I figured I could at least come up with an interim update before our "BIG REVEAL POST" later this month.
Our vacation to Phoenix in March was wonderful. It was incredibly relaxing. We hit up 3 Brewer spring training games and ate out quite a few times. I soaked up all the sun I could and studied when I could keep myself awake. I was still only about 11 weeks preggo at the time, so the idea of a nap was way more enjoyable than anything else. Mason was very good with the family while we were gone and I was expecting him to be more excited than he was the next morning. Goes to show how comfortable he has become with others besides Chris and I.
Mason is also doing great in school. He's not making the strides we were hoping in OT and PT but he is definitely comprehending more in speech. The reports that we get back from speech prove that he is retaining more knowledge than we are even aware of. Although he's unable to communicate what he knows daily - when put to the test, he really can prove he's a smart kid. The Ipad has been a great device for him to work on what he knows, whether its pointing out animals or colors or shapes. It's also great to pull up YouTube videos to get him through his 1 hour stander time.
When we got back from vacation, house preparations were back into full swing. Our house plan has been finalized. Chris met with a bank and got estimations for our monthly payments. I was *shocked* to say the least, considering our last mortgage was at 7.25% and this new house will be closer to 4%. We are doing what we can to avoid PMI which will put the house back into an "acceptable" range for me. We had a little set-back with the house a few weeks back but things turned out better than expected. When my parents bought the lot, the deed said it was 1.89 acres. However, "someone" forgot to verify the state right of way still in place so the lot they bought was actually was only an acre. We had to get creative to get our newly created lot to 2.0 acres, which is a requirement for "new" lots in the Town of Knowlton. The problem was (if there wasn't one already) was that the hole dug to test for our septic was in the state right of way, so we had to redig in our lot. The new test hole revealed a better spot allowing for a less expensive gravity-conventional system. It's the most cost-effective system there is! :) Tonight Chris is attending the town meeting to get a signature on our proposed lot so that the survey can officially get filed tomorrow. Deeds should be filed by the end of the week. The week of April 22nd, we hope to sign off on the construction loan. :) Then...it's well digging and frost-wall digging and pouring cement!!!
(I act like I know what I'm talking about, but truthfully I am not involved at all in the day-to-day. Chris's thoughts are consumed with this while my thoughts are on other things...)
Speaking of other things, today marks 15 weeks and 5 days pregnant for baby #2. The first heartbeat was in the 170's...while the latest heartbeat was 155. Only 17 more days until the "Big Sex Reveal". :) I am trying to psyche myself up for a boy although Chris and I really have our hearts set on a girl. One reason is because we already have a boy and are only planning on 2 kids, and the other is because we are somewhat convinced that Mrdutts only have boys! I struggle to keep myself off of pinterest and looking at possible nursery ideas, but with the new house, the possibilities are endless! We have all the furniture we need for the new little one (Mason's hand-me-downs) but the baby's wardrobe is yet to be determined. :) I handed off all of Mason's boy clothes to my sister who is due May 31st, and it would be nice if I didn't have to ask for them back 4 months later. :)
Speaking of the sis, we had a baby shower for her a few weekends back. See pics here. It was a great get-together seeing family and friends that we don't get to see very often. Katie has the luxury of growing a Mrdutt boy also, and with that comes all the fun of getting bigger to prepare for that Mrdutt head. She's got a metabolism like a hummingbird though and I'm sure she'll be back to her tiny self shortly. All the gifts reminded me of the crazy days of 12+ diapers, and puking, and breast-feeding and I thought...why are we doing this again? :) Thankfully, Mason's routine is pretty structured these days and I think we are finally at the point where a new baby can fit into our family routine fairly well. Well, besides the fact we need a house. I'm excited to have two more Mrdutt babies so close in age. It will be so exciting seeing them grow up together, swimming and fishing at the cabin, playing outside at the farm, going to Brewer games and zoos and all the fun things we'll need to do!
Other than baby preparations and house planning, I'm busy studying for my PHR exam. It's the professional in human resources certification and getting back into a study-routine has been pretty hard for me. I get tired after reading for 20 minutes so I have to squeeze several study sessions into my day - am, lunch and pm. I have a month to go until I take the test and I'm dead-set on passing the first time around...because I can't imagine going through this process again with a newborn. Chris has been great helping me get the time to read...he's basically been a single dad and house contractor the last 2 months.
I wish I could post more pictures, but my camera cord is MIA. I will be taking plenty of the house building so future posts should be more exciting. :) Not to mention the baby's sex reveal... :)
For now I'll leave you with the 3D picture of the baby at 13 weeks. (Sorry facebook friends, its the same one):
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