It's been a while...

Sorry that it's been a while since I've updated my blog! I actually don't think I'll be writing too much on here anymore... but I'll be sure to post important events or pictures (such as the arrival of our daughter!) when they happen. Here's a quick update on what's been going on with us for the last month...

We went to Disney Animal Kingdom, where Chase got to ride a REAL train,

go on an African safari,

and wear cool 3-D glasses at the Bugs Life show,

Chase played his first round of mini-golf. Definitely the next Tiger Woods. Check out that swing!

We spend countless hours in the shade of the backyard, where Chase loves to play with his best buddy (and next door neighbor), Cooper! It's too unbearably hot to even think about being in the front yard these days.

We go to the beach whenever we can:

We go out for ice cream whenever we can! Here is Chase's first ice cream of his very own... he chose "blue" (cotton candy) with sprinkles at Cold Stone! And he ate every last bite of it.

Chase and I go to the pool nearly every day! I have absolutely no pictures from the pool because there is never a minute when I don't have to make sure that Chase isn't jumping in and trying to swim away on his own! I'm amazed at how much he loves the water and completely thinks that he can swim! He jumps off the side, goes under water on purpose all the time, and tries so hard to swim. It won't be long!

We play "fireman" and "choo choos" all day long. When I ask Chase what firemen do, he says, "Spray water!" Sounds like the coolest job ever!

Here is Chase practicing to be a fireman, in the backyard, naked. I truly believe that summer just isn't summer without some backyard naked time! (HIM, not us!)

We went to the aquarium with some more of Chase's best buddies, Mia and Noah. These were Chase's first friends (and their moms were my first friends!) when we moved to Tampa 2 years ago! Here are some then and now pictures we took of them at the aquarium, almost exactly 2 years apart.
Speaking of Mia, Chase is in L-O-V-E! Can't stop talking about that girl! And always has to hold her hand!
We helped Dennis get ready for prom... and we're sad about him returning to Germany, less than a month from now!
We picked blueberries on Mothers Day at the Blueberry Festival in Plant City! It was HOT but fun! And we took home about 2 pounds of blueberries for just $2!

Other happenings without pictures...

Chase is officially potty training! I really wasn't planning on potty training him until later this year, since I've heard that boys usually jump over that hurdle closer to age 3. Plus I kept waiting for all of these "readiness" signs (dry diaper for several hours, asking to be changed when wet...), but last week I was at the library. Oh, the power of the library! I grabbed a bunch of parenting books while Chase was running up and down the aisles screaming (happily) at the top of his lungs! I happened to pick up, "Diaper Free Before 3" and after reading just a few pages, decided to start potty training NOW! I'm not really sure why I ever wanted to wait... it makes much more sense to do it now before the baby arrives, when I'll have more time to focus on Chase. So we're on day 3 now and the results are pretty good so far! My strategy is to just stay at home as much as possible, keep Chase out of diapers, underwear or pretty much clothes of any kind, and give lots and lots of praise! He seems to be getting it... slowly... and I'm excited about all of the money we're already saving on diapers! One thing that has really surprised me so far: he doesn't need stickers or any kind of other reward that we had offered before. He really just wants our excitement, attention, and of course, our little dances and high fives!

I'm 30 weeks pregnant now and shocked at how fast it's flying by! I'm so anxious, excited, and overall feeling much more prepared and grateful to be having a baby this time around. I'm still running, or I guess you could call it that! Eric, Chase, Berkeley and I go out every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and sometimes Sunday at 7am and run about 2-3 miles. Going at 7am is the only way to beat the heat, and I'm so thankful to have Eric running along side me... to motivate me and make sure I don't fall on my belly like last time! My calf muscles burn, my knees and hips ache, and I imagine that I resemble a whale who's sprouted legs and run away from the ocean, but I can't help but love every minute. It feels good to run and I know it's good for me and the baby. Other things that are good for me and the baby... yoga class and Hypnobirthing! I recently joined the Y in my neighborhood and I LOVE going to yoga class at least once a week! It's been so helpful with any back or hip pain, and it's SO nice to be able to go to class during the day and know that Chase is well taken care of in their nursery. Yoga is the perfect compliment to the Hypnobirthing method that I used when in labor with Chase, and plan on using this time around as well. Eric and I found an instructor in the area who was nice enough to come out to our house one day and give us a little refresher course in this relaxation method. It's really less about "hypnosis" (I know that word sometimes scares people) and more about understanding that our bodies were created to have babies and they'll work perfectly if we work with them. You have to kind of re-program your mind because all you ever hear is how childbirth is so painful. But it truly doesn't have to be, and the main goal of Hypnobirthing is to teach yourself to relax so your muscles can work the way they were meant to. I've been reading my book and listening to my ipod tracks for a few weeks now and I can't wait for the day our daughter is born! Still don't have a name picked out... but we're working on it!