Aidan Cracks Me Up

My boy has a sassy side. 

I really honestly try my best to correct him but sometimes he is just so funny, all I can do is laugh. 

Some things from the past few weeks:


(While rummaging through my purse to look for a pen)

Aidan: Mom, you really need to clean this purse out.

Me: Oh yeah?

Aidan: Yeah and your room needs to be cleaned too.

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Me: Aid, can you help me stuff your comforter in the washing machine please?

Aidan: I'll stuff you in the washing machine. 

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(Being curious about my baby shower)

Aidan: So...Mommy???  Are you going to take a shower in front of all of your friends?

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(During his hair cut last week, Pigtails and Crewcuts is packed with the after school crowd)

Girl cutting his hair: I'm going to put some powder on your neck so the hair won't itch as bad.

Aidan: I put powder on my bum when it's itchy. 

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He goes to clubs two days a week after preschool and his teacher told me this story.

This session is called Santa's Workshop and runs through Christmas.

Apparently the teacher tried to get all the kids to sing a Christmas carol with her and they weren't having it so she sang alone.

After she was finished Aidan said..."That was awkward." 

Luckily, she thought it was hilarious.

5 YEARS

Adam,

This post is a few weeks late.  A month late to be exact.  This is one of my favorite posts to write every year because I love to look back at them and remember just how I felt at that point during our marriage. 

So the funny thing about this year and this being late is it's because I disliked you more than I liked you last month.  I didn't want to write you a letter that wasn't real.  I love you more than anything in this world but no one drives me as crazy as you do kid.  I laugh even typing that because truly disliking is not something I could ever imagine happening but every person that's been married or in a long relationship can relate.  Not every day is perfect.  In the mess of preparing for a new baby, trying to keep this house in one piece, working my butt off everyday to make sure Aidan is an amazing young boy and hardly getting to see you because of your work schedule this time of year, we've done our fair share of disconnecting. 

BUT as lack luster as our life can sometimes seem and as disconnected as I may feel due to pregnancy hormones I look forward to our anniversary every year.  Every year I love knowing we are making it.  Our start was so nuts and the odds were surely against us.  I want you to know I never expected it all to be perfect.  Real love, it's not like the movies.  Our love...it's in the 25 phone calls we make to each other a day. It's in selecting a paint color for the nursery.  In the smile we share across the car when Aidan makes a totally inappropriate comment from the back seat.  It's also in the disagreements and the stress I am so well known for creating around here.  There's even some love in your clothes that you leave all over the house although I've asked you to pick them up a hundred times.  HA!

I didn't worry about making big plans this year for number 5.  I didn't worry because I know there is no shortage of anniversaries in our future.  There will be plenty of years to travel and sit on a beach by ourselves.  This year was for us as a family.  We did something with Aidan to remember before becoming a family of four.  It wasn't glamorous but it was a celebration of lots of things none the less.

Even on the days you drive me absolutely bat shit crazy, I'm just so, so thankful it's you.  To a lot of people it doesn't look like much, but for me, our marriage, it's my fairytale.

Love you more everyday,
A

Halloween 2012

 

 

These pictures are all totally out of order but this was our Halloween.

 

Fall Festival at school. Aidan and his friend Dylan were a Storm Trooper and Darth Vader.

 

Carving his pumpkin.  He had me carve a storm trooper in his. Hardest pumpkin I've ever carved.

 

His Miss America wave during the costume parade.

 

 

Decorating pumpkins at Fall Festival.

 

Heading out to trick or treat.  We are not ready for the pillowcase just yet.

He sees me!  I don't know why it always amazes me he is so excited to see me but he always is! It's the best feeling.  I know eventually he will get too cool for me!

 

This is hilarious. I thought it would be funny to carve the silhouette of my belly and carve the baby inside of it. BUT when I laid the pumpkin on my legs to carve it, it ended up being all kinds of lopsided and when I stood it up, no one could tell what it was.  Good thing it was totally rotted the day after Halloween so we could throw it away.  I swear his legs looked so much better than that right side up!

 

 

Carving pumpkins and watching Halloween movies.

 

 

I did not want to miss out on seeing Aidan Trick or Treat so we put a bowl of candy on the front stoop this year and of course there was not a stitch left when we got home.  I really wasn't worried about it though because seeing your child experience Halloween is like being a kid again yourself.  We made one giant loop around the block and every time he and Adam walked up to a front door he was so excited to get another piece of candy and tell someone else what he was even though he had done it 15 houses before that.  I think I was most proud of how at each and every house he said "Thank You". 

 

We always end the night going to my parents so he can Trick or Treat there and tell them all about his night.  My Mom buys an entire bag of candy for him, steals a few pieces for my Dad and then dumps the whole thing in his bucket.  He thinks my Mom and Dad are the world's greatest!   I think it's become a tradition! 

 

 

33 & 34 Weeks

33 & 34 Weeks

We're combining them because I didn't do one last week. I know you were so upset.

If you follow me on Instagram, you've already seen this photo. Sorry. I'm not a huge fan of taking my picture so there are soooo few.  Literally the only ones posted here.  Adam and I took Aidan to dinner and a movie last Saturday night and this was right before we walked out the door.

 

 

 

 

Weight Gain: I don't want to talk about it anymore. Haha. No stretch marks yet! But these boobs are just unruly.  I tried to talk them about calming it down but it's not happening.  They can't still be growing can they?

 

Baby's size: Pineapple.  19 to 22 inches and 4.9 lbs.  

Sleep: I toss and turn all night and that's painful.  Aidan has started coming in our bed the past few nights around 2am and I have no space.  But I'm not going to ever kick him out so I need to suck it up.

Maternity Clothes: Living in them.

Food cravings: I just want to eat all the time.  Don't worry I'm not.

Food aversions: Nothing in particular but when I'm done eating, the food must go.

Symptoms: This entire pregnancy I've felt like I can't breathe. That's only getting worse.  Mild swelling if I walk for a long time in my ankles. 

Doctor’s Appointment: I had an appointment two Friday's ago.  I had to bring Aidan with me. He tried to talk over the Dr the entire time and then decided to tell him that once I told him Jimmy Johnson was my boyfriend.  Embarrassing.  I wasn't crazy about that Dr in the first place but Aidan made it a special kind of awkward in there. Hope he's not on call when I go in to labor.  He also made me a little nervous when he said he couldn't tell if Kellan was head down or not. 

Gender: BOY. Sweet Kellan Adam.

Movement:  He's pretty active.  He gets the hiccups often and I can tell it makes him uncomfortable.  

Belly Button: I don't know if it will ever be the same. It's not an outie yet but it's almost there and it hurts so bad.  It's very convenient to keep clean. Ha!

Favorite Moment This Week: Taking Aidan to do the sibling tour at the hospital. I love it when he gets to do something that includes him in all of this. I also met two girls in the neighborhood pregnant and due in December. I'm hoping we can become friends.
Halloween was so much fun! Post coming tomorrow. 

What I’m looking forward to: My baby shower is this weekend.  I haven't seen some of my girlfriends in so long and I'm looking forward to seeing them and catching up on their babies/lives.
Also, I've been slowly but surely working on the nursery. It feels like it will never be done.  Design paralysis at it's finest.

What I miss:  I want to be able to hold Aidan and hug Adam without this big belly in the way. I would love some sushi. 

 

 Holy moly it's NOVEMBER!!!!!

Sibling Tour

This past Saturday we took Aidan to the hospital to participate in the sibling tour.  There was a group of about 10 kids and Aidan was middle of the road for age.  There are kids out there getting a sibling older than Aidan for the first time. Can you believe it? Ha.

We got checked in, all the kids got name tags. Then they got hats to wear and so did the bear he brought with him.  We have already been practicing changing diapers so when that came up, Aidan was a pro!

He got to see the room he was born in, and the room where we went after I gave birth for the remainder of our stay. It was pretty cool for him and I think it will be fun for him to know the deal when he comes to visit us in the hospital.  He asked lots of good questions and the other parents kept complimenting us on how cute he was and how nice it must be that he is so interested.  I'm afraid if I give him any more information he may try to deliver this baby on his own.  JK.

Pumpkin Patch 2012

Every year we make a trip to the Pumpkin Patch at Carrigan Farms in Mooresville, NC.  It's a tradition we started Aidan's first fall and we've gone every year since!  We all look forward to it.  It makes Fall feel real for the Harvey's.  Who doesn't love a hay ride, apple cider and a field full of orange on a cool North Carolina afternoon? We DO!

 

 

 Any excuse to spend time with this cutie...

 

 

 I am not ashamed to post bad self portraits on this blog because I just want Aidan to know I went to things.

 

 I have an obsession with pigs.  First thing I would do if we ever moved to the country. Get piglets.

And baby goats. 

The kid is off...



Hayride back from the patch.  Adam has established a new family rule.  Only pick the pumpkin you can carry.  Left to right. Adam's pumpkin, mine and Aidan's.  The baby bump gets in the way of carrying anything much bigger! Plus Aidan said he picked it for the baby so I couldn't leave it!



 

Bad family self portrait.

 

Right side of our front stoop.  The left side looks very similar but it has white pumpkins from Fresh Market. 

 

This is totally unrelated to the pumpkin patch but I had it on my camera sooo...

my fall window boxes.  Love how they turned out.  

Next year we'll be a family of four at the pumpkin patch! Crazy to think about since we've just been the three of us for so long! But I'm excited!

Happy Fall Y'all! 

Skin Care during Pregnancy

I think one of the most common symptoms of pregnancy is your skin reverting back to those horrific days in middle school where you were broken out all over the place or you got random massive zits in your T-Zone. 

When I was pregnant with Aidan my skin was AWFUL.   So bad that even my Dad made comments about it.  Concerned comments.   I have rosacea and being pregnant does a good job flaring that condition up.  This time taking care of my skin was on the top of my list. 

My skin is typically pretty normal in the warmer months and it gets dry in the winter months.  Which is common.  I knew I at least had that going for me. I'm less likely to break out when my skin is dry.  But anyways, I wanted to be proactive and I didn't want to spend a ton of money. 

This is my skin care regimen...

I've been using Mary Kay Velocity Facial Cleanser since I was in high school and it works great so I've stuck with it.  With my rosacea my skin is kind of sensitive so I try not to change it up too much!





Every other night I wash my face with St. Ives Apricot Scrub.  You have to use it at least a couple nights a week to see any difference.  I leave it in the shower and use it then.  My skin immediately feels softer and it glows.  I've used a ton of expensive scrubs and randomly picked this up for Adam to see how it would work for him and I stole it and love it!

 

via


Two nights a week I'm using another Mary Kay product.  Their Time Wise Microdermabrasion Set.
It's like a mini microderm treatment in a tube.  It leaves the same feel as the Apricot Scrub but having that serum for afterwards makes my skin feel amazing.
 

And every night I use their Eye Cream.

I didn't start using eye cream until I was in my mid 20's but I've used this all along and I really like it. When I apply it, the skin around my eyes feels tight and for the most part I haven't noticed any crazy wrinkles yet.

 

Two other great products I use every morning and night are Image Skincare Vital C Hydrating Anti Aging Serum,

 

 

and Image Skincare Clear Cell Medicated Acne Lotion.

This has Benzoyl Peroxide and Salicylic Acid to fight the bacteria and oil that causes breakouts.

I buy mine from an esthetician here in Charlotte but you can use the link on the website to find somewhere near you that sells it.

 

I moisturize with the Mary Kay Velocity Lightweight Moisturizer.  I love it because it truly is LIGHT and it feels like silk on my skin.  I  hate using any moisturizer that makes your skin feel greasy.

 

 

 

It seems like a lot to do but truthfully it only takes me about 10 minutes from start to finish at night and half of that time before I put make up on (If I put make up on) in the morning and I'm really happy with the way my skin in looking these days.

 

Questions? Email me!