LATELY.

So going private kinda sucks. It's a bit of a process. So bare with me. It'll happen soon. In the mean time... We've been up to all sorts of crazy shiz. A WHOLE LOTTA staying up until 10PM, people! And waking up at 5AM! And swimming and grocery shopping and party planning and munchkin herding. Super glam.

I left my heart in Baltimore and ventured to Phoenix on August 11th to wait out the rest of Sam's internship with my sister. Turns out hanging out alone with Leah while fat n' preg in downtown Baltimore while Sam works 15 hours a day (EVERYDAY, including Sat and Sun) is poo on a stick. And secretly it's easier for Sam to keep up that kind of schedule when we're not around. And I never need TOO much prodding to skip off to my sissy's house, SO HERE WE ARE!

This post will be just a quick documentation because I am currently hand-fighting with Leah, stiff-arming my two-year old nephew, and dodging foreign projectiles being pitched at my head by my three nieces. There's lots of weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth whenever any of them spot the back of a lap top, with a quivering, quaking adult trembling behind it for a bit of refuge.

We started the AZ extravaganza out with a surprise for my mom in the form of tickets to the American Idol Live Tour. She's a die-hard fan, blowing up my phone every season, all season long to discuss each performance. We tricked her into thinking we were flying her down to babysit but really had a rockin', glorious girl's night out planned.

There is no one more fabulous to surprise than my mom:

And of course, as soon as the camera turned off, she buried her little face in her little hands and had a good cry. So much joy and bliss.

The night began:

Just look at that mama! Smitten and gleeful all night long.

I'm not gonna lie... things got a little crazy.

And when we get really crazy, there's usually ugly-face crying.

And typically, falling asleep. From overstimulation.

'Twas an excellent night, indeed.

After Bethany and I gave my mom and Mera the boot, we got to work throwing a baby shower for her bestie, Kim.

This little watermelon pram we made was the easiest, cutest little fruit display on the block, if I do say so m'sef!

We made these little suckies out of york peppermint patties, life savers and chocolate covered almonds:

And some m&m party favors for the road:

Bethany and I gave ourselves a hearty pat on the back and good long footrub after the day was done. And I had nutty professor ankles and bone spurs after spending the whole day standing on the tile kitchen floor over hot glue guns and baking pans. I love being pregnant.

In other news, this little lady has become a regular barracuda in the water. A barracuda who wears floaties. She's a joke in the barracuda community.

There's nothing I can really say about these next to photos of Bethany's Olivia. THAT HAIR!!

We went to the children's museum and there's one room full of supplies to make any kind of fort you can imagine---Leah bit off a little more than she could chew trying to make the biggest and best of all the forts. She broke down from the stress of it all.

She found herself more suited to pizza baking than the hard labor of fort building. So did the rest of the gang:

And finally, I hacked off all my hair. It had to be done. It was starting to take over my life. Don't be alarmed. It's still to my shoulders, but this last 7 inches makes a total of 15 inches chopped away in the last 6 months. What's really annoying is I don't have any pictures to show for it. So it won't be debuted today. But you can spend the next good while thinking about it long and hard. I know you will. Pictures to follow.