baby boy update

It seems as though the pregnancy bug is in the water these days. I know of so many expecting moms, and a few of them have posted this cute survey on their blogs to track their progress. And since I'm fairly certain that this will be our last hurrah, I thought I'd join the fun and document a few tid bits.

How far along? 25 weeks
Total weight gain / loss? 8-10 pounds gained
Maternity clothes? Exclusively wearing maternity jeans, but I can get away with some of my regular shirts and sweaters. I have to keep pulling them down, but it can be done.
Stretch marks? Not yet...
Sleep? Becoming more and more difficult. Laying on my side causes cramping, laying on my back is discouraged, and laying on my stomach is impossible.
Best moment this week? It was a great week, but as it relates to this pregnancy I'll say the best moment was when Kate insisted that we name this baby "March," as in marching / stomping and spent the rest of the afternoon making LOTS of noise stomping around the house.
Movement? Yep and lots braxton hicks contractions.
Food cravings? Stephen is so good to me. He makes me a semi-healthy treat every night: frozen berries with cool whip. I could do it myself, but it tastes so much better when he does!
Gender? boy
Name? still thinking...
Labor signs? no, but I have a feeling this baby may come early. Just a hunch.
Belly button in or out? Just kind of flat
What do I miss? The gym, coke zero, and my 2nd cup of coffee
Weekly wisdom: Forget raging hormones. If I choose to give in to a grumpy mood, my kids will suffer from it. I set the tone. Being cranky when I feel like it is a luxury I can't afford when little people are depending on me.
Milestones: I'm officially in the third trimester! Woohoo!

So that's about it. I'm getting more and more excited to meet this little man!

tid bits

Last Tuesday as all the ballerinas were filing out of the studio, Sam found himself surrounded by pink leotards and hair bows. Everywhere he looked were little girls and their mommies. One lone man--whom we did not know from Adam--was standing in the hallway. Sam made his way through the sea of girliness, walked right up to the man, and in his manliest voice shouted "FOOTBALL!". Male bonding in its earliest form.

Now 25 weeks pregnant with our third baby, I find myself feeling more tired more quickly after spending all day keeping up with our first two. Yesterday, I decided to take a break and sit on the couch for a few minutes while Sam napped and Kate enjoyed "quiet time." Before I knew it, Kate was staring at me from the upstairs banister. "Mommy," she said, "it's not good for your brain to watch TV all day."

I heard from another mom at Kate's school yesterday that her little man has somewhat of a crush on Kate. He insists on sitting next to her in class, talks about her at home, and has named some of his toys "Kate." I know, so stinkin' cute. Last night, Stephen asked Kate about Max, and she said "Yeah, he likes me a lot. He wants to hold my hand and go to McDonald's and he doesn't let anybody mess with me." Stephen asked me if I have "met this boy," and my mind flashed forward 12 years. Lord, how in the world will I ever survive the dating years???

Sam's new phrase: "Daddy da boss."

birthday girl

We enjoyed such a great day with Kate...my birthday girl. We started the morning with banana chocolate chip muffins (a Kate favorite), feasted at Chic-Fil-A for lunch, picked out a new coloring book at the book store, took in the fun at a fall festival, enjoyed burritos at Moe's for dinner, and ended the day with this humble pony cake at home. (Kate really wanted a pony cake for her birthday...How do you make a pony cake???). And throughout our fun, crazy day, I kept thanking God for this sweet girl. I am so blessed to be her mom...she has such a sweet spirit, such a tender heart. Just this morning, we were eating breakfast and I told Kate that I couldn't believe she's FOUR. Before I knew it, she was standing beside me, patting me on the leg and said "Don't worry, Mommy. Don't be sad. I'm still little. I'm still small." My goodness.
So here's a Kate-update to commemorate her fourth birthday. I can hardly believe so much time has passed since the day I first laid eyes on her...

• Favorite toys: Three Musketeers barbies specifically and all other barbies in general
• Favorite TV show: She still loves most anything on PBS, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Agent Ozo
• Favorite foods: "Hot dogs and rice and peppers." Translation: Kilbosa
  
• Favorite activities: going to the park, play dates with friends, playing with Sam, telling jokes. Her favorite: What did the moose say to the other moose? Moo! Now THAT'S funny!
• Funny words: Cootie Toobie (cutie patootie), Bow-ay (ballet)
• Favorite colors: pink is still holding strong but she's added purple to the list
• Favorite hairstyle: easy...pony tail
• Favorite book: Not sure if it's her favorite, but we read "Sophie and Sam" a lot these days.

She's a hoot. Stephen and I find ourselves laughing at something she has said or done all the time. I can't imagine what my day to day would be like without her...not nearly as much fun, for starters.

Geez luise. My baby girl is four. FOUR. Our celebrations started about a week ago while in North Carolina with princess cupcakes and Three Musketeers Barbies. Kate was in heaven. It was a small get-together of all those who love her most; it was perfect.

baby avery!!!

We welcomed Avery Noelle to the world on September 30 at 5:30. She weighed in at 7 lbs. 12 oz., was 19 inches long, and showed off a head full of beautiful dark hair. She's gorgeous! I feel like I've waited forever to meet this baby; I can only imagine how Stacy and Ivan feel. I can't wait to watch this sweet girl grow and love on her every step of the way!

dancing queen

For the last several months, Kate's been talking a lot about "bow-ay." She'll twirl around the house, put on make shift tutus, and insist that she's a "really good bowawina." We've wanted to put her in class, but the cost seemed a little high for a three year old. Then, a few weeks ago, Stephen heard that the Georgia School of Ballet would be offering classes at his school at a reasonable price, and we couldn't resist. She goes once a week and seems to be enjoying it. We're working on listening to her teacher and going potty before putting on her leotard, and I think we're making some progress. Here's a look at our ballerina...