Math and Reading

A little while back I bought Jade a few "School" supplies. The first thing I got (well, after a preschool activity book at Wal-mart) was The Bob books level 1 readers. From time to time I pull out those books and Jade and I read them together. She pretty much has the first book memorized and is now working on the second.

Another fun "School" tool I bought were Cuisenaire Rods mostly all we do with them is play and match up colors or find colors to match up with a longer rod, etc. Last night, however, I came upstairs and found that Dad and Jade were making super cool designs with the rods, doing counting and colors. Here Jade is pointing to each rod and telling me which color it is.
And here she is posing for the camera. My little, shy daughter:)

It's so much fun to watch Jade learn and have fun with it. I love being able to just do "School" at our own pace and not stress about it much since she isn't "school age" yet. Soon we'll start official preschool/kindergarten and actually create a routine. But for now. We just have lots of fun.

On a reading note. I'm trying to find a child book on the first Thanksgiving. I went to a few bookstores in the last month or so and haven't really found anything I liked. I did google a few online today and put two on hold at the library (thank you, all of you who told me to put books on hold FIRST before going to the library). However, if you have a favorite children's Thanksgiving book you wish to share with me...I'd love to hear what it is! Thanks!

What are the Bechtle's having?

Is it a girl? Is it a boy? How will we ever know?

Ultrasounds are magical! It's a boy!

Babies first profile pic!

Pretty princess

Last night, Jade and her friend Caitlyn were playing "princesses" they both wanted their pictures taken
oops, no crown for Caitlyn...we really must teach Jade about SHARING.

My new favorite beauty product

I've been reading for a few years now that body oil is great for really dry skin. I've avoided buying it because it just seems strange to me to put on body oil without the intention to go sun tanning. lol

However, my dry skin gets even drier in the Fall/Winter and seems to get that much MORE dry when I'm pregnant. I've woken myself at night from scratching my legs like some crazed, scratching, maniac.
I've tried super hydrating lotions, lotions for "dry, damaged skin" lotions you apply morning, noon and night. And still I scratch like a crazy lady.

So when my dear girlfriend tipped me off to Wal-mart's knock off brand of the above oil, I figured it was time I give it a try.

I've used it for a week now and I LOVE it! It hasn't made my skin 100% hydrated, but the scratching is down to a minimum. Plus, I love the super silky feel of my skin that lasts all day and I can't help but get a kick out of putting oil all over my body...in the winter. Somehow it just puts me in the right mood...as though I were about to go outside and soak up some rays.

If you have super dry skin and you haven't tried body oil. You may want to try it and see if it works as well for you as it has been for me.

Now, if I can only get my face from breaking out while pregnant. hmmm...I may just have to suffer for a few more months there.

Daylight savings time. My awe and wonder

Even though I know computers and cell phones and even portable land line phones have had the technology to reset their own clocks when daylight savings comes around. It still amazes me!

This morning after getting off the phone I looked at it and was like "wow, my portable phone has the correct time"

technology is amazing!

Harvest Fest

This afternoon we headed over to church for "Harvest Fest". They have free food and candy, games and prize, hay rides and a huge cardboard maze. It didn't take Jade long to start having a great time!
First they spun the giant pumpkin to see how much candy Jade would win.
Then Jade tried her hand at throwing a tiny ping pong ball into open mason jars. She wasn't able to but she still won candy.
Every game they played got more and more exciting. Jade's eyes were so huge and so excited to get to eat candy the whole time!
Upstairs they had a "cake walk". JB and Jade jumped in and on the very first stop Jade won! She got a giant cookie cake!
Here they are headed into the giant cardboard maze. It was to dark inside to get pictures otherwise I would have.

A little cardboard miniature golf.

Hayride!

There actually weren't to many ballerina's at the party, but we did run into Caitlyn who was dressed pretty close.
Some cotton candy, popcorn, and a hot dog finished up the night. It was a fun day...lots of sugar!

Bored on a Saturday...making a fool of myself, hee, hee

Thoughts on baby

My sister sent me this video today called "A Mother's Prayer" . Of course, I can't watch anything even slightly sentimental without bursting into tears. So even if it's just the pregnancy hormones this really touched me this morning.

I've been thinking a lot about my child(ren) and how my life has changed and how my heart and desires are so full of hopes and dreams for my little ones. There have been more times then I can count where the thoughts sung in the song have popped in my head or been prayed over Jade's tiny body.

Last night, while lying in bed, wide awake, feeling my little baby Bechtle kicking inside me all I could think about is how good God is. How wonderful and amazing his mercies, his love, his power. I was struck with how He has used marriage as a way for me to better understand his love for me and now with children, again, I feel I'm able to understand a little better how his love for us can be so strong, so powerful even when we are so undeserving. Being a parent I can't imagine any love stronger then the love I have for my child. What I wouldn't do for her, give to her, etc.

When I was pregnant with Jade, I was amazed with the process, but I think I was so preoccupied with being a new wife, living in a new state and going through so many new things, that I wasn't able to really be in the moment of my pregnancy. This time around I feel everything, I am aware of everything, and I'm humbled and excited to know that God is giving me not one beautiful baby but TWO! My life is going to change again, change and be different for ever. And it won't just change for me, life is going to change for Jade as well. She gets to be a big sister.

I'm really excited to see Jade in this new role. She is so strong, so sweet, so precious to me. I know she will be a wonderful big sister and friend.

I started putting together an online photo album of Jade's pictures from the last three years. I feel like I'm reliving all of those memories over again and it's all I can do not to keep from crying. (with joy, of course) It's only been three short years, and yet this is my life and I can't imagine it without her. Remembering how excited I was when she first started doing her baby, gurgly talk, then when she first rolled over. Crawling, walking, eating big girl food, saying her first words...saying "I love you Mommy". Now she runs and jumps and colors and counts and reads (some). She uses the potty and is learning to wash her own hair. She helps me with dinner, cleaning, laundry. I love when she comes up to me in the mornings while I'm on the computer. She says "You emailing mommy?" I'll say "yes I am" then she'll say "what we doing today?". lol! What happened to my little poochie bear? My little baby girl who just laid on the floor staring up at the lights on the ceiling.

Sometimes I worry about having another baby. I worry about favoritism and wonder if I can ever love another child as much as I love my first. But then I think how exciting it will be to get to go through the baby process all over again, to get to be filled with awe and wonder as my next child experiences the joys of life anew. And with it, get to see Jade experience a baby sibling for the first time.

I'm so happy right now.

Oh, we get to find out what we are having next Friday! I can't wait to share with everyone what our new baby will be...girl or boy. hee, hee