off the radar

I feel like I've blinked twice, and a month has gone by. It wasn't until I got a comment tonight expressing worry about my extended blog absence that I even realized how extended the absence has been. 4 weeks exactly. The last post I wrote before going to the doctor for my 20 week ultrasound, and today I was back at the doctor for my next check up.

I might as well start there with my update. Baby Graham is doing great! Everything that can be seen via ultrasound has my doctor feeling very good, not only about Graham's development, but also my vertical incision. The biggest concern for this pregnancy centers around that incision, and from here on out I will be going every two weeks so that my doctor can keep a close eye on things. I feel terrific, but I'm trying to make a conscious effort not to over do things so that I can do everything in my power to make sure not to do something that would make the incision flare up. In the words of my doctor, "Just don't be stupid." So far, so good!

In other news, the little ladies in my life have had quite an eventful month of their own. If you remember, I had several big goals to accomplish before Graham's arrival in December, and many of those centered around Adrienne and Marianna. I'm very happy to report that this little ball of sunshine has some very exciting news.

She is very nearly completely potty trained!! And of virtually all her own doing. A little over a week ago, Adrienne decided that despite a shaky introduction, she very much likes the potty! Amazingly, we have had only two accidents in 10 days, and again, that has remarkably little to do with me. She also made her debut in big girl bed sleeping this past weekend, and in similar fashion to the potty training, she took to it without so much as a blink. Our trial run actually took place while we were visiting Nathan's sister in Birmingham this past weekend, but since the bed sleeping was a success, we have decided to make the official move from her crib to Marianna's room this weekend.

Marianna has had her share of newness this month as well. We have been doing "school" together since she has been two, but starting 3 weeks ago, we started something a little more structured. I ordered a curriculum from A Beka Books, and we have been having fun working through that each morning. We're just working an hour a day, but it has been something we are both enjoying. School time has brought some structure to our mornings, and even more than that, I feel like the added structure has made our days more productive all the way around. Marianna has also embarked on a new adventure into the world of music lessons. We gave her the choice of which activity she would like to participate in, and without any hesitation at all, she landed on violin. Lessons have been going on for a month, but we just got the go ahead to get our real violin yesterday. She is letting me know without any subtlety that every day that goes by without one is painful for her. I'm hoping that enthusiasm holds once practice begins in earnest =).

I could keep going, but just because I've waited a month, doesn't mean you want to read a month's worth of updates in one sitting =). Instead, I'll leave you with some pictures from August. And here's to better blogging in September!