The Aftermath

So, we celebrated my sister's wedding last weekend. I feel as though I have been living and breathing the wedding for the past 5 days and yet have also had to be living and breathing my own life. They didn't overlap much.

The boys were in the wedding. They dropped flower petals out of top hats. They were adorable. However, there are no pictures of them doing this that I have or know of. Hopefully the photographer got them. I also don't really have any pictures of them. I am hopeful that someone has something that they will send either to my mom or to me.

Anyway, here is a picture of the bride and groom. I have never seen my sister look happier or more beautiful.

And here is a picture of all the girls. I thought the hairdressers and the make-up people did an outstanding job. But I thought the flowers were the best part to go with the dresses. I absolutely loved them!

I felt really old at this wedding. I was happy to dance some, but sit and talk to my relatives as well. Being pregnant, I couldn't drink, but I didn't feel that I missed it either. I was so happy that my two best friends were invited. They have been such a wonderful part of our family's life over the past 15 years or so, maybe even closing in on 20 years. They also seemed happy to see my sister so happy!

So here's to you Sara and Bill! Your smiles that day will remain with me forever and I hope that I continue to see them on your face. May God bless all that you do and may you find much happiness! I love you both!

B

100th Post

Okay, so I have seen many different things when people reach their 100th post. Mostly I have seen a lot of things specific to that person. Well, the reason that I started this blog was to keep family and friends updated on the kids. There have been a few personal posts along the way, but the whole idea has been to focus this blog on them.

So, without further ado, this seems like the perfect subject for a 100th post.

We are having a girl!

Now, I know to some of you this may not seem like a big deal, but with three boys (whom we love dearly), and knowing this is our last baby, it was with great joy we found out yesterday that not only were we having a healthy baby, but we were going to add a little girl to our mix. It will be quite an adventure to find out how girls are different--other than the obvious.

There is also a little peace in my heart especially. I love my boys and without them my life would seem incomplete, but I feel there is a special maternal pull to be the mother of a girl. I don't know if those of you with girls can truly understand this-not to offend, but when I imagined my life without any of those special girl moments, I was definitely a little sad. I know God heard me and I guess he thinks we can handle it. We'll have to see!
B

Lazy Summer Days

Okay, so I know that it didn't actually feel like summer this morning when we all left the house, but it still felt like a lazy summer day.

I had a doctor's appointment today. Everything is fine. The boys wanted to hear the baby's heartbeat so we all went together. Luckily, the appointment only lasted about 10 minutes from when I peed in the cup to when the doctor said, "See ya in a month." So after that was over, we decided to play at the park. While we were at the park, I heard a mom say that they had been down by the Riverwalk and were checking out the level of the river. I thought that sounded like a good idea, and there was a park there that I have been wanting to take the boys to for awhile, so off we went.

We parked a little bit from the park so we could walk the Riverwalk. I could not get over how high or how fast the water was. I made Zachary hold my hand just so that he wouldn't accidently fall overboard. We could only play at half the park, but luckily the roller slide was usable. We didn't play too terribly long, but the boys had a good time.

Then we headed back for the car. It was one of those walks that we haven't been able to take for awhile. Zachary said he wanted to go over a bridge, so over it we went. We had no agenda, just to eventually get back to the car. What a nice walk we had and the boys got to dictate a lot of where we went. Eventually we did get back to the car.

When we got home, we saw our friend down the street out. We ended up sharing lunch with her (well sort of-she had just eaten, but when I brought the boys' food out, she wanted more), and then playing outside for another hour or so. The weather turned beautiful today. Sun, hot. I know that it has been cold lately, but I'm ready for a little Indian Summer. Hope you all can find some way to be lazy in these last few days of summer left!
B

1st Day

Here are a couple of pictures from Jacob and Kyle's first day at school. They were very excited and have done really well the first couple of weeks. Luckily, I have never had really clingy children and they both seem very independent as they walk into their rooms. They often forget to kiss Mommy good bye! Oh well, I guess if I had to choose one extreme, it would be that one. I love these little guys!
B

Even Zachary felt as if he needed in on the action. "Take my picture too Mommy!"

He also started his "school" last week and loved it, of course.

I'm a Big Kid Now!

Zachary has conquered yet another "big kid" milestone. I was perfectly content with keeping him in his crib, but he decided that he was ready to move into his "Big boy" bed, or as he calls it, his "boy boy" bed.

Well, he slept in it for the first time last night and did a pretty good job, he fell asleep at 7:30 or so and woke up about 6:45 this morning. We were very pleased.

So, he went to take his nap there this afternoon. Now, keep in mind, he has not been taking naps all that frequently the last two weeks or so. I put him down about 2:00 or so. I had to go up there three times to remind him how we behave in the big boy bed, threatening that I would have to put him back in his crib. He did finally fall asleep and is sleeping now. Here is how he fell asleep:

He really is stinkin' cute though, isn't he?
B

I am Living My Worst Nightmare!

No kidding. I used to pity those poor parents whose kids were up every night or wound up in bed with them. I always felt sorry for them. Now, I'm feeling sorry for me! I am not a nice person when I don't have sleep. All of my children have slept through the night by the time they were 3 months old, two were by 2 months.

Well, we have now become that family. Zachary is up at least once every night, and has been for the last 3 months or so. He has to go potty or make sure that his door is cracked or say "Night, night" one more time. Each time he goes right back to sleep, but one of us has to get up and ge him back in bed.

This past week Jacob and Kyle have each had two overnight accidents. Kyle hasn't had a wet bed in so long (over a year) that he had no idea why he woke up wet. Jacob wet the bed so fully that it went around the mattress and managed to wet both sides of it. He then had to sleep on a sleeping bag on the floor all night and that did not go well. Now Jacob has a cold and he is up to tell me that his nose is stuffy or to ask us to blow it.

One night all three kids were each up once and the only one to make it to the potty...Zachary.

Have I mentioned lately how wonderful my hubby is? He knows that I am a grouch, so he gets up a majority of the time, puts each kid back to bed, and goes back to sleep himself. I do help with wet beds and wet pajamas, but he does the quick ones.

All in all, it's not horrible, but with a new baby on the way, knowing I am going to be up lots of nights, I need them to sleep all the way through the night, or at least go back to sleep on their own if they do wake up. They used to with no problem, we never heard from them. What happened?
B

Something's Brewing

Well, yesterday Jacob and Kyle started their last year of preschool. Now granted, it is only their second year, but nevertheless, next year they will have to leave the familiarity of this wonderful school and go on to something new and bigger. They both walked in so confidently. They knew right where they were going. After all, Kyle is in the same room Jacob was in last year, and Jacob is right next door, so they get to share a bathroom this year. Then we walked through the school and found their teachers from last year and said hello. They were dismissing their new three year olds. I can't believe how little they look. I don't remember them looking that little last year, but I know that they did.

They are so excited to go back tomorrow. Tomorrow Mommy and Daddy don't have to stay with them (yesterday was a shortened "Meet and Greet"). I am sure that as the year progresses they are going to learn so many new things and I am going to cry (after all, do they really ever stop being your babies?). For now though, I am just going to try and enjoy it with them and live in their excitement. I know that school will not be this exciting forever. Let's see if we can catch some of that excitement and hold onto it for as long as we can. There is so much in store for these two little (or big) guys.
B

P.S. Zachary also had his open house for his "school" (Parent's Day Out) yesterday. He just loved it. I am sure that the same excitement will be brewing in him all this year and definitely next year as he gets to go to "Jacob and Kyle's school."