In an attempt to predict the gender of the wee one I've got cooking, folks often ask me how this pregnancy has been similar or different to my previous two presumably to use some old wive's tale to create an assertion. And, yes, there have been a few symptoms that have been new this time around.
1) I've had a couple things growing at an alarmingly rapid rate this time. (The girls remained their normal, reasonable size with my girls.)
2) I've had quite a hard time keeping regular (in the Jamie Lee Curtis kind of way.)
3) I've been freakishly hormonal. (If you're reading this, and you're my husband, you are not allowed to comment or to suggest that this is not a new symptom.)
4) I've had far fewer migraines than I did with pregnancies #1 and #2. (I'd like to ask every reader to immediately knock on the nearest wooden object.)
In general, though, I'm carrying the same (all belly and pretty low), have gained a similar amount of weight (though it seems to be a bit less with each pregnancy), and have had a pretty easy time overall.
One symptom. One obnoxious, irritating, nagging symptom, however, has remained consistent with all three pregnancies: INSOMNIA! Sure, it comes and goes, but my goodness, when it's bad, it's really bad.  Tonight I've decided to put the middle of the night yet wide-awake time to good use by keeping up with my resolution of more frequent blogging until this babe reveals his or herself.
Since I didn't write my regular quarterly Favorite Things/Non-Things list in June, I thought I might just share a few tidbits of some of what's been making life grand.
As for the things, I'm totally overdosing on Cheerwine and Sweet Tea (though, I can no longer stand it as sweet as it's made here; have to 'cut' mine with half unsweet) since being back in the South. I've also been enjoying this Butter Pecan Coffee Creamer in an occassional afternoon cup of coffee (if you're noticing a pattern of these things all containing caffeine and then wondering if this could be contributing to my insomnia, your observation is not lost on me.)
Since I'm pretty much living in sundresses (I do not own one piece of legitimate maternity attire), I've been loving this little number that I picked up at Nordstrom just before we moved. It's comfortable enough to wear all day and does the trick of keeping the aforementioned growing girls in their place.
We've bought several new things for the house, but my favorite so far has been this darling, pink velvet chair that we picked up at HomeGoods for Carter's room.

So girly and fun!

It coordinated perfectly with the things she already had

and added a nice feminine touch to the not so feminine wall color.

Our nuclear family unit has blossomed immensely during this season producing so many Non-Thing Things that we are truly blessed beyond measure. Murphy's lil personality is really beginning to come through. She can make me want to pull my hair out in frustration at her unbelievably stubborn nature. With moves such as refusing to say the word please for over three hours knowing full well that saying the simple word would refill her sippy and sitting stoically on the stairs and crying for (what seems like) hours rather than walking the few steps to be held as she desires, the kid is proving to have some serious resolve. 

If tantrum positions were an Olympic sport, 

she surely would win the Gold.

She can just as easily melt my heart to complete mush with her silly, loving side. She's begun to refer to herself as Mur-Mur and, when asked for her age, her answer varies from four to six. Anything that she wants she calls 'the purple one' whether or not it is purple or even has a color, and she wakes up every morning singing either the Scooby Doo theme song or Bringing Home a Baby Bumble Bee. She's also begun saying the word 'No' a LOT. It's funny, though, because she says it in the most sweet little voice, that it's pretty hard to take her seriously, let alone get upset with her.

Kissing herself goodnight, as she does each night.

Carter (and, therefore, I) has had some summer struggles with whining and arguing, but she, too, fills up so many little holes that I never even knew were in my heart. First and foremost, her love for Murphy and for the little dragon (her prediction) yet to be born, is amazing. She loves to lay her head on my tummy and sings sweet lullabies to the babe. She is thoughtful, considerate, and helpful with Murphy, and rarely retaliates despite Murphy's often unkind behaviors towards her. 

She was so happy that Murphy was 'giving her love'

after having been less than sweet during our Costco trip.

She's becoming a bit of a Daddy's girl and watching their relationship flourish is such a treat. They both enjoy a good tickle (the slow, gentle kind not the pee your pants kind) and bond through singing movie songs like Somewhere Out There and You've Gotta Friend in Me together. 

Pookie requested a house made from moving boxes:

and that request yielded Daddy Daughter project of epic proportions.

What I love about this picture is that it demonstrates how Carter 'gets' her Daddy's sense of humor. She used her Lambie as a tail and then asked me to take a picture and send it to Daddy stating that she knew he would love her 'Lambie Tail.'

Kids aside, Lindsay and I are loving being back in the city where it all began for us. We've enjoyed a date night or two and are having fun both rediscovering some of our favorite places, discovering some new, and introducing our girls to a city that we both hold dear. We are having a ball making our new house a home and are looking forward to adding the finishing touch (in the human form) to our little family in just ten short weeks.

The clock now reads 3:51 AM, and I'm finally feeling signs of sleep. Ahhh, how I've missed heavy eyelids! I'll now be gently lulled to sleep by the jolting movements of the babe who's frequently reminding me that s/he would much rather catch a few zzzzz's during the daylight hours. 

It Began with a Pie

Not an apple or cherry or chocolate meringue or key lime, but a pie nonetheless. 
One afternoon a Denver friend asked me what I was making for dinner, I casually replied, "Black bean pie." Who knew that my response would elicit such confusion on the part of my friend? I might as well have told her that I was going to sauté some little yard mouse, and serve it over brown rice. She seemed truly dumfounded that one could first form a pie from lentils and then serve it as an entree. Her reaction made me feel like I was from a foreign land.
I had always felt that my transition from being a Southern gal to a Denverite came with much ease. I quickly acclimated to the casual nature of the outdoorsy city. I am crazy in love with the weather especially the 300 plus days of sunshine we get each year. I relish the summer days with the local farmer's markets and busy parks. Yet there seems to be a chasm between what I know to be "normal" and what the folks around here consider as such.
Take tea, for example. I grew up believing that asking for a glass of tea carried with it the assumption that said beverage would be sweetened (with SUGAR, I should add.) I quickly learned that this is an incorrect assumption.
When I imagined my little girls attending, say, another child's birthday party, I pictured them joyously  frolicking around in adorable little smocked dresses. Turns out such attire can't even be purchased west of the Mason-Dixon.

Here is My Carter Lilly on her first birthday
wearing the obviously appropriate celebratory attire.

And, at Thanksgiving 2009.

And, again, at Christmas of the same year.
(Clearly, I have been successful at importing the smocked wear.)

Of course my sweet angels would include their own monogrammed stationery with their gifts. When I whip out one of these personalized cards, I am now prepared to get puzzled looks from all the other moms. "It's a Southern thing," is all I can say in response. 

Speaking of other mothers and children, how much do I miss hearing sweet little voices utter the phrase, "Yes, Ma'am" or "No, Sir" when speaking to an adult! I'm guessing these moms and dads don't give the traditional, "Mind your manners!" instruction before sending their little ones out the door. 

The longer I live away from "home" the stronger my desire grows to keep hold of those Southern ideals that I still hold dear. I will try my hardest to raise little girls who not only say "Please" and "Thank you" but also "Yes ma'am" and "No ma'am" (even if they get funny looks from their classmates.) I will be sure they learn to hand write meaningful thank you  notes and that they always mail them in a timely fashion. I will remind them to say grace before meals and to count their blessings with each bedtime prayer. And every now and again, I will play Alabama instead of the Black Eyed Peas for our afternoon dance parties.
And, since it began with a pie, I will end it with a pie... Here's my Black Bean Pie recipe. Enjoy!

1 red pepper                                      
1 sweet onion                                        
2 cans of black beans                           
1 cup of salsa                                        
1 tsp. chili powder
1 flour tortilla shell
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 pie crusts (one frozen deep dish and one refrigerated crust that you roll out)

Preheat oven to 350. Place the deep dish crust in the oven to brown. Finely dice the pepper and onion, and saute' them in olive oil or butter until transparent. Add the beans (drain one can), salsa, and chili powder. Bring to a boil. Then cover and cook on medium for 20 minutes. 
Pour half of the mixture into the browned pie crust. Top with 1 cup of cheese and then the tortilla. Pour in the second half of the bean mixture. Then top with the second cup of cheese and the refrigerated crust. 
Bake for about 30 minutes or until the top crust is lightly browned.