a spell while my parents are in the process of trying to move.  Step 1)  Sell their house in Corvallis.  Step 2)  Move to their Bend house.  Having Keillor has been good, combined with the nice weather, because it has encouraged me to get out for more walks.  Lily walks / rides her bike while we take Keillor down to the river to play/swim, or just for a walk around the block.  It has been good for all of us to get out more after this long winter.

I am in my 32nd week and realized I don’t really have any pregnancy pictures.  This pregnancy has really been just as easy as the last (only longer — so it seems).  So far?  No swollen feet and no scream-yourself-awake leg cramps.  Though I have had a few leg cramps at night, they are nothing compared to when I was pregnant with Lily.  Andy snapped a few pics on our walk the other day, they aren’t great, but I will post them when I am done rambling.  About 2 more months of teaching school left for me, then it is time for summer and time to prepare for baby boy.  Also, we toured the birthing center at the hospital this last weekend.  I was not impressed.  Don’t get me wrong, it is probably better than 99% of the birthing centers out there, it is just that the Corvallis birthing center at Good Sam is amazing.  This is the only thing I have to compare it with, so it left me feeling “ehhh.”  I am sure it will be fine when the times comes, my surroundings probably won’t be a concern.

Auntie Chelsea just came to visit.  Allegiant Air just started offering flights from Oakland to Redmond and she got a round trip for around $70 (fees and all).  It was great to spend the long weekend with her.  Lily adores her.  The whole week before her arrival, Lily was waking up every morning at 5am to see if it was the day that Auntie Chelsea was coming.  5am does not go over so well in our house.

Lily is still obsessed with Sleeping Beauty.  She likes all of the scary parts.  She constantly wants to ask people what their favorite part is and what their favorite scary part is.

Andy and I are slowly but surely trying to eat out and every restaurant in Bend   For having been here less than 2 years, I think we have done fairly well!  There are not many places left that we haven’t tried.

We have a few baby names in mind, but I have been afraid to commit and haven’t quite felt like we have found “the name.”  So, I will leave you in waiting…

In an effort to be a better mom, I am trying to make Lily some friends.  Since she doesn’t go to school, it is hard for her to make consistent friends.  In the last week, I have asked 2 parents for phone numbers so we can arrange play dates.  Tomorrow, she has a play date at the park with her friend Skylar (who we met last week).  Not only do I get numbers, I follow through and make the call

Not sure what I am leaving out in this long jumble of thoughts and happenings???

Hooked on “Game of Thrones” TV series (Andy has / is reading the books, I am not).  We just finished Season 1.  We don’t have HBO, so have to wait to get Season 2… Yikes.

I will begin updating this more (I promise) so my thoughts won’t be so random.  Here are a few photos for now:

Andy bought a 50 cent mustache out of a vending machine at Safeway to keep us all entertained:

Photos from yesterday’s walk:

I asked Lily tonight:  “Do you have panties on?”

Her response:  “I don’t have panties, but I do have (pulls her pants down) CHEEKS!”

As a brief update:  Lily is back from her 10 days in Connecticut with my mom.  I think she is happy to be home and to be around mom and dad, but she misses her cousin Winter a lot.  She talks about her every morning.  Andy and I are adjusting to life with a 3 year old again   It’s amazing what you can forget in 10 days.

Lily talks. A lot. Non stop. Not surprising if you know her parents

Tonight’s questions for mom included:

“How do we talk?”

“Why do we have boogers?”

“How do we blink?”

Funny girl.

Side note: One more work day for me and then Spring Break. As well, I have informed my school that I am not returning next year. I am super happy about this decision: primarily to stay home with my kids but there are many, many other reasons as well.

Happy Leap Day.

Lily said yesterday:

“Mom, I was thinking and thinking and in my dream I thought we should name you rnew baby Owen like the boy in my swim class who can swim by himself.”

Super cute, but Owen is not a name on our list, sorry Lily.

Today, she said:

“Owen is my best friend because he talks to me lots during swimming class.  He can hold my hand if he wants.”

Oh great.

And to brag about her problem solving skills (and people-caring skills)… Today, while ordering sandwiches at Togos *yum*, I watched her move a chair away from the table she had chosen.  She placed the chair at another table.  When I came over and asked what happened to the chair, she said “We don’t need 4 chairs, we just need 3 chairs.  Now, someone else can use that chair.”

What-a-girl.

22 weeks pregnant, and according to my “pregnancy app” the baby should weigh about 1 pound.  I feel lots of movement!

“Dad drives too fast. Old people drive straight.”

When Lily doesn’t know how to do something, she says:

“Lily can’t how!”

Lily:  “Coconut Italian soda with whipped cream on top.”

Well, I know I have promised so many blog posts and updates that have just not happened.

Trust me… I have a few blog posts in the works: reviews on Las Vegas trips with pictures of delicious foods! and a few others… But, for some reason, I have not had the time to post.

This summer has been an endless list of visits to Corvallis, visitors in Bend, and just busy go-go-go. We have loved every minute of it but have rarely had any moments to ourselves (and this means no computer time for me). It is August? Where has summer gone? I go back to work August 29th!

I will promise again. Blog posts, photos, and summer updates are coming. Just keep checking in.

Some quotes to leave you with.

Andy says: “Now I know the disadvantages to this sleek, aerodynamic hair style.”

Lily says: “Mama, can you call Shauna to ask her if Winter has 2 or 3 legs? Lily can’t remember.”

Andy was playing poker last night and Lily took a late nap.  So, we she awakened at 7:30pm, we decided to go out for a late dinner (just Lily and I).  She said she needed to go to a restaurant to eat some mum-mums.  When I asked her which restaurant, she replied “Tomo’s” (a sushi/bento place).  Tomo’s is on the opposite end of town, so I decided to take her elsewhere.

We ended up at Izzy’s.  A good move because Lily eats free there.  And, after I had got all of our food, Lily turned to me and said:

“Thank you Mama for taking Lily to the restaurant with pizza,” and then she gave me a kiss.

What a sweet girl.

Then, we (I) left her jacket there.  We called to make sure they found it, but we were already almost home and told the manager we would pick it up tomorrow.  After I got off the phone, Lily said: “Lily no needs to go get jacky, man mail it to Lily.”

On a side note, but also about Lily… In the past month or so, she has started drawing things.  Not just scribbling on a page, but drawing with purpose.  Good thing she is still able to interpret her art to me   She draws airplanes, houses, flowers, “LILY”, the number 2, robots, etc…. Yes, they all look the same, but her imagination makes all that drawing possible.

Me:  “Lily, would you like to drink some hot milk and watch Modern Family?”

Lily:  “Yes indeed.”