How Much is Too Much?

I recently joined the 21st century and got a phone that has apps and all those fun things. Gavin has always loved to play with phones as most kids do.  However, now that he has discovered the games and activities on my phone he wants to play with it all the time! 

I'm fascinated at how he knows how to swipe the screen and sometimes I feel like he knows how to work this thing better than I do. The other day he even changed my wallpaper.  Oh, and if you happen to receive a random phone call from me, or a text message typed in a different language it was probably from Gavin (he did both of these things the other day).

To satisfy his technology desires we bought him his own "phone.".  It is a Leapfrog that has games and the alphabet and all that jazz. The thing I'm struggling with is how much is too much? We did not have any of these things when we were kids; I think Nintendo was my first exposure to technology.  But Gavin will grow up with computers, ipads, cell phones, etc.  I don't know if these things are good for his mind or if they are frying his brain.

I'm trying to only let him play with educational things on my phone, or on the computer.  And when he watches TV it's usually Nick Jr., Seasame Street or Disney Channel. I think I'm going to have to start setting time limits on some of these things which is something I never expected would be necessary for a three-year-old.

I know every parent has their own opinions on TV usage and computer games.  I will be honest; sometimes I use these things as 'babysitters' so that I can take a minute to breathe and I'm definitely not ashamed of that. I'm just trying to find a balance between the good parts of technology and the excessive use of it.

Utah weather

These pictures were taken on March 8th but I think they pretty much sum up the kind of weather we've been having.  I just love when the biggest storm of the year comes three months after Christmas.

I thought the Groundhog said we would be having an early spring this year; I think he got it wrong! Snow, please go away!!!!!

The "Joys" of Pregnancy

I am officially in my third trimester of pregnancy and I always laugh a little when someone gushes about how much they love being pregnant. If that is true, like they claim, these are just a few things they LOVE so much:

*Getting up to go to the bathroom multiple times a night. Yeah, yeah, I know this will "prepare" me for when the baby comes. The fact is; I want my sleep!

*Speaking of bathrooms, having the baby kick, punch and jump on your bladder all day long. I literally almost peed my pants today because the little one gave my bladder a jab.

*Stomach problems. No, I'm not talking about your stomach getting larger; I'm talking about the heartburn, gas, constipation, bloating, etc. etc. etc.

*Stretch marks; need I say more!

*Cankles. Luckily this has not happened to me yet but I know its coming.

*The comments of how big you are. People say very strange things when you are pregnant. I just love having someone tell me how HUGE I look. As if I didn't already feel like a giant whale!

*The aches and pains. I have discovered the second pregnancy brings with it many more aches and pains. You would think your body would be used to the pregnancy thing the second time around, but I'm finding that not to be the case.

Of course, in the end pregnancy results in this:

So I guess maybe I do love it a little.