Baby # 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today is April 29th, my little knucklebutt turned 10 months old today and yesterday we found out she was going to be a big sister.  I don't plan on posting this till after her bday, but I wanted to write down all the things going through my heart and my mind right now.  First of all let me precede this with saying that I know that babies are blessings, I just wasn't expecting to be blessed so soon! I love my knucklebutt SOOOOOO much!!!! She truly lights up my day and makes going home that much sweeter!!!! If any of you TRULY know me, then you will know I am a planner.  Dalton had wanted to get pregnant right away, while I had wanted to wait till she was at least a year and a half old, which would put us "trying" in January.  Now, we will be having a baby in January! I won't get into all the details of how and why we weren't expecting this to happen.
My handy dandy period tracker told me I was supposed to start on Wednesday, a couple days later nothing!  Before having Stella my cycles ran like clockwork, but since having her they have been all out of whack, which I read can happen with the constant fluctuations of hormones.  By Sunday, I just knew I needed to take a test if I was going to ease my mind at all.  I had Dalton go get me a HPT, told him a two pack would be good and it didn't have to be anything expensive. When I found out I was pregnant with Stella I took a test while he was at league.... and it INSTANTLY read positive.  I am telling you, this Period Tracker is NO JOKE! I took the test, set it on the counter while Dalton was holding Stella and we both just sat there and watched, and right away I knew. Dalton of course was like are you sure?

So yes, I am pregnant again, and I have a 10 month old. I have officially joined "THAT" group.  LOL I am terrified, and I have been crying off and on all day.  I honestly wanted to have Stella all to myself, and for her to have me all to herself for a couple years.  I don't want her to ever feel that she never got enough attention or love from us.  I know that with time I will get more excited, and I know as they grow and always have each other to play with my heart will be filled with love. But, for now, I am terrified! I always tell my friends with two young kids, better you than me! Now I am that you! Dalton is very excited, and he is obviously pulling for a boy, ironically, another girl would suit me just fine.  But, as long as God makes it happy and healthy then I will be happy with whatever he chooses to give us.  I have even more of a reason to write in this blog more now! Holy cow... mother of two! 

Bluebonnets !!!!!!!

Anyone that lives in Texas knows that the true symbol of spring coming is wildflowers sprouting up along the interstate.  Last year, I wanted to take the dogs out and get a picture of them in the bluebonnets but we got so busy it never happened.  I should have really made a better effort to do it cause I think I could have gotten some super cute pregnancy pictures in them.   Oh well... maybe next time. :)  Anywho, with the state tournament coming up I knew we would be limited on time to take the pictures and now that we have Stella I definitely wanted to make the effort to go out.  Especially since they don't last all that long.  We got some definite wall hangers and I can't wait to go out again next year! Here are just a few.

9 months old

HOLY COW! Where has the time gone? It seems like just yesterday we were bringing Stella home from the hospital.  I know I have been MIA and haven't been keeping up on my blog like I said I would, bad me! I had planned on writing an entry for Thanksgiving and our trip to Hot Springs and Illinois and still plan on it.  I have so many pictures and videos. I also have been working on a home movie using all of our pictures and videos..it has just taken time (that I don't have) and I haven't gotten around to posting anything about it.  We had a blast and it was much needed family time! Now, onto our knucklebutt.

Stella turned 9 months old March 29th.  It is hard to believe that in 3 short months it will already be a year since she was born.  It is such a bittersweet moment to know that she will never be this little again and we will never have these moments again.  I try so hard to remember all the little things she does on a daily basis because " I don't want to miss a thing" insert cheesy Aerosmith song here.  Stella started crawling the week after she turned 8 months old and she has been on the go ever since! She now pulls up on EVERYTHING! She thinks she can let go and stand by herself but she hasn't quite mastered that.  She stands whenever she gets the chance.  Even if she is playing with something on the ground she will stand, while still touching whatever it is.  Yes, picture this, hands on the ground, butt in the air.  It's so funny but she is building those little leg muscles.  You can tell when she has been standing a little too long cause her little legs start to quiver and finally give out.  She is now standing in her crib too.  She is so funny to watch on the monitor.  She sure is a restless sleeper.  I swear she covers every sq inch of that crib every night.  Other than that she smiles when she sees you, especially her daddy, laughs at the dogs, they must look really funny, and reaches for you when someone else is holding her.  That is probably the sweetest thing ever.  Just the other day Dalton was holding her and she reached her arms out for me.  It just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside.  We still have NO teeth! Not that I am complaining and I want her to be cranky, but if she had some teeth we could open up our food options a little bit. We had our 9 month check up this past Thursday and she is growing just fine.  Dr said she is perfectly proportioned.  She is almost 20lbs and 28inches tall.  I love this little girl to pieces!

Baptism

We finally baptized Stella on March 09th!  I say finally because it was a long drawn out ordeal, but I won't go into any of those details on here because they just aren't necessary.  My brother was the godfather, or nono, like we say in Greek.  It was a very small affair, just immediate family.  My parents, Dalton and I, my Aunt Phyllis, cousin Tori, baby #2 in her belly, and her little girl Gabby, Dalton's dad, my brother, my niece Jaeden, and my brothers girlfriend Carrie. Things all really came together when I found out that Father Stelios, who we have known for a very long time, was the new priest at the Greek church in Galveston.  He had actually baptized my niece years ago and we had driven all the way to Corpus Christi to have him do it. As much as I had wanted to do it in the church where we were married, things just weren't working out that way, and I wanted to have her baptized before our Lent started because otherwise we would have to wait till after our Easter on May 5th to get it done.  The older the child, the more difficult imo. 

I won't bore you with the details, but a Greek baptism is steeped in traditions, and it isn't as easy as just picking someone to be your child's Godparent.  There are a lot of responsibilities a Godparent has to tend to both before, during and after a baptism.  I am very thankful that my brother was able to do it otherwise this post might not have been happening right now.  I am also very thankful that I found out that Father Stelios had moved closer to us.  I really wish they would move him back to Houston.  One of the most important things in a priest in my opinion is being down to Earth.  If people don't feel like they can talk to you, they will shy away from the Church and its teachings.  The whole point is not to feel like you are being judged, but accepted and that the Church is your home.  After all, aren't we taught that only one person can truly judge you?  Rant over.  Anyways, the service was very nice, intimate, and afterwards we went over to my cousin Nicky's restaurant The Original Mexican Cafe. I am so grateful to everyone that was able to join us in witnessing such a wonderful thing.  Photo dump below.  :) 

I was honestly surprised she cried.. she really loves her baths.  

First communion.

Yes the picture is blurry, and so is our photographers eye sight. 

the girls

The grandpa's 

Classic Redumis family Shenanigans. 

Jaeden and Stella