A palindrome is a word, line, or number that reads the same backwards and forwards.  An example of a word is Madam.  An example of a number is Noelle’s birthday, 5-05. 

Well, Mike thinks it would be cool if all of our kids had palindrome birthday dates.  The ones for March are 3-03 (tomorrow), 3-13 (Mom’s b-day next week), and our due date, 3-23.  Now the likelihood of Anna Kate being born on one of these three days is very slim, we are having fun playing with numbers!

And I do have an update: Last Thursday, we had a sonogram to check on Anna Kate.  Her head is down (and will most likely stay that way), she is exactly 6 lbs. and is 18 1/2 inches long.  Of course, these are estimates, but if she gains 1/2 pound a week, she will weigh exactly what Noelle weighed and will be about the same length as well.  It’s so cool we have a little bit of an idea what to expect.

I’m hoping the doctor will schedule a date this week in case we have to induce.  Having a day in our mind to look forward to will be so nice.  We are ready to meet Anna Kate!

Alecia made this adorable diaper cake for Anna Kate.  It has receiving blankets, a tag cuddly blanket on top, the butterflies are a mobile, over 100 diapers in it, and is on top of such a cuddly baby blanket (and pizza pan)… so pretty! 

Noelle and Daddy in the conference room right before the shower.  (Can’t argue with a 2 year old about wearing flip-flops on a 75° day!)

Anna Kate’s girly side of the table.

Baby Carson’s boy side of the dual shower!

Noelle was really getting into the present opening!

Anna Kate’s adorable umbrella cupcake cake!

Give me some more of that fake smile, girlfriend!

There’s that whole-hearted smile… Noelle loves Tim, the office gorilla!

Mike came in Tuesday night with a bundle of tulips for Noelle (she was sick and running a fever). 

Right when he walked in, she exclaimed, "Those flowers are lovely!"

I’ll never forget that moment!

At school today, they had show-and-tell where you bring a picture of yourself with your pet.  If you don’t have a pet, you can bring a picture of yourself with your favorite stuffed animal.  Noelle got this precious "Big Pink Dog" (like Emily Elizabeth from Clifford’s  "Big Red Dog") from Mama Kay Kay and Grand Papa for Valentine’s Day.  She named him "Nolan my Big Pink Dog" and was so excited to take her picture to show all of her friends.  Unfortunately, since we got sick, she couldn’t go today, but I promised Noelle that her teachers would let her show her picture next week. 

Noelle needed to take my picture after our photo-op with Nolan.  She loves both sides of the camera.  And you wouldn’t believe, but after the last spot on her chin went away, another one popped right up and someone just won’t stop picking!

Noelle’s favorite thing in the world right now is dress-up.  She loves to wear her Belle dress and watch YouTube versions of "Tale as Old as Time" from Beauty and the Beast.  She knows parts of almost every Disney princess song now.  My favorite to hear her sing is Jasmine’s carpet ride.  She sings, "Shinning, shimmering, splendid" so perfectly!

However, one thing she does is get her "V"s and "B"s mixed up, so she’ll ask if she can watch princess "Bideos."  It’s the only thing she mispronounces, so we don’t correct her.  It’s just too cute, and it’s literally the only thing!  So for now, Victoria is Bictoria, Jacksonville, is Jacksonbille, Valentine, is Balentine… and I soak it in every time I hear the V-B mix-up because it won’t be long before she’ll have more of a mastery of the English language than I do!

P.S.  About the title – when she doesn’t know the words to the song, she’ll grab both sides of her dress, and spin around the room singing, "La-Ti-Di, La-Ti-Da" in the sweetest high tone.  Love this girl right here!

Anytime you ask for something you want, you say, “Can I watch Clifford, sweet Mommy?” “Can I have grapes, sweet Mommy?” One night this week I was on the phone with Rara, and I told you that you would have to ask her if you could have yogurt. You grabbed the phone and said, “Can I have yogurt, sweet Rara?”

Rara’s on her way to Arlington today, and we were on the phone with Daddy. You said, “Rara’s coming to see me. Isn’t that awesome? I think so!”

Noelle: “It’s good night time. Where’d the sun go?”

Mommy: “It’s on the other side of the world right now, shining over Japan.”

Noelle: “God had to make that up!”

Mommy girl got oh so sick this weekend.  Rara and Mike think it’s the flu, but I had a flu shot, so I’m really confused.  It’s coughing, congestion, sore throat, high fever, chills, aches, and more coughing!  We’ve been sick SO much this winter but hopefully we’re getting all of this craziness out of the way before Anna Kate gets here.  I’VE GOT TO GET BETTER!!!

Some of our friends threw a couple’s shower for Anna Kate last weekend.

Noelle got her very own "Big Sister" chair and thought that was so cool!

Noelle absolutely LOVED opening the presents for Anna Kate!!!

Homemade cookies from Aunt E for the party favors. 

The guys!

The gals!

Noelle digging into her petifore at the dessert table.

Thanks girls for throwing such a memorable shower for us!

Noelle hanging out with two of her best buddies, Emme & Zane!

Noelle chased Zane around the banquet room after the party yelling, "I need my kiss!  I need my kiss!"  Zane’s Mommy finally trapped him so Noelle could give him her good-bye kiss.

Right when we got home Noelle asked, "Did Anna Kate come out?"  I think she thought her party is where she would make her grand entrance into the world.  I answered, "Not yet."  She said, "Just checkin’!"

Needless to say, Noelle needed a lot of special attention.  Mike and I watched her play dress-up all night.  She is going to be such a sweet big sister! 

Noelle watching "Beauty and the Beast" while playing her whistle and dancing.

My little brother, John, proposed to his girlfriend, Nancy, Saturday night–and she said "YES!"

           Congratulations Brother Man & Fancy Nancy!  We love you both so much!