Et Cetera: July 2012

I was just thinking...man, I need to update the blog! I had thought it had only been about a week since I had written last- and was surprised to see it had actually been more than two. Story of my life!
Anyway, lots of changes and general busy-ness around here.
Pregnancy news:
- Just entered my third (and longest?!?!) trimester. 28 weeks today- wahoo!
- New fun symptom: carpal tunnel. Apparently it's one of those weird preggo things- but I'm sure lots of kitchen/garden work and knitting haven't helped things. I have a brace, but it's a PITA to wear, so I don't wear it as much as I should. Cue curled, numb fingers when I wake up in the morning and annoying burning sensation throughout the day.

Household news:

- Now on WIC and taking advantage of a fridge bursting with milk. Cue reminder for upcoming post on what I'm doing with it all, and healthy eating on a budget (not like there aren't a million other blogs about that or anything.)

- Garden is going gangbusters. Blueberries, green beans, and cucumbers are done, but not before I froze 12 quart bags of blueberries, 20+ of green beans, and untold numbers of quart jars of both sweet and dill pickles. Squash is still here, so I'm busy both sautéing for dinner almost nightly and dehydrating. Peppers are being diced, tray-frozen, and bagged for the freezer. Tomatoes, watermelon, and potatoes are staples as well. I had planned on dehydrating most of the tomatoes, but it's a bigger pain than I expected, so I'm freezing most at the moment. Discovered an amazing tomato/watermelon salad with a balsamic reduction that we've been really enjoying. Corn is tasseling, we have small ears, and should be enjoying it soon.

- Already planning both a second planting of some of the above, as well as the fall garden. Think kale, spinach, swiss chard, pumpkin, broccoli, etc.

- Going to check out chickens tomorrow- possibly picking up two more hens and a rooster.

- Trying to talk Brett into a dairy goat :-)

Lucy news:

- Thank you, thank you, thank you to the person who mentioned a "pacifier box," aka a special place for a toddler to stow his/her pacifier during the day. I covered a small shoebox with construction paper, Lucy decorated it and lined it with tissue paper, and now the pacis all "live in the paci house" whenever Lucy's not sleeping. We've had it two days so far, and we've been paci-free during the day with absolutely minimal whining. Plan is to have it gone completely for her third birthday.

- Lucy is reliably potty-trained. Wahoo! Still wearing pull-ups at night, but she's dry consistently enough that we're going to ditch those soon, too.

- Lucy is sleeping through the night in her toddler bed, in her room. Big girl!

(note: take and insert cute pic of Lucy here)

Junie news:

- Junie is talking up a storm- short sentences now. After having a speech-delayed kid first, we get such a kick out of hearing her little voice- especially "wuv you, mama!" She also frequently reminds Lucy to, "share, please!"

- Junie is now napping in her crib, in the girls' room. I try to move her there at night, too, but if I'm too tired, I don't bother. Trying to take it slow, but hoping to have her completely transitioned in a few weeks.

- This crazy girl loves her baby dolls, all animals, and imitating everything I do.